Are You Letting Your Heart Sing?

Feb 15, 2016 by Reen Rose

Perhaps because Valentine’s Day was on Sunday I’ve been thinking about hearts and the part they play in our desire to be happy. What makes your heart sing and your senses tingle?

My heart sings every time I look at one of our three cats, Sadie. We fostered her for the SPCA when she was young and pregnant and looked after her and six kittens until they were old enough to be adopted by others.

After much negotiation we agreed on two kittens to keep and returned Sadie and the others. The kittens were snapped up quickly, but no one wanted their mom. That didn’t surprise me as she was pretty anti-social. Even when she had her litter, she didn’t seem very bonded to them.

One day when our kittens were about a year old, I glanced at a page in our local paper and saw Sadie’s face staring back at me. Almost a year after we had returned her to the SPCA, she was still there. This prompted us to go visit her.

When we saw how dangerously thin and unkempt she looked we knew that we had to write another cheque for another $110 and take her home. Her state was not because she wasn’t being looked after, but because she was so unhappy she had stopped eating and looking after herself.

We didn’t want a third cat, but her need for a home was more important than the amount of fur we had to vacuum up every week.

Sadie is now glossy, sociable (with us) and healthy and every time I see her my heart sings.

Knowing that you have done something good for someone else is guaranteed to boost your level of happiness, even at work. Look for ways to make a positive impact on strangers, clients, colleagues, or anyone that you come into contact with.

If you aren’t sure where to start

1. How can you share your strengths and interests with others to make a difference in their lives?

2. What are your work values? How can you promote these within your organization?

3. Stop spending time thinking about what your job offers you and think about what you can offer others when you are at work.

Knowing that you are part of a bigger picture and that you are making a positive difference is a sure way to let your heart sing.