Intentionally Open
Written by: Sabine Roggermeier
Women are nurturing beings. It’s easy for us to give. Often it’s much easier for us to freely give than to freely receive.
When somebody wants to pay for coffee or dinner or when we’re the receiving end of any other random act of kindness how does that make us feel? Do we feel happy enjoying our good fortune? Or do we feel like we have to reciprocate the favour, maybe even guilty if we can’t?
Just as much as it is our nature to give it is also our nature to receive. We’re meant to be in balance between the two. Think of a mother who breastfeeds her baby. If she doesn’t “receive” enough nutrition and water she will not be able to produce enough milk to give to her child.
So why is it so hard for many women to openly receive? In my experience the most fundamental reason is that we’re often not tuned into our worth. We feel we don’t deserve to simply receive thinking we are unworthy of it.
A simple test for you to know where you stand: When somebody pays you a compliment what’s your initial reaction? Do you joyfully say thank you or do you shy away because it makes you feel uncomfortable?
This week’s homework:
What does open to receive look like for you?
