Heart Growing

When Love Lets Go: A Soft Goodbye to What No Longer Matches There was a time I needed to belong so deeply, I shaped myself to fit the outlines of others. I clung to friendships tightly, fearing the silence between mismatched hearts. But growth teaches you how to listen—not just to others, but to yourself. Recently, a friend told me, “ We don’t have anything in common .” In the past, those words might’ve broken something inside me. But today, they didn’t hurt—they clarified. I didn’t take it personally. I saw it for what it was: honesty, not cruelty. Boundaries, not abandonment. I didn’t plead or prove my worth. I simply let them go—with peace, not resentment. Because I’ve come to honor truth more than attachment, and alignment more than validation. That moment showed me how far I’ve come. From people-pleasing to presence. From clinging to clarity. From fear to freedom. Letting go can be a soft kind of love—the kind that doesn’t need to hold someone close to care. And maybe,...

 Listening with Love vs. Listening as Duty Listening should be an act of connection, not just an obligation. True listening involves understanding boundaries, knowing when to engage, and ensuring conversations foster respect rather than control. It’s about more than hearing words—it’s about creating trust and honoring emotions. 🚧🚦 The Red Light & Green Light of Listening 🚦🚧 Red Light (Respecting Boundaries & Avoiding Harm) 🔴 Personal Requests & Sensitivity – When someone expresses a request, whether verbal or nonverbal, it’s a red light if they show discomfort or resistance. Honoring their boundaries means avoiding words or behaviors that trigger emotional distress. Example : If someone asks not to be spoken to in a critical tone, continuously ignoring this request can lead to emotional exhaustion instead of connection. 🔴 Parent-Child Boundaries – Children often struggle when their feelings are dismissed. If a child expresses distress about a parent’s behavior, ...

Often, when we notice behaviors in others that frustrate us, it's not just about them—it’s a reflection of something deeper within ourselves. Instead of immediately judging or pointing out their flaws, taking a step back to ask, Why does this trigger me? What do I wish they would change? Do I exhibit this same behavior? can lead to powerful insights. Through this process, we may realize that the very habits we dislike in others are ones we also struggle with. And if we have them, why should we be upset with someone else for the same thing? The truth is, trying to change others often leads nowhere—but working on ourselves does. When we focus on improving our own behaviors, we gain first-hand experience of how difficult growth can be. This, in turn, fosters patience and understanding when we see others still stuck in cycles of blame and hurt. Rather than engaging in frustration, we shift our perspective. We see their struggle for what it is—something we once battled ourselves. And wi...