With the billions of people on this planet, it's difficult to categorize everyone into being either a distinct giver or receiver. But, that doesn't mean that in personal relationships, you won't quickly find out which category you or people closest to you fall under.
When I talk about giving versus receiving, I'm not talking about giving gifts, or doing nice things for people, or even volunteering for that matter. I'm talking about putting others before yourself and making sure that everyone else around you is happy before you yourself are happy.
To make things easier to understand, I'll talk about my family:
My oldest sister is a receiver. She was the first born and praised her entire life. Growing up, she did no wrong and because she had the pleasure of having three younger sisters, she always had siblings wanting to be just like her. Therefore, it's second nature for her to have things done for her or use people to help her get an advantage in many different aspects of her life.
But here's the kick, she is a giver in personal relationships. Every relationship I've watched her in, she was always giving WAY more than she has ever received. She is the most giving person I've ever seen in relationships. But in her regular everyday life, she is a receiver.
So how does this make sense if I'm talking about people being either a "giver" or a "receiver"?
Well, that's the trick. Every single person is a giver and a receiver. It just depends on which part of their personality they tend to use more. Let's make it even easier and place being a giver with the angel on your right shoulder and the receiver part of you as the devil on your left shoulder.
My dad on the other hand is a "giver." All he does is give. I honestly couldn't tell you anytime that I've ever seen him act as a "receiver," ever. He continually goes above and beyond to do things for everyone, especially his family. That doesn't mean he has never been a receiver, though. He just chooses the angel on his shoulder rather than the devil. He constantly talks about "bad karma" and how even the smallest things a person can do can catch up to them.
He didn't go wrong with my oldest sister, he just jokes how "parents learn after the first one." No disrespect to my oldest sister, she knows exactly how she is.
I'm very similar to my dad. I give, give, give and give even more. Known by a lot of people as a "people pleaser," I try to do what I can for others at all times. Sometimes I give so much that I feel as though pieces of myself are even being carried by others. With that, I try to learn from my oldest sister to learn when not to be a giver, but it's a constant work in progress.
It's so much more difficult to receive than it is to give. You can always give, but you can't always receive. Listening to the angel on your shoulder rather than the devil helps you out more than you believe.
