When you give and receive equally, you experience the power of connection. - The Fifth Principle of Positive Money
Our family just returned from the trip of a lifetime. It was a gift from my wife who has a reputation for her generosity. When she can, she does. Thankfully, her business has done well the last few years and her love language is gift giving. Her hard work is paying off after many years of struggle and a childhood without much love or financial support. As an adult, she was determined that her life would be different and we are all enjoying the fruits of that intention.
The Power of Giving and Receiving Equally
I share the story above because it's about the power in giving and receiving equally. We may think her gift was the goal when, in fact, the real gifts came from what was received. For example, we had a guide named Courage whose knowledge and amiable personality made one part of the trip extra special. On our last evening together, we each shared with Courage the gifts of our experience with him. He was truly touched and said that no group had ever done that in his nine years of guiding. It was the Fifth Principle of Positive Money in action: When you give and receive equally, you experience the power of connection.
Do You Receive as Easily as You Give?
The holidays are all about giving. We think about gifts for our loved ones or giving to a cause we care about. With that comes the potential for dissapointment if the person or cause we give to doesn't seem to appreciate it. The energy around giving doesn't match up with the energy for receiving.
One reason for this is that we have different experiences and conditioning around receiving. Some of us feel guilty about receiving gifts while others don't like the attention or the nature of the gift doesn't align with our values. We don't want to seem disrespectful or unappreciative and so the whole affair can seem fraught.
The Power of Connection
Whether you give or receive comfortably or in equal measure, the goal is connection. This is why the monetary value of something may not be as important as you may think. What I need and want may look different from what others need and want. Understanding what those are and practicing the give and take not just through words but also through actions can inspire and feed the connections that we most desire.
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