Five Tips to Embrace Your Gifts

Most of us know the saying “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”. Well that applies to your gifts, talents, and skills too.
I’ve often noticed this when I read people’s hands. Whatever they do naturally and easily, they place little value on. Whatever someone else does easily and naturally, they admire and wish they could do.

We make ourselves wrong for not being able to do certain things and at the same time we discount what we do very well. It takes other people noticing and complimenting us, sometimes for years, before we finally give in and recognize the inherent value of what we do.

Have you ever worked really hard to learn how to do something? Something that you thought you should learn how to do. How much value do you place on your ability to do that? I’d venture it’s of much higher value to you than the value you place on your natural skills, talents, and gifts.

Now ask yourself what do others appreciate me in me? I bet it’s the things you don’t value, rather than the thing you worked so hard to learn to do.

How do you open your heart to embrace your gifts?

1. Notice what you do so easily. See the impact it is having. Allow your attention to focus on how much that means to the recipient.

2. Pay attention to how you feel when you do it. Are you enjoying yourself? Are you enthusiastic? Do you feel like you’re getting filled up inside with joy?

3. Pay attention to the compliments you receive and breathe them in. Thank the person. Stop and breathe in the words and the feelings being expressed to you.

4. Watch your inner dialogue. Don’t allow your ego to tell you what you did is not important or meaningful. Also don’t let your ego overinflate the compliment and make it into how ‘special’ you are. There’s a two edged sword to avoid here because minimizing or making too much of are both insidious to your genuine open-hearted acknowledgment.

5. Self-love truly must come from the self and not from what others tell you. Yes, borrow their belief in you until you have your own. That’s a good way to climb a step up the staircase. Just don’t rest there too long without looking for ways to cultivate genuine self-appreciation and acknowledgment.

I’ve found these gifts and talents are usually part of our Life Purpose. Once we recognize and use them intentionally they contribute to us living a life that is fulfilling to our souls.
Make this the year you own and express your gifts.