1 . We try to escape from the hurt and pain by pretending it doesn’t exist, but although we can try this as we want, in the end, we can’t hide from ourselves. 1 The items listed below are four ways you can open your heart more fully and completely.
Breathe into pain
Whenever a painful situation arises in your life, try to embrace it instead of running away or trying to mask the hurt. 2 When we run away from sadness that’s unfolding in our lives, it will get stronger and more real.
Ask your heart what it wants
We’re often confused at the next step to take, making pros and cons lists until our eyes bleed and our brains are sore. Instead of always taking this approach, what if we take a few deep breaths then ask, “Heart, what decision should I make here? What action feels the most right?” 3
Accept your shadow
Many of us who are on the personal development path get caught up in embracing characteristics we want to have, like happiness, compassion, love, and passion. In this process we end up losing parts of ourselves that make us whole. Try asking yourself a question: 4 Once you’re a little clearer about what exactly you’ve been hiding from yourself, it will get easier to shine your light on it.
Get outside of yourself
After you’ve explored the depths of yourself, you come away with a new understanding. Now, it’s time to share that — not through telling others, but through being with others. Lose yourself in the beauty of others; see what they can teach you about yourself.
5 Take one at a time, determine which works best for you, and see what you can discover.
| A．What else can I do to improve myself? |
| B．Is there anything I’m hiding from myself? |
| C．Trying to escape is a good way to protect ourselves. |
| D．See what comes up, then engage and evaluate the outcome. |
| E．When sadness strikes, take a deep breath and lean into it. |
| F．Remember, there’s no need to do every one of these at the same time. |
| G．We need to learn to open our hearts to the potentials of life and let the world soften us. |
