The Importance of a Heartbeat
Sounds obvious. The Importance of a Heartbeat.
And, right now for me, it’s a loaded statement. I’ve been in struggle for a couple of months dealing with an issue with my heart, we think. What we do know is that I have a little hole in my heart wall. About 20% of the population has this same thing. A PFO or ASD it’s typically called. Most people never know they have it. It’s congenital. Some people get symptoms like me. Dizzy, nauseous, vomiting, headaches, shortness of breath, chest pains. Some people have a stroke because of it. Most people are absolutely fine. The condition runs the gamete of symptoms and treatments.
The point is…The Importance of a Heartbeat.
Our heart is the driving force of our physiology. Of our very being. It is the pulsing of our soul. Our heart is our core. It’s the cornucopia of our bodies. Our heart is life itself. Our livelihood.
Think about that word, livelihood. I love words so let me take you on a little dictionary adventure.
Merriam-Webster defines livelihood as a means of support or subsistence. The simple definition provided is a way of earning money in order to live. The obsolete definition is the quality or state of being lively. Interesting that the obsolete definition was how we are BEING in the world and the new definition is what we’re DOING in the world. As a coach this fascinates me as much of the work I do is empowering clients to get in touch with their being. Who are you being in the world as you go about doing things. Many of us are great at doing, and not so great at BEING in the moment.
Back to our dictionary adventure. We’ve gone from livelihood to the quality or state of being lively. Merriam-Webster defines lively as briskly alert, energetic, active, intense, brilliant, fresh, stimulating, resilient, and full of life, movement or incident. All of these are ways of being; how we show up in the world.
Ironically, the obsolete definition of lively is Living and there is no obsolete definition of Living. It is simply defined as not dead; having life. Having Life.
If we distill the origins of livelihood, we are Full of Life and we are Having Life. We are Living. Being Full of Life, Having life, and Living in human form requires a heartbeat.
The Importance of a Heartbeat.
My heart therefore is my livelihood. Not my work, not my bank account, not all the things I have in life.
My Heart is my Livelihood.
Every time my heart beats I am grateful. Every time my heart beats I’m given the opportunity to live—to be Full of Life—to Have Life.
I go later this month to get a new look from new doctors, and get a fresh perspective on The Importance of a Heartbeat; on The Importance of How MY Heart Beats.
How are you being with your livelihood? What is The Importance of Your Heart Beat?