Receive... and You Shall Be Given More...

By Nisandeh Neta

Tuesday 16 December 2008

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Has someone given you a compliment lately?
It could be a simple straightforward statement such as "What a beautiful shirt you're wearing".

I guess they did.

What was your response to the compliment?
Something along the lines of:
Oh, it's an old one—
Oh, it was cheap—
Oh, it's my mother's—
Oh, I should have gotten rid of it long time ago—
Oh, etc—

Or maybe you thought (but didn't say) something like:
He/she is not sincere—
What does he/she want from me?
He/she couldn't find anything nice about me, so—
Etc—

Be honest, was that your response?

If so, you are not alone.

As a result of our conditioned low self-esteem, most of us experience ourselves as too unworthy to receive fully. Too often we evade our sense of unworthiness through phrases such as "life is not fair".

It's true - LIFE IS NOT FAIR—

— LIFE IS SIMPLY ABUNDANT!

Life is a candy store, but you're the one who has to pick your candies.
There is so much money in the world - you have no reason to be poor—
Unless you choose to.
There are so many people in the world - you have no reason to be lonely—
Unless, again, you choose to.
And once you've chosen to take part in this abundance, the next step is—

RECEIVING
Most of us find it so hard to receive.
And not only in relation to compliments.

What happens when you're in financial trouble?
You mention it to a friend, and suddenly he/she offers you some money as a loan.
Do you find all the excuses in the world for saying 'no thanks'?
Or maybe, once again, you wonder what is the hidden agenda?
Or maybe, you're contemplating what "price" you'll have to pay in return?

What is your favorite way to refuse a gift, an offer of support or a helping hand, by actually saying "NO"?

Another scenario? Sure—

You bought a new car / house / music system / shoes / whatever—

What do you do then?

Do you immediately enjoy your new property, or do you 'hide' it in your garage / closet / wardrobe, waiting for the 'appropriate' event to use it or show it off?

Are you celebrating your success or hiding it out of shame, guilt, or fear?

At first, receiving joyously feels awkward as the act itself gives rise to all our unconscious negative thoughts about ourselves.
"I'm not good enough", "I have to work hard for my—", "At the end, I'll fuck it up", etc—

Going beyond this awkwardness involves practice.

It requires saying, "YES" even when you feel not good enough.

It requires you:

• to say 'thank you' and believe it, when somebody gives you a compliment
• to make an eye-contact, be grateful and accepting when someone gives you a present, or offer his/her support or service
• to acknowledge yourself fully for creating everything in your life
• to use and enjoy any new object you acquire
• to share your results and successes with the world
• to celebrate any achievement you accomplished
• to create an attitude of gratitude and appreciation in your life

I've been teaching about the concept of receiving, in my courses for many years. And yet, whenever I talk about it, I've found myself learning something new, or coming to the realization that without continuing awareness, I have a tendency to fall back to my old 'non-receiving' attitudes and behavior.

If you offer me a compliment, a gift, a helping hand or a service and I communicate (verbally or nonverbally) "No thanks, I can do it myself" or "that was nothing, anyone could have done it" - how many more times will you offer me something again?

Life, in a way, works the same.

It is abundance, but when I refuse to fully receive its presents, I communicate to my inner and outer worlds, that I'm not serious about getting what I want. And guess what& "I don't get it"

On the other hand, when I practice receiving consciously, the more opportunities come my way.

Begin practice receiving today, and see how life offers its treasures to you — effortlessly!

Enjoy it—

Article by: Nisandeh Neta, founder of Open Circles, an international center for personal-growth and leadership. Visit http://www.opencircles.nl to learn more about how you can make a difference, through living your dreams.