Learn to Receive

You are good at giving. But can you let someone give to you?

In this reflection we practice opening our hands.

Someone offers you help and you say no, I have got it. Someone gives you a compliment and you deflect. Someone tries to do something for you and you insist on doing it yourself. You are excellent at giving. You are terrible at receiving.

The inability to receive often masquerades as independence. I do not need anyone. I can handle it myself. But underneath, it is usually fear. Fear of being seen as needy. Fear of owing someone something. Fear of being vulnerable enough to let someone in.

Receiving requires trust. It requires letting go of control. It requires believing that someone wants to give to you without strings attached. If you grew up in environments where giving always had conditions, receiving feels dangerous. Better to stay self-sufficient than risk the debt.

But love is exchange. Connection is mutual. If you only give and never receive, you create an imbalance. The people who love you want to contribute. They want to feel useful. By refusing to receive, you deny them that. You make yourself a closed loop, impenetrable and alone.

Practice receiving. Small things first. Let someone pay for dinner. Let someone help you carry something. Let a compliment land without batting it away. Notice the discomfort and let it be there.