Take a moment to focus, center, and breathe. Mary Jorgensen will show you right now with this simple breathing exercise on Akimboo.com.
by Denise Salem
When was the last time you willingly shared a gift you received?
Are you in the habit of giving away your gifts on a regular basis?
When I hear the term “gifts,” I used to think of presents given by others that are meant only for my use.
Yet true gifts or natural talents are part of life’s purpose. Your talents are gifts waiting to be opened and generously shared with the world.
Richard Leider’s book “The Power of Purpose,” explains we are each uniquely equipped with gifts that serve others in three ways:
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We don’t have earn our talents – they are given to us at birth
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Talents are considered gifts because we, too, get something when we share skills.
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When we share our talents with friends, they receive a gift which they can keep
As you continue to incorporate your gifts into daily living, the message becomes clear: what you enjoy doing most, is what you do best!
In his book, “Frames of Mind,” author Howard Gardner concluded that people have eight possible intelligences that represent most-enjoyed gifts.
What are your strongest gifts?
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Verbal-linguistic: to think in words and use language to express complex meanings. If you like word games, puns, and tongue twisters, then reading, writing, and speaking may be your natural talent
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Logical-mathematical: connecting cause and effect, understanding relationship among actions, objects or ideas. If you like balancing checkbooks and using facts and figures correctly, then you are adept at reasoning, critical thinking, and mathematical problem solving.
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Visual-spatial: thinking in pictures, perceiving the world in a visual manner. If you think visually and with a vivid imagination, you are easily oriented to three-dimensional spaces and can draw, paint or sketch your ideas share your visual skills.
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Musical: Do you think in sounds, rhythms, and melodies? If you appreciate musical composition or singing along with the radio, you may have a career as a choir director, music teacher or vocalist.
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Kinesthetic: using the body for expressive activities. If you like dancing, playing sports, or exercise, you might be a dancer or choreographer in the making!
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Interpersonal: to think about and understand others. If you enjoy teamwork and are sensitive to the feelings of others, you would be a good nurse, teacher, counselor or coach.
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Intrapersonal: thinking about and understanding yourself. Ever find yourself pondering or meditating? If you enjoy solitude and reflection, you are independent, and self-disciplined. Artists, clergy members and psychologists fall into this category.
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Naturalistic: understanding the natural world, including plants and animals. An attraction for systematically classifying the environment means you have a natural talent for sensing how things fit together. You may be a good biologist, farmer or veterinarian.
Unwrapping your gifts is a beautiful process that brings endless and delightful discoveries. These are not the kinds of gifts that should be kept to yourself!
When it comes to sharing your talents, regifting is not only acceptable, it’s essential.
Denise Salem facilitates groups in guided Zen-style meditation. She can be reached at 712-255-8061 & dsalem@cableone.net.
photos by Parker Deen