Heartful Living: Embracing Positivity

What kind of heart do you have?

I was in church the other day, and the sermon was about the heart. “What kind of heart do you have?” The minister asked. Do you have a hard heart, a broken heart, a faint heart, or a heavy heart? Those were the options he gave. As I sat there contemplating this question, my heart swelled with lividity. I wanted to shout hey Pastor! My heart is none of these things!”

I have a compassionate heart, a warm heart, a courageous heart, and some even say a big heart. To get to the heart of the matter, why is it that so many take a negative point of view of their own situation instead of embracing a positive one?

They feel that they are not good enough, or lacking in some area or another. That is the message that gets pumped into our heads. Regardless of whether we are at church, browsing social media, or talking with friends, we are quick to make comparisons in which we are on the less than side of the equation. That’s not good.

You are enough

The solution is to give ourselves some slack and realize all those ideals of us not being worthy are false. Here are some simple things you can do everyday that will make you more positive, happy, and heartful (as they say in Japan).

We learn the most from mistakes — When we are right, we seldom take the time to analyze why. We are too busy celebrating. Errors, mistakes, and setbacks, however, provide opportunities to analyze where we went astray and the things we can do to get better. Embracing mistakes not only enhances humbleness but helps us to get stronger as we learn to manage adversity.

You are enough — Your life has brought you to this point, and through those experiences you have been prepared for the conflicts and opportunities in front of you. Believe in yourself. You are the miracle of birth. You are beautiful just the way you are.

I wouldn’t want your problems & you wouldn’t want mine.

Embrace the challenge — While we may think an easy life is the best life that is a myth. We all have challenges. I wouldn’t want your problems, and you wouldn’t want mine. However, it is embracing your problems, taking ownership of them, and working to resolve them that makes you a stronger person.

Practice gratitude — When you are grateful for your life, you will find that your situation gets better. There are many things to be grateful for — regardless of your situation. Having a comfortable place to live and food to eat is more than many have.

When I was in India, I saw countless homes made of canvas banners tied together. In Japan, many people look for a handout instead of a hand-up. If you have the ability to effect some control over your situation, that is something to be immensely grateful for.

Practicing gratitude every morning and evening will help you appreciate the success you have had and make you happier.

Here are three gratitude exercises that are easy to do:

Meal gratitude — Consider what it took to get your food from the farm to your table. Then, say a thank you to each living being that was part of the process from the chicken for their eggs, to the farmer that collected and packaged them, and the truckers who transported them. Thanks to the refrigerator repair person who serviced the cooler, keeping those eggs fresh. Be grateful to the shelf stockers who received those eggs from the trucker and put them on the shelves. The owner that invested in the store, hiring workers and paying the rent. Thanks to the cashier who allowed me to bring a dozen or half dozen of those little ovals home for a few bucks. Thanks to the gas company for serving up the fuel to cook those eggs. Without all of you, I would not be enjoying this breakfast.

Count your wins — Before you fall asleep, consider the wins you’ve had during the day, no matter how small. Consider what it took to get there and bask in the glory of that success, grateful for the person you’ve become during the process.

Recognize helpful behaviors — Instead of just saying Thank You, add for. Thank you for… requires you to qualify what the other person has done for you. This spreads positivity.

Stop thinking that life is a wave waiting to sweep you under. Don’t listen to those who claim you are not enough. They don’t know you.

Why not take a more positive approach? Ever think that that wave is pushing you to the shore or carrying you to your next amazing experience? Take heart — you are exactly where you need to be and experiencing just what you need to in order to become the amazing person that is inside of you.

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Thank you for taking the time to read my article. There are countless ways you could have spent the last five minutes, but you chose to spend them with me. My wish is that you have discovered something useful in this article that you can apply in your life. I appreciate you.

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