Are You Living the Life Your Heart Wants?

Joseph Campbell (one of my greatest inspirations), wrote and spoke often about each life having "some kind of high fulfillment". This was, in mythological terms, the Holy Grail. He said, "In the Grail legends, the land of people doing what they ought to do or have to do is the wasteland. What is the wasteland in you?"

He continues, "I find working for money to be a wasteland—doing something that someone else wants instead of the thing that is my next step. I have been guided all along by a strong revulsion from any sort of action that does not correspond to the impulse of my own wish."

Wow. This way of putting it really wound it's way deep into my core, as his words always do.

Another way to explore this idea is to ask yourself, "Are you living the life your heart wants?" It all comes down to how you feel day to day. I'm not referring to the emotional ups and downs of life, but rather the real deep sense of well-being that comes from living according to your self-awareness, values and intuitive guidance.

These three make up the foundation of an authentic life.

What's authentic for you will be totally unique and will have your beautiful signature on it. It will be made up of all that makes you uniquely you, and unlike anyone else. It's a wondrous process to free yourself from the external ties that bind you. When you make way for your true self, exactly as you are, there is a great sense of peace, and of home.

It's a shedding, purging and releasing of all of those pieces you adopted because you thought they were better than who you are. It's a gathering, holding and cherishing all of those pieces that you abandoned because you thought were not good enough. This is nothing less that a return to authentic wholeness and on a soul level, it is a HUGE relief.

The process can begin with simple steps such as asking yourself, "What does my heart want right now?" Take a gentle pause here and really listen. What do you feel? If you're making a decision, see if you feel an opening to move in a particular direction or if you feel resistance.

Practice trusting yourself.

Take a risk.

Say yes to something that feels really good, especially when your habitual inclination is to say no. Say no to something that doesn't feel right, especially when your habitual inclination is to say yes. Observe your motivations behind your decisions to see if you're being true to your heart. If your tendency is to hold back from doing what makes your heart sing or engage in activities that drain you, take some time to explore these tendencies.

Baby steps here.

Breathe.

This is about moving into authenticity. On a deeper level it's about self-love. You knew that, didn't you? How can you possibly give that to others when you aren't fully giving it to yourself?Generosity of spirit begins within you and expands naturally from there when you are overflowing. There is simply no way to give to anyone else authentically when we are depleted or stingy with ourselves.

Your heart knows.

Let it guide you.

Turn the volume down on your intellect. It's had enough of your attention for far too long.

What makes your heart burst with joy? What fills you up SO MUCH that you can't help but want to share it with others?

We can begin to correct our course at any moment by simply tuning in and trusting what we hear. These soul whispers lead to the Holy Grail written about so passionately by Campbell. You've held this sacred treasure inside of you your entire life, but perhaps mistakenly believed it could be found somewhere outside of you.

You've had it all along. 

Now go and find it.