There\u2019s a funny thing about receiving:
Most of us think we\u2019re decent at it\u2026 until life hands us something unexpected. Something good. Something tender. Something our hearts don\u2019t quite know how to soften into yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recently, while I was at a training retreat in Mexico, I experienced several profound moments that all centered around receiving. And as I reflected, I kept thinking of you\u2026 because receiving is something so many of us struggle with, often without realizing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During our opening ceremony on the beach, a native healer gave me one of the most genuine hugs I\u2019ve ever received\u2014the kind that feels like being fully seen, fully safe, fully held.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was the kind of hug I imagine I offer others.
But receiving it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Neighbor\u2026 the first thing I noticed was how uncomfortable I felt.
I realized my body seemed stiff as a board!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not because anything was wrong or inappropriate\u2014simply because it was unfamiliar<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You see, many of my past experiences with men have left parts of me bracing instead of softening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But there on the beach, in that tiny moment of awareness, I felt myself breathe\u2026 relax\u2026 and receive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Awareness truly is more than half of our becoming\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A few days later, during a drawing exercise, I found myself writing the words I\u2019ve written countless times:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I am love.<\/strong>“ But then something rose up inside me\u2014quiet, gentle, and new. “I am loved.<\/strong>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where I am love<\/em> is the giving, Two sides of the same truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So simple. I realized that I have been merely regurgitating those words without truly, intrinsically believing them, Neighbor. Most of us have seen the phrase \u201cYou are loved\u201d<\/em> in countless spaces and places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s been spoken and shared for as long as humans have sought meaning\u2014from scripture to story circles, from ancient spiritual teachings to today\u2019s healing practices\u2014echoed across time in every culture reminding us that we are loved\u2026 right down to the meditation apps and motivational memes repeating the same message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I often see this in my work with clients, too\u2014people who pour out support, care, and compassion for everyone around them, yet barely notice the subtle ways they push away the very things they most need. Receiving can feel foreign until awareness opens the door.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you relate, Neighbor?<\/strong> Another moment came later at dinner. Instantly, I recognized it\u2014that old pattern rising up: the instinct so many of us have to push away what\u2019s being offered\u2026 to deny ourselves the simple, sacred gift of receiving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are so many reasons we do this, but that\u2019s a reflection for another day\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n But this time, the pattern melted away as tenderly as that little bite of beef would turn out to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I shared what I noticed, and we both laughed\u2014because anyone who\u2019s ever struggled to receive will likely relate to the funnier side of rejecting someone\u2019s gift of time, money, energy, food\u2026 or [insert your whatever].<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Then I asked if the offer still stood. Support? Receiving isn\u2019t always easy. And you, Neighbor\u2026 If this reflection stirred something in you, I\u2019d love to hear from you. Feel free to share your own \u201creceiving\u201d moment in the comments\u2014your story might be exactly what another Neighbor needs to read today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a funny thing about receiving:Most of us think we\u2019re decent at it\u2026 until life hands us something unexpected. Something good. Something tender. Something our hearts don\u2019t quite know how to soften into yet. Recently, while I was at a training retreat in Mexico, I experienced several profound moments that all centered around receiving. And […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":59359,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1904,1387,1917,18,1903,1923],"tags":[7,8,9,10,11,12,14,15,16,17,19,20,21,23,24,25,26,28,29,1181,31],"class_list":["post-380126","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-and-healing","category-grief","category-healing-and-healing","category-inspiration","category-loss","category-self-love-relationships","tag-habits-healing","tag-annah-elizabeth","tag-awareness","tag-breaking-patterns","tag-community-healing","tag-emotional-well-being","tag-healing","tag-healing-journey","tag-healing-retreat","tag-heartwise-healing-solutions","tag-inspiration","tag-kindness","tag-letting-yourself-be-loved","tag-mind-body-spirit","tag-personal-stories","tag-reflection","tag-self-care","tag-spirituality","tag-support","tag-the-five-facets-of-healing","tag-the-gift-of-receiving"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/staging.annahelizabeth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/I-Am-Love-and-Loved-Drawing-from-Vitality-Retreat-Training.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.annahelizabeth.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380126","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.annahelizabeth.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.annahelizabeth.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.annahelizabeth.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.annahelizabeth.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=380126"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/staging.annahelizabeth.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380126\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.annahelizabeth.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.annahelizabeth.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=380126"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.annahelizabeth.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=380126"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.annahelizabeth.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=380126"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\n\n\nI Am Loved<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Love as a verb.
Love as in giving.
Love as in how I strive to show up in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These next words seemed to write themselves inside the heart image that I’d planned to mirror from the other side:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am loved<\/em> is the receiving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So profound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhen the Mirror Appears<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Have you had moments like that too\u2014where life holds up a mirror to show you a truth you already knew but hadn\u2019t yet internalized\u2026 a truth you were finally ready to receive in and embody?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe Bite That Melted Away an Old Pattern<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A retreat sister\u2019s slice of beef looked so delicious, