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"We are Ambassadors of Grace for one another. " From Cheryl Richardson's Grace Cards
How do you support others and how do you allow others to support you?
If you are not open to the idea of being supported by others then how can you expect any kind of sustained growth?
How willingly do you offer support to your friends, family or colleagues? Most of us are quite generous with our support. And yet, many of us regularly block support that others are offering.
I had an experience of this just this week. I belong to a Mastermind Group, a group whose purpose it is to offer support to one another. One of the members was looking for feedback on a project she is working on. Immediately another member and myself willingly offered to read her project and provide feedback, happy to help our sister member.
I felt honoured to be asked to give her my perspective, and certainly do not expect her to adopt all of my ideas or even any of my ideas, but offer it that it might give her some food for thought.
And yet, when she offered to do the same for me I started to have all kinds of feelings of inadequacy. Not wanting to put my work out there. Fear, of what that feedback might be. Feeling vulnerable.
My colleague generously checked in with me about what exactly I was looking for feedback on. She thoughtfully didn't want to step out of the bounds of what I wanted. She wanted to be very respectful of my work and only offer the type of feedback I was looking for. So, why was I so hesitant? Perhaps I didn't feel that what I had done so far was my best work. I respect her work and heard that nagging self critic saying "I'm not as good."
When I work with clients I often work with them on coming to terms with the idea that they are exactly where they need to be in this moment. I guess we are all susceptible to falling back into that place of self doubt. Time to take a little of my own advice? Absolutely!
So what to do about it?
How do we learn that if we only give and are never willing to receive we deny others the opportunity to give and we deny that life is all about partnerships- relationship, cooperation, working together. Without the balance of giving and receiving we can stumble and fall.
Sometimes we need to ignore those critical tapes that play in our minds and leap.
I remember a quote I read once: David Lloyd George said "Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated, you can't cross a chasm in two small jumps".
If faith is all about using knowledge trust and belief together maybe we could define a leap of faith as understanding the options, and the possible pit falls, trusting in our ability to deal with the outcome and believing it is worth the risk.
So will I take a leap of faith and be open to receiving feedback on my project? You bet! I have considered and perhaps most importantly, asked for, what I want feedback on. I am excited about the opportunity to learn from the open and honest comments that I trust I will receive. I believe that my project will be even better for my having received and considered the interpretation of others.
I am celebrating that I am open to not only being on the giving end of being an Ambassador of Grace, but also to receiving the bountiful gifts being offered to me.
How about you? Who has come into your life as an Ambassador of Grace? Are you open to receiving the gifts they offer?
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