follow your heart

Follow your Heart: Not just a Cliche

I am laughing at myself right now because I chose “Follow Your Heart” as a title.  It is possible that I watch too many Hallmark movies.  At a dramatic climax which leaves me holding my breath (even though I know how it is going to end because, hello, its Hallmark), someone says, “You have to listen to your heart” or a creative alternative.

I smile because that sounds corny to me.  Follow your heart?  What does that even mean?  I have found that sensible, logical thinking serves me well and prevents me from making emotional decisions.  Anyone else?

Let me share with you what I went through last week and how I came to the conclusion that “follow your heart” is not as corny as I thought.

follow your heart

Follow your heart- not a Hallmark movie

I should put a disclaimer here.  This story is not nearly as fun nor heartwarming as a fictional movie with carefully written characters.  If only we had that kind of control over our lives.  Can you imagine if we were able to write a script and people follow it?  Haha!  I’d make a mess of life, for sure!

Anyway, maybe you will glance back into your own story as you read this and understand places in which listening to your head did not serve you quite as well as you expected it to.

Every December since Rebekah was 3, I brought her to the local production of the Nutcracker.  It is put on by our youthful talent and it is always beautiful.  The music, the costumes, the dancers, we loved it all.  Dinner before and snacks during intermission made it the perfect mother-daughter date. 

Last December I was completely broken and sobbing every day.  This December I am stronger, trying harder to be happy, and determined to give the boys a wonderful Christmas. 

listen to your heart

I also decided it was time for me to continue my tradition with Rebekah and attend the Nutcracker.  We had several young friends performing whom I wanted to support, but mostly I wanted to remember the special times I’d had with her.  I knew I couldn’t go alone and attached myself to one of the wonderful families in my life.  I was ready.

I wasn’t.

Following your Heart is Hard

I cried the entire week before.  I couldn’t decide if continuing the tradition was honoring her memory or reminding myself that she was gone.  Would it be dishonoring her to go without her?  The inner struggle took up my thoughts and the stress sapped my energy.  I was tense, emotional, and anxious.  My anxiety attacks came with a vengeance and all of my efforts to smile and keep home happy fell apart.

My mind and my heart were battling.  My mind said it was time to remember Rebekah in happy settings.  My heart still longed for what was.  My mind insisted that I should be stronger, healthier, more able to handle things like this.  It criticized my heart for being weak.

And all my heart could do was cry.

Heart Vs. Mind Debate

Have you ever had a heart vs. mind debate?  I think our minds succumb to pressure.  The pressure to be like everyone else, think a certain way and embrace an image that does not belong to us.  We receive pressure from friends, family, and social media.  We have society telling us how to raise our kids, what to eat, how to look, where to vacation, where to work, and what we should believe.  

Before long we become critical of ourselves.  Why aren’t we volunteering?  Why am I staying at home and not contributing to the finances?  Why would I homeschool when we have such great public schools in this area?

At this point, our hearts are trying to be heard.  They attempt to tell us their reasoning, their convictions, how we really feel.  Sometimes we listen.  Occasionally we force ourselves to believe something we don’t.  How often have we hushed our hearts because our minds thought we should embrace something different about ourselves?

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Follow Your Heart: The Right Decision in the End

In the end, I did follow my heart and decided not to go.  It was the right choice.  The tears slowed and the anxiety reduced. 

I went to the cemetery and explained it all to Rebekah.  The sun was shining and reflecting off the snow.  The Christmas decorations we had carefully pushed into the frozen ground smiled and glittered. 

I had learned that I’m not as strong as I thought nor am I as healed as my mind thinks I should be.  And you know what?

It’s ok!

Where are you, friends?  Do you battle within yourself?  Have you tried listening to your heart?

You might also be interested in these posts!

When You Think You’ve been Buried: Bloom Quotes to Bring You Life

Bible Verses about Hope and Love: A Series to Encourage

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16 thoughts on “Follow your Heart: Not just a Cliche”

  1. Here was my favorite part:” How often have we hushed our hearts because our minds thought we should embrace something different about ourselves?” Goodness, I feel like I do this too much. I’ve discovered that I get very anxious when I’m contemplating a “should I or shouldn’t I” scenario that I’m struggling with. This post was so affirming to me! I am so very sorry for your loss of your precious Rebekah- holding you up in prayer…

  2. This is so beautiful, Heather. While I have never lost a child, I tend to get anxious and sad surrounding my NICU baby’s birthday and hospital stay every year. I know it’s coming, yet I try to rationalize myself out of it. This post gives me so much hope because it tells me that it’s ok to still be hurt. It’s ok to listen to my broken heart. I don’t have to listen to my head on this point.

    1. Hugs to you Erin! Yes, listen to your heart and allow yourself space to remember and feel the hurt. I am convinced that the only way to healing is through the hurt, with God holding our hand.

  3. It seems you and I connect on a loss level. You have such a humble heart, Heather. It takes so much courage to follow our hearts at times especially when they are breaking. Over the summer when we went to KY to see my family Gavin went with us. We decided to go check on Tyler’s gravesite and all 3 of the grandchildren thought it was odd that I wanted one with us with Tyler’s tombstone. As morbid as that may sound I wanted a photo of all 3 three of us. I know you can understand the meaning behind it. What an incredibly honoring post.

  4. You have such a beautiful heart my friend! It takes so much courage to follow our hearts, especially when they are breaking. What an incredibly beautiful post. Love you sister … ❤

  5. I think following our heart is more courageous and it is more trustworthy than our minds at times. I’m so sorry you had to go through that loss. My heart breaks for you. Someday you’ll be ready to go back to that theater production. But until then, follow your heart!

  6. I battle all the time! I never thought about it quite this way, but I think my mind tends to dominate – and it certainly causes me a lot of stress. Thank you so much for sharing this. I’m going to pay more attention to my heart this week and see what happens!

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Hi, I am Heather! I am a mom of five, homeschooler, homesteader, and lover of all things chocolate. I am excited to share your faith and parenting journeys with you. Whether you are here looking to grow your faith, heal from loss, find homeschool resources, or hope to find inspiration in raising godly children, you are in the right place. So, grab your favorite hot beverage, curl up in your comfy chair, and stay awhile.

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