Let your heart lead to your hopes and dreams
May 13th, 2008 by spaceagesage
Deep within the heart, our inner desires, talents, wishes, dreams, and goals rest securely. Here the hope of childhood imaginings and the treasure chest brimming with boundless energy still flourish.
I remember growing up wanting to be a firefighter, a spy, a detective and an astronaut, even when such dreams were out of bounds for a farm girl living through the 60s and 70s. I still managed to become a volunteer firefighter and EMT in my forties, and I had an exciting time earning my 3rd degree black belt, becoming a senior martial arts instructor, and covering many wonderful news stories.
Only recently has teaching made its way to the top of my dream list, teaching through the written word, more specifically. I find the words flow out of me easily when I write posts for this blog, so I know I am on the right track.
Rusty Road
The road here was not easy. We all cover or conceal our hearts and our connection to something wild and wonderful in various ways. Layer after layer of rusting metal hardens over our hearts because of something
said or unsaid, done or undone. Some of us endured bad childhoods, some felt the whip of harsh words spoken right when we needed encouragement the most, and some just never had any one believe in them, so they have trouble believing in themselves.
As Dr. Henry Cloud writes in his book 9 Things a Leader Must Do, “One thing is sure: there is no shortage of things in this life that can cause you to bury your heart and soul.”
But there is hope! Cloud adds:
The truth is, however, that those who succeed in business or any aspect of leadership and life have not allowed those influences to keep their dreams and desires hidden. They dug them out, faced their fears, taken risks, failed, gotten up again, and found that they could indeed build something magnificent.
Our potential is there. We may need to use shovels, dynamite, or excavating equipment to uncover it, and then open ourselves to face the fears, doubts, and vulnerability that come with inner work, but we can do this!
POCKET-THOUGHT:
So much of who and what we are gets stuffed away inside, never to see the light of day. Embracing the heart brings insight and wisdom that allows you to free yourself from self-limiting thoughts because there is an inner child or inner self in the heart that knows life is meant to be fulfilling, meaningful, enriching, exciting, and energizing.
According to Sara Paddison, The Hidden Power of the Heart:
You may not always be able to feel a deeper heart feeling right away, but stay focused in the heart. The sincerity of your effort can reconnect you to your heart current and start the juices flowing. To plug in, think of someone you love or remember what feels good, maybe a fulfilling experience. Feelings help you remember.
As you really listen to your heart, what dreams and goals and hopes yearn to come alive for you?
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Photo credit: speech path girl