Live a Fulfilling Life - Seven Tips to Following Your Heart

by Heather Pardon

Why is it important to follow your heart? You've likely experienced this - your heart gently calls you in one direction and you venture in another, only later to realize that your heart was right. We've been gifted with one internal compass in life, our heart, which contains the keys to our true life path and purpose and our authentic self. Once you've learned to follow your heart, you've found the key to living a truly fulfilling life.

How do you learn to follow your heart? Here are 7 tips that will help you become the master of your life compass:

1. When your heart calls, listen.
Many of us have been programmed to believe in and trust our minds, so we may not even try to follow the intelligence of the heart. Our mind only responds after the fact based on memory, while our heart - our intuitive knowing - is always in the now.

Our minds often respond in fear to a situation, reminding us of all the unknowns, "what ifs?" or negative emotions. Our hearts will nudge us somehow, giving us a sign or a cue within our body, telling us to pay attention, to listen to what it's saying and to point us in the right direction.

2. Practice letting go
One of the biggest leaps you can make is to let go of things in life that don't serve you, thus allowing yourself to be open to receiving new thoughts, new ideas, new possibilities. You might wish to get rid of old beliefs, expectations, attitudes, clutter, money, relationships, jobs, possessions, fears, old habits, emotions and more. Begin by asking yourself, "How does this serve me?" or "Do I really want this in my life?"

3. Nurture your heart
It's important to nurture your heart, allowing yourself to create the space and opportunities to be able to hear its' whispers. Find activities such as meditation, yoga, exercise, prayer or journaling that take you away from the usual busyness of life and allow you to feel calm and relaxed so you can hear the small voice from within.

4. Forget your plans (at least for a while or as much as possible)
To follow your heart, don't let your mind get in the way. One way that your mind gets in the way is in being overly planned in life. So forget your plans, at least for a day, a while or to the greatest extent possible. This way you free your mind to listen to your heart without being limited by your current plans.

5. Open yourself to new possibilities
To follow your heart you need to open yourself to new possibilities. Often your heart will tell you something that is beyond what you can currently see or what may currently exist in your life. It may in fact be the idea that makes the least sense that is the one most worthwhile pursuing.

When a new idea or opportunity presents, say "It's possible", rather than dismissing it. This opens you to the possibility of turning it into a reality.

6. Build your courage
Often following your heart takes courage to do something unpopular or even seemingly irrational. People around you may question or attempt to dissuade you from your path. Beware of distractions that can throw you off course; take a deep breath and know that you're guided by the highest wisdom available to you. Surround yourself with people who are going to support and guide you on your journey.

7. Be willing to take risks and make mistakes
Following your heart means venturing into the unknown and taking risks, not knowing what the outcome may be. It means that the value of eventually achieving your dreams outweighs any perceived risks. What are you willing to do to reach your goal?

Be willing to make mistakes, particularly as you're learning. Just accept them as part of the process. These will likely be the most valuable learning experiences you will have on the way to your success.

Enjoy the journey!



Heather Pardon is an Author, Coach, Public Speaker and Personal Training Specialist who coaches and inspires others to follow their heart, go for their dreams and live their best life. Through her inspirational blog, books, inspiring presentations and personal coaching she has helped thousands of people around the world reach for their dreams. Whether public speaking, presenting a workshop or coaching others, Heather's approach and experience is authentic, passionate and simple and offers others a fresh and engaging perspective on creating the life of their dreams. To read more, visit
http://www.wilddaisy.ca


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