Balance Your Giving & Receiving
Do you consider yourself your #1 priority, or do you find your life is about giving more to others at the expense of your own needs, wants, desires? Giving to others is often much easier, however, when you constantly put the needs of others before your own then you find your reserves are soon "running on empty".
You can look at it like a personal bank account. Every time you give to yourself or you receive from others you are "depositing" into the account. Each time you give out to others or don't allow yourself to receive you are making a "withdrawal" from the account. If this is the case then what level is your account at right now? Is it depleted & in overdraft?
A great way to see if your giving & receiving is in balance is to divide a piece of paper in 2. During each day in the first column record every time you give to others then list in the 2nd column all the times you receive. How balanced is your list?
Here are some ways you can give back to yourself, make deposits into your bank account & bring some balance to your life:
- Treat yourself to a bunch of flowers or something special each week
- Take time out each day (5 minutes is a start) to close your eyes & just breathe
- Create a part of your home where you can sit & spend that 5 minutes (or more)
- Allow your friend/colleague to buy you that coffee or lunch
- Accept offers & compliments with a gracious "Thank You"
- Give yourself a break - don't beat yourself up constantly
- Allow your partner to take the kids out and put your feet up
- Don't get hung up on stuff you can't change
- Let go and just be in the flow
- Go within & ask yourself "What do I want?"
- Remove I: "should", "can't", "have to", "must", "need to" from your vocabularly
You are probably not used to receiving and are always the first to pay for that coffee or lunch so here's a radical idea...... in allowing yourself to receive that coffee or lunch you are in fact giving the gift of giving to that person!
So accept the gift of receiving graciously (you don't have to offer to buy the next one). Receive the gift of joy & contentment in knowing you have given the opportunity for that person to give.