THE GIFT MINDSET
This buzzy new way of thinking might help you find peace
If you find challenging situations make you feel bogged down or overwhelmed, adopting a “gift mindset” might help you live with deeper self-awareness. According to Renee Giarrusso, communication and leadership expert, these lessons or “gifts” may fall into any of the key 12 gifts: resilience, connection, forgiveness, growth, change, optimism, contribution, empathy, curiosity, courage, re-energising or gratitude.
FIND THE GIFTS
“In the British game pass the parcel, a neatly wrapped newspaper parcel makes its way around a circle of excited kids,” says Renee. “Each child takes their time passing on the parcel, hoping the music stops so they can remove the next layer to expose a small gift. The biggest gift is always saved for the end. Not getting a gift was resilience-building and having to unwrap each layer brought you closer to the main prize – the real gift.”
She notes that in life, challenging situations are like playing pass the parcel: the gift in the situation is never usually planned, clear or accepted in the moment.
SELF-AWARENESS
Whether facing a challenge or a success, the first step in adopting the gift mindset is to have deeper awareness of the event. “A crisis or success can send us into a tornado of confusion, denial and defeat,” she says. “By going through the ‘unwrapping’ process, we can peel back the layers and see the gift in a way that serves others and us. In the practice of dealing with any pain or challenge, we can gradually build our strength to handle more.”
ACCEPTANCE
Choose to embrace or just tolerate the situation, rather than totally resisting it. “Taking the path to acceptance allows us to come to a place of wisdom, perspective and ultimately, change,” Renee explains. “It is about developing a relationship with an experience that is characterised by allowing it to be what it is. Register the presence of difficult feelings and succumb to whatever will happen next.”
ACTION
It might feel uncomfortable or difficult, but sharing the lesson or gift with others means you can grow from it. The people you confide in might give you some more perspective, or they could benefit from it themselves.
“We can’t move forward until we learn the lesson, and believe what it means to us personally,” says Renee. “Use risk-taking, making mistakes, or experiencing success as a learning experience. Accept and share – don’t bury it under a rug. By adopting the gift mindset, we get to live our legacy right now by living a life of purpose, connection and contribution.”