Listen to your heart when it's calling for you

We often label emotions and feelings as good or bad. Perhaps we could try looking at them in a different way. Feelings and emotions are simply indicators.

They are part of a feedback system that gives us information, much like the senses in our body alerts us if something is wrong. If we put our hand on a hot stove, we need to know so that we can pull our hand away, to avoid being burnt. This information is important to receive, in order to prevent pain, injury or death.

Our feelings and emotions also give us information. However, oftentimes we don't like how we feel and rather than listening to our emotions to understand what they are telling us, we try to ignore them or run away from them. This can lead to problems such as drinking alcohol in an attempt to escape those feelings. We have been taught at a young age to override our emotional guidance system, listen to the adults around us (who know better) in order to become well adjusted law-abiding citizens. I agree manners, common decency and kindness are important for an orderly safe place to live.

The problem is, as adults, some people are still ignoring their emotional guidance system, oftentimes pleasing other people at their own expense of happiness.

World renowned hypnotherapist, Marisa Peer says that the cause of depression is harsh, hurtful, critical words one says to themselves OR NOT LISTENING TO YOUR HEARTS DESIRES. If we suppress what truly calls our heart day after day, month after month and year after year, unhappiness at a deep heart level sets in or bitterness and resentment. The heart is calling us to joy, to what lights us up, to what we are naturally gifted at. When one denies these inner callings for too long, it can lead to deep unhappiness. Many people who drink are trying to suppress their feelings when they need to analyse what is it that they don't want to feel. Look at it, analyse it and realise they can do something about it. Of course, you can't turn back time & undo certain decisions but you can move forward following the calling of your heart. You either need to find peace with it or make some changes and do something about it. Are YOU sacrificing something really important to you that eats away at you inside? Are you in a relationship that is loveless or dead? Do you want to have children, but your partner doesn't? Was their a career path that called you that you never pursued? It's never too late to learn something new. It's never too late to begin another chapter of your life. It's never too late to listen to your heart and follow the relief that will ensue and it sure beats destroying yourself with alcohol in order to suppress the emotional pain of regret or living half a life. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but ignoring your heart has repercussions too.