Way more people love you than you realize.

Let them.

Over the past few months i’ve been exploring this idea of living with an open heart. I see how much the world changes depending on how much love I’m willing to let into my life.

When people used to say things like “open your heart” or talk about “the power of love” I had no idea what they meant. I thought these were empty cliches.

And they are. Until you’ve experienced them.

Once I had, I saw the difference. How rich, deep and full life becomes when I keep myself open. And live from that space.

When I have my head down, and I scurry about my business, and my heart is closed, the world is a cold, dark, unfriendly, isolated place.

The moment I open, EVERYTHING CHANGES. The world is literally brighter and suddenly I see love everywhere.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the opening and closing. How does it happen?

I’m cracked open.

Life throws something painful in my direction that breaks my heart. And forces it open. By trying to find my part in whatever it is, I can keep riding that wave of an open heart. I can carry that openness out into the rest of my life.

The healing of the break happens when I let go. I look at my part and see where I need to grow and learn. That allows me to seal the breaks and makes my heart stronger.

Fierce, unguarded hearts are beautiful.

I decide to open.

I know what I’m missing now and I can consciously point my heart GPS back in that direction.

How do I do this? By being imperfect. By admitting I’m sad, I’m struggling to those around me.

“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” ~ Leonard Cohen

The only way you can let people love you is if you are open to them. Show them who you are. Who you really are, with all your flaws and humanness. Stop trying to look good.

You look better when you’re naked. I promise.

Say “thank you” to EVERYTHING.

I had a life-changing martial arts teacher/mentor many years ago. In study with him, occasionally he would whack me. For no reason. Or maybe he had a reason.

With every instruction from him, every hit, every command, I had to thank him. Bow, and humbly say “thank you.”

I resisted this at first. “He just hit me! I’m NOT thanking him for that!”

But I did.

I was standing underneath a cold shower when I began to understand. I turned the tap on colder, and colder and I realized that I didn’t interpret the cold as painful or uncomfortable. It just was. I wasn’t bracing against it, or resisting it.

That’s when I realized that my “thank you” training was allowing me to accept all things into my life. As gifts. And not think of them as “good” or “bad.” They just were.

The more you let your heart open and stay open, you’ll notice big changes in your life. You’ll make better decisions (the heart is the best compass). You’ll feel more alive. You’ll find everything flows with much more ease.

And you’ll see just how many people are waiting for you to wake up so they can love you.