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May 18, 2023 in Inspiration for Soulopreneurs
Tired of feeling like your mind is always in control? ‘Want to live a more heart-centered life?
As a spiritual business owner, following your heart can be a powerful resource that not many business owners realize. I want to empower you to live more heart centered by showing you how it can benefit your business AND your life.
Or, maybe it’s the other way around – your life, and then your business. Hmmmm.
Let’s dive in!
How Do You Follow Your Heart and Not Your Mind?
Living from the heart is something I have experienced in my own life that makes a huge difference. Yet, few people operate this way in business. It’s just not how we are trained. I mean, when I got my MBA – there was not a Heart Centered Business 101 course.
However, It doesn’t mean you should ignore your mind altogether. Your mind is a valuable tool, and IT should be in service of your heart. The opposite is also true. If you are a left-brain analysis-loving individual, you can also incorporate your heart into your thought process. I was that kind of a person when I began down this path yet, before long I was feeling into my heart during any decision making process.
When you follow your heart, you are making decisions based on what FEELS right for you. When you follow your mind, you are making decisions based on what you THINK is logical or practical.
I find that if I get too in my head, a great habit is to just say, “I turn this over to the Universe.” Then, see what happens. I’ve had so many answers come in quickly from this exact process. In fact, when I first began working with my business partner, Marilyn Harper, I wasn’t 100% sure I could afford to work with her, meaning I’m not sure I would be able to pay my bills. There just wasn’t much of a business there.
She offered to share half of all revenue, to be 50/50 partners. Though, she did ask, “I need you to commit 100% to this business.” Meanwhile, immediately after hearing this I had just got off a call from the consulting company I was working with and a new CEO had taken over. He told all consultants (that would include me) that we either needed to come on board 100% or part ways.
Either way, I had to make a decision: work with Marilyn in this very woo-woo business that may not pay my bills immediately, or stay in the corporate world making really good money.
My heart said, “work with Marilyn and help to do good in the world”. In no way did I want to commit 100% to that consulting work because it just wasn’t fulfilling my soul, so it was as if the decision was made happily for me. These are the kinds of things that happen when you get out of your head and allow your heart to guide you. Over a decade later, I am so happy that I decided to move forward with Marilyn.
While both approaches have their place, following your heart will lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful life. I talk about this topic in my Spiritual Happy Hour: Radical Decisions.
Radical decision making is all about:
a) gathering the facts and
b) weighing those facts in with how you “feel” about something.
WARNING: Living a more heart-centered life may lead to overwhelming joy and a high vibration! (Who doesn’t want that?)
When I decided to leave my corporate job over a decade ago and go on this Spiritual journey with my business partner, Marilyn, my family, my friends, and my co-workers all thought I was nuts. At the time, I was walking away from a very high paying corporate position as a Vice President in marketing.
Partnering with Marilyn meant no steady income. It meant taking a big chance. In fact, she really couldn’t pay me at all. I would barely make enough money to cover my phone bill. It certainly didn’t make financial sense.
Yet, at one of her events I witnessed her loving message to a woman who had probably never been told that she was loved. Ever.
The woman’s heart just opened up and she broke down in tears. It was palpable.
It was such a touching human moment that I decided right then to put all my effort into helping Marilyn get this same message out to others in the world who needed to hear this same thing.
I had no idea how it would work out – but I did know how to start businesses. And, this was a business. A business with a life changing goal and it felt right. For whatever reason, I just trusted that the Universe had my back and I’d be okay. And, I was. I never looked back and we went on to create a successful business reaching hundreds of thousands of people.
And so much more! I was soon traveling the world, to all of the places on my bucket list, and watching my life unfold so joyously, right in front of my eyes, every day.
It did take work and it wasn’t always easy. But, we enjoyed our work together so much that we actually coined the phrase “Plurk” – play+work=plurk, : )
This is the kind of impact you can have as a heart-centered, spiritual business owner. When you allow your heart to guide you, you become more authentic and connected to your true self and you won’t feel like you are ever working!
