Are you one of those people who are always taking care of everyone else first? Do you give so much that you often neglect your own well-being? Realize that receiving is also a form of giving; you are allowing the other person to express himself or herself through giving. Know that you are allowing them to feel their joy and happiness by your willingness to graciously receive.

The following is one of my favorite quotes:

“To graciously receive is an expression of the dignity of giving” –Deepak Chopra

I find that people are more willing to give and find it difficult to receive. Know that the act of giving and receiving is reciprocal so you cannot have one without the other. If you are always giving then you are not fulfilling your part of the energetic exchange that takes place. This cannot be sustained and you will eventually burn out, you must receive to give with your greatest capacity. Whenever we do anything in this world, there is an exchange of energy. Becoming more conscious of this energy and how we interact with it will make your life easier.

Our false beliefs and low self-esteem contribute to feeling uncomfortable around receiving. Sometimes pride gets in the way or we believe that we do not deserve this expression of love. Yes, giving is always an expression of love. Just think about how you feel when you give and why. If it is not done with love then it is not an expression of giving. Imagine if everyone you loved stopped receiving your gifts. How would you feel? Remember that feeling the next time you get ready to say no to someone who wants to give you a gift, even if you feel it is too extravagant.

You will not feel fulfilled if you are always giving and not receiving in this life. If your intention is to live your best life, then receiving must be a part of it. This is the balance of life and without balance we have chaos.

**If you like this post please help me by sharing it. Have it delivered to your inbox by signing up for an email subscription on your right.

What’s on your mind? I am always open to questions and comments or for a healthy and supportive discussion about these topics.