How to Live from the Heart
I wanted to share something nice this Christmas and I came up with these thoughts I try to incorporate in my life, something that helps almost always when I think the problems in my life are the real issue. When I am experiencing pain or dissatisfaction in my life, job or whatever, it is always just a symptom that is telling me I am ignoring one of these principles, I call them “Living from the heart”. When I see which one I am breaking or ignoring, I instantaneously feel better. It’s like a set of reminders why Life is beautiful (or just another listicle? :) even if it’s tough for you now.
1. Living in constant awe
Live in the constant admiration of the nature and the process of Life around you. The migration of birds, the sunsets and the sunrises, the moon, the mountains, the wind, the leaves failing from the tree… The growth of your child, the growth of a flower, the opening and closing of the petals….The effortless movement of fish in the ocean…Observe, absorb and feel the awe at the FLOW OF LIFE.
2. Loving for the sake of loving
Love because it’s easy. Love everyone, try to understand everyone….Love from the depths of your being because you can. Because it is true. Love because you were born to love. Love for yourself. Love yourself. Be immersed in the feeling of unconditional love. Love that does not change or diminish because something is not how you want it to be. Understand where love comes from. It comes from every cell in your body to the world, people, places… When it’s there, everything lights up. When you’re there, you light up. You as a shining star. Where you came from and where you will return…
3. Expressing yourself in every direction
Express yourself diligently. Pick something: a hobby, a sport routine…the process of creation, once started and practiced grows beyond measure. Write, draw, record, share…Your art, your view of the world, your perception, your feelings…It lights up the world…and it just might lead you to the life you want to live.
4. Going to the deepest level of pain and emerging morphed
Go there. Go there and indulge. Make yourself cry on purpose. Cry like a little baby. Cry for your Mom, your Dad. Just cry and tell yourself everything, how the world is unjust, whatever is on your chest. And then let your adult version, the voice in your head or some other Out of This World Dimension tell you all you need to hear. Yes, you heard me right. Talk to yourself. Talk to that disappointed, frustrated and overwhelmed part of yourself. Talk like it is the only thing in this world worth saving. Because it is.
5. Taking brave decisions against any better judgement
Ok, this one is not that straightforward, because if it was, everybody would be doing it. But you can trick yourself into it. You can say one thing: I CAN ALWAYS GO BACK TO BEING SANE. I can always go and have that job everybody wants me to have. I can always go and be that which everyone recognizes from before. I can always crunch in the corner in a fetal position and wish I had not done all this crazy things that my parents warned me about. But, in the mean time...
6. Not listening to anyone else
At first, this is a tricky one. How do you mean not listening, aren’t you just saying something as well? Yes, please only take what you feel is right. Don’t put the responsibility of your life on someone else. Not on your parents, not on your partner. Be grateful for their support if you have it, yes. But if you don’t, just don’t let them talk you out of it. This is for everyone out there — can you imagine a world where everyone would just work on their wildest dreams? Would it be a disappointed, scared, frustrated and depressed world? I didn’t think so. The reason it seems so sometimes is just because we listen too much crap. Go there, get it done, tomorrow you’ll be 80 and maybe you’ll just want to hang out on the couch with a cup of tea and your grand kids. Or maybe you’ll be telling them about all your crazy adventures, the books you’ve written, the businesses you started, the people you made smile or just feel something. Be that person. Be you. PLEASE (Pretty please? Pinkie promise?)
7. Forgetting the “how it’s supposed to turn out”
Forget it right away. Forget it right now. You have no idea how good it can be when you finally stop being attached to how it turns out. Just enjoy! That is one of the perks of life. Enjoyment. Total enjoyment. Give it the benefit of the doubt. That it can be BETTER than you can now imagine or could have ever imagined before. But don’t stop imagining. Don’t stop. Just say: This or something better. This or something better, if there is anyone out there listening, just please this or something better. And then forget all about it.
8. Living in a State of Wonder/Curiosity
Have a problem? Stop trying to find the brain compartment where the solution is. Most of the time, you are not even fixing the right problem! Our brain is a magical thing. But it can be fucked up. So we have to trick it, all the time. Trick or treat. Don’t give it the treat, trick it. Wonder about something, make it a philosophical issue. You will discover there are no true problems and as great philosophers of the Mayan said: Life is just a song and a flower. Be curious. Is this the only way out of a situation? Put your “Child” hat and try to play out the solution. Still doesn’t work? You are thinking too hard instead of playing. Go have a Martini.
9. Being Authentic
Ok, I am seriously in danger of getting over my head with the ever so present word “Authentic”. Well what can I say? For me, it’s like this: Know your strengths. And for once in your life, just forget about everything else. Just use them. Use those fucking strengths. De-numb yourself from the programming of being “good”. What is that any way? I am not even trying to define that word anymore. Usually we just listen to other people too much and in most cases try to model them. The thing is, they can’t BE YOU. Authentic doesn’t mean right or good. Authentic just means: THAT WHICH IS. When you are in that place, you clearly see how you can use your strengths and improve yourself.
10. The Art of Allowing
There are many super cool books out there on this one, but I’ll keep it for another occasion. What I know from experience is: everything is so much easier in life without all our: I will make it all “it’s complicated” so I can never get out of it. Question it every time you try and give yourself a “rational” excuse. Logic is your enemy here, because the mind has many cognitive biases. The only thing you need to know: what you want and why and allow that to come to you. (Hint: That does not involve dwelling some more on it, but it does involve taking action- see №3 and 5 and being you in the process — №9)
A quick disclaimer: Every one of these are to be used on your own responsibility. Possible crazy, wildly good stuff happening after implementation.
We all forget how simple life really is, mostly because we make it complicated in our head. I have to thank my friend Angela for making that wonderful graphic of my text, she is an incredible artist and can’t wait to create more stuff with her ❤ If you want to see our short and sweet video with Christmas greetings from Dublin and some clips on Angela’s drawing you can press here. :) Merry Christmas to all Medium lovers!