How Can I Live a More Heart-Centered Life?
In the process of learning to follow my heart (and yes! I did have to learn it), I formed the habit of practicing mindfulness, listening to my intuition, connecting with nature, following my passions, and practicing gratitude. You can, too? ‘Just, choose to live a more heart-centered life. Today. Trust your heart, and you’ll be amazed at where it takes you. It still amazes me.
Though living from the heart is easier said than done, it’s more like creating a NEW habit to choose to see the good in absolutely everything. Most likely, these changes may not happen overnight. But if you are dedicated to making a change, it won’t lead you astray. My life looks very different over a decade later. Very, very, different in a very wonderful way.
And it’s impacted the people around me, too. Those nay-sayers in the beginning? They either fell away, or they are now asking me how they can do it, too. I simply serve as a reminder. I’ve modeled what’s possible.
I have a job that incorporates all of the things I love most in life and although my “career choice” as a Spiritually Employed Business wouldn’t necessarily be found on a list of career choices, it just gets better and better.
The key thing to remember when starting your journey toward a more heart-centered existence is commitment. You must be willing to implement these practices into your daily life to guide you in the right direction. Practice makes perfect, and after time, you will find that peace comes easily, and you will create a habit of looking to your heart first when making decisions.
Yes! You still gather the facts : )
Then, lean into how it feels.
Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Practice mindfulness: Take just 5 minutes each day to check in with your heart. I do this first thing in the morning, and now I do it throughout the day. It’s a practice that I cherish. Sitting in silence and breathing deeply to simply collect my thoughts. Notice any emotions or feelings that arise, it’s like a simple gauge for where to put your attention.
- Listen to your intuition: You are wise beyond words and more powerful than anyone has ever taught you. Your intuition is your inner wisdom. Learn to trust it and follow its guidance. Learn to harness your intuition with Mission Possible 2.0!
- Connect with nature: Spending time in nature can help you feel more connected to your heart and the world around you. This is another component of my daily practice. I love absorbing the senses of being outside: the smell of freshly cut lawns, the sound of a stream, the feeling of the wind rustling my hair. It always brings me back to the now.
- Follow your passions: When you do what you love, you naturally tap into your heart’s desires. Allow yourself to follow your passions, even if they don’t seem practical or logical. You are the creator of your life. Create the EXACT life that you dream of because everything is truly possible.
- Practice gratitude: Gratitude is a heart-centered emotion. Take time each day to appreciate the blessings in your life. This was one that I had to learn… and I saw its effects immediately. The more grateful I was the more I had to be grateful for and it was a beautifully reciprocal circle. It’s not only about BEing grateful, it’s about truly FEELing that gratitude. Even for the icky stuff. Find something to be grateful for about anything.
The Benefits of Being Heart-Centered
When you allow your heart to guide you, you tap into a source of wisdom and intuition that is often overlooked. Especially in business. Numbers and bottom line. Hiring and firing. Rapid decision making. All of these things can be more effectively dealt with when you are “in your heart”. You become more connected to your true self, and you start living a life that is aligned with your purpose. It WILL start showing up in your business as well!
Being heart centered also allows you to live a more authentic life. When you follow your heart, you are being true to yourself and your values. This authenticity can help you attract clients who resonate with your message and your brand. You get to choose who you want to work with as they are also choosing you. Not everyone will make it to your list.
When you bring in clients who share your values and worldview, you create a stronger bond between you and your audience. By living from the heart, you tap into a source of wisdom and intuition that can guide your business decisions and lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
You’ll hear people describe your business as it FEELS really good. That will translate to good business. Guaranteed.
Do you have a situation where you benefitted from following your heart instead of your mind? We would love to celebrate with you! Feel free to share in the comments.
XO, Joeaux
Joeaux Robey (pronounced “Joy”) is an author and artist, lightworker,
speaker, marketing executive, and proud Soulopreneur.
Curious? Visit soulopreneur.com to learn more.