Did you know that your heart isn't just an organ pumping blood, that it actually has its own wisdom and intelligence?
There’s a common misconception that human intelligence is solely a function of that big, gray organ that resides in our heads. But it turns out that the brain isn’t our only source of intelligence. According to the Heartmath Institute, your heart has nearly 40,000 neural cells, and an electromagnetic field that can reach up to 25 feet out beyond your body. In fact: “Research has shown that the heart communicates to the brain in four major ways: neurologically (through the transmission of nerve impulses), biochemically (via hormones and neurotransmitters), biophysically (through pressure waves) and energetically (through electromagnetic field interactions).”
So when we talk about instincts or an “inner voice,” the latest science indicates that part of what we may be experiencing is our heart's wisdom. We all have it, but it can be easy to lose the connection when we’re so busy working to grow our businesses and tend to our busy lives.
As entrepreneurs, most of us will default to “strategy mode” when there’s a problem to solve. We’re great at analyzing a particular issue and hitting it from a place of intellect – and that can be very effective – but we tend to forget that we have this other, incredible wisdom resource at our disposal.
Your mind has good information, but it doesn’t have the whole story. And it can justify anything, even a decision that you know deep down isn’t right. That is why it’s so important to make time to connect with your inner wisdom, with your heart.
One way that I personally do this is to schedule regular check-ins with myself — every morning and every night, as a matter of fact. For some people, this could mean meditating, or journaling every night before bed. Writing helps to synthesize all the information you've taken in during the day and process your feelings around what you've experienced.
What you do is less important than making the time to do it. Create a practice that gets the internal connection with yourself going, so that you can hop out of the rat race and into a deeper state of awareness — even if only for a few minutes.
Tap into your heart and give your brain a break. 🙂
xoxo,
