Atlas of the Heart
Atlas of the Heart breaks down the psychological meaning of different human emotions through explaining how they develop throughout our lives, change our behaviors, and how to utilize them to build meaningful relationships.
“Honoring the sacred nature of story - the ones we share and the ones we hear - and knowing that we’ve been entrusted with something valuable or that we have something valuable that we should treat with respect and care,”
This book is a human brain in itself of rich content! Atlas of the Heart had many sections, where I stopped and let those ideas sit to digest each part fully. Each section included different figures such as images to highlight key phrases and images to breakdown a concept visually. There were some sections that were slower than others due to the length of the breakdown, but overall the book had many inspiring statements that led me to have over 100 quotes to record afterwards!
Top 3 Lessons
Connecting with yourself will allow you to connect more with others
All emotions we exhibit are based off prior experiences
Story stewardship is a gift and should not be taken for granted
Lesson 1: Connecting with yourself will allow you to connect more with others
All of us are human and each one of us has the emotions portrayed in this book. We all venture through different experiences that shape us in a way where certain emotions are more prevalent than others. Analyzing why these emotions occur will allow you to understand yourself, but also understand why others exhibit these emotions as well since we are all one species. You may never know their full story though, but you can relate and listen to choose to understand more.
Lesson 2: All emotions we exhibit are based off prior experiences
During the pregnancy phase, mothers take actions that the offspring then inherits to shape what they favor upon exiting the womb. Say, for example, the mother eats bread every day. The baby is likely to enjoy bread as well. The environment curates the baby, and this process continues all the way until the human’s death. “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with” is a saying that results from this since you are always absorbing new information from your surroundings. The more time you spend with others, the more they will rub off. How they react to different instances, will lead you to react similarly when common instances arise.
Lesson 3: Story stewardship is a gift and should not be taken for granted
Conversations we have with others are reflective pieces in a time of space that we can never recreate. Acknowledging the story for what it is and then providing an additional interpretation is an opportunity to strengthen the bond we have with others, The story is not a right, but a gift. Every moment is special in that manner and the way we can continue to foster this gift is to share it with others as they continue to navigate this world. Not only does this allow you to remember the story, but others may find it valuable in their own journey.
Conclusion
Atlas of the Heart is an amazing book to understand more about your emotions and how to intelligently navigate them when they arise. The book brings a level of understanding as to why we exhibit each emotion and how to allow them to become a tool to develop meaningful connections with others.
Want to dive into the different emotions we bestow?
Read the book here: Kindle | Hardcover | Audiobook
I’d love to hear your learnings from the book! Tag me on an Instagram story once you finish at @kevintptran.
