Gifts

I got to thinking about gifts because of the obvious with our headlong plunge we’re all taking into the holiday weekend and month ahead. There are so many times at work or at play in life we gift things to people.

Some gifts are intentional and well thought out. They can be gifts of feedback and development. They can be physical gifts. Still others can be gifts of vision and unveiling what’s possible. We can always give the gift of time back to others as well. Gifts can be sharing your experiences through a challenge that can help them achieve easier or help them overcome their adversities. A gift of advice. A gift of perspective.

Then there are gifts that are not gifts at all to the person on the receiving end. But instead deliver a feeling of negative residual energy we can leave with others. There are times where we don’t ask permission and position quickly. Those gifts can be abrasive or forced in delivery. We sometimes may think we’re doing someone a favor because we package it in “just being honest” under the cover of the verbal delivery. In reality, it’s received as a gift of destruction or seen as an unwanted advance. Of course, to us they seem like great gifts but to the receiver, it’s not at all.

Before we give any gift we are best served to pause a few heart beats and really put our empathy hats on. If we were the person receiving the gift, what it would it feel like to us? There in that pause lies your answer on whether your gift is, is a gift. Listen to your intuition and gut. If at all it is undecided and not a sure thing, don’t give it. Keep it wrapped up.

I wonder, if you could gift one thing to humanity and all your family around you, what would you give them? What if there was one message you wanted to gift the world and you could post it for all to see on a virtual billboard (yeah, I know, we do it probably daily on social media) would it be well received? A couple reflection questions to consider and create a pause with before you give any gift.

Love to read or understand your thoughts in the comments below. That would be a gift I would enjoy, good or bad, you couldn’t possibly disappointment me. Hope your lead into the holiday weekend is exciting and you’re looking forward to the gratitude to come.

✌🏻 Shawn