Compassion, courage, hope, and vulnerability are doorways to the heart. Creating a life of fullness is not out of reach. We can find encouragement for living fully with love and inspiration. Learn what it’s like to live from the heart, have fewer regrets, and have more victorious memories.
Living from the heart is a mindset that has psychological and spiritual implications. It is not pretending or projecting a positive attitude is a facade of confidence. It is an authentic change in perception and perspective. This change affects us intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. How do you do it? Let’s see how.
Compassion, Courage, Hope, and Vulnerability
These four words are the ingredients for finding encouragement for living fully with love and inspiration. They are like links in a chain. Each element affects our hearts in a special way, expanding our awareness and emotional bandwidth. Like a chain, when you pull on one, you pull the others along.
Ancient religious and philosophical writers used terms like spirit and soul to describe the inner world of the mind. Today, we refer to these aspects as consciousness and awareness. No matter what terminology you use, compassion, courage, hope, and vulnerability are keys to creating a life of fullness. These ingredients are the virtues of the spirit, which motivate us to take positive actions.
Compassion
Compassion is the root of kindness. The world depends on kindness as a common social bond. Compassion is the emotional alignment we extend to those in pain. It is the tears we shed for those in sorrow and the friendship we offer to help those who are suffering. Extending compassion takes courage.
Compassion is one of the root sutras of the Siddhis of Patanjali, which underscores its power. It is a virtue closely linked to our social and self-preservation instincts. Compassion inspires acts of courage, hope, and vulnerability. It’s what makes living a life of fullness possible.
What Living From the Heart Looks Like
At its essence, compassion is sympathy and empathy in action. It is an emotional response triggered by our awareness, which recognizes that someone or something is suffering.
Compassion is more than sympathy. Sympathy recognizes that someone is out in the rain, and you feel sorry for their condition. Compassion is more than empathy. Empathy is feeling what it is like to be wet and cold from being in the rain. Compassion takes it a step further. Compassion is about taking action to help the person in the rain.
Compassion is an important link in the formula of compassion, courage, hope, and vulnerability. Compassion is often behind courage, fueling hope and giving us the strength to be vulnerable.
Courage
Compassion is often the motivation for courage. Courage is taking action when the outcome is uncertain. It involves personal risk and emotional exposure. The risk is necessary because it resonates with some deep value that we cannot ignore.
Courage isn’t necessary if the outcome is probable or the risk of failure is low. It isn’t needed if there is little emotional exposure. Courage comes out of hope that we can change something that isn’t certain. It takes courage to be vulnerable. However, it takes courage and vulnerability to take action when there’s a lot to lose.
Most people play it safe and take as few risks as possible. As a result, they are the ones with the most regrets. They are the ones who miss opportunities. The safety of risk avoidance is like living in a grave. It’s just that they haven’t put the dirt in yet. Living from the heart is what gives life meaning. Yes. That means taking calculated risks if you have time to think of following your heart and rushing into a burning building to save a life.
Courage is a heart word. The root of the word courage is “cor” – the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant. To speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart. Over time, this definition has changed, and today, we typically associate courage with heroic and brave deeds. — Brené Brown (1)
A courageous life isn’t always rainbows and unicorns, that’s for sure. Finding encouragement to live fully with love and inspiration can be challenging. This mindset goes against the flow of a society based on commercialism and religious sectarianism. But living our lives with courage makes the world a better place.
The victory of courage is not measured in monetary success or outward achievements. The victory of courage is personal. It’s in taking the risk. Taking the risk to love, for instance. Courage is facing injustice. It is standing up for those who do not have the power to do so. It means you call out those exploiting others and the environment.
Courage will lead you to confront those who support racism, bigotry, and discrimination. Unfortunately, sometimes this confrontation is with friends and family. You can choose to change your thinking by “saving” the believer. Or, in some cases, they will not alter their negative bias, so you must make the difficult choice to break the relationship.
