4 Ways to Receive and Open Yourself Up

for the Gifts You’re Given

from our Angel Messenger Creative Team

Do you have a hard time receiving gifts? In a moment that should be full of gratitude and happiness, we often fumble, not knowing how to react or what to say. The truth is, most of us don’t really know how to receive gifts. And usually, that’s because we have never learned how.

But being able to receive gifts is so important for so many reasons. And we’ll get into all that below, along with four ways to be a better receiver. So, if gifts make you cringe, keep reading.

What is a gift?

That might seem like a redundant question, but a “gift” isn’t just something wrapped up in pretty paper with a bow on top. In fact, gifts don’t have to be material objects at all. A gift can be any number of things, from a compliment to a helping hand, to favors, or too wise words of counsel.

Gifts can also come from God, the Source, the Universe, etc. So, gifts could also be a moment of synchronicity or an answer to a prayer. Or, a moment of enlightenment and inspiration.

In short, a gift is anything that is freely given from one to another. So, when we talk about receiving gifts, it really does include so many wonderful things.

Why is it so hard for us to receive gifts?

If gifts are so great, why is it so hard for us to accept and receive them? After all, don’t we all want good things in life? I think we can all agree that we do. But there are several blocks that usually get in the way.

The seven following factors can keep us from receiving gifts:

• You feel guilty

If someone tends to be stingy or selfish, a gift can create feelings of guilt. That’s because it’s hard to accept a gift if you compare your own struggle to be generous when it comes so easily to someone else.

• You feel insecure

An individual who isn’t confident will find it hard to accept a gift. “Why me?”, she’ll ask. And the reason for this question is because she doesn’t see herself as worthy, important and lovable.

• You feel entitled

The other extreme is a person who feels that the gift is owed to them. Instead of gratitude, it’s entitlement they feel. For these people, it might not be so hard to physically receive the gift, but their spirit and energy throws off the energy of the gift and its giver.

• You feel suspicious

Not all gifts are freely given, and unfortunately, some of them do come with strings attached. But that’s not always the case, and to see all gifts this way is a bit pessimistic and also unfair to the gift giver. Most of the time, people give gifts because they want to show their love to you and make you happy. But if you feel suspicious about ulterior motives, no gift can really make you happy.

• You afraid you can’t repay the gift

Gifts aren’t a form of payment or a way to barter with someone. They’re simply gifts. And if you’re on the receiving end, you actually gain something. But for some people, gifts don’t look feel like an addition. On the contrary, gifts are like going into debt, and something they now have to pay back.

One common way this pops up in everyday life is when you exchange gifts with someone and the gift you receive is more expensive than the gift you give. This makes you want to repay her to get “equal” or “even”. But we usually don’t make up for the difference, so we feel guilty or inferior, which is the next factor we’ll discuss.

• You feel inferior

Do gifts ever make you feel inferior? Maybe a gift makes you feel uncomfortable because it highlights a difference in your respective statuses or positions.

• You feel deprived and can’t see the gift for what it is

Finally, if your mind is dominated by a scarcity mindset, you tend to see the glass as half empty, rather than half full. And if someone fills your glass all the way up (with a gift, for example) the glass won’t even look half empty because you’ve trained your mind to focus on lack and scarcity instead.

As you can tell, between the simple act of giving and the simple act of receiving, a lot can happen! Sometimes, it’s hard to receive a gift because limited beliefs and mindsets hold us back. Emotional blocks can get in the way, too.

You might relate to one or more of these factors, but that’s nothing to be ashamed of or feel bad about. When you can identify what makes gift-receiving so difficult, you can work to create a better experience for yourself.

And you’ll be so happy when healing occurs and you can be a better receiver. Why? Because receiving gifts – yes, even the smallest ones – is such an important event.

Why it’s so important to receive a gift

Did you know that we are constantly receiving gifts? The food we eat, the homes we live in, and the knowledge we obtain are actually all gifts. Some are from Mother Nature and other gifts come from people, both living and those who have come before us.

The abundant universe is constantly outpouring gifts, and we gather them up as we move through life. But life is a two-way street, and so it’s important for us to not only receive gifts but to also give them.

For some, this might be monetary offerings. For other people, like teachers, experts or professionals, it’s passing along their knowledge. Researchers and academics share their findings with us, too. And friends and family give the gifts of love, understanding, and acceptance. When it comes to gift-giving, the list goes on and on.

