Listening to Your “Heart Song” [Friday Leadership Tip]

“ …living birds, they essentially sing from the heart. Their vocal organ is deep in the chest. And we and crocodiles, our vocal folds are in our mouth.”  – Julia Clarke’s “New Research Debunks The Dinosaur’ s Roar”

I started 2016 with a clear, overarching intention:  to mindfully choose the work, the clients and the embodied actions that would make my heart sing.

This may sound like such a non-professional and simplistic-sounding intention.  In fact, the first time I said it out-loud was when I resigned from ACG, a firm with colleagues I hold in high regard.  To be honest, conveying my decision in those terms felt a little awkward… at first.

Now, seven months later, I shout (or sing!) it from the roof-tops.

It’s so easy to get caught up in our “should’s,” which are the external expectations, and practical or realistic concerns. We approach our lives and our decisions from our head, and at times, approaching things this way certainly serves us well.

Those “practical concerns” are there to protect us. Our brain doesn’t want us to get hurt. So when starting a business, for example, the “head” tells us to be extra conservative and stay in our jobs a little longer. That is useful information, and can lead us to make smart financial decisions.

Setting an intention for “dropping down” into our heart, however, can be transformative. When I first considered starting my entrepreneurial journey, it just “felt” like the perfect choice. I couldn’t explain it. I was pulled towards it. Granted, I had no idea HOW I was going to do it (practical concerns), but I knew I had to follow my intuition.

Thinking in this way is not always easy, especially for adults. We have responsibilities, families, bills, and lots of other reasons why we should really choose the practical approach. But if we ignore the heart, it’s only a matter of time before we start to feel unhappy, and wonder “what if?”

I encourage you today to really listen for your heart song. What is it saying? What shifts do you want to make?

As always, if you want some personal support in tuning into your heart song, AND approach it from a practical perspective, I’m here. I invite you to apply for a complimentary clarity call with me and let’s see how we can connect the head and the heart to hit your targets!

Kathryn