Advice... Take It or Leave It?

     Well, that's up to you. If you haven’t noticed, a lot of my more in depth posts are about self-empowerment, doing what you want and how you want to do it, and simply being who you are. After going through a whirlwind of a fall semester emotionally, I’ve recently realized that I need to start taking my own advice. Now, from the outside, it’s easy for someone to say ‘why wouldn’t you do that in the first place?!’ But inside the crazy world that I call my brain, it’s a lot harder than it looks.
     Anyone can give advice and anyone can listen to it; the hard part is following it through. I am the first one to admit that even as much as you want to, the first step to doing what you believe is right when it’s against what your heart wants is the most difficult step of all. “Follow your heart” is a famous piece of advice that many take very seriously. A large amount of people insist on following your heart and only your heart. But personally, I think that your mind is there for a reason. Yes, you can’t live without your heart. But, you also can’t live without your brain. They are both vital to your being. Without one, you’re not alive. Where I’m going with this is that they are hand-in-hand, and I think they should be treated that way. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t follow your heart. I’m saying that you shouldn’t blindly follow it. I think that if there is really an overwhelming part of your mind that is telling you that you should or shouldn’t do something or you should or shouldn’t take someone’s advice (even if it’s your own), you should probably at least give your brain a chance and listen and consider (who knows, it might even lead to a change of heart). In doing this, it makes it that much easier to take that first step.
     I want to make a point that I’m not saying you should ever question what you feel, because that is something that you simply cannot control. No matter what anyone says, you can’t control how you feel. You either feel one way or you don’t. That’s that.
     But, I am saying that you can control how you act and look at situations. That is where your brain comes in. So, whether you want to take advice or simply ignore it, that’s your call. As for me, I think I’m going to start listening to my brain a little more and my heart a little more. Yes, I said more for both. Most of all, I think that I’m going to start taking my own advice. I’m going to do what I want to do. I’m not going to care what people think about me. I’m not going to let what other people want dictate my actions or feelings. I’m going to accept what I feel and accept what I don’t. I’m going to be the best version of me that I can be. Whether you want to follow my lead, or take someone else’s advice, that decision is all you. Just make sure it’s what your heart and mind truly want – not what someone else wants of you.