Your Head Must Bow To Your Heart

I used to proclaim that my head ruled my heart as it felt terribly in control, but as the years go by I realise I am just as hopeless at doing what 'I should do' as everybody else.  

I am not just talking about romantic love here, although that is often a very clear example of people following their hearts instead of their heads.  I am thinking more about making decisions in your life based on what your gut tells you, rather than what people around you think or what you feel you 'should' be doing.

I am not suggesting that we should all run away from responsibility and make felt flowers by the seaside.  I simply mean than when we are faced with big decisions, doing what we really want, rather than what we think we should want, is the best way to go about things.  I have a tendency to fight towards the most sensible option and force myself to pick the path which seems to be the most approved and safe.  However, it is usually only a few bends down the path that I realise I am not following my heart and I do a U-turn back down the dangerous but delicious route I should have been on all along.

This might sound terribly indulgent to some people and of course sometimes choice has got nothing to do with it.  Often our circumstances mean we cannot do or be what we want.  However even within limiting conditions I still think there is space to at least begin to fulfill your inner desire and to improve and enhance yourself in a way which puts you more in alignment with what you want.

The thing is, following your gut, your heart and your intuition is often going to take you on the route which holds more possibility for failure and heart ache and therefore... has the most potential for pain.  So often in life we miss out on fulfilling our hearts through fear of failure and emotional pain.  It can be so easy to stay within our comfort Zone, to stick to the safe road and pretend that it is the best choice, to convince ourselves it is what we want.

Following your heart is rarely the easiest road, it is not a gateway covered in candy canes with unicorns clip clopping along beside you.  Far from it.  However, I can promise you that following your heart is the best way to learn about who you are, to grow into the person you want to be and most importantly to meet the people who can teach you the most.

Life is always going to be full of pain and fear (as well as lots of glowing wonderful feelings) and if you are going to experience difficult emotions it is better to choose a worthwhile cause, like following your true desires and discovering yourself along the way.  

After all, if you can be the best version of yourself possible, then you can have the most positive effect on the people around you, and who are any of us without them?

Josie

P.S How do you know which choice is following your heart?  

In my experience for a while you don't, then one day it will hit you like a ton of bricks.  At this point the choice is taken away as you simply have to try whatever it is that is calling you. Whenever I reach this point I always wish I had admitted it to myself all along.  But, it is all part of the process and you start to get better at recognising the feeling you get when you are forcing yourself down a particular route instead of going with what feels right.  Change always carries with it some unease but generally if you feel deep seated unease with a choice you are making don't just label it as fear of change, look deep inside and ask yourself if it is truly what you want?


If you don't know at first?  Just make your first best guess and know that if you have to turn back and choose another route, it is not such a big deal, there is always something to learn along the way, even if you only manage the first two bends.  I have made so many detours already in my short life and I have come to accept my slalom route towards my goal (which also changes every few minutes).