Living From Your Heart

By Sue Urda

What's in your heart? What's really in your heart? Do you know? Have you thought about it lately?

So many of us live our day-to-day lives simply going through the motions. We just go on doing the things we've always done. We talk to the same people about the same things, eat the same food at the same restaurants, watch the same TV programs week after week and think the same thoughts we've always thought. We don't take the time to explore our hearts and to decide if what we are doing, thinking and spending our time on are the things that truly matter to us.

Take a moment and think about your day yesterday. Was it lived from your heart? Did you do things that had real "feelings" attached to them? Did you get done the things that are meaningful to you - even one thing? Did you have an intimate conversation with someone you love? Did you make sure the people you love felt loved? If you answer yes to any of these, you are on the right track! If you're not sure, there's an easy way to learn to live from your heart.

As you prepare for your day each morning, ask yourself two simple questions:

1. WHAT is most important to me today? And,
2. WHO is most important to me today?

As you ask yourself, make sure you're not just reciting the answers - really FEEL the answers. Visualize them. Breathe deeply as you think about them. You'll notice a couple things… some of your answers will bring joy and a smile to your face, and others may bring a hollow pit to your stomach and a sense of dread. When you recognize these feelings or others like them, you will know that you are "thinking" from your heart.

Now, take those things that present negative feelings and DECIDE if in fact you have to deal with them at all. Some of them may be things that are important to other people, not you. If you may choose to deal with them because those people are important to you, then make an agreement with yourself to do them quickly and well and move on to something else. You will find that completing unpleasant yet necessary things quickly will "free you" to truly live and enjoy your life. You are likely to feel more of a sense of accomplishment and freedom as you move on to the things that your heart really desires.

Now, take those important things that present positive, glowing, loving emotions and dwell on them. Plan your day to include the people and things you love. Call your Mom or your sister, hug your friends and your kids, set aside time to exercise or pray or meditate, volunteer your time to a neighbor or a committee, look into a vacation spot for the summer - then, write a list of "important things to do" and DO at least one of them - today!

You'll notice that your list will change from day to day. Some will drop in from time to time, and others will appear once and never return to your list. Your list will evolve as you grow and change, and as you get more in the habit of living from your heart. Instead of constantly experiencing regret and frustration, you'll experience more joy and purpose.

Imagine if we all lived our lives from our heart, what a different world this might be. Imagine it to be full of adventure, fun, laughter and joy. Imagine it to be full of peace, love, forgiveness, faith, and hope. A world of sharing, caring and giving - and mostly, a world full of heart.

Sue Urda is the Co-Founder of Powerful You! Women's Network and a two-time Inc. 500 Fastest-Growing Private Companies honoree. Sue's vision is to contribute to women helping women succeed in business and in life and to expand Powerful You! by creating chapters everywhere. www.powerfulyou.com ~ sue.urda@powerfulyou.com