For many years I tried to protect my heart from pain and disappointment by keeping it closed. It took a while for me to put two and two together to the truth it was being distanced from the love and responsibility of my heart that actually caused my life to lose meaning, direction, and prevented me from having intimate relationships – with myself and others. Closing my heart did not stop stress, unhappiness, rejection, and disappointment from seeping in. In fact the truth was exactly opposite.

Life will hurt at times. Another truth is that you and I do have the power to prevent a lot of the suffering and stress we needlessly create for ourselves.

With an open heart we care how our behavior impacts us and other people. When we care about ourselves and others we work to stop behaving in the selfish and unconscious ways that create unnecessary anxiety, regret, misery, and guilt in the first place. And it is our heart that gives us courage to set boundaries with those whose behavior consistently brings negativity or mistreatment into our lives.

Striving to behave positively, regardless how others choose to act, does bring the peace, joy and fulfillment we want. Although this is counter to what our ego tells us, the higher, wiser truth is that the world opens its heart to us when we open our heart to the world.