Many of society’s problems come from people in power making choices that put others at risk. This trait is called “ruthlessness,” which is the absence of “ruth.” It comes from the uncommon noun ruth, which means “compassion for the misery of another.” So, someone makes choices with only profit as a measure, and they are ruthless. They do not consider the risk to others or the environment as important as money.
Hope
Hope is the expectation that a future outcome will be successful. But being hopeful, courageous, and confident still does not guarantee success. These qualities provide the focus needed for you to undertake the action. Hope provides encouragement for living fully with love.
Most people have hope for better things. Some people are active in their quest for a better life. Courage is executed with compassion because the culture places several barriers in the way. It also takes more than courage, and it brings hope and vulnerability.
Western organized religion is an expert at hijacking terms like hope and faith. For example, Western religion defines faith as belief in something for which there is no proof. Faith means having complete trust in something. So, it doesn’t apply to religious mythology at all. However, when you mention the term faith, most people associate it with Western religion.
Because of the religious connotations of hope, this word is taboo in the corporate world. It doesn’t want to associate itself with religion. However, hope motivates and engages people.
Hope underpins all workplace initiatives. The goal of every endeavor is a positive outcome. People need to have confidence in a probable outcome to support initiatives. To avoid the association with spiritual terms, use terms like “planned outcome” for hope. They substitute “confidence” for hope.
Vulnerability
Brené Brown discusses the benefits of vulnerability and courage being part of the same animal. When we act with courage, it starts with being vulnerable to our feelings. Spontaneous acts of bravery are often the result of an unforeseen event.
When an emergency arises, someone acts without a thought for their safety. When this happens, one of two things is going on. Either they were in touch with their heart, or their actions resulted from training or programming.
The programming could be practical, lifesaving education, or the programming may come from the value of human life. In either case, they place themselves in a vulnerable situation. Vulnerability is a risk. Risky actions become acts of courage when they support the culture’s values. If we are “living life from the heart,” the source doesn’t matter; we will act.
How Does Vulnerability Provide Encouragement for Living Fully?
Vulnerability is seen as a weakness in Western culture, but it is the conduit for the eureka experience of transparency. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we open the door to authentic relationships. Vulnerability is at the heart of creativity and innovation. It’s the willingness to express ourselves fully, even when faced with the possibility of failure or rejection.
Being vulnerable means acknowledging our imperfections. This awareness builds emotional resilience, helping us to bounce back from setbacks. We can focus on the lessons they offer. It helps us understand and relate to the struggles of others. When we share our stories, we encourage empathy and compassion.
I define vulnerability as uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure. With that definition in mind, let’s think about love. Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can’t ensure, who may stay in our lives or may leave without a moment’s notice, who may be loyal to the day they die or betray us tomorrow – that’s vulnerability.
Love is uncertain. It’s incredibly risky. And loving someone leaves us emotionally exposed. Yes, it’s scary, and yes, we’re open to being hurt, but can you imagine your life without loving or being loved? — Brené Brown
Creating a Life of Fullness
The fullness of life is not the accumulation of money or things. It is an internal contentment. It’s not based on achievements or circumstances. A full life is one that allows you to express who you are. It is a life that is an expression of compassion, courage, hope, and vulnerability.
The world is full of enlightened teachers and sages who exhibit these virtues. They aren’t the only ones who live out these higher human attributes. Hard times bring them to the surface of the culture. In a crisis like a pandemic, they become easier to spot. They are people who are positive, practical, and persistent. These folks exhibit common sense and logic. Most importantly, they question everything and resist getting sidetracked by unproven conspiracies.
People struggle to live from the heart because it is scary. The fear of vulnerability is one of the greatest fears. Ask a group of 100 people who would like to stand in front of the 99 strangers and tell them something personal. No one will raise their hand. You’ll find more people willing to skydive than speak in front of a crowd of people. What is courage? It is getting up and going to work day in and day out.
The fear of vulnerability keeps people from living from the heart. But opening the heart makes all the difference. It’s the difference between a mundane existence and a life of fulfillment. They think it means being fearless, but that’s not true. It takes compassion for others to be vulnerable.
