What does it mean to live wholeheartedly?

In a previous article ‘Make Your Own Magic’ I wrote about following the thread of your intention. By that, I mean having a particular focus or intention and seeking out everything that connects with it. Helping you move toward whatever it is you are focused on, whatever your intention is. When we have a strong intention or focus we essentially prime our unconscious mind to seek out signs and synchronicities that support it. This is why having a sense of purpose, a focus, is so important because it sets our minds to something. Whether you have any sense of spiritual purpose or not, it doesn’t matter. The fact is we are happier when we have a focus, a purpose.

So why am I telling you this? Well it relates in two ways.

First of all I just discovered that I am behind on my blogging and as I so often do, I followed the thread in my life currently. Looking for a theme if you like, to figure out what to write about and that theme has been living wholeheartedly. I then realised I had already promised you a blog on this topic, so hoorah! The second, is that part of my thoughts about living wholeheartedly, involves giving everything with your whole heart to whatever it is you may be doing, whatever you’re focused on at that moment. It can be hard to live wholeheartedly if our minds are adrift, without focus but if that’s the case we are not as stuck as we might think, more about that later.

Back to the original question.

What does it mean to live wholeheartedly? I think this is a beautiful question to ask yourself. And of course, here I write about my own interpretation of what that means, it could be vastly different to your own concept and that’s ok.

I’ve been assisting on a Master Practitioner course. As part of the deal, I am required to be the student as well as the assistant. Not only that but we have all been tasked with being wholehearted as part of the course. The question that is the basis for this blog came up and my first response was this:

“To know what song your heart wants to sing and sing it with every fibre of your being.”

I think that sums it up in a very simplistic way. There’s a bit more involved though than perhaps this statement suggests. To live wholeheartedly, for me, is not only singing what your heart longs to sing but in doing so finding the courage to expose your song to the world, because there is a vulnerability in sharing what it is that means so much to you. To give anything less is not living wholeheartedly, with your whole being. There’s the rub, so often we are afraid of our vulnerability and yet so often, when I see it in my clients, my friends and my family, I see incredible beauty and strength. When was the last time someone showed you their heart and it didn’t move you? I doubt there was ever a time when you weren’t moved by that.

So how do we embrace vulnerability in order to live wholeheartedly?

Well in many ways we just have to be courageous and do it anyway. That’s what it will come down to at the moment. But as a way of preparing yourself for a life lived more wholeheartedly, remind your unconscious mind of those moments so far in your life where you have done so and survived. Better than survived, you probably experienced an amazing level of personal growth as a result and all the wonderful emotions that go with it. Take a real mental note when you see someone else living wholeheartedly – being vulnerable, notice the impact that has on them and those around them. Build up a collection of evidence for the benefits of living and being this way. Our minds love evidence for what works well, what makes us happy, successful and able to thrive.

What if you don’t know what song your heart wants to sing?

Start with the smallest thing, anything you enjoy or love. It may be your pet, your garden or a particular hobby – it really doesn’t have to be a big life dream or purpose. Start with the smallest thing your heart desires because small things have a habit of snowballing into something more anyway. If you read ‘Make Your Own Magic’ this small thing can be the beginning of your thread, you may not know yet where it will lead but it is a place to start.

In so many ways being and living wholeheartedly is about enjoying the journey, embracing it with your whole heart. So we can be wholehearted in terms of our focus, our intention, what we do but equally, we can be wholehearted in every moment, which I think encompasses the concept of mindfulness. Making the most of the potential that each and every moment of your life has to offer, you have to offer.

So for me, it is about taking everything you have and giving it, every moment, every day, every action, every word, all of it. It’s not always easy but it is always beautiful. It is those moments that take an ordinary life and make it extraordinary.

Be wholehearted – Be Incredible!