Filling Your Cup

Growing up I always felt that ‘giving’ was more important than ‘receiving.’ I now know this is not the case. In fact, when we put giving above receiving what we’re telling ourselves is that others are more important than ourselves. Most of us have heard the adage that you can’t give from an empty cup—as an adult, I've come to realize this is so true. We can only give as much as we can receive, otherwise giving will leave us feeling resentful and depleted. 

I have included three small things you can do to help you change this pattern and allow yourself to receive better:

1. When someone gives you a compliment, literally say out loud "thank you, I receive that."  This helps open you up to receiving the compliment instead of rejecting it or feeling ashamed to accept it. It's helpful to remember that when you are able to receive a compliment from others, you are actually giving something back to the person who complimented you.
2. If someone offers to do you a favour, say YES! For me, this can be difficult at times. Instead of feeling "bad" for accepting a favor and therefore deciding to turn down the offer, I’ve decided to say yes and express my gratitude to the person for their generosity.
3. Write a list of all the things you want to receive out of a life situation, in as much detail as possible.  For example, is there a particular job environment you've been yearning to work in?  Or perhaps you really want that cute pair of shoes you saw.  Writing down exactly what you want sets the intention within yourself that allows you to receive and let the universe work its magic. (Warning: you might get exactly what you ask for!)

Being able to receive with an open heart is what will help provide us the nourishment we need to also give from an open heart, and this is will help us feel truly fulfilled. When we truly allow ourselves to receive, we are able to live more wholehearted lives.