By: Faizan Haq, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, Your Bliss Magazine President & CEO, Manage Your Business LLC
In last month’s edition of Your Bliss Magazine, we promised to continue exploring the First Things First phenomenon in our lives. We established that life itself should always be the first. There are many things that contribute to our life. The most important among them is the soul. Without getting into any metaphysical explanation about the nature of the soul, let’s define it as the energy that makes our heart beat. As long as the heart beats we stay alive. Even if a person is breathing on an artificial heart, it is still the heart that is carrying the burden of life.
The story of the mind always begins after the beat of the heart. In many traditions it is said that the heart is the seat of the soul. Today, we will only focus on making “heart” as the topic of the First Things First series. How does one take care of the heart? How one keeps a heart healthy and happy, so the soul that resides in there can continue to thrive and achieve its potential.
The physical aspect of a healthy heart will include having periodic medical check-ups, regularly exercising, eating low cholesterol and fiber-rich food, keeping oneself hydrated and taking prescribed medicine or supplements. All these actions require discipline and personal determination to accomplish. Before we tackle the physical health of the heart, we must explore the spiritual wellness of this vital organ. In other words, the capacity to be able to absorb, endure, and recover from disappointments, disagreements, disrespect, losses, anxieties, fears and resentments defines the wellness of the heart. No work environment in the world, whether it belongs to you or someone else, is immune to dealing with these feelings and emotions. There is no household in the world, even if you live alone, that is free of these challenges.
On the flipside, the abundance of opportunities, repeated successes, accumulation of wealth and fame can have a negative impact on the heart, if these feelings of achievements and accomplishments are not dealt with gratitude, humility and inclusivity. A sound heart is a prerequisite for a physically healthy heart. Many world religious theologies emphasize the soundness of the heart as it defines the quality of the soul that resides in it. In the business world, gratitude earns you loyalty and strong affiliation. Humility attracts deeper opportunities, and inclusivity is essential for expansion.
It may sound materialistic but, think about this, family, friends and loved ones all are part of the same business. A business where relationships are strengthened with the gains of happiness and sharing of losses. This business is the best business in the world. The holiday season is here, families will gather, friends will meet, and nostalgia will take over. This is the time to strengthen the heart and exchange greetings of happiness. The time for the good heart business has arrived. We shall continue to talk about First Things First in the next article. In the next conversation we will address the connection between the mind and the heart. Stay tuned until next time!