Do You Value Your Gifts?

by Dorene Lehavi, PhD

I have a divorced friend, Miranda (not her real name) who is 66. She is off to an Eastern European country to teach English as a second language. I met her in the context of our mutual ballroom dance lessons about 18 years ago. She has always amazed me with the way she lives life.

She has climbed the Himalayas and visited almost every corner of the world. She is an avid hiker and camper. She usually camps alone but lately took her 7-year-old grandson to Yosemite. She has been a very creative grandmother involving all of her grandsons in amazing activities.

She has contracted some serious illnesses which she doesn't allow to keep her from adventures.

She has owned property and lost it. She has been financially comfortable and also in dire straits.

She is extremely generous and has acquired the wisdom of a woman who has been through a lot to say the least. She is very curious and will research even the smallest of topics. Bottom line, she is resilient and always picks herself up and moves on.

I recently suggested that she put this adventurous life into a book. She sloughed off the idea as uninteresting and perfectly average. Wow! Not to me! But I understand where she is coming from. We all tend not to recognize our unique gifts because they come easy to us. So we underplay their value and significance. It took me awhile to know that most others don't do what I do well. I always was aware that I don't do what they do. Feeling bad about it is a waste of time and a formula to lower your self esteem.

We all have strengths and unique gifts. Focusing on those and building on them is how we discover that we are much more than we think we are.

My workbook "Stop Doing What You Hate Start Doing What You Love" and the workshops I facilitate are geared to helping participants identify what is very unique and special about themselves. Additionally, participants who choose to can culminate with a collage or vision board depicting their uniqueness.

If you are not able to participate in one of my workshops you can still enjoy the book which has an accompanying mp3 download of me guiding you through the process. BUY HERE

One final thought on this subject. It is foolhardy to compare yourself to anyone else. We are all on our own particular journey in this life, which makes comparing a waste of time that will keep you stuck for as long as you decide to stay there.

Enjoy your journey of self discovery!
Dorene



Copyright © 2009 Dorene Lehavi Ph.D. All rights reserved.