“Listen to advice, but follow your heart.” – Conway Twitty
This week was a bit challenging for me. I started to feel overwhelmed by my job, by what I am being called to do in the lives of our students. My mind started to race with questions about my own qualifications and abilities. Even though the thoughts did not last very long, while they were present I did not feel good. Over time, I have learned to slow down and take some quiet moments to shift gears when my mind gets lost. It is at those times that I have found value in getting back to the heart of the matter.
Within all of us there are things that bring inspiration. The more we listen to that inspiration, the more amazing life becomes.
Along with the joy of doing what we love, and daring to follow our heart, we will encounter fears and doubts. You see, our mind is not designed to see how things are going to work out. The mind, when left to it’s own devices, simply sees what is in front of it, and attempts to make judgments and decisions based on the facts.
The challenges of living from a purely mental perspective arise when fear and doubt enter the picture. If we are not practiced at self-reflection, and paying attention to the way we feel, then it is easy to become stressed out. Bringing our heart’s intelligence into the equation is crucial in those moments.
By getting centered in our heart, we tap into a more universal, and less conditional perspective of what is happening.
In my case, I was able to awaken my love for the students that I work with. As I sat, and took some deep breaths, I remembered how many other times I had felt exactly the way I was feeling at that moment. I reminded myself that things have always worked out in better than expected ways.
The trick is to relax my mind enough to refocus it onto the possibilities, and all the good that is happening, and take the focus off of the factors that I cannot control.
This skill is vital to anyone who wants to pursue their dreams and live an inspired life. There will always be times when we cannot see how we will possibly be successful. We must find ways to anchor our faith in the unseen possibilities, and in the unprecedented experiences that await us on the road ahead. This is the difference between living life with vision, and simply reacting to what is going on around us. If we want to experience new outcomes, we must be willing to keep moving through the unknown, until it becomes known.
Many of my students face situations that they do not feel equipped to handle. Together we uncover hidden strength, and new ways of looking at things, that empower them to move forward confidently, and successfully. Even the students who appear not to be listening, or who are openly rebel against us, are secretly paying attention. They are wondering if we, as adults, have the courage to see through the fear, and recognize the potential.
One of my students was putting on quite a show at the lunch group this week. He was pouting and shouting about anything and everything. When I half-joking applauded his efforts, and let everyone know that he is a fantastic actor, he was not happy. He dug even deeper into his performance and stormed out of the room. He told me that he was not coming back to the group, ever. As he left, I reminded him how much I appreciate him. I was not sure how sincere he was in his pledge to never return, though I had a hunch to stay put.
Thankfully, the young man returned two minutes later. I welcomed him back, and to my surprise, he was relatively cooperative for the remainder of the group. By pointing out that he was acting, instead of taking his tantrum seriously, I was honoring him as the creative person that he is. I was grateful that I had listened to my heart and that it worked out for everyone.
Perhaps your mind is telling you limiting stories about what you are capable of. If so, take some time to reflect on what inspired you to do what you are doing in the first place. Get back to the heart of why you chose your profession, or your relationship with a particular person. If you need to make a change, you will access some solutions that you might not have thought of if you continued to react out of fear. You might find that all you needed to do was give yourself a break and reassure yourself that you are capable of whatever you set out to do.
Either way, you will benefit from listening to your heart. What you find will add richness to your life and all of your relationships.
Edward Biagiotti is the Inclusion Specialist for Culver City Unified School District. He is also co-host of the popular radio show, Funniest Thing! with Darrell and Ed, to find out more go to www.DarrellandEd.com. Visit www.TappingIntoGenius.com for more articles and a free, inspirational parenting download.