Creating a life of fullness is about
Strategy for Living Fully with Love and Inspiration
So, where do you start this journey to a more fulfilling life? Open your eyes and let your heart be vulnerable. If you do this, you’ll find the cause or person who needs your compassionate help.
Whatever outlet you choose for your work of compassion, it will probably take courage to reach out. We don’t act because we fear that we will be inadequate and that our efforts will fail. Overcoming your inertia takes both courage and hope. Courage gives you the strength to start, and hope for a good outcome will sustain your efforts.
Here is a list of things you can do to spark your journey of compassion, courage, hope, and vulnerability.
1. Start by defining what love and inspiration mean to you. Before you begin, take some time to reflect on what love and inspiration truly mean to you. Is it a warm feeling of connection with others? The thrill of pursuing your passions? The quiet joy of self-discovery? Understanding your unique definitions will guide you in creating a life that is truly fulfilling.
2. Connect with your transcendent nature. Learn to practice Japa Meditation. The most widely available teaching for this is Transcendental Mediation. Bathing your mind in the transcendent is the best way to get in touch with the essence of your awareness.
3. Practice mindfulness seated and moving meditation. This simple two-step process will help you become present. Presence is what enables you to experience life more deeply. It’s one of the best ways of creating a life of fullness by being fully present and aware.
4. Spend time in nature. The great outdoors is a natural source of inspiration and can help you feel more connected to the world around you. Take a walk, sit by a tree, or gaze at the stars to remind yourself of the beauty and wonder of life.
5. Practice gratitude: Start each day by listing three things you’re grateful for. This simple practice can shift your focus to the positive aspects of your life, filling your heart with love and inspiration.
6. Engage in self-care. Treat yourself with kindness and respect. Engage in activities that nourish your body, mind, and soul. Remember, you can’t give what you don’t have, so filling your own cup first allows you to love and inspire others more authentically.
7. Help others. Acts of kindness and service can be incredibly fulfilling. Volunteer, offer a listening ear, or lend a helping hand. The joy of making a difference in someone else’s life can be profoundly inspiring.
8. Surround yourself with uplifting people. Choose to spend time with those who support and encourage you. Positive relationships can be a wellspring of love and inspiration.
9. Create a Continuous Learning Mindset. Embrace learning as a lifelong journey. Read books, take classes, or engage in deep conversations that challenge and expand your perspectives. This intellectual stimulation can lead to additional sources of inspiration
10. Practice Healthy Living. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep are essential for a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
11. Use journals. Start with a dream journal to record dreams and dream fragments. Write your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The data from your journals can help you process emotions and find patterns of inspiration in your life.
Summary
To measure a life of fulfillment, assess the balance of your life. Look at the balance between personal growth, meaningful relationships, purposeful work, and self-care. Reflect on moments of joy, overcoming challenges, and the positive impact made on others. Consider the depth of experiences, alignment with core values, and a sense of accomplishment.
Creating a life of fullness is a process of incremental growth. To live a life of compassion, courage, hope, and vulnerability, we must learn to live from the heart center. When we do this, we become more aware.
Greater awareness also means we can see what others try to hide. If we learn to illuminate our hearts, we must also oppose injustice. If we are silent, we are a party to the injustice. Compassion is not quiet; it is courage in action. So, it’s essential to guard our hearts against racial, ethnic, gender, and religious bias and prejudice. Another benefit of vulnerability is our contribution to others.
When we speak up and take action, it’s risky. It makes us vulnerable, but we hope it will positively resolve when we speak out and expose injustice. When groups of people become aware and speak out, this becomes a movement. The cultural narrative aims to keep this from happening.
When you live out courage, hope, and vulnerability, you will create a life of value for yourself and others and have a positive impact on the world. However, chances are you won’t be famous or a celebrity.
People will call you names, a heretic or a humanist. If this is happening, this is a sign you are pushing against the cultural narrative. Keep up the excellent work. The world needs more people like this. What is courage? What does it mean to you?
References
(1) Brené Brown.com