Can we really follow our heart? When did you last do it?

I can think of two things: When I chose to accept a low-paying job to do something I want and something that makes me happy. I know I have a future to think about and unfortunately, money has to come into play to have a good one but just having a "career" that I absolutely believe in and find happiness doing so, I believe I followed my heart. When I chose to defend love over obligations. Sometimes, we have to be guilty of making others unhappy to make ourselves happy. And I did that for a while. Compromises are hard. Sometimes, others take it well and sometimes others take it to heart that you don't care about them enough (even if you do) because you choose to make yourself happy. Making everyone happy at your expense is not really a good thing. Sometimes, we end up resenting them and blaming them for our own unhappiness and misery. Take care, Mou.

We OWE it to ourselves to at least try to maintain a mindset like this as much as we can. We are only human of course and will have ups and downs, but this is one life this time around so we should seek everything we can to make it a good one! Not just for ourselves either, but also for those we leave behind. One saying is that we should aim to leave this world better than how we found it and I think this is a very positive way to look at things. We do need to con ourselves at times too, but if we do it often enough then in time we will convince ourselves I feel and positivity will become a natrual part of our daily existence. Simple pleasures, happy thoughts, surrounding ourselves with other positive people rather than ones that do not compliment is in this way, seeking that silver lining in every situation..... All these things contribute. It can become oh so difficult to handle a mentality like this AND maintain our standing with our families/friends in parallel as they too affect us in many ways. But if we can lead by example and generate the same lines of thinking and behaviours in those we love, then we all benefit and the whole process can become that much easier. Letting go of our happiness for the sake of another is a quick fix only unfortunately! Is it not more beneficial for all concerned to seek a resolution that allows all to be happy? It's always there, we just have to look harder sometimes to find it! The simple pleasures for my wife and I these days are things like going out for lunch when we can't decide what to prepare at home, speaking to our families on Skype, downloading a funny movie and watching it together, dancing around in a silly manner to music, a moccachino at a coffeeshop and a piece of cheesecake...... They are all little things, but can really make all the difference towards maintaining a happy outlook in life.

We can't do it always, but we always want to and we keep trying. It's the peace of mind that it is all about. Yes the happiness is a state of mind that we achieve in relation to what we do and in turn how it affects the people around us. We always will go through that never ending strife of wanting to do the things really want to and whether the others around us are affected or not. In my experiences although i have had people being concerned about the way i have done things, but at the end of it if they see that i am happy they have changed thier attitude towards it. That certainly makes it more special. I always try and do things that i like and when it's down to the simplest of things then i do not hesitate. If it's a drive, a short holiday or a trip , the things i like to eat i'll do it. I've been wanting to spoil myelf with some of those kebabs and ice cream. Good time to do it.

There are certain self imposed duties which all of us have and apart from that I do live life to the fullest-in every little thing I do like singing crazy songs-suppose I misplace some important thing in the kitchen I desperately need immediately I convert this into a film song's tune and sing loudly[where is my kitchen knife?' in the exact tune of the song.just fit it in a song that starts with 'where?'THis helps me avoid irritation with myself. I live life to the fullest when I pick a favourite book of mine and read it the nthtime. I feel that my day is made.So everyday, I am able to do this.I follow my heart and have no qualms about singing a crazy song or reading some favourite book . If I am bogged down by extra work I see to it that I lie down with some favourite book , so that I will get relieved OF my tiredness. All this vanishes and I get totally upset if my son is overworked, tense , ill or my husband falls ill. Otherwise, reading my favourite books make me feel that I am most blessed in life. The statement 'many times I let go my happiness just for them.' bodes ill for you Mimpi. yOU OUGHT NOT TO do this if you must preserve your sanity and peace.However, much depends on what you term as living life to the fullest extent possible.Let go of your selfimposed restraints if you find them as fetters. You must not allow these to bog you down, if they are some tasks that you have cast upon yourself. On the other hand if it is allowing people free play to the extent of sacrificing your own pleasures you will have to call a halt and the 'happiness' that you advocate for others must be well within your bounds [if you see what I mean]

When i say that i refused all promotions in my job, for sake of my family.. and most importantly.. to look after my aging parents..may be it will look to you.. that i am boasting of my acts.. But that is the fact. And lastly, two weeks back..i watched a movie with my wife.. for nearly 3.30 hours.. only because she like to watch movie with me.. but the thing is i never ever liked watching movies.. After the movie was over,..she asked me," How was the movie?" yeah.. fine.. i really enjoyed it..i replied.. and hearing this she was so happy.. and looking her in happiness.. i was doubly merrier.. Hugs to you.. too.. Take care friend.

Heya, I think I try to always follow my heart. But more on the context of not doing things because most people would tell me to do lots of things that sometimes it just gets so overwhelming. I follow my heart and do something that I wanted to do for a change and at least for a while and take a break from all the things that needed to be done. Sure I might be behind schedule but I dont get past the deadline. But you are right, there are a lot of factors like time and the people we care about that would make us do things or hold back on what we actually want to do. Well I guess we just need to find a balance in between right?^_^

Well, this is not difficult to answer. Even when we say that we don't follow our heart and our brain rules our hurt, there are often situations where your brain just helplessly see and react to what heart says. There are situation where you cannot refuse your hurt. As for me, the last time was when I met a girl working in my office. I am a person who strongly believe in arrange marriage and had decided not to fall prey to "love or attraction". But, I don't know whenever I see or met her my heart just overtakes control from me, I just can't refuse to see her or think about her. A weird situation.

