Giving. Not tangible, store bought gifts but gifts that come from your heart and send with them an emotional investment in the form of pride in a job well done. At least that's what I hope. Reading Carolyn's (of A Beautiful Ripple Effect) post on giving made me realize how often the emotional response of giving of our own talents to others is a sense of being draining or worse being taken advantage of. I know exactly the feeling, I'm not trying to say that I don't, but why exactly is it that this is the feeling we get when we give of ourselves to others.
Why do we feel as though our time and talents must mean as much to every other person as they do to us? And why do e so often forget about the time and talents of others that we don't acknowledge?
It is so easy to be introspective and to assess how we feel of giving which of course can feel depleting at times; it would be much easier to not put the effort into giving but to savor it all for ourselves, but how would that feel inside? I am quite certain it would feel just as emptying.
When looking back on 2011 and truth be told 2010 as well I realize how often I have selfishly worried over the amount of giving I was doing compared to my peers, especially at work, I measured others' gifts in time rather than in talent. Instead of looking for ways to best utilize the gifts on our team we divided work up and all had individual expectations of what others should give and worrying that we may be taken advantage of in the process.
I've spent time lately evaluating where my true talents lie and in my new job I've seen a lot more of my gifts being used for the positive. I am competitive but it is coming out in striving to provide the best care I can for my clients rather than trying to be the best employee. I am resourceful and that has been demonstrated well in adapting to a new job within a new field doing things I never would have considered doing professionally. I am creative which I have been lucky enough to be able to explore new hobbies in home decorating, sewing, and cooking. And I enjoy giving of my time to others by helping them whether that means I'm making them a meal, cleaning their bathroom, or being the listening ear that they need for an hour.
These are my gifts, among others. And while I continue to explore these gifts and give of them to others I also want to remember to be grateful that I am able to give and catch myself when I am feeling depleted and look for a way to use my talents in another way or maybe seek out the gifts of someone else who can help me refocus.
Why do we feel as though our time and talents must mean as much to every other person as they do to us? And why do e so often forget about the time and talents of others that we don't acknowledge?
It is so easy to be introspective and to assess how we feel of giving which of course can feel depleting at times; it would be much easier to not put the effort into giving but to savor it all for ourselves, but how would that feel inside? I am quite certain it would feel just as emptying.
When looking back on 2011 and truth be told 2010 as well I realize how often I have selfishly worried over the amount of giving I was doing compared to my peers, especially at work, I measured others' gifts in time rather than in talent. Instead of looking for ways to best utilize the gifts on our team we divided work up and all had individual expectations of what others should give and worrying that we may be taken advantage of in the process.
I've spent time lately evaluating where my true talents lie and in my new job I've seen a lot more of my gifts being used for the positive. I am competitive but it is coming out in striving to provide the best care I can for my clients rather than trying to be the best employee. I am resourceful and that has been demonstrated well in adapting to a new job within a new field doing things I never would have considered doing professionally. I am creative which I have been lucky enough to be able to explore new hobbies in home decorating, sewing, and cooking. And I enjoy giving of my time to others by helping them whether that means I'm making them a meal, cleaning their bathroom, or being the listening ear that they need for an hour.
These are my gifts, among others. And while I continue to explore these gifts and give of them to others I also want to remember to be grateful that I am able to give and catch myself when I am feeling depleted and look for a way to use my talents in another way or maybe seek out the gifts of someone else who can help me refocus.
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