A Heart So Big

Being Courageous, Confident, & Compassionate

Within me is a heart so big it cannot be contained. It shines upon the world clearing the way through this moment and each moment. In this shining, I become whole. 

So, what is it within my heart — and within yours, too — that is so brilliant that it chases away the shadows and brings hope to us? The light is lit by courage, confidence, and compassion.

Courage. 

The world is filled with so many opportunities that we may become overwhelmed. Our mind fogs up with fear until we are unsure what to do. We may hide in the shadow afraid to confront what scares us. Or, we gather our courage, pick the sure thing, go out on a limb, or decide upon something in between. That decision making takes courage no matter what we choose. 

If you are like me, your mind darts in a circle from what might be to what might be until you are not sure the next sept. Courage slows the course of the what-might-be dash. It is the calming agent that says, “we can never be 100% sure, but we’ve got to try.” Courage empowers us to slip through the what might be’s into the action of what is. Courage doesn’t clear the path; it powers our clearing of the path. It is the voice that assures us “you got this.” 

Confidence. 

With courage we gain the strength to meet any given situation. Confidence goes hand-in-hand with that strength. For, confidence is knowing who you are — your talents and limitations. It is the conviction in your ability to choose the right course. It is the foundation of your resilience; your ability  to meet risk. Confidence reminds us that while we cannot plan for everything, we can approach any risk in a flexible, measured way.

Risk. Now that is a charged word. With risk there is always the possibility that things won’t work out the way you want. With confidence you use your skills and talents in a given situation no matter how difficult. It weighs the pros and cons with its can-do attitude and makes objective decisions. 

Confidence brings you brings you to the brink of a new horizon. Courage has you leaping into the new. Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Compassion eases the suffering when things don’t go as planned.

Compassion.

Of course, we’ve all had those moments when things don’t go as planned. It is hard not to get mired in the what ifs that causes suffering. Courage and confidence call for compassion. No matter how courageous, no matter how confident, we all suffer. Being able to identify and alleviate that suffering is what makes us whole.

So, what do we do when we suffer? We practice self compassion. Self compassion, for me, begins with self forgiveness and releasing any shaming or blaming. It’s telling myself that maybe I didn’t get it right, but that is okay. What happened hurt, but I can learn from the suffering. That learning often comes when the fog of suffering clears. 

What is this thing called self compassion? It is an action directed toward our self. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to it. Self compassion takes many forms. The great thing? You get to choose how to alleviate your own suffering. For me, it might be a reset nap, journaling, exercising, contemplative practice, self care — the list is as endless as our potential.

The only objective of self compassion is that you suffer less. And, that is enough. The more you gift yourself with self compassion, the greater your courage and confidence to be that shining light emanating from a heart that cannot be contained.  

Vanessa F. Hurst, ms, is a a courageous, confident compassionista. As a contemplative coach, an intuitive-coach-catalyst, she uses mindfulness practices and intuition tools to create strategies for navigating those scary places. The result? Reframing imperfections into personal transformation. She is a professional speaker & author who weaves inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are available @ www.wildefyrpress.com. Her most recent book, As Natural As Breathing: Being Intuitive, is available on Amazon. Contact Vanessa for life coaching, intuitive consultations, keynotes, and programs.

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