How do you think famous people like Nelson Mandela or José Mujica were able to forgive after having been imprisoned for so many years? It was because they believed that it’s only when you listen to your heart that you’ll be set free, no matter where you are.

Mandela frequently recited a famous poem, Invictus, written by William Ernest Henley. Its final verses state ‘I am the master of my destiny. I am the captain of my soul’. This means that your true strength and freedom can only be found within you.

Your heart will set you free

On many occasions, you hear phrases like ‘this is a free country’ or ‘we’re living in a dictatorship, we don’t really have any freedom’. However, these are throwaway statements that don’t really indicate the true meaning of what it is to be free or not.

For example, one person might feel totally free in a totalitarian regime. On the other hand, someone living in a democracy may feel the weight of slavery on their shoulders, weighing them down with every step they take.

“The chains of slavery can only bind the hands. The mind makes us either free or enslaved.”

-Franz Grillparzer-

However, in your heart, your mind, and inside you, no one can take away your true freedom. What difference does it make if you can’t express it? You’ll always know that you’re a being with your own conscience and that’s something that no one can ever take away from you.

What happens when you don’t listen to your heart?

When we say that your heart will set you free, it means that only by listening to your true feelings, your real nature, and your most intimate way of being, will you be able to find yourself. In other words, to know exactly what you need and what you want.

However, when you don’t listen to your heart, you can find yourself feeling enslaved which makes you feel distinctly uneasy. For example:

• Are you in a relationship that you know is going nowhere? Nevertheless, you’re hanging on due to a sense of misguided loyalty. Or, maybe you’re afraid of being alone so you’re staying with them, even though you know, deep down, that they’re not the right one for you.
• How about work? Do you think you’re in the right job? Do you feel that you’re doing the work you’re qualified to do? Are you able to develop your personal and professional potential to the full? Or, are you working in a company where you feel completely undervalued but you dare not leave because you have no choice and are terrified of not being able to find another job?
• What do you think of your friends? Do you think they appreciate you? Do you feel that they deserve your companionship and understanding? Maybe you’re too afraid to put them to one side because you can’t bear loneliness and would rather have someone with you even if they don’t seem to value you that much.

Listen to your heart

If you recognize yourself in any of the above situations or are in a similar one, here’s some advice towards developing your full potential.

• Never forget that your heart will set you free. For this reason, you should look into your heart and have a long conversation with yourself and find out what it is that you really want. The first thing is to set your goals.

“If you have no inner freedom, what kind of freedom do you expect?”

-Arturo Graf-

• Once you’ve set your goals and know exactly what you want, it’s time to start believing in yourself. There’ll be many pitfalls along the way. Indeed, people will try and put you off or your own fears will try and deter you. However, one day, you’ll be able to say that it was difficult, but you did it. Don’t hesitate.

• Always work in the right direction. Know that you’re going to face a complex and lonely path that few people dare to follow. Nevertheless, if you don’t stop and always move forward with your sights set on your true goals, nothing can stop you.

Remember this mantra, ‘My heart will set me free’. Walk toward your true personal and professional development. Discover what your most intimate desires are, and go and get them.

You’re Responsible for Your Own Happiness