It is deeply etched into human nature that we close ourselves off to protect ourselves when we encounter a negative experience in life.
Living a life that is led by fear will not create a happy environment and so it is important that when you are ready to overcome your traumas that you learn how to open your heart back up to the good in your lives.
Living life with a closed heart can make us view the world in a negative light.
You view situations as good or bad and black and white when in reality situations are learning experiences as well as having a positive or negative impact.
And the world is full of color which you will be able to see and appreciate when your heart begins to open again.
Opening your heart can be a wonderful way to realize your own strength in overcoming a traumatic experience but we can also open our hearts to love, new experiences, and also the possibility of good coming into our lives in the form of family, friendship, or another type of relationship.
Here we look at the many ways that will teach you how to open your heart.
How To Open Your Heart
Choosing to open your heart is a brave thing. It shows your strength that you can identify that your heart is currently closed and you want to do something about it.
There is no timeline on how long it takes to open your heart, it is uniquely personal to each person and you should celebrate the small steps you take during this process.
Each step, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction and opens your heart a little bit more than it was before.
Embrace The Uncomfortable
Breathe into the pain and allow yourself to feel.
Often this can feel like taking the lid off a bubbling bottle and this process may leave you feeling exhausted as your body is given the opportunity to feel, grieve, and process.
Start with the small stuff, treat it like lego blocks, by dealing with everything in small pieces it will be easier to manage emotionally and it will still be a part of the final result of your heart opening again.
It can be useful to create a safe space while you are going through this process, maybe it is a certain pillow placed against a wall where you can sit down and think.
You have to move from this position meaning you won’t get stuck here, if you were to use your bed as your safe place it can be easy to stay trapped under the duvet and to hide from the outside world, which is the opposite of what you are trying to achieve.
Check-In With Your Heart
While you embrace the uncomfortable it is important that you check in with what your heart needs and wants, there may be some days where you cannot take the emotional toll and this is ok.
Be patient and kind to your body as you go through this journey to openness.
Find a time that works best for you and your daily check-ins, it might be when you are having a shower or first thing in the morning sitting on the edge of your bed.
It can be useful to have a movement associated with this check-in to help silence and calm your mind.
This movement does not need to be complicated, simply place your right hand over your heart and your left hand over your abdomen.
Focus on your breathing and when your mind is quiet focus on how you are feeling and what it is your heart needs that day.
You are not your feelings, you notice them and you can choose how to deal with them. Try to take this time when you are alone and away from distractions.
Follow Your Bliss
Reconnect with the things you love to do.
Spending time doing the things that make you happy will have you glowing from the inside out and this can help to heal you and allow your heart to open effortlessly.
Practice Forgiveness
Forgiveness can be difficult but often it is something that can help release emotional weight we have been carrying around for years.
You do not need to physically go and declare forgiveness, a simple internal agreement that you forgive a situation or person can be just as effective.
By practicing forgiveness you will be able to let go of things from the past easier as also things in the future that may happen.
Get Outside Of Yourself
This may seem in total conflict with everything mentioned above but after taking the time to open your heart it is important that now you take time to look at the outside world and your place in it.
Look at the impact your new way of thinking and your newfound openness can have on your life and watch as it leads you to new, wonderful experiences.
Depending on your budget one final way to open your heart would be to have a Reiki or healing touch session.
This session will allow you to focus on how your body feels while someone else works to take away any lingering feelings of closedness.
This may not be for everyone as for some the touch of a stranger may be triggering, only consider this if you believe that it could be beneficial to you and your journey.
Daily Tools For Opening Your Heart
There are tools that you can take into your daily life that will help to reopen your heart.
By including these tools into your daily routine you will find that your outlook on life and you will feel a mental and physical difference as your heart begins to reopen.
- Spend Time In Nature
Even a 15-minute walk will be beneficial for you as it will give you the opportunity to move your body, admire the great outdoors and fresh air will help to gently blow away any negative thoughts from your mind.
- Random Acts Of Kindness
Try performing random acts of kindness, these can be anonymous or for the ones that are closest to you.
Often random acts of kindness are imagined to be huge gestures but it can be as simple as sharing a smile with a stranger, acknowledging the cashier at your local shop, thanking a bus driver, or leaving an advance in a coffee shop that will pay for the next customer’s coffee.
- Self-Care
Create a self-care routine, it might be having a bath once a week, giving yourself 30 minutes every day to read, or applying creams in the evening time to take care of your body.
Treat yourself as a priority and you will automatically turn to your self-care routine as a sure way to help you to feel better on tough days.
- Yoga
Yoga is a fantastic way to check in with yourself and there are certain yoga poses that are considered heart-opening yoga poses.
An example is the fish pose which when performed opens up the muscles that are between your ribs which literally creates more space for your heart’s center.
Some people need a physical move that they can perform to help them to feel their heart-opening and this pose is brilliant for this very reason.
While holding the fish pose, practice what we spoke about earlier and take the time to check in, reflect on your day, focus on how your body is feeling in that moment.
Deal with any negative feelings that may have come up during the day and once you leave the pose you will feel the weight of the day drift away.
Final Thoughts
Armed with these useful tips and tricks we hope that you are able to take courage and begin this beautiful journey of opening your heart.
Be patient and kind to yourself during this process and enjoy everything that lies in store for you in your new open future.
