The adage “It’s better to give than to receive” has withstood time and generations. It has been influential to us in our decision-making and in our way of dealing with people. Admit it, at one point in your life, this has been your mantra, a way of life that you have practiced. It is normal; most people have used it as well.
What we tend to forget about this adage is the equally important role of receiving in our lives. Receiving has become an act which is of less value and importance, but the truth is, receiving should be highlighted as one of the most significant practices in dealing with people. Once you learn the virtue of receiving, you are one step nearer to reaching your goals.
Why is receiving an equally important virtue?
One concrete example of a person’s neglect of receiving is practicing false modesty. When someone gives you compliments, your normal reaction will be to deny the certain compliment or to give back a compliment. Think about it, why is this your usual reply? Instead of wholeheartedly receiving nice words, you resort to finding a way to reject the praises, or you would even disprove the compliment!
This is a sad truth, but you have always thought of yourself as less worthy compared to other people. You might want to reevaluate yourself and just be thankful for who you are. The mere fact that you are alive and breathing attests to your worth in other people’s life. It’s time you give credit to yourself—after all, no one can put you down apart from yourself.
But then, let us not forget the other factor in the equation of this adage—giving. No one can deny it, the act of giving exudes the feeling of personal happiness and satisfaction to be able to reach out to people who need your help. Be it in monetary form, or spending time, or exerting effort, giving always leaves an imprint of personal bliss.
Giving and receiving: finding balance between the two
When you give, you do not expect something in return. Since the virtue of giving has always been something rewarding, most people would opt to forget the balance of these two things. Some would tend to give more than what they can while some would abuse the receiving part. The equation is simple: giving and receiving. You should learn how to balance these two values.
Put yourself in the shoes of the person you gave something to. If he does not acknowledge or show appreciation for what you did or for whatever you gave him, what will you feel? This is one hardcore truth: you have to appreciate everything that has been given to you. Appreciation is one part of receiving, as it is a whole package that will make you realize more how lucky you are to be given such things or in some case, some compliments.
One thing you should remember is that there are various ways to receive. You can simply say thank you and express how grateful you are for what the person gave you. By putting value even to the simplest things given to you, you make an impact on the person who made his way out to give you something. By being mindful of everything that is being given to you, you see your worth all the more. You give importance to yourself and all the things you can give and receive.
The equation is simple: Give and Receive. Balance and appreciate. These are the simple formulas you have to follow if you want to be happy in life.
