For the past few months I have gradually been increasing my ability to receive. I have heard the concept of spilling over before, but I don’t feel like I ever really understood it fully until a few weeks ago. I sat in church one Sunday and focused on letting myself really receive the love and joy that filled the building. As I did I visualized what it would be like to be so full that I was just spilling over. Like a fountain.
This new insight stems from a month of feeling completely exhausted and drained. I know a lot of us have this pattern. We give and give until nothing is left. Then we either collapse or get sick then get up and do it all over again. We use food, drugs or distractions to help us keep going. We get irritated with the people we are closest to. We are sometimes resentful. We find it hard to slow down and take time for ourselves. This is just a patterned way of behaving. We can change it and create a different paradigm for ourselves. We deserve more for our lives.
Spilling over has become my vision for myself for the next while, maybe even for the rest of my life. I will regularly do those things that truly fill me up. I will keep myself so full, that I spill over. All of my giving will actually be a natural result of spilling over love and joy out into the world. By doing this, I actually won’t even need to give in the usual sense. I will just be, and in that act of being, I will contribute to those around me and to a better world.
I have made a list of some activities that fill me up. I am going to be adding these to my life as much as possible.
How about you? What fills you up and nourishes you so completely that you spill over?
Here is my list so far:
- A warm cup of my favorite tea.
- Sharing a balanced, healthy meal with friends.
- Laughter
- Flirting
- Spiritual Connection
- Singing
- Playing and Listening to Music
- Nature
- Relaxed and slow time outside with children
- Water
- Bird Song
- Meditation
- Dance
- Cooking a Healing Meal
- Mountain Biking
- Having a clean space
- Drawing/Art
- Eating Outside
- Laying in the Grass
- Affection/Touch
- Kindness
- Unexpected Connections
- Worship
- Aromatherapy
- Growing Fruits, Vegetables and Flowers
Other resources:
Check out self-love queen Christine Arylo’s video here.
In what ways are you good at receiving? How do you fill yourself up?
The Dainty Pig
Wow—this is amazing. Your words completely resonate with me. Recently I’ve been allowing some naps into my life, and boy, do they ever fill me up!!!
sweetveg
I love naps, too! So much better than reaching for a cookie, too. 🙂 Thank you for sharing.