For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it.
For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it.
For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.
by Ivan Panin
The art of receiving is a skill I have not yet mastered.
Many times I struggle with the notion of accepting a gift – be it a material gift or a gift of a kind word – I don’t seem to think I deserve it, therefore I often cannot let myself enjoy it.
But I am working on it…
I want to open my heart and receive the love. I want to give myself permission to be worthy of the gifts I receive along the way. I want to acknowledge my merits. I want to allow people to give by becoming more competent in accepting their gifts.
I invite you to join me on this journey of mastering the art of receiving and ask you to give yourself permission to accept gifts.
Share your thoughts and experiences with me and leave a comment to this post or contact me.
Tags: Inspiration, quote, receiving
Well well well….Receiving is hard isn’t it? I wasn’t even aware of it up to seven yeras ago. I remember myself often thinking that I give much more that I receive and it often made me sad-like I am taking for granted, and it is very obviouse that I will put in any relationsheep much more that the other side. Seven years ago I participated in a workshop after which I changed my life…One of the things I understood about myself is that its extremely hard for me to receive-anything…gifts, compliments, endorsements. One of the things wepracticed in this workshop (it was a coaching workshop) was to cherish other people on a regular basis for things they did to us big or small. At first its strange and sometimes artificial but the most difficult part was to be able also to recive cherishments. I remember thinking to myself “its not such a big deal, whats all the fuss about?” orfeeling totaly embarassed and sometimes even close to tears.What I discovered is that its so hard to received since its a moment I retreat into my unworthy self. Who am I to to receive those compliments? receiving is about leaving your greatness. It is very often that we forget that. Sometimes we mix it with showing off-its not the same thing! being humble and leaving your greatness goes together, they do not contradict.I am quoting here someone who wrote words which touched me deeply when I read tham They are prompting me in dark moments. They are a quote from an author named Marianne Williamson and they are often mitaken to be a quote fro Nelson Mandela Inauguration Speech, 1994 “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.â€Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.â€
Thank you for sharing your thoughs with me, thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughs with you. Thank you for making a difference.
Wow, Rivi, I am so touched by your words. Thank you so much for sharing your personal experience. I also love these words from Marianne Williamson and I hope I can live up to my own advice. Your words and the cooperation of my fabulous readers gives me the strength to evolve. Thank you!!!
One of the best “tricks” I’ve learned when someone gives me a compliment that I don’t feel worthy of (for whatever reason) is to simply say “Thank you” or something similar as sincerely as possible. Regardless of how I feel about myself. Basically, fake it.
It validates the complimenter and keeps them from feeling foolish or embarrassed for having the audacity to think something about me was worth complimenting (the nerve!), and by simply accepting their words as fact, it can actually boost my opinion of myself. It’s amazing what just agreeing with someone can do for your perspective.
That’s a great tip that shows your sensitivity. Thank you for sharing!!!