How are you?  I mean, really? 

Have you made a point this season to slow down, take a few breaths, and give back to you?  I truly hope so.  After all, at the centerpiece of this “most wonderful time of year” is generosity—namely—gift-giving. 

That being said, I want to bring our awareness to this beautiful practice from a slightly different angle.  It might be due to the fact that I’ve yet to buy a single gift.  Or, it might be the fact that I’m terrified to take my three-month-old to the mall (I know, gotta bite the bullet one of these days.)  But then there’s always Amazon.  I digress.

My point is, I believe generosity is a practice we miss out on because we largely identify it with material things like stuff, money, and time.  We also tend to focus generosity outward—toward someone else.  Oh, but there’s so much more!  I believe the most exquisite brand of generosity underlies all of those things and must begin with ourselves.  It’s a spirit of generosity…a posture we take…rather than checking off the wish list. 

Being generous with ourselves and others means something much deeper than gift-giving.  It means giving the invaluable gift of availability—openness.  It means being curious in each moment as we experience life’s precious minutes, smiles, unknowns, joys, disappointments, and possibilities. 

As with anything, we must always dress-rehearse these practices with ourselves.   As you offer yourself an open mind and heart, cultivating a sense of curiosity and non-judgment, it becomes a natural overflow into your relationships with others.  

Have you ever given someone something special like a big block of time or a meaningful token and you felt it went under-appreciated? I know I have.  I end up feeling pretty resentful on the inside, making the sentiment of generosity more about me than the recipient.  When this happens, I’m pretty certain I’m looking for something from that person I need to be giving myself—value and appreciation. 

This week, we’ll spend some time practicing generosity of spirit towards ourselves in order to bypass that resentment.  When we intentionally give to ourselves out of genuine appreciation, we fill a void that we tend to look to others to meet. 

I want to give to others from an authentic, loving space this season.  How about you?  Let’s start by getting grounded in generosity and becoming available and nurturing to the places inside us that feel tired and needy.  My hunch is, all the other “stuff” will be the glaze on your sticky toffee pudding.  Not only that, but those gifts under the tree will take on a much deeper meaning. 

Love & Gratitude,

Katie