5 Ways to Align Thoughts and Emotions
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” — Plato
On Oct 12, 1786, a famous letter was written to Maria Cosway that was never sent. This lengthy letter, sent by a 43-yr old man who was prominently rising in status, detailed a conversation between his head and his heart. Debating over his personal feelings of adoration against the clear boundaries to prevent any of it.
We’ve come to know this man, a bit later, as one of the main authors of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson. Whatever opinion you may hold about Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence and the government, it seems the original intent of this declared independence was to head in the direction of self-liberation. The written words of a balanced life, liberty and pursuit of happiness were an articulated example of how the head and heart can be intertwined into a document to stir others’.
How often have we dismissed our own pursuit of happiness by not exploring what we dream of doing?
A young girl started her career at nine years old. She competed in a live tv-show performance with her all-girl singing group. They lost that night. She kept on and continued. After several years, a few of the girls came back into a revised group that helped launch her into a solo career and ultimate superstardom. We love and know her as Beyoncé.
And we may remember the story behind Thomas Edison who took 10,000 attempts to refine the lightbulb. That’s a few steps beyond dedication. And it’s also an example of knowing what’s possible and what it takes to get there.
How willing are we to work on something that can seem difficult to accomplish at times?
What keeps someone in constant pursuit of their dreams while others feel like they flounder around? And how did they stir up the dedication to go after their dreams one day to the next?
We’ve all been faced with the internal debate on where to put our time and efforts. We may tend to lean on our logical decisions around what’s best for us, while dismissing the playful longing of our hearts craving to create.
“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.” ― Carl Jung
The sheer spectrum at which our heart’s can desire is limitless. From lifelong professional dreams to enduring passionate loves, we’re in a constant state of oscillating between our head and heart to arrive at a decision.
And even when we do start pursuing our dreams, ideas and inventions, it’s easy to lose our drive and determination to finish it.
“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.”
― Albert Einstein
As a creative, I deeply understand the trials and tribulations of moving through this process. And also recovering a creative heart and mindset. It’s been through a sacred practice sanctified by time and space that I’ve nurtured my inner spiritual artist.
One of my favorite techniques is to set time aside each morning to journal in a stream of consciousness manner. It sounds easy and basic, yet in the beginning, it took effort. The results have enhanced my creativity. Letting the mind gush over the pages to reveal the musings of the heart is priceless. Wrestling through the meandering and scattered morning scribbles to make resolute decisions, grant me access to stand in peace and harmony.
Each day brings with it a new opportunity to persevere with inspired actions to bring into the world.
How often have we dismissed our own pursuit of happiness by not exploring what we dream of doing?
Settling the conflict within. Aligning the heart and mind.
What steps do we take to create a clear alignment with the heart and mind?
Step 1: Observe
Check-in, listen, observe and above all, don’t dismiss what feelings are stirring within. This is a form of self-gas lighting.
Step 2: Identify
Recognize and be able to articule the conflict — without judgment. Is it an emotional nagging feeling that won’t go away or is there a running thought that is keeps the same story in place.
Step 3: Test
Challenge the worst case scenario with the best case scenario. See the full range of possibilities, not just the bad ones and hold both to balance out a clear perspective. Realistically, thoughts should fall somewhere in the middle to balance expectations for anything to happen.
Step 4: Prepare
Get ready to take action and let the mind work towards what’s the desired outcome. Once a solid decision is made, the mind will start to pick up on ways to that bring new information in to help materialize that decision into reality.
Step 5: Movement
Take action & feel empowered, no matter what the outcome is. Now that there is more information than before, whatever happened is all data to learn from. Either way, it’s growth that leads to change.
Final thought, maintain a regular daily check-in. Set time aside to investigate what is at the root of the emotional thoughts and see where they can be rewritten and pivot towards movement.
The path to following true desires is by learning how to convert thoughts and feelings to lead to great achievements. Keep going.
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