We have heard the age old saying “Home is where the heart is”. I have certainly used that phrase many times in my life and career! In fact, I frequently remind the favorite folks in my life when they are pining away for Georgia soil that in taking care of your heart you are truly taking care of home no matter what soil you lay your head down on at night!
In my journey I have found that the heart home is often a place that is unkept, ignored and even abandoned. Many of us are mesmerized (including me) by the shiny objects that life sends our way and by golly there are TONS of shiny object images we receive! We are inundated and it is too much!
Why is it that we chase these shiny objects of life always believing that these will fill us up, will get us to the next level, will make us feel worthy? Those outward shiny objects often take us away from the most important internal work…where the heart is…home! We will never really be home until that work is tended. And no matter how many shiny objects come our way not even one of them will replace the work that must take place at home.
Whether you are chasing the next promotion, ranking, award, bigger home, car, boat, grade, scores, superlative, MVP, etc. be clear that those shiny objects will not take care of the heart home! Of course, promotions, homes, grades and accolades are a part of success, but it will not be the success that ultimately makes one know they are at home! Are you ready to truly take care of home?
Here are three ways to begin taking care of home.
- Be clear about what you value—Value work is important to tending to the heart home. Values are your beliefs and principles about life and work. When you are unclear about your values you can feel out of sorts, unsettled, and confused. Value exercises can assist you with becoming clear about your beliefs and principles in life and work. Get clear about your values!
- Set healthy boundaries—Boundary setting is hard but necessary in caring for the heart home. Once you are clear about what you value you can begin to set boundaries that line up with your beliefs. If you are a person who needs to set more boundaries this can feel awkward, and you may be misunderstood by others at first. Setting boundaries, at times, will make others upset but remember you are not in charge of their response! Isn’t that great?
- Make room for change—Change…ahhh…we all say we are open to it but many of us resist it like a bad case of the heebie-jeebies! With value clarification and boundary setting there will be change! How you show up in the world will look and be different for you and others. Make room for the awkward, off-putting, strange sensations of this glorious heart home work! You will be grateful you did and so will others!
If you are ready to become clear about your values, set healthy boundaries, and manage the glorious messy change let’s connect! The world is waiting for you to be at home!
[email protected] Thank you Allison for the taking time to write this most meaningful message on the heart @ home. I appreciate your insight & inspiration relating to preparing our heart first. I am a friend of Curington’s!