Change is scary.
Change makes you feel vulnerable. It’s unnerving. You’re stepping into new territory, unsure of what to expect.
Even if the change is something you choose, with so many unknown factors, the excitement of something new can make you feel small, like you’re entering kindergarten on the first day: What will this be like? Will anyone like me? What’s expected of me, and am I ready? Will I succeed or fall on my face?
Sometimes, change is thrust upon you, like an illness, divorce, loss of a loved one, loss of a job, or retirement. When change isn’t your choice, it can feel like you’ve lost control—and most of us really like to feel in control.
Change, whether your choice or not, shifts your vision for your life. A fork suddenly appears on your carefully planned and well-trodden path.
Grief is not unusual as the dream for your life dies away. Fear sweeps in, its icy grip taking hold amid the fog, your next steps blurred by bewilderment.
Change offers a gift. The uncertainty of change opens the door to infinite possibilities:
- Routine and rote thinking make way for play and creative solutions
- Mundane drudgery gives over to miraculous discoveries
- Someday wishes can be Now realities
See change as chance. Change is an opportunity to follow your heart and create a life you love. Because it’s from your heart that you know whether or not you’re living your higher purpose.
The litmus test? The happier you are, the more you’re aligned with your Soul.
Sounds simple, right? Why, then, are so many people unhappy? It takes courage to follow your heart.
Happiness is an emotion you feel in your heart. Only you know what does, can, or will make you happy. Yet, you’ve learned to trust your head far more than your heart. You try to think your way through life and search for answers outside of you.
For instance:
- You feel an ache for something more, better, or different, but doing something about it could mean significant change, so you wait, sometimes years, hoping things will get better or easier.
- You continually ask friends for advice rather than trust your inner knowing.
- You read every self-help book trying to find and fix what’s wrong with you, failing to see your innate perfection.
- You soothe your discontent with unhealthy choices (food, alcohol, drugs) instead of loving yourself and trusting your inner whispers to guide your way.
Following your heart is the surest, quickest, and easiest path to joy. Because even your biggest dreams are smaller than your Soul’s vision for you. You need to get out of your own way and follow your inner GPS—no plan required.
Listening to the voice in your head where confusion resides or the voices of others who don’t know your innermost desires may eventually get you where you want to go. However, it may be a path filled with pain, struggle, and no guarantee of happiness.
How can you trust your heart when you’re afraid of getting hurt and don’t have a clear vision or solid plan?
It takes courage to follow your heart, indeed. But it takes courage to take any step when facing something new or wanting something more for yourself.
You can’t be happy if your heart isn’t happy. So, why not let your heart lead the way?
Feel into your heart. Envision the life you really want. Trust the guidance of your Soul. Then summon your courage and take one small step toward a happier heart. And once you do, you’ll wonder why you were ever afraid.
The courage to follow your heart sets you on a path of freedom and joy.
It’s your time. And it’s your turn.
