Something unexpected happened this morning that touched my heart and made me remember how important it is to be open. I grabbed my well-loved copy of Journey to the Heart by Melody Beattie as I got ready to teach yoga. Usually, I read the meditation that was prescribed for that day, but this time I ended up on a page I wasn’t supposed to. I felt like the meditation selected me, not the other way around. It was called “It’s Safe to Open Your Heart.”
That message rang home for me, especially after something had happened recently that made me want to shut down and shield my heart. But instead of backing away, I leaned forward. I began to think about how patterns from the past, especially those that originated in childhood, still affect how I love and be loved today. This episode is about gently seeing those patterns, letting go of where we’ve hardened, and deciding to be open even when it seems risky.
So, on this week’s Wise Walk, we’ll look at areas we could be protecting our hearts and how we might let love, connection, and healing in while still keeping healthy boundaries. You’re not the only one who has ever felt the pull between being vulnerable and protecting yourself. Let’s go through it together and find strength in our weakness.
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- Do you feel it’s safe to open your heart right now, or are you guarding it in your personal or professional life?
- Can you set healthy boundaries to manage fear or stress so you can open your heart and see what’s possible?
- Where in your life are you shielding yourself from past hurts out of fear of being vulnerable?
- Have you ever given people an easy out even when you truly wanted them to show up?
- What do you risk by telling someone you genuinely want them there—and what might you gain?
- Are you willing to be vulnerable and let the world fully receive your love?
- Where can you stay open to your big, beautiful, vulnerable love while creating healthy boundaries?
- Are you mindfully protecting your energy from those who can’t meet you with love right now?
- Can you recognize the love that deserves all of you and resist falling back into old protection patterns?
- Are you willing to keep evolving and let your heart stay safely open as you grow?
Thanks for sharing this space with me today. As you move through the week, I hope you feel safe to open your heart and stay connected to the love that surrounds you. Until next time, keep honoring your stride and choosing what feels true.
In this episode:
[04:30] After my parents divorced, I had a challenging relationship with my father. My mother did the best she could to raise us four girls.
[05:08] I saw unconditional love from my mother, but I felt like my father’s love had conditions. I felt like I couldn’t depend on him, so I developed a pattern where I wouldn’t ask for much from him.
[06:16] I was shielding myself from vulnerability, because I didn’t want to feel the pain from being disappointed.
[07:04] This pattern came through in my adult relationships.
[08:35] I wasn’t being fully vulnerable when I gave people an out.
[11:14] Last week I got hurt by someone I care about. They unexpectedly disappointed me.
[12:06] When I’m hurt, I physically protect my heart. I want my heart center open so I can give and receive love.
[13:23] I was choosing heart openers in yoga this morning. Our hearts deserve to feel open and safe.
[14:04] I am consciously working on healing and growing and making sure my past doesn’t affect my present or future.
[15:23] Even though I got hurt, loving and putting myself out there to that risk is worth it.
[16:33] You can still feel safe to open your heart and have healthy boundaries.
[17:55] I will still hold space for them and compassionate space for myself.
[20:35] I read page 329 of Journey to the Heart.
[21:41] Engage in practices that help you keep your heart open.
Memorable Quotes:
- “I want my heart center fully open because I want to give and receive love in the fullest expansion form.” – Mary Tess
- “I am consciously working on healing and growing and making sure that my past doesn’t necessarily direct my present or my future.” – Mary Tess
- “Go after and bring more of that love, give more of it, and receive more of it” – Mary Tess
Links and Resources:
Mary Tess Rooney
Email
Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Heart Value
Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the Path to Freeing Your Soul
Sometimes things don’t go as expected. Yet, there are unexpected surprises that give us more than we imagine. This episode talks about celebrating the surprises of life.
I’m feeling extremely energized and happy this week. Why? It’s my birthday week! Yes, I completed another trip around the sun. I find myself in this new year where I get to carve out another chapter of my story. It makes me reflect on how far I came and how far I can go.
I’m here to spend quality solo time with you for EP101’s Wise Walk as we discover our True Stride. I am literally the definition of a surprise. In this episode, I share my birth story with you and how I completely surprised my parents. It’s a story my mom tells me every year during my birthday. It already holds a special meaning for me, and I felt it’s a lesson on embracing change (outside of being hilarious).
On our Wise Walk, I talk about dreams, intentions, and the chance to craft a new narrative. Come with me as we reflect on these Wise Walk questions:
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- Where in your life are you allowing for surprises to come in?
- Are you taking the time to celebrate them?
- When you think of your past, where has your life taken a detour and that detour worked out better than expected?
- As you think about your future, where can you release the expectation around how it comes to life?
There is this cosmic unknown that is influencing our paths in life. We can embrace changes as they come our way, making the most out of each moment. Embracing the moment puts us back in our power.
You have to be willing to open up to the possibilities. Don’t get too attached to the “how.” Let the universe support you. Allow the future to fluidly unfold with these Wise Walk questions:
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- Where in your life are you allowing growth and expansion to occur?
