Spring Clean Your Heart

comes in so many forms and living each moment with love in your heart will bring joy and happiness. You do not need to have a partner in your life to feel love each day. You can share love with each person you come in contact with, and feel love for everything and anything! A simple smile, assisting someone in need, preparing a yummy meal for someone, spending some time playing with your doggy – all of these are easy ways to share a little love. Watch movies that are fun, happy and full of love instead of dark, violent and depressing ones. Say ‘I love you’ more often to the people close to you. It is a nice feeling to know that the people in your life fully realize how important they are to you. Sharing your love gives a peaceful feeling. And above all, love yourself.

Deepak Chopra suggests that we “replace fear-motivated behaviour with love-motivated behaviour. Fear is the product of memory, which dwells in the past. Trying to impose the past on the present will never wipe out the threat of being hurt. That happens only when you find security of your own being, which is love. Motivated by the truth inside you, you can face any threat because your inner strength is invulnerable to fear. (Adapted from Ageless Body, Timeless Mind, by Deepak Chopra (Three Rivers Press, 1998).”

LEAVE THE PAST IN THE PAST

Try to let go of past situations that sill bring you anxiety and negative feelings or emotions. If it’s something you can deal with and work through then do so quickly and move on. Stop yourself each time you find that you are replaying the situation in your head and switch your thoughts to something that makes you happy. Don’t let the past taint your life now and make a decision to live in the present!

BE WILLING TO CHANGE

Of course the past can also be a constructive tool to analyse our strengths and weaknesses. Learning from past experiences can help us to grow as long as we sincerely try to change rather than simply repeat the same mistakes over and over. Being aware of your actions and contemplating the way you live your life can lead to decisions about how you might like to improve your life and the way you treat others and yourself. Be willing to make changes and then be gentle with yourself as you try to create new patterns and behaviours that are more positive. Remember though, you can’t change other people, you can only change yourself. We can try to understand others and then respond accordingly, but everyone has their own path.

TRY NOT TO JUDGE

We all do it, we all make judgments based on what we see, hear or experience. Often we come to the wrong conclusions and they are often negative. When you judge a situation or a person you cut off understanding and interperate things according to your judgment, rather than listening or seeing things clearly. Try to see situations as things that just are, rather than imposing right or wrong. This can help us to be more tolerant and open. We are all connected and all have good in us, but everyone has been faced with different circumstances and tests in this life. We can never really know what another person has or is going through that may be causing them to act a certain way. It's something I will always be working on, but I think it is important for us to try our best not to jump to conclusions or judge so quickly.

FORGIVE

Whether you openly forgive someone that has hurt you in the past or simply write it down or mentally forgive them – it will lighten your heart. Holding onto anger, resentment and negativity causes stress and makes it hard to live your life filled with love and happiness.

GET RID OF TOXIC SITUATIONS

If a relationship in your life is causing you more harm than good, then get out of there. Whether it is a personal relationship, friendship or work relationship, be direct and try to resolve things or move on so that you can continue enjoying life. If you have a problem then, rather than fuming about it, discuss it and if you can’t fix it then let it go. Constantly banging your head against a brick wall when things aren’t working is not good for anyone.

DREAM

Take a moment to dream about what you want from life and what you want to give or achieve in this life. Think about what really makes you happy. Often it’s the smaller things or doing things for others that bring us the most joy, rather than accumulating things and building empires.

SEE THE LIGHT IN EVERY SITUATION

Situations or events that may, at first, appear negative can be great opportunities for us to grow and can often present something positive. Of course, at first crappy situations often just seem crappy, but with a little hope and patience, you can usually find a way to get through.

“We have to look at the bright side of the sun, in the bright side of the corner. OK, now, that’s one of my secret teachings imparted to you. You know, that’s how we keep happy and contented, and develop our creative talent and our positive, happy nature. We can’t always expect things to come out the way we want. But we should accept things as God arranged them. That’s always fun and surprising and tasty, you know? It makes life more interesting.” Supreme Master Ching Hai.

BE GRATEFUL

Take a moment to reflect on all the things you are grateful for in your life. Fill your heart with gratitude and you will be smiling all day long!

Let me leave you with this beautiful Buddhist prayer that I came across. May it bring you love and healing.

Just as the soft rains fill the streams, pour into the rivers, and join together in the oceans, so may the power of every moment of your goodness flow forth to awaken and heal all beings–
those here now, those gone before, those yet to come.

By the power of every moment of your goodness, may your heart’s wishes be soon fulfilled as completely shining as the bright full moon, as magically as by a wish-fulfilling gem.

By the power of every moment of your goodness, may all dangers be averted and all disease be gone.

May no obstacle come across your way.

May you enjoy fulfillment and long life.

For all in whose heart dwells respect, who follow the wisdom and compassion, of the Way, may your life prosper in the four blessings of old age, beauty, happiness and strength.

Be Love; Be Peace; Be Vegan.  Save Our Home.