From the Heart

This weekend I went to a small social gathering at a friend's house. We got to talking, as you do at these things, and someone was saying that he read an article that said if you spent an average of about ten thousand hours practising some activity, you would be very likely to become a world class achiever in that area. We marvelled at the kind of world we would live in if there were more people who wake up inspired to practice anything for 10000 hours, who are that passionate about anything!

I went away thinking about things being heartfelt, and I was kind of excited about that.

I have been on a journey, and you know, when you're going through something, it is so easy to feel as though you are becoming the emotions you experience. If you've ever been through a real low point in your life, you'll know what it feels like to be petrified that you are starting to fatigue your loved ones with your strain and your struggle. You will know what it means to worry that you are starting to be one of those people that other people need to help, and that there is very little left of you to be of any real value to anyone else.

You know what I realised this weekend? I have experienced some negative emotions, I did go to a dark place some of the time, but the emotions and the negative experiences do not somehow take ownership of my whole life. In fact, in a moment this weekend, perhaps with the idea of a looming return to work (Please God!), I could see all the ways in which I have grown, even the ways I no longer despair in my situation. Isn't that a great thing to realise? That you are no longer living in despair?

One of my reasons for writing this post today is in reflection of Res 2.):

2.) I will not assume that bad things in my life mean that I have done bad - We talked about the presence of much in our lives as an indication that we are in abundant "life." It is easy, and perhaps even the knee jerk response to ask yourself what on earth you've done to cause this series of events, but sometimes there is just much happening, all around us. The take home message has been this: don't let yourself slump based on what you could have done or did not do that brought you to the place you are in. Instead, look forward, and never relinquish your input in your environment, wherever you find yourself.

I wanted to think seriously about NEVER relinquishing input in our environment. It still follows the argument of the 10000 hours, or the intentional focus on some thing that will make you excel as an individual. Some people argue that there are things that individuals have a talent for that exceeds the norm, and I buy into this idea. What I am finding is that there is always your heart. I mean that you have an identity deep inside of you. Your genetic code is unique, unless you are an identical twin, and even identical twins have vastly different personalities. Find your heart. Find your self, and be true to it.

I am going to keep it short, but my focus today is on maintaining self when the environment around doesn't encourage you to do so. For me, one of the ways that I maintain self, one of the means by which I feel strengthened is by encouraging others. I encourage myself to look forward by writing here to you and saying I think you are so valuable and worthwhile, I think that what is inside of you is worth finding and can change the world. I believe that what comes from your heart has more value to you than what others have convinced you you should be, and when you can see yourself in your everyday walkings around, you're more excited to live.

So, my advice? Live everyday from YOUR heart. Practice that.