Do you ever have someone tell you what they think of you and just have it blow your mind? I was catching up with a friend today and I was talking to her about a workshop that I just attending to learn how to hold space for people.
For part of the workshop we had to pair up and spend four minutes speaking to our partner with them remaining neutral - no responding or expressions. I found the part of this exercise where I was speaking extremely uncomfortable. I was surprised at how difficult I found it to share my thoughts with such intense attention on me, I'm so used to being the one listening to others.
On sharing this with my friend she told me that she has rarely ever met someone like me who can hold such open, non judgmental space for people and that this is a unique gift. She expressed to me that I'm such a beautiful person for being able to do this for other people, and that it's important that I allow other people to do the same for me. At this I had that funny cringe feeling where I wanted to shy away and not accept what she was saying, but I caught myself and had to tell myself to accept what my friend was telling me, as she wouldn't say it if it wasn't true.
I think this is often the case, and it could be put down to our tall poppy syndrome. It's so important that we acknowledge who we are, the amazing traits you bring to the world and how we bring light to the world of the people around us. So I encourage you to own and accept the beautiful human being that you are, accept the compliments that people give you and let them build you up, rather than shying away and tearing yourself down. Only you can do you and bring what you bring to the world.
Blessings x