World Heart Day, observed every September 29th, aims to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke—two leading causes of death worldwide. As we focus on keeping our hearts healthy, let’s also explore some heart-themed idioms that can add a touch of joy to your day. There’s a rich variety of expressions related to the heart, and we’re excited to share them with you.

Heartfelt Decision

When Sarah decided to volunteer at the local animal shelter, it was a heartfelt (1) decision. Ever since she was young, she had a heart of gold (2), always helping others without expecting anything in return. Her friends admired how she poured her heart out (3) whenever she talked about her passion for animals.

However, Sarah’s new responsibilities weren’t without challenges. Some days, the stories of neglected pets truly broke her heart (4), and she felt overwhelmed. Still, she reminded herself to have a heart (5) and focus on the positive changes she could make. Her mentor told her that caring deeply was important, but she also needed to learn how to wear her heart on her sleeve (6) without letting it weigh her down too much.

When a shy, injured dog named Max came into the shelter, Sarah set her heart on (7) helping him recover. Though the process was slow, she didn’t lose hope. Max’s gradual improvement was heartwarming (8), and she knew that from the bottom of her heart (9) this was where she was meant to be. In the end, she realized that following her passion and giving back had truly become the heart of the matter (10) in her life.

1. heartfelt – sincere and deeply felt
2. heart of gold – a kind and compassionate nature
3. to pour one’s heart out – to express one’s feelings openly and honestly
4. to break one’s heart – to devastate, hurt someone deeply
5. to have a heart – to be kind and/or reasonable
6. to wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve – to openly display one’s emotions
7. to set one’s heart on something – to be determined to achieve something
8. heartwarming – uplifting, comforting
9. from the bottom of one’s heart – genuinely, sincerely
10. the heart of the matter – the essence, the central or most important aspect of an issue

Listening Practice

🎧 Listen to the rest of Sarah’s story and answer the questions below:

1. Why was Sarah sad when a family wanted to adopt Max?
2. Did Sarah’s mentor manage to help her?
3. How did Sarah feel when the family came back the next day?

Answer key 🔑

1. She didn’t want to say goodbye to Max because their bond had got very strong.
2. Yes. She did so by finding the right words to reassure Sarah.
3. She was still jealous of the family, but she was brave enough to say goodbye to Max, as she knew that was the right thing to do.

Audio script

As time passed, Sarah’s bond with Max grew even stronger. She was proud of the progress they had made together, but one day, she felt a heavy heart when a family came to the shelter looking to adopt him. She knew it was the best thing for Max, but the thought of saying goodbye made her emotions swirl.

Later that evening, Sarah had a heart-to-heart with her mentor about her mixed feelings. Her mentor assured her that Max would be happy with his new family, and that it was okay to feel sad. “You’ve always had his best interests at heart,” her mentor said, “and your heart’s in the right place.”

Sarah tried to find comfort in those words, but part of her couldn’t help feeling jealous of the new family. She joked to herself, “Well, Max, I guess I’ll just have to eat my heart out for a while.”

The next morning, Sarah woke up with a change of heart. She realized that following through with the adoption would be the best decision for Max, even if it hurt her a little. She reminded herself to take heart—this wasn’t the end, but the beginning of Max’s new life.

When the family returned later that day to take Max home, Sarah felt her heart skip a beat as she watched him wag his tail excitedly. She knew it was the right choice. If given the chance, she would help another dog in a heartbeat.

As the family drove away, her mentor approached her. “You did good,” she said. “Just remember to follow your heart in everything you do.” Sarah nodded, knowing that, no matter what, she was exactly where she needed to be.

More Heart Idioms

Idiom	Meaning	Additional example
a heavy heart	a very sad feeling	She left her children behind with a heavy heart.
a heart-to-heart	a sincere talk, a candid discussion	They had a heart-to-heart about their future together and decided to make some changes.
to have one’s best interests at heart	to genuinely care about someone’s well-being or success	The teacher really has her students’ best interests at heart, always going the extra mile to help them succeed.
to have the heart in the right place	to be well-meaning, kind-hearted, well-intentioned	Even though his methods were sometimes flawed, his heart was in the right place when he volunteered to help.
to eat one’s heart out	to feel deep emotional pain or longing, often due to unrequited love or regret	She was eating her heart out after the breakup, unable to move on from the relationship.
a change of heart	a shift in perspective, a change in attitude	Dan did not want to get married but recently he’s had a change of heart.
to take heart	to gain courage or hope in a difficult situation	Despite the challenges, she took heart in the support from her friends.
one’s heart skips a beat	to feel a sudden surge of excitement or nervousness	When she saw the surprise party, her heart skipped a beat with excitement.
in a heartbeat	immediately, instantly, right away	I would take that job offer in a heartbeat if it were not for the relocation.
to follow one’s heart	to pursue one’s passions, act on one’s desires, go with one’s instincts	He decided to follow his heart and start his own business, even though it meant leaving his stable job.

Vocabulary Practice

Click the link here and choose the right words to complete the sentences.

Heartfelt thanks for liking this article and following us! We genuinely appreciate your support. Be sure to subscribe to our blog so you don’t miss any future updates.