Aspire Magazine: Inspiration for a Woman's Soul.(TM) Dec/Jan 2019 Aspire Magazine Final | Page 51

3. W  hat difference could cultivating the art of receiving make in your life? To answer this question, I invite you to try the easiest way to develop your receiving muscles - accept a compliment. When you are given a compliment this week simply say thank you. This one simple act can be revolutionary and change your experience of receiving. Opening to receiving with gratitude is a powerful act of giving and receiving and is profoundly nurturing. To deepen the process, check in with how you feel after accepting a compliment. Notice any negative self-talk present or feelings of not being worthy of the positive feedback. This information will point you toward the belief that may be feeding your difficulty in receiving and provide you an opportunity to transform it. Using these three reflective questions and the self-nurturing practices shared will support you in beginning to cultivate the art of giving and receiving. You have the power to intentionally give and receive in a way that allows you to shine brightly in the world – giving purposefully and receiving others’ gifts graciously. This beautifully self-fulfilling cycle will bring more love, light, peace, and joy to ourselves and to a world so desperately needing it. I leave you with the gift of insight and wisdom on the art of giving and receiving from two of my heroines, Brene Brown and Maya Angelou. “Until we can receive with an open heart, we are never really giving with an open heart.” – BRENE BROWN “When we give cheerfully and ac- cept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” – MAYA ANGELOU May you commit to open heartedly giving and gratefully receiving as you nurture peace and joy in the world from the inside out! Sending you peace, love and gratitude, Kelley Kelley Grimes, MSW - Kelley is a counselor, speaker, internationally bestselling author, Aspire Magazine expert columnist, and self-nurturing expert. She is passionate about empowering overwhelmed and exhausted individuals to live with more peace, joy and meaning through the practice of self-nurturing. Kelley also provides professional and leadership development to organizations dedicated to making the world a better place. She is married to an artist, has two empowered daughters, and loves singing with a small women’s group. Learn more at www.CultivatingPeaceandJoy.com and download your free Self-Nurturing Mobile App 51 reinforce the value and worth of your needs and expand your support system. You will find that asking for and receiving help will reinforce that you do not have to do it all yourself in life, and the practice offers others an opportunity to nurture you. Even if receiving is uncomfortable at first, continue to stretch into this practice. When you see receiving help, a compliment or a gift as an act of self-nurturing, you are cultivating the art of giving and receiving.