I believe a gift can hold power with its recipient. A gift doesn’t have to be an object. It can be time, a loving action or a kind word.
There are two actions involved in a gift; the act of giving and the act of receiving.
I’m not going to expand on the action of gift giving. But I do believe that once a gift has been given, the giving is complete.
As recipients of gifts, we’ve probably all experienced its power. If we have the space, it’s perfectly fine to keep a gift that we don’t like, want or need. It becomes a problem when the gifts are taking up too much space. Space that would serve us better being used for something else. I’m often told “I can’t let go of that. “Aunty Jane” gave it to me” In this case “Aunty Jane” is the significant gift giver. Your gift giver may be a parent, sibling, grandparent, child, friend or partner. The giving has been done but for some reason we can’t let it go even though we don’t like, want or need it.
How I personally manage gifts:
Acknowledge the gift giver.
I find this takes the focus off the gift and places it on the action of the giving.
Home the gift.
Finding a place for the gift where it will be used and enjoyed is very important to me. Read more at The next step.
Unwanted gift.
If I receive a gift that doesn’t work for me, I’ll try to find someone who would use it. Otherwise it will be placed in the donation cupboard to be enjoyed by someone else.
Take a photo.
Taking a photo of a gift that I’ve enjoyed using but no longer suits my needs helps to let it go.
So, the next time you are the recipient of a gift, take a few moments to enjoy the giving and realise that the receiving is also a process to reflect upon.
Happy gift giving and receiving.
