Open Your Heart, Find Yourself: Opening yourself to all the possibilities brings you exactly what you need

“Only from the heart can you touch the sky.” – Jalal ad-Din Rumi

I used to love the phrase, “The sky’s the limit” until I shifted my thinking to unlimited possibilities. That phrase instantly became less meaningful because the sky is not high enough. In recent soul-searching, I ran across the above quote. I absolutely adore how Rumi’s words are timeless, and how even the shortest phrase can have such a monumental impact, so much so that I shifted my entire perspective. I believe that life brings us exactly what we need, when we need it – that is easy for me to incorporate into my thinking. I can even use several different methods to help others understand that logically. However, I noticed recently that when I brought myself out of my logical mind and back into my heart and my passion, more doors began to open.

So, I asked myself, “What’s that all about?” I confess limited knowledge of the Law of Attraction; I have not studied it and probably will not get to reading about it for a while, yet I think I have a basic understanding. When we find our own happiness, lead with our hearts rather than our logical or analytical processes, we find and follow our passion. When we believe in what we do, in any area of our lives (business, personal, relationships, family, volunteering, spirituality/religious practice) we attract to us exactly what we need. If we are focused on negativity, the past, fear or other people’s problems, we experience negativity, repeat patterns, create blockages and attract people who are no good for us and drain our energy.

Stop to think about this for a moment. Without re-living your past, think about a time when things seemed to go wrong all the time, so much that you felt like you couldn’t catch a break. Do you remember how you felt, how you thought, your attitude about life? Do not linger there, do not analyze, just observe and note how you felt. Now, remember a time when you felt amazing and good things were happening all around you. You might have even had seemingly random opportunities plop right into your lap. Maybe you had the most amazing romantic encounter ever. Perhaps the dream job you always wanted landed in your path, and you accepted it. Possibly a series of incredible events converged to bring one very positive outcome. Notice the differences between the two sets of circumstances. Which do you prefer? I know which I prefer, and would choose it at every opportunity.

When you felt amazing, incredible things were happening around you and life was great, which happened first? Do you believe that stuff happened and then you felt great, or do you believe that you brought those wonderful circumstances and people to your life because you were in a good place in your life? We could probably have a “chicken or egg” discussion here, but let us assume that good things come to us when we are living a passionate life, and we feel good about what we do, who we are, and the people we have chosen to accompany us on our journey. In any case, good things seem to breed more good things.

“You are a creator; you create with your every thought… You are attracting the essence of whatever you are giving your attention to – whether wanted or unwanted. And so, you often create by default.”  – Abraham-Hicks

Regardless of whether you subscribe to the Universal Law of Attraction, everyone can benefit from answering the following questions:

1. What makes you feel happy? Make a list, write a note, whatever format you choose, but write it all out. Whatever it is that makes you feel happy inside, write it down. It could be something so simple as a color, a smell or the sound of children laughing. Notice if any of the things that make you feel happy have anything to do with you. Do you externalize your “happiness” or do you choose activities and experiences that you can create yourself?
2. What stirs your passion? Do you love music, theatre, flowers, sports, hiking? Do you feel passionate about helping others, cooking, writing, race cars? Whatever it is, write out all of the things you feel passionate about.
3. If you could have the life you want, how would that look? Write down your ideal life. Aim as high as you wish. If your ideal life seems absurd to your rational mind, write it down anyway. If you want to run off to the mountains to write a book, live on your own island, travel the world, get married, have 2.3 children and live happily ever after, whatever it is, write it down, all of it.

Now with your happy thoughts, passion and ideal life in mind, observe how you feel inside. Do you feel positive, or are you hung-up on the “impossibilities” of getting what you want out of life? What do you need to do to get the life you want? What keeps you from getting what you want and need?

I invite you to make one small change. Every time you find yourself thinking there is no way you could ever achieve what you want from life, STOP immediately and take a breath. Picture holding the negative thought in the palm of your hand, and send it away. Blow it away, toss it or brush it away; just be done with it. Shift your focus back to what makes you feel happy, passionate and on the path to your ideal life. When you come back to the happiness only you can create and the simple things that bring you joy, you align yourself with your purpose, which keeps you inside of your heart. Only thru the heart can you touch the sky. How profound. Open your heart and reach as high as you wish.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.