One of the exercises I lead quite commonly is listening to the heart of the business, where the business owner asks, what is it the business really needs from them? People get all kinds of answers, but there is one piece of guidance that is the most consistent, that when people share what they get, I’ve heard more times than I can count.
I’m going to tell you what it is, and, if you want, you can scroll to the bottom and see. But, if you’re willing, I’d love you to take a few moments and ask the heart of your own business what it really needs from you in order for it to thrive, to grow, to be abundant, to support you.
When I guide this exercise, we take our time with it. We take our time, because we all have ideas and beliefs about what’s needed to make the business succeed, and they mostly involve the grind, the hustle, hard work and pushing.
So, first, we notice the spaciousness for how folks are feeling right now in their lives, in their bodies, about their businesses. People have all kinds of things going on inside. What do you notice inside yourself? And, can you also notice that since it’s here, there’s also space for it to exist? So much spaciousness.
Then dropping into the heart and remembering the presence of the Divine, the Source of Love. I invite the question, “Is Love available even here? Is the Divine available even here?” And just waiting and listening.
The Sufi practice of Remembrance involves calling a name of the Divine into your heart, not as a recitation, but as a calling to the Friend, the Beloved. Without asking, without giving, just being.
Then, I invite folks to become aware of the heart of their business, the beingness of their business, separate from them. To let it be in front of their own heart, to just notice. To not ask, to not take.
Most of us, the time we spend with our business is all about getting things done, making things work, pushing ahead. We spend very little time just being with our business. Noticing. Listening. Breathing.
Most mornings my wife Holly and I sit and have coffee together. There’s nothing to do, no agenda. We talk. We laugh. Sometimes we argue, but never seriously. Eventually we get to talking about the day.
How often do we take time like that with our businesses?
After taking time just being with the heart of the business, noticing that it exists, see/sense/feel/perceiving it (not everyone experiences inner connection visually), then we might ask a question.
“What does your business want from you? What is it asking of you, that it needs from you?”
And then, just listening.
If we went directly to this question, the answers would be full of all of our mistaken beliefs and worry thoughts. But, by taking time to notice how we’re feeling, to make our own connection with love, and then just being with the business, noticing it, then we have a chance of actually hearing wisdom.
If you’re following along with this, what did you notice? What is your business asking of you?
The guidance I’ve heard most from folks?
“I want you to bring lightness, and playfulness, and to rest.”
Some version of that is THE most common guidance I’ve heard. I know it may sound nuts, or strange. Or made-up. But very often our clients have tears in their eyes when they share it, or an open sense of wonder. They *feel* this in their heart and in their bones. It lands with a surprising oomph.
It’s real. Because as soon as they say “Yes,” and embrace it, and start to explore how it carries them, all kinds of insights flood in, and sometimes problems they were struggling with suddenly seem easy or a solution is obvious.
It’s not the only guidance, of course. And it may not be the guidance your business is asking of you in this moment.
But, I’m going to guess that no matter what your business is asking of you, it also wants more lightness, and playfulness, and rest in how you approach working on it.
Can I encourage you to take some time to listen to the heart of your business? To put down the messages of grind, hustle and push? And to listen deeply to a different kind of wisdom?
If you did take time to listen, I’d love to hear what you got.
with love,
Mark Silver, M.Div.
Heart of Business, Inc.
Every act of business can be an act of love.
Lightness, Clarity, AND Strategy
You know, I get that guidance like, “bring more playfulness/lightness” can be powerful! And… confusing?
Because you’re bringing playfulness and lightness to… what? What are you actually working on in your business? And that lack of clarity can then make you doubt the guidance you received.
This can be especially unnerving to those in high four figures to mid-five figures, where the success has been significant… but it’s not enough. You don’t want to risk what you’ve already gained, but you can’t really sustain staying where you are.
That’s what my six month cohort, Business Boost group is for. No more than five heart-centered, spiritually-oriented business owners to get a real boost focused on marketing and business model, as well as anything else you might bring up.
September through January, get your business ready to really thrive in 2026, with love, with care, and with clear strategy and knowledge.
Take a look?
Read, fill out the form, and we’ll talk to see if it’s a good fit.
