There’s a lot of noise these days.
That’s for sure.
The news, the latest trivia, Google searches, endless emails, text messages, voicemails, gossip from a relative we haven’t seen in five years… not to mention all the information we consume through mindless scrolling.
With all that information, it’s no surprise that we can become overloaded and distracted. Or, that we will feel pulled in a hundred directions– scattered and unsettled.
Uncensored, our mind operates from a place of intellect. We puzzle over all this information to make sense of it– to try to understand how the pieces fit together. Our intellect likes to process information– as a computer without feeling. Without awareness, we engage and absorb too much stimuli and information.
As we try to make sense of the competing messages, we could feel like we’ve lost parts of ourselves with the chaos. Many of us end our days exhausted or drained by the sheer level of noise that’s calling our attention.
It’s not surprising that we could be unhappy without knowing why. As much as we want to, we cannot think ourselves happy. Happiness is a feeling we savor from engaging with life in a positive, healthy fashion. Feelings come from your heart. If your heart isn’t a consideration in your life, your heart has no vote and won’t be happy.
When we find ourselves unhappy, we must look at what we have been ignoring within ourselves. There are many possible reasons.
Some possible reasons include:
– We’ve lived too long with frustration;
– We’ve lost our sense of meaning and purpose.
– We’ve been dealing with toxic relationships.
– We’ve allowed negative patterns to continue.
– We’re obsessive with negative thoughts.
When we abandon our heart and allow outside noise to take center stage, we can lose touch with our happiness. We have to remember to pay attention to our heart- this quiet part of us doesn’t like the noise.
Our heart is the core of our being- it represents the voice of our true Self. The heart guides us toward our true purpose in ways that are difficult to understand. The heart can guide us to take steps that seem illogical to our rational mind. Yet, it is those choices that bring us into alignment with our greater purpose.
Listening to the soft voice of our heart is not always easy. Our mind is louder- jumping in to intellectualize and solve problems. The only solution is to pay close attention and follow the quieter voice of our heart. Your heart needs you every day. With practice and as you listen to your heart, you make choices that are in alignment with your true purpose.
How do you prepare to listen to your heart?
- Unplug. Turn off devices and aim to control how much time you spend on them. Focus on one thing at a time. Enjoy the quiet. Be present.
- Limit distractions. Unsubscribe from emails you don’t read, turn off social media and email notifications. Those little red flags and pop-up alerts feel like an emergency– but most of the time, they are not. Choose for yourself when to engage.
- Spend more time outdoors. There’s a wisdom in nature that doesn’t make sense to the mind. Nature eases our stress, dissipates negativity, and calms us.
- Examine the decisions that are uncomfortable. Oftentimes, we are sick with dread and discomfort when we make choices that don’t honor our hearts.
- Take a hard look at the areas of your life that make you unhappy. There are situations that create friction within you. Are you dealing with resentment toward your spouse? Are you frustrated with your teenager? Are you overwhelmed by a project? Ask your heart for wisdom. Ask yourself leading questions and wait for the answer. Is there something from the past that’s weighing heavy on you? Is a situation dishonoring you in some way? Instead of addressing the situation with your mind, let your heart know you are listening.
- Give your energy to the things that matter most to you. Sit back and list out what matters most to you- exclude what you consider to be an expectation or obligation. Your top priority is listening to your heart.
- Practice meditation and mindfulness. Doing so helps you raise your vibration and brings lightness into your life. The more you do these things, the easier it will be to hear your heart’s guidance.
It is a wild, noisy world out there. When we listen to the heart’s direction and trust in its wisdom, we honor the most sacred parts of ourselves. Which is what we’re here for. Right?
Much Love,
Michelle
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