Lessons In Love From A Five Year Old - How To Follow Your Heart, Even When It Hurts

Recently I had a truly joyful moment, and learned a really important lesson from my five year old daughter, Abby. She made a decision that was really hard for her because the immediate gratification she would get from the alternative was so much better.
Instead, she took the harder road and listened to her heart.
That morning Abby woke up and was feeling unwell and tired.

We talked to her about how she was feeling, and told her she didn't have to go to school.

She insisted that she had to go to school because she loved it. We told her we understood that she loved school but, if she was not feeling so well, it was probably a good idea for her to stay home today, or she may have to stay home for longer if her body gets more run down.
This went on for a little while, all the while we were saying "It's your choice.

We are not saying you have to stay home.
This is just what we think.

" After a little while of discussion, I told her to ask her heart how it felt about going to school today. She was silent for a minute, then a look of devastation came over her face.
..

"It says it wants to stay home.
.

. BUT I WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL!!!", followed by great bellowing sounds and tears.
I wanted to share that situation with you because I know I have felt like that before, and I also know many others who have too. When we have an idea in our head, it can be difficult to sit back and allow ourselves to listen to our heart, because our heart can sometimes be telling us to make a choice that doesn't 'fit' with what we want right now. Often the 'heart' decision takes great courage because, at the time it seems the more difficult decision. In my daughter's case, she thought she was going to miss out on a day of playing with her friends and having fun at school.
At the end of the day though, she was grateful for her decision because she was feeling better and was able to go to school the next day feeling refreshed and well.

There is a quote that says "The longest journey a man must take is the 18 inches from his head to his heart".
I want to add "But once along this journey, it is the most fulfilling journey of all".
When we start to trust our heart, we gain more and more love and respect for ourselves, because we know our decision is coming from our authentic self - the one that knows which decisions are best for us to lead a fulfilling life. When we provide the space for our heart, and our authentic self, to speak to us, we find unexpected joy and love along the way!