This constant cycle of giving and receiving is beautiful and creative, adding to the already-abundant universe. You could also think of this giving and receiving as a well-choreographed cosmic dance we all take part in.

Just as every dancer has a contribution to make to the entire dance, so too, does every gift have a greater role to play than meets the eye.

But we all know that in dancing or in sports alike, we’re usually great at some steps, and not so great at others. For example, if you’re a ballerina, you may be able to do a flawless pirouette on the right leg, but lose your balance whenever you try it on the left.

It’s the same with gift giving and receiving. Most of us are probably better at giving than receiving. Receiving is like our “bad side” that we need to work on. And we should work to improve it.

That’s because when you reject a gift, whether physically or energetically, you throw off the balance of this cosmic dance. What’s more, if you have a difficult time receiving gifs, it might be hard for you to give them, too, adding yet another kink to the chain.

Gifts wait for you to take them back

The word “receive” means “to be given.” And from this perspective, something happens to you. But perhaps receiving gifts would be a whole lot easier if we stopped looking at ourselves as passive recipients during the gift exchange.

The word “receive” actually comes from the Latin word, recipere. Recipere means “to take back.”

So, when you receive something, it’s not that you’re just getting something. Instead, receiving is an action you take to reclaim what’s already yours. That’s why it’s so important to not feel ashamed of the gift coming your way. Just as the giver has a role to play, so do you! And your role is to take it.

A gift is meaningless unless it’s received

Imagine you’re a yoga teacher who’s prepared a wonderful vinyasa flow for her students. And you wait and wait, only to find that your students never show up. Or, imagine that you cook and bake all afternoon in the kitchen for your family, and no one comes home for dinner.

In both of these scenarios, the gifts of both the yoga teacher and the home cook never had anyone to receive them, and that rendered them meaningless. Gifts are only meaningful if there is someone who’s there to acknowledge and appreciate them.

4 ways to be a better receiver

So, how can you start to be a better receiver, and take back the meaningful gifts the universe is sending your way? These four practices are a great place to start.

1. Acknowledge that you’re receiving a gift

It’s easy to think that gifts only come wrapped up in pretty paper. But gifts can come in just about any shape and form. So, the first step is to recognize when you’re receiving a gift. Maybe it comes in the form of a compliment, or a bonus in your paycheck. Or, when your friend stops by with dinner when you’re not feeling well. It doesn’t really matter what form the gift takes. What matters is that you see it as a gift.

2. Cultivate stillness and open yourself up

Sometimes, in our busy, stressful world, it’s difficult to stop and smell the roses. And that can make it difficult to acknowledge and appreciate the gifts coming your way. So, when someone does give you a gift, try to pause for a moment and observe yourself.

You may be feeling any number of negative or unpleasant emotions when the gift arrives, and this can prevent you from fully receiving it. So, try to focus on the present moment with mindful breathing. This can help you open yourself up to not only the gift itself but also to the love that comes with it.

3. Appreciate the gift and avoid judgment

We can interfere with the gift-giving process by judging it. And unfortunately, we have a strange way of measuring and evaluating gifts. More often than not, we think gifts reveal how much the gift giver knows and loves us.

And if they give us something that just doesn’t fit with who we are and what we like, we take it as an insult and an affront to our person. Instead of just being a gift, we see it as an indication that doesn’t really care about us.

However, it’s not fair to place this kind of pressure on the gift. What’s more, it’s always better to assume that the giver chose the gift with the most loving of intentions.

4. Feel and believe that you deserve the gift

When you remember the Latin word, recipere, you’ll remember that the gift is something that you need to take back; that this gift is meant for you – even if the meaning or significance isn’t clear yet.

One way to feel and believe that this gift belongs to you is to believe that the gift is perfect for you and that you are perfect for the gift. And finally, try to believe that the gift comes to you at just the right time.

For many of us, it’s a real challenge to receive the gifts that come our way. But now we have a better idea why that’s the case. And with some mindful practices and a change of heart (and mind), you can open yourself up to the abundant universe and all the gifts it wants you to take back.

Much Love & Angel Blessings,

Angel Messenger

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If this resonates and you want to recognize your true intuitive signal without second-guessing or repeated readings, Understanding Intuitive Guidance walks you through it step-by-step.