With the holiday season upon us, you hear and see a lot of information being shared about gratitude. Practicing gratitude is something that should be done year round, not just during the last two months of the year. Have you ever stopped to think about what your life would be like if you practiced gratitude all year long?
In my last article I discussed gratitude as being a key to success. We have to train ourselves to focus more on what we do have and the ability we have to create the life of our dreams. When you begin to give more and appreciate the things you have now, it will open the door for more opportunities. Are you ready for what’s to come?
Many of us are great at the giving part of gratitude but when it comes to receiving, well this is where we fall short. We are taught to give generously but that it is selfish to receive. But every giver needs a receiver. When you give a gift to someone, how would you feel if they said no thanks and gave it back to you? We often have feelings of quilt when we receive something. We think that we are causing someone hardship by accepting the gift from them.
If you have been taken advantage of in the past, receiving will be extremely hard for you. Or, may find yourself thinking, Why are they giving me a gift? Is there a hidden agenda, something I don’t know about. What do they want from me? When we think like this we deny the giver the opportunity to give to us thus blocking their blessings and the doors that will open for them for being a giver. They were only trying to honor you and celebrate you – let them!
Giving and receiving are like the yin and yang of gratitude. Resilience Strategist Rita Schiano, describes it perfectly, “Giving creates a relationship between the giver and receiver. Giving is a way people participate in our lives, a way people honor us. And when we say no, we deny them the opportunity to do so. Generosity, both in giving and receiving, opens the heart. We must learn to accept gratefully.” We must learn to open our hearts and minds to receive and allow what we have given to come back to us. It will come back to us in abundance just the way we need it to. Here are a few ways you can get started today.
1) Allow others to honor you and show how much they appreciate you. Remember, giving and receiving are the yin and yang of gratitude. When someone gives to you, they are in turn receiving a gift.
2) When someone gives you a gift or compliments you, smile and say thank you. Most of the time we will say things like, “It was nothing” or “I don’t deserve this.” To them it was something and you do deserve it.
3) Don’t think that everyone is out to get you. Do you know someone who no matter what compliment you give them or what nice things you say to them, they automatically get defensive. They may say things like, What? Why did you say that? What did you mean by that? Make sure you are not the one responds that way. You must be open to the opportunities that come your way. Give them the benefit of the doubt as you never know the true reason someone has come into your life and the gift(s) they may have for you, directly or indirectly.
As you develop a true practice of gratitude, you will attract more of what you desire in life. Start today by opening your heart and mind to receive blessings and gifts. Be prepared to receive love, compliments and opportunities that will come your way. My next article will cover gratitude and the times when we just can’t do it. So until then, here’s to your success!
Carolyn R. Owens has over 25 years of proven experience and serves as a Career Strategist, Leadership and Life Coach. She is the Chairwoman and CEO of Infinity Coaching, Inc. where they help you up-level your skills so you can up-level your income. Infinity Coaching, Inc. provides one-on-one and group coaching coaching, organizational training, personality assessments and a signature program, the Infinity Coaching Inner Circle. Carolyn is certified to give both The Energy Leadership Index Assessment and Myers Briggs Type Indicator Assessment. You can find out more about both assessments and other products and services at https://infinitycoaching.net.