- Where are you releasing expectations and openly inviting love and new experiences into your life?
- Where have you honed in on some expectations that are potentially limiting?
- Can you release the limiting expectations?
Join this inspiring community to uncover a new sense of freedom, and be sure to follow and review the True Stride podcast as we continue to exchange our light and Heart Value with each other.
In this episode:
[00:23] – Welcome to the show!
[01:33] – Mary Tess shares why her birth was a surprise for her parents.
[03:38] – Celebrate the surprises in life.
[05:54] – You never know where life will take you.
[08:34] – Mary Tess shares a love story that surprises her. What shocked her?
[11:20] – Be open to receive good in your life.
[13:17] – Allow the future to fluidly unfold.
[15:36] – Thank you for listening!
Memorable Quotes:
- “I am taking my life chapter by chapter. And each year I’m gifted is another year I get to write the story of my dreams.” – Mary Tess
Links and Resources:
Mary Tess Rooney
Email
Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Heart Value
The daily ability to self-reflect and apply what you learn or discover to your everyday life is sexy. No doubt about it. You take time to self-reflect every week with the True Stride podcast, so YOU are sexy. This episode celebrates your sexy self-reflection.
I had a chat with a friend who met a new dude and, from what I heard, it’s going well so far. When I asked what had her so jazzed about the guy she’s seeing, my friend said she likes that he’s really good at self-reflection. She thinks it’s sexy. He’s honoring who he is and presenting himself in a way that others can get to know who he is. Honestly, it’s understandable that self-reflection and self-awareness are attractive traits.
I’m here to spend quality solo time with you for EP94’s Wise Walk as we discover our True Stride. Let’s evaluate how sexy we are for taking time to self-reflect and look at what that does for us as individuals and what that does for people around us. What we say “yes” and “no” to creates space for opportunities to align with the activities, people, and experiences we want.
On our Wise Walk, I explore how self-reflection allows you to key-in on who you are and who you want to be. I also talk about how it helps you share that connection to yourself with others. Come with me as we reflect on these Wise Walk questions:
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- Do you currently take time to celebrate and honor the sexy self-reflection in you?
- How often in your life are you self-reflecting?
- Are you training your self-reflection muscle so it becomes a natural reflex?
- If you are using it regularly, how has self-reflection changed your life and your connections with others?
- Where in your life are you noticing those opportunities that you’re saying “heck yes,” or those opportunities where you’re hesitant?
- In those hesitant moments, can you give yourself the opportunity to say “no”, to make room for more “heck yes“ moments?
- With each day, can you take time to self-reflect on how experiences make you feel?
- When you feel off, can you say “no” to bring yourself back into alignment, and say “yes” to opportunities that attract more of what you want?
You are unique. We’re all unique, and we all need different things at different times. Self-reflection helps you stand in your truth so that you’re following the path that is best for you.
The time you take to be with yourself will nourish your True Stride. Celebrate and appreciate who you are and who you are becoming with these Wise Walk questions:
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- Where are you self-reflecting and listening to your body?
- Where do you notice that you need some time to recover or heal?
- How often in your life are you taking time to honor your body’s messages to yourself?
- Are you self-reflecting on the messages your body sends, and are you taking action on those messages?
- How are you adopting the cues you get from self-reflection about showing up for yourself?
- When you are asked a question, will you give yourself the space in that moment to see where your answers lead you?
- Will you see an opportunity to create an intimate connection with the person asking you the question?
- Can we vulnerably share the origins of our behaviors and beliefs so that someone else can know us on a deeper level?
Join this inspiring community to uncover a new sense of freedom, and be sure to follow and review the True Stride podcast as we continue to exchange our light and Heart Value with each other.
In this episode:
[00:23] – Welcome to the show!
[02:33] – Mary Tess talks about being connected to who you are and what you want in life.
[05:16] – Mary Tess looks at the flip side of our reaction to what gives us energy and what doesn’t.
[07:55] – Sleep is so healing and nourishing.
[10:17] – Our body gives us clues of what we need.
[11:44] – Mary Tess reflects on this particular habit she does when she goes out to eat with friends. PART 1
[14:08] – Mary Tess reflects on this particular habit she does when she goes out to eat with friends. PART 2
[17:19] – Self-reflect to give gratitude.
[19:40] – Celebrate and appreciate who you are and who you are becoming.
[21:20] – What do you need more of?
[23:00] – Thank you for listening!
Memorable Quotes:
- “If I know what I want and what I don’t want, and if I can communicate that clearly to myself and those around me, I’m going to keep attracting those people and activities that do light me up.” – Mary Tess
- “We have the opportunity to stand in our truth, to become more of who we are and who we’re meant to be, and to let other people see us shine that light on ourselves and the direction we want to go.” – Mary Tess
Links and Resources:
Mary Tess Rooney
Email
Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Heart Value
