29 Days of Giving Challenge

I have been recording my 29 Day Giving Challenge on www.facebook/jmicalecoach (Today is Day 14) I decided that I would share on my blog what I have discovered nearly half way thru the experience.  The biggest revelation this time around (I have done this challenge a few times now) is that in order to truly give you must also be open to receiving.  I have always been someone who was a caregiver.  I come from a long line of caregivers, grandma was a nurse, mom was a nurse, I started off in nursing and switched careers. Giving I thought would be easy and of course you probably have realized at this point that is the furthest thing from the truth!  The interesting thing for me is that whenever you truly give of your self there is this receiving piece that goes along with it.  That was the hard part for me "you mean I actually have to open myself up?"  Me the one who tries to have a shield?(notice I said tries),  Me the one who thought crying was a weakness (now I know that it is actually a sign of STRENGTH), Me the one who despised asking for help?(yet have had to do this on more than one occasion in my life).  Funny how things turn around and how life shows us what we need to learn.  I am now at a place where I am open to receive, less resistant to ask for what I need and enjoying each day because I know I will learn and grow a little bit more.  The best part is that I am truly open to being 100% authentic throughout this process and look forward to each day. Yep, I am grateful for this opportunity.   I plan on posting at the end of the challenge on this blog to let you know about any other revelations I have on this journey and I plan on doing this challenge again at least once in 2013.