Why sharing your gifts is the most unselfish thing you can do

Why sharing your gifts is the most unselfish thing you can do

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Why sharing your gifts I the most unselfish thing you can do

Who are we to say who needs the gifts and talents and knowledge that we have. How often do we shrink back because we’re unsure how it’ll be received, or that it’s already known, it’s been put in the world maybe it seems like it’s not important, but there’s someone who needs how YOU introduce it, how YOU show up, and how YOU teach. Do you look as each day as a precious contribution to your future or content with meandering aimlessly.

I know FAR too many women who think a little time for themselves, doing the thing they love, the thing that brings them joy is fully just a luxury with time they don’t have. It’s sometimes even looked down upon (mostly from other women) if another woman shares the the thing she love. Baking, working out, gardening, building business- you name it. Instead finding ourselves rewarding women being too busy for small joys, too worried about others to even think of herself, putting all others and never herself for fear of.. selfishness.

And honestly, what is that teaching kids and especially our daughters- that as women we aren’t important, that joy has no time in our daily life? That we must life a life as a martyr to be rewarded as a holy woman? Yikes and no thanks. I don’t have kids, but watching my mom-i remember the times when she was doing little things for HER is when I have looked back and respected her the most, it’s how I knew she knew she was important and therefore I was too. I’m important enough to do things that bring joy and WHEN I do that- I can then serve with those things. Not once did I catch a glimpse of her reading and think “selfish” no I thought.. I’m proud. Nor when she started working out for her and gaining confidence in a different way did I think selfish- I thought good, she’s making healthy choices and doing things to make herself happier. Nor do I look at the seriously fabulous baking she does and think pshhh selfish. She gives and serves and encourages and makes others happy by doing things she loves.

I also have a friend Alyssa who was on the podcast last year who is such an incredible mother, christ follower, wife, teacher and so much more who finds joy in baking. And if I lived closer, I’d demand some starter so I could learn from her. But just watching her from afar get better, learn, find her people, and then serve others by teaching and also.. feeding her family- has been wonderful and I’m SO proud of all she’s accomplished and who she is.

So not only do we see it was a luxury that we “puts hand on head and acts like we’re too busy in a fainting motion”

It’s then often followed by guilt which I’ve also been known to feel when I look at the life I’ve built and the time I set aside for reading or walks or working out-or just time in general. But how truly ridiculous it is to make time that can in the end be used to serve and guide others as something that makes us feel guilty? Guilty for being happy, guilty for building a life we are proud of, and guilty for having little time we have carveout to make ourselves better.

I read recently that it’s the most unselfish thing you can do is to share your gifts. That’s it’s the most responsible thing you can do with what you were given. And I couldn’t agree more. I can’t imagine all the fabulous hard working women who were given gifts only to not only never use them but then also never share them? Or to think that we’ll stumble into having enough time or the right time instead of creating this time and energy for the things we love.

I know women who bake the most beautiful yummy delicious bread and I’d for one would be angry if it wasn’t shared. The bread but also the stories, the journey, and also their recipes and how tos.

The women I listen to and read from and become encouraged by- if they felt it was selfish to do and share their gifts- we wouldn’t have those writers and doers and podcasters.

If the photographers over the years didn’t share their talent, growth, lighting tricks, tips, posing, finances and basically all the things- how much longer it would’ve taken me- but I learned a lot from women willing to serve and share their gifts that they wouldn’t have been AS good if they didn’t take that time carve out time for that thing.

It gets me fired up in all honesty thinking about how we continue to feel like we need to shrink ourselves and become less to seem more like a woman. Instead of finding our purpose and sharing it, doing it, finding joy encouraging our kids by doing and helping and serving others with the gifts we are quite frankly squandering if we’re not using them.

What if you were given a physical gift from someone that loved you and you never used it. You felt guilty for using the gift, like you are selfish for using it and feel bad for wanting to share it. How ludicrous that we don’t use the gifts and talents and skills and ways of thinking that we were given to not only better ourselves and bring joy to our lives each and every day- but also not share them. THAT is selfish.

I still fight some of these feelings in myself which is why I’m sharing it today. I often find myself feeling guilty for honing in my craft, taking time for things that bring me joy and then showing up better because of it- and it’s a mindset I’m shifting but it takes.. time. I also had to learn that being too busy for myself didn’t make me more if I make myself less. I can show up exactly who I am, serve but also know I want to life a life where I feel happy every day (okay minus those really bad days, sick days, and maybe even daysss in a row where things just go wrong.) but success to me is being happy everyday- even if it’s not all day everyday- I’ve still got things I HAVE to accomplish just like you but I’m learning to build a life I’m proud of, happy with and feel successful because it’s how I want my dream life to look (of course with some tweaks and growth I have in mind for the future I’m working on.. goals people.. goals.)

I don’t show up perfectly online or even in this podcast- but I do know I’m supposed to be doing this and even if it only reached ONE person and made a difference- I’m using what Ive been given to serve and encourage others. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and in fact that’s usually what connects us and makes us feel not alone- when we show up imperfectly-

but we show up anyway.. learning and growing. We find like minded people who need some encouragement, want to learn what you have or build relationships with you. It’s when we share our stories and including the not so fun ones that we find healing but we find serving. So I keep showing up, because I know I’m suppose to share.

This is a topic I could keep talking and talking about- gives me all the emotions and also makes me want to shake you if you’re not sharing your gifts!

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying about the days going by slow but the years fly by- and I for one try to make each day have some joy in it that helps with my gifts whether it builds them, works on them, learns about them, listens, or serves with them. It might look different. It could be a day that happens to be filled to the brim with only joy and others where a short walk with my dog listening to a quick podcast in between the tasks - but instilling gifts and joy each and every day to create a life where I can work on my gifts or share them.

But I do want to encourage you to share what you love- your joy, your passion, your gifts you’ve been given. They might not look like anyone else’s that you’re friends with- your close friends or followers might not even understand at first connect or even like what you’re doing. Do it anyway. YOUR people will find you when you keep showing up and reaching out for connections too. How wonderful that we can share online and find others that share our gifts and passions so we can learn, grow, and feel like we’re not alone all while serving too.

It’s unselfish to share our gifts, work on our gifts and serve. But it IS selfish to hide them, not work on them and then serve. So what are you going to do today to show up and work on your gifts?