Seriously, it's been so long I can't remember when the last time was. After the kids are born...priorities change...and even my 'fun' is dictated by what their 'fun' is. I'm looking forward to when I can just let my hair down without worrying about 'what the little one is doing'!

I think it is ideal way to lead life. but it is something that is not possible for reality. there are so many constraints. it is for this reason we are not able to follow it. I followed my heart in choosing career.

You are right, most of the times, it is not possible to follow our heart. We kill our desires and wishes many times in a single day, just to keep pace with others and just to make others happy and comfortable. We being a social animal are connected to different channels and persons, therefore, before doing anything entirely for ourselves we take into account their presences and demands too. Since we do not get many chances to enjoy ourselves, as our heart feels, sometimes we feel suffocated, however, the moment we get such a chance, we just get into the groove and avail the opportunity to the fullest. Whenever I get a chance to be alone and enjoy myself, I try to enjoy every minute of it, be it watching a movie or a programme on a TV or be it reading one of my favourite books or be it talking to someone close to me without bothering about the fact that what is going to happen next moment or the next day.

Hugs to you also, . There are so many simple things that I do and makes me happy, like sharing thoughts with my friends, talking to my family and any simple things that my husband and I do. Knowing my family are happy and healthy, makes me so happy also. Take care dear.

Trust me, I'm really having a good laugh at that "Go Panda Spanking" saying. Never heard it before. Anyway, to answer your question (all the muddle aside) I do it every day, without much success, I have to say. Sometimes we need to follow our heart because our head doesn't work!!! More to the point, our BRAIN goes into shutdown mode so we need to crawl along after what our heart says. I've a feeling you're very young so HUGS TO YOU TOO!!!

Rusell Watson has written a song: "Where my heart will take me". I like this song so much. I remembered about this song as soon as I read the topic of Your discussion. Unfortunately I am not following my heart. Sometimes, but it happens so rarely. Maybe I do a harm to myself and my people, but this is how I am. I wish I could follow my heart more, but real life shows it`s teeths and dislikes towards me, so I have to follow the rules that others make, but not my heart. :(

yes we can follow our heart as much as any one can do because all you have to do is that you must have to believe in your heart ,if you have belief in your self if you have belief in your heart you can do any thing in this world ,for this all you have to do is to listen quitely and carefully to your heart and do t whatever it says ,and i really wanna tell you that there is a lot of difference in doing some work by listening your heart and by listening your mind because if you do something by listening your mind voice you could do few thing in this world but if you listen your heart you can do each and every thing in this world in this there is no limit for you

i try to live life to the fullest everyday, if not as often as possible. the last time i followed my heart was 3 1/2 years ago. it lead me on a move from texas to pennsylvania! but it was a good move and well worth the risk. i moved 1600 miles from all my family, but i have an amazing man in my life, got hired for my dream job a year and half ago, and love where i'm at. the latest, i'm going to texas for the holidays, a big surprise for my family, thay don't know i'm coming. i will be spending two weeks there. will be apart from my man, but it's only one christmas, andwe will have plenty more.

Hello mimpi. It is true that we are always trying to live our life to the fullest without the least negative part affecting us in our daily life and work. Yet it is not that easy for us to live our life to one hundred percent fullest or we cannot really follow our heart sometimes though we are trying to. But it is really very important for us to have always a positive mind towards things and people around us. Our attitude is thus of great importance. Mimpi, you let go your own happiness just for your loved ones' happiness, which shows that you care much more about the others than you care about yourself. You are selfless and thoughtful to your loved ones, but a little bit "mean" to yourself when it comes to your own happiness. So my dear mimpi, why not consider your own happiness when it is supposed to come to you? I think that only when both parties enjoy happiness can we live our life to the fullest without sacrifice either one of the parties. So can we please define it in a new way like this? Anyway, I wish dear mimpi as happy as the way it is supposed to be. Be happy and take care, mimpi.

I pretty much always do my mind to a certain extent. In other respects that is not suitable, for example, hubby does not like to go camping and I do, but I am not making him go someplace he hates to go, nor am I going without him. I do not get down much when others around me are down, as I pretty much make it my business to pull them up or if that is not going to work, then I get better friends or go off on my own. Again, there are exceptions. But I am a great believer in breaking away. Panda spanking has never stricken me as a useful endeavor, thank you, but I follow your logic, and yes, even if it is just playing a video game on the computer, I make sure that each and every day I spend a little time doing something completely frivolous just for me in my "alone" time. It is very important to do that, I think!

I must say that the last time that I truely followed my heart feeling is when I got the job I have now 3 months ago knowing that I needed a job bad and that was a perfect and open opprotunity for me. I made the choice and glad dthat I did. I have also helped friends with certains situations as well for that's the kind of person I am.

this is one thing that i am guilty of. i am n otable to foolw my heart's desire . i always think of what other people may thing and if it will affect other people's lives. though it should be right to think of other people too but i have to give myself some happiness. but i think ih aev passed som any year sof my life already and i can't bring back the past and correct wahtever needed some changes. i am just to accept the fact the consequences of my decisions in life.

who wouldnt follow their heart? i mean....who wouldnt do the stuff they wanted to do and thought was right. its a good guideline anyway!