In the spirit of giving

"'The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." - Socrates

Hi friends! I have been thinking a lot about “gifts.” 

I don’t mean the tangible kind that may often be a part of holiday celebrations and such. But rather, the gifts each and every one of us can bring to others - including our families, our communities, and the collective. 

Deep within us all exist unique gifts or talents needed by the world around us. Sometimes you may not even know you have lost sight of your gifts, or maybe you feel they are still undiscovered. If you find yourself wondering “what gifts will I bring to the world?", take a moment to reflect upon your values and beliefs, as these are strongly tied to your unique gifts and talents.

On a personal note, I am choosing to especially lean into the gift of compassion. Compassion is defined as having deep empathy for another's pain or suffering, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. So while empathy is the felt sense of the emotions of others, compassion is what makes us want to help others through action. 

I have found that when I experience and express this gift of compassion, I energetically feel the burden of another’s grief lifted, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. It is as if the pain in that moment begins to soften - the body softens, the mind becomes more peaceful, and the heart can begin to heal - all through the gift of compassion. 

Further, in giving this gift to another, I also begin to heal those places within me that may still feel broken. Through compassion, we practice self-love, self-forgiveness, and self acceptance. In the spirit of a season that often involves gift giving, I encourage you to look within, and ask yourself, “what gift would I like to bring to the world in 2021?” 

Generosity of spirit costs nothing, but its returns are enormous. Uncover your uniqueness, reveal your inner beauty, the world needs it now more than ever.”