The secret to a good life is not what you think. Literally.

I’m a psychiatrist who discovered that a lot of mental anguish comes from expecting your brain to do a lot better than it can.

If you’re like me, you spend a lot of time trying to handle everything by using your brain. You power through challenges and opportunities this way, and also find your success this way. But maybe you’ve also found, as I have, that relying on your brain for everything also comes with a side of paralyzing over analysis, worry, insecurity, and indecision.

I spent years getting mired in problems and getting stuck on the negatives when I only used my brain. It was exhausting. But I’ve since learned that we all have a secret weapon to call upon when brainpower isn’t enough, and that’s Heart.

Heart is the name I’ve given to the collection of superpowers I first observed in my daughter Emily. Emily is an unlikely teacher for me. But everything I need to know about success, happiness, and a meaningful life I learned from a girl who can’t make change for a dollar or tie her shoes. I learned more from her than I ever learned from academia, my training as a psychiatrist, or any self-improvement campaigns I tried.

When you tap into the power of Heart, not only will your satisfaction and success increase, but you’ll be able to live with uncertainty, and know how capable you are and what you really want.

I want to dispel the myth that Heart is weak and soft.

It’s just the opposite – Heart is strong and bold. And when your brain is overwrought with anger, worry and fear, it’s Heart that steps in to deal with the crisis. Heart is as steady, calm and logical as brain. However, Heart is based in love and brain is based in fear, so they problem solve differently.

I’m the last person you’d expect to be delivering a message emphasizing Heart over brain, but I’ve experienced the true power of Heart and it changed my life for the better. When I tapped into Heart, that’s when I found my source of resilience, purpose, and courage.

My understanding of Heart didn’t arrive in a flash, and neither did my ability to use it. I’m a brain-first person who discovered that I’m stronger and smarter with Heart, and I still work on living Heart-first every day. But tapping into Heart is a skill anyone can learn, and in my book, The Power of Heart, I teach you the Heart-first lessons and strategies I’ve applied in my own life and professional practice.

If you want to worry less, carry on through the toughest situations and more fully experience the greatest ones, get ready to experience the unexpected power of Heart.

Heartfelt wishes,