I will admit I do know the difference between listening to my head and listening to my heart.

But that doesn’t mean I remember this distinction when crisis moments strike. I was telling a friend the other day that, while I don’t believe my mind has independent intelligence and is out to get me, I do find it distressing how frequently it takes the “glass half empty” approach.

My mentor is continually reminding me that I will know I am on the right path when I feel peace within myself. Of course, she keeps reminding me of this (for going on 11 years now) because I keep forgetting….and because sometimes I can get so worked up about an issue that even when I am feeling peace I occasionally fail to notice it!

The truth is, my head chatters. Oddly, it doesn’t need input or responses – it seems perfectly happy to go on about its day, muttering and commenting about anything and everything. In this, it tends to automatically assume I am listening (unfortunately, I often am). It also assumes its commentary is both welcome and wise.

Most of the time it is neither.

When I can calm down enough to tune in, it becomes immediately obvious that heart knowledge is vastly superior in quality to head knowledge. Head knowledge is wordy. Head knowledge tends to be complicated. Head knowledge often brings emotional chaos and indecision.

Heart knowledge is simple. Heart knowledge resonates. Heart knowledge often prompts that wise head-nod reaction (imagine Obi-Wan Kenobi here, “Right, Luke, FEEL the Force within you.”

Heart knowledge can extricate me from a sticky situation without a trace while head knowledge leaves a damage path a mile long…and wide.

Must. Remember. This.

Today’s Takeaway: Do you ever struggle to tell the difference (or simply to remember there is a difference) between head knowledge and heart knowledge? What can you do now that might help you remember in the future to tune in to your heart even in the most challenging crisis moments?

Woman with heart photo available from Shutterstock

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    Last reviewed: 11 Feb 2013