Now it's time to receive

Increasing the flow of true wealth and money in your life starts with having a mindset of abundance. However, there is little point in striving to cultivate an abundance mindset if you are unable to fully receive, i.e. to allow life to shower its richest gifts upon you.

The other day I was speaking at an event as a favour to a friend. The event came with a very nice but pricey network lunch and my friend, generously, offered to buy lunch for me. Instead of just receiving her gift, I said it was OK and that I would pay for my lunch myself. All sorts of equations were going through my head at the time, not least that I was concerned for her finances as I know times have been difficult for her lately. However, on reflection, I had to question why it was that I wasn't just able to receive her gift. Clearly she'd already calculated that she could afford to pay for my lunch or she would not have offered. I should at least credit her with having that much sense. The problem is contrary to popular belief, receiving is a lot harder than giving. Giving is easy because it puts you in control, not only of what you feel but also how connected you are to another person. Whereas receiving requires you to surrender, to totally trust, to be in the moment and embrace your vulnerability. To receive you have to be willing to let go of expectations, plans, pride, feelings of unworthiness and a lack mentality and wanting to be the struggling victim of your circumstances.

For some people not only are they unable to receive, they are also on a constant look out for the "too good to be true" genie, anticipating the moment he/she snatches away their good fortune? Take this short light-hearted test to determine how willing you are to receive more wealth and abundance flowing into your life.

When things are going well financially, i.e. income is flowing freely in your life, do you:

• Start spending wildly just so things become difficult again?
  
• Look every gift horse in the mouth to make sure he doesn't need expensive dental treatment?
  
• Constantly check your balance to see why you have more money than usual?
  
• Start hoarding your money because if you've got a surplus now, the bad times are just around the corner?
  
• Wonder “what have I done to deserve this”, i.e., Am I good enough for this?
  
• Get into fights with your partner about money even though there aren't any issues to argue about?
  
• Self sabotage your performance, i.e. you are late more often, miss appointments etc and this starts to affect your business or your employee standing?
  
• Here your parents voices in your head saying "pride comes before a fall" or "don't count your chickens" and other warning proverbs that remind you not to get too comfortable?
  
• Buy yourself a fan, some sh*t and a rain mac because you just know that it's coming

Unless you are truly able to receive, life soon becomes about what you have sacrificed. You become resentful in your giving and often used it to manipulate and control others. Giving and receiving are as linked as breathing in and breathing out. One cannot exist without the other, indeed one without the other is not only pointless, it's fatal!

Being comfortable with receiving is an acknowledgement that there are no shortages. True abundance exists; however, this is masked by a lack of willingness to receive. Believing in lack is a security blanket to our own guilt which fools our perception of our true authentic self. When we are able to surrender and accept our authentic self our illusions of lack disappear because we recognise that nothing is missing and we are worthy of everything. When we are truly able to receive with grace, we realise that what we want is already here spiritually emotionally and psychologically.

To begin the process of becoming more open to receiving, start by asking yourself "what do I want to receive more of?" When you have answered this question take a moment to think of all the people who would benefit and how different your life would be if you allowed yourself to be more willing to receive? Then ask yourself what stops you from being a better receiver? As you ask yourself these question, notice your feelings and be willing to let go of any that do not serve you.

Receiving is a powerful tool for healing our relationship with money.

Please share your thoughts and comments I look forward to reading them.