Can you learn how to “think” with your heart?  I believe that you can.  It only takes practice, that’s all. 

Let me give you a personal example.  Early today I became, "MindMuddled", as a negative emotion (sadness) came my way.  My thoughts and emotions tangled in a nasty contest to win control of my formerly pleasant mood.

Having volunteered at our local hospice for the last four years, I consider myself to have good control of my psyche.  But I kept thinking of a young child that I had spoken with at hospice this week – those are the hardest shifts.  I kept thinking of her and I remained emotionally bogged down for several minutes.  I suppose you could say that I temporarily forgot what to do, to break out of my funk.  

We often don't "remember what to do", because we are too busy either thinking or reacting.  At least that's true for me, anyway.

So I just stopped thinking I just put my brain on pause.  That allowed me to put into force my “Number One Coping Technique”, which is the following:

I worked through the following metaphor: 

Step 1:  Picture yourself lying in a placid part of a pristine, warm tropical stream, totally at peace. 

Step 2:  A piece of trash (a negative thought or emotion) comes floating by.  Do not ignore it.  Do not become obsessed with it.  Each of those actions are unhealthy for your spirit. 

Step 3:  Instead, simply observe it float on by.  Let it go – completely. 

Step 4:  Then, resume your calm, peaceful mood lying in a placid part of a pristine, warm tropical stream.

The first three steps came quite easily to me, as I have employed them often – sometimes more successfully than other times. 

When I considered Step 4, for the very first time I paused for a moment and asked myself, “What exactly is my personal “calm, placid, part of a pristine, warm tropical stream”? 

Now that my brain was temporarily on “pause”, my heart sighed and said, “It is the people who love you, silly.”  My heart filled with joy when I thought of those who really, really loved me.  A peaceful, easy feeling enveloped me as I carried on with my day.

-        - eKim