In line with this holiday where Christmas is said to be "The Season of Giving", I think it’s appropriate with this particular blog post.
That we’re in the season of giving and it’s said about Christmas to be “the festival of hearts". We focus on giving, giving and giving. However, I would like to invite you to reflect a little about receiving.
Because with no one to receive, you could not give. It's great to give, but it's even more great to give when the recipient really accepts and is filled with joy.
Unfortunately, what sometimes happens is that we humans get into our heads and rather than accepting, we are met with a feeling of having to give something back ourselves, in order to receive.
It's a bit like if someone pays you a compliment. Then you probably know the feeling of rushing to return one back. That way you don't really get to say thank you, for what the other person actually gave you.
I would like to help initiate a little reflection on that, as it is something I have thought a lot about. I would like to encourage you to really try and receive when someone gives you something. Receive with the thought, that it is just as important to be able to receive as to be able to give.
> There is a person on each side, who wants to feel met in their intentions and feelings.
When you give something to others, I also think you’re doing it because it feels nice for you to give. It is my point, that others may also have the same need, when they give you something.
So when we say "I don't need to get anything", think about whether it might deprive others, of a joy they would achieve in being able to give.
You could try if it would make it easier to accept using the mindset > that it gives the other person great joy to give. Try to stay in the joy and not go along with possible feelings of not being good enough, thoughtful enough, caring enough, etc.
It's also important to remember, that we all give to others in different ways. Some give gifts, some give words, time, actions, recognition, help etc. There’s not just one way to be generous or a good gift giver.
SO if we expanded our understanding of the word to give, then it can be much more openminded and bring more joy along with it.
If I asked you right now, what the best gift you've ever received is, what would you say?
And why was it so special to you?
What was in that gift and was it a physical gift or was it a gift wrapped in some other way?
I hope that whoever reads this, will take this as a gift from me to you. A gift to be able to help initiate reflection and make us all think in a bigger way.
Make us expand our perspective and see how, when we don't constantly get in our heads and stick to our assumptions, we can actually access a much bigger world, where there is room for difference.
So let's go out and give, but also receive with all our hearts.
As always remember
"That you have all the strength in you that you need!"
Best wishes Malene Summer Stougaard