Self-Gratitude: Feel deeply into your VALUE and seed what grows

Do you sometimes feel unappreciated for your work and efforts,
​for what you bring to others? 

Try Seeding some Self-Gratitude
​and see what Grows...

Sitting in my favourite cafe sipping green tea, I notice a rare, yet familiar feeling wash through me - contentment.  It's a stillness, an Ok-ness that deepens the more I sit with and feel into its essence. 
It's like the seductive fragrance of frangipani, or night jasmine, that stops me in my tracks and bursts my senses into awakening, even for a few moments. So, as I sit in this cafe with this feeling, I following this blossoming to its root. I want to understand why I feel so good, so content, on this morning of all mornings - when I sat up until midnight doing the final edits an a manuscript for a New Zealand writer. 
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Then I realise my midnight work finish - this isn't a boast - it's something I very rarely do - is the very reason for my self-contentment. It feels good to finally finish the manuscript, after months of working closely with the author. The old (pre LifeGardener) me would have simply ticked the box - DONE - and asked what's next, moved on.

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But these days I know there's so much 
richness in truly feeling into
​and appreciating the Value you bring. ​

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The deep sense of satisfaction came from not just  knowing the work was done, but from reflecting on the journey, these past four months, to get here (savouring both the journey and the destination). When I sat with and asked myself what Value I brought to this work, many things grew from the question:

• I encouraged the author to stay the course when she had doubts about her own value, and couldn't yet see and feel the true value of her book for her readers.
• I disciplined myself to finish the three rounds of edits, each with their own challenges.
• I read the book with an open heart, so I could find the 'gems' within and help them shine by chipping away like a sculptor at the unnecessary words. 
• I was gentle on myself and took breaks away from the manuscript when life and family needed my attention or I just needed some good old fashioned rest.
•  I helped make this book so much richer and  potentially transformative for the reader.​​

​When I sat with the journey and explored all the ways I brought Value to the work, what grew was an even deeper feeling of Self-Gratitude for the Value I bring.  It wasn't just about what I did, but how I did it, what I brought by simply being myself.  The experience this author had was unique, because of me, how I showed up. When I felt into that for a moment, just sat with it, the feelings of self-gratitude and contentment were deep and still and beautiful. 
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My first thought was: I want to remember how this feels, so I can visit this place or deep stillness and contentment. My second was: I want other people to be able to feel this too, as deeply and as often as possible. 

That inspired me to write this post - I could feel its Value!

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Appreciate Your Work and Value
Acknowledging what you bring to your work is a beautiful thing. It feels good to be appreciated by others, so why not give some of that feelgood juice to yourself? Whether your work is paid or unpaid doesn't matter. I believe that anything that feels like work, even just at times, is work, including motherhood. Some parts of motherhood are joyous, and other parts just feel like work, because it is! 

When your child, partner or friend, even work colleague, tells or shows you how much they appreciate you, how do you respond? Do you find it hard to receive their praise, appreciation or love, or do you melt into the moment?

Your response can tell you a lot about how open you are to receiving. If you're far more comfortable with giving than receiving, you're not alone. It's easy to believe 'women are givers', when you see and experience this around you every day.  (Most carers, child care workers, nurses and 'giving' careers are full of women for this exact reason). 

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But, one of the gifts of the feminine is our ability
- and divine right -
​to fully receive love, praise and gratitude. ​

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Self-Gratitude Practice
Speaking from experience, receiving appreciation is a practice that takes practice. ​
So, want to practice? Try this...Grab a journal or notepad and pen.
Ask yourself: What am I bringing to this work or situation?

Sit with this Blooming Question, and let the petals of Self-Gratitude open as you write down all that comes. When you feel complete, read over what you have written and circle or highlight those words that resonate as the Value you bring...or add these words as they come to you. 

Take a few minutes - or as long as you like - to sit in the feelings of Self-Gratitude and Appreciation. 

Shifting from head to heart
This process, of asking what's growing in you from your recent experience, is called Harvesting in LifeGardener language. I teach Harvesting in the Ready Set Grow Program. Although Harvesting uses the mind to explore all that's been growing in you and your life, the most powerful part happens in the heart - when you drop deeply into feelings of appreciation and gratitude, including Self-Gratitude. 

Appreciation is like the secret super fertiliser you give your roses to help them bloom. Imagine for a moment your heart is filled with roses. Next time you feel appreciated, deeply appreciated - by yourself or another - imagine roses and opening in the area of your heart. Let the feeling soften you, open you to receiving. Try imaging the rose fragrance entering your nostrils, deeply relaxing you. You could take some inspiration from Miriam Lieberman's beautiful song, Garden in Your Heart.

song by Miriam Lieberman from the album birds of the Moon available for download on itunes or get a copy of the album from the website - www.miriamlieberman.com.au and follow the music

Like what's been seeded here?
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Find out more about Harvesting and my Ready Set Grow Program