When we are trying to create from the Soul, from the Heart, sometimes we can get tripped up by practicalities. These practicalities are real; we need enough money, we need support, we need a life that’s not full of stress. However, sometimes, practicalities can get in the way of tuning into what our Heart really wants.
When we tune into the Heart, we know what we must go for despite practicalities. One way to think about this is to see that living from the Heart means no guarantee of an outcome. So many times most of us want a guaranteed outcome of success. But creative living always requires risk, which means a level of uncertainty. We know we are in touch with our Heart’s Desire when we must go after it even if we fail. We are unattached to outcome because the pursuit is the point. Ironically, we are much more likely to succeed because our dream is powered by the Soul and by the Heart in the form of Courage. Spirit likes to line up behind such dreams.
The way I like to test myself about whether a practicality is reasonable or not is to directly face the fears involved. What is the worst that can happen? Is that OK? Is that fear reasonable? Do I have to go for it anyway? What is interesting is that I have clients that come to me full of practical reasons of why they choose not to pursue some goal or dream, but when we set all of those aside, usually the Heart wins out.
Recently I had a couples client. The wife wanted to have another child, the husband did not. Both understood the practicalities involved. But the wife wanted another child despite it being an insane idea. She knew there was no logical reason to have another child. She felt overwhelmed much of the time with her child as it was, not to mention with the challenges of living with her husband who was very different from her. But she wanted this child.
When I spoke to her husband, he didn’t want another child, mostly because of practicalities. It didn’t feel responsible to bring another person into the family when their life was so complicated and conflicted as it was. While both were doing their personal work to address challenges in their marriage, progress was slow and arduous. How would another child fit? These are very valid concerns. But sometimes the valid concerns, while they need to be addressed, should not stop us. I asked him, twenty years from now, would he regret that he didn’t have this second child, even if his marriage worked out, even if it didn’t work out?
The eye-opener for my client was to see that he would regret not having a second child even if the marriage did NOT work out. He didn’t need a guarantee of happiness. Something about having two children to complete his family was speaking to him from his Soul. The Soul much of the time does not make logical sense. Setting logic aside for the moment to come into touch with the Heart, he realized which direction he needed to take.
Now this couple can together jump into adding another child to their family. They still must address the challenges of their marriage and continue to do their personal work. But life is life. This is it. We must do what our Soul wants us to do here, or we are not truly living. We must check in with the Soul first, then look at logic next. Practical solutions to problems will then follow. This is the path of creativity. Let the Heart lead the way.