Blocks to receiving appreciation from others

Is it sometimes difficult for you to receive expressions of appreciation from other people?

Do you have resistance or reluctance to fully "taking it in" and allowing the nourishing energy of gratitude wash over you and energize you?

Check out this 8-minute video clip from a recent NVC training, "An Attitude of Gratitude" on March 11-12, 2011 in Columbus, Ohio.



For me, I notice a few common themes for why it's been hard for me to receive others' expressions of gratitude.

One is shame. In order to receive another person's gratitude about me fully and authentically, I need to encounter my own divinity and inherent value as a human being.

That's something that's challenging when many of the subliminal messages I've given to myself over the years are negative and focus on what I deem in wrong, bad and stupid about myself. (my inner critic can be ferocious!)

Another reason is because I fear that the other person is "buttering me up" by slathering some skin-deep gratitude, in preparation for asking me to do something I probably don't want to do.

I can think of a few times when they've been successful, and I ended up agreeing to do something and hated myself -- and the other person -- for agreeing to do it. Thus, I can be vigilant about checking out the other person's motivation in appreciating me.

Watch the video above to learn more reasons, and comment below after you watch it!