- Is it easier for you to give or receive?
- Do you know what you need to experience physical & emotional pleasure?
- Do you know how to effectively communicate your wants, needs, and desires?
- Do you receive kindness, support, & pleasure with an open heart?
I was raised to believe that putting other people's needs and interests first was the right thing to do - that my needs were secondary. I think there's incredible value in being a giver; being sensitive to, honoring, and anticipating people's wants, needs, and desires. And all those feel-good hormones flow whenever you do. But, when you're conditioned to just be the giver, receiving is often burdened with guilt, shame, or feelings of selfishness. So while I used to pride myself on being Little Miss Independent I've finally realized that I deserve to receive kindness, support, and pleasure. And it feels damn good when I allow it! That's the thing, though. Sometimes it's hard to let all that yummy goodness flow my way. The act of receiving feels like some complex art-form that takes a supreme amount of self-awareness, effective communication skills, and a sense of surrender. But I realize that if I don't master the art of receiving, I'll keep ending up in relationships (or personal and professional experiences) where I feel unsatisfied, undervalued, used, and resentful.
I think the first step in mastering the art of receiving is SELF-AWARENESS; knowing what's important, valuable, and necessary for my own happiness, abundance, fulfillment, and pleasure. Then, learning to COMMUNICATE my wants, needs, and desires effectively so I don't feel all disappointed when even my nearest and dearest can't read my mind. (I'm always afraid of being a burden or asking for too much). And lastly, I need to SURRENDER any ego, control, judgement, or expectations and allow love, kindness, and support to come to me in whichever form it arrives. That means accepting the unexpected, opening my mind to something different than I envisioned, and being one hundred percent present in the experience of receiving. Receiving must be done with an open heart.
I also have to remind myself that people like to give. So why should I deny someone else that opportunity? After all, generosity gives us a sense of connection, purpose, and value. It feels good to create positive, feel-good experiences for others. We are interdependent, symbiotic beings that thrive on a balance of giving and receiving.
Indie Girl Diary: writing prompt
I have a hard time receiving __________ because it makes me feel __________.
Indie Girl-Talk: let's chat!
What's the best thing about giving? What's the best thing about receiving? Which is easier for you, and why?
