Fill Your Heart With the Right Stuff

In the last excerpt from my new book Intelligence For Your Life:  Powerful Lessons For Personal Growth, I shared the importance of guarding your heart.

However, there's one more important principle I need to tell you. Even if you're successful in keeping your heart from surrendering to the negativity in the world, the job of guarding your heart is only half finished.

I have learned that sometimes it’s not enough just to guard your heart. You must fill it up to make it less vulnerable.

Approach it the way you would a good diet plan. Most experts agree that if you let yourself become famished, you will reach for the first thing in front of you. Many times that’s the vending machine or the box of donuts in the break room. So the smart diet strategy is to make sure you fill up on enough fiber and protein to stave off the craving for a sugar and fat bomb.

You can use a similar strategy with your heart. Fill it with positive influences. My wife is fond of saying: “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for everything.” A famished heart is vulnerable enough to fall victim to the world’s most tempting vending machine.

“Above all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” It’s your responsibility to protect yourself from those people and things that would be destructive to your heart and prevent you from living an abundant life. When you open your heart to people who are negative and disruptive, you run the risk of becoming what you behold. If you are in close relationship with someone who is easily angered, this person could intimidate, manipulate and control you through fear. Also, if you associate long enough with someone who rushes to anger quickly, you will eventually begin to imitate his or her destructive behavior.

Think about it. We spend so much of our time worrying about our waistlines, bank accounts and the lines on our face. But how often do we say to ourselves, “I need to protect my heart.”

The fact is, our heart is absolutely central to who we are.
Do you want to live an ‘Intelligent Life'? Then above all else, guard your heart.

You'll find more useful advice on taking care of your inner life in my new book, Intelligence For Your Life. The book can be purchased at your local bookstore or online at Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.