Oftentimes the things we think we want most, are the hardest for us to actually receive. This doesn’t mean that we can’t have what we want in life; it just means people are generally not even aware of, or cannot fully feel life in all it’s glory.
Logically people often KNOW what they should feel grateful for, but that doesn’t mean they FEEL the yummy feelings that could come along with truly taking it all in. There’s a saying, “Ask, and you shall receive.” I do believe this concept to be true, but in most cases people are so consumed with what’s missing from their lives, they don’t receive. When I say they don’t receive, I simply mean their feelings aren’t aligned with the abundances of life.
How many times have you received a compliment, and almost immediately dismissed it? How often do people try and love you, yet you push them away? How many times have you wanted something really badly, and once you get it, you take it for granted? Most of the time we don’t even realize we are doing this, so it can be a tricky concept to grasp.
I was out to lunch the other day, and overheard two women chatting at the table next to me. One woman told the other she was pregnant. The other woman was over-the-moon excited. She kept congratulating her, said how happy she was for her, and told her how beautiful she looked. Instead of feeling her friend’s enthusiasm, and taking in the compliment, she almost immediately started saying how gross and ugly she felt, and how sick she had been in her first trimester. She completely disregarded what was coming her way, and didn’t receive. She missed out on feeling loved. She missed out on experiencing excitement. She missed out on feeling beautiful.
I have a client who desperately wanted to meet a wonderful man and fall in love. Once she found love, she started obsessing about her weight. This is another prime example of not fully receiving. Another client is so caught up in all of the things her husband doesn’t do for her, that she rarely notices or appreciates all of the little things he does. One more thinks her mother is intrusive, rather than feeling how much she loves and cares for her. Another has a better financial situation than ever in her life, yet she still yearns for more.
So, how can we fully receive all the abundance in our lives? What can we do to actually feel gratitude, rather than just say we are grateful for things? If you’ve spent most of your life not receiving, it can take time. Like any new skill or one you haven’t used in a while, you have to practice.
You can try keeping a gratitude journal where you write down at least one thing that made you happy each day (I recommend three if you can). Another fun exercise if you’re in a relationship is to write down something that you like about your partner, and leave a note where he or she will see it. Then it’s your partner’s turn to do it in return. The back and forth can create excitement and fun, and brings a new lightness and closeness to the relationship. One more extremely effective option is when someone pays you a compliment, stop for a second, and consider the fact that they might actually be telling you the truth. Maybe, just maybe you actually are beautiful, talented, creative, funny, calming, inspiring, brilliant, or insert compliment here.
There is so much beauty inside and surrounding us, but it’s so easy to miss it when we are caught up in our daily lives. Stop and remind yourself often how much you have to be grateful for. This doesn’t mean you cannot aspire for more, but don’t be blind to all that you already have. Try and see yourself as others do, and really feel the love and admiration. Life can be so much sweeter if you just allow it all in!
Happy day everyone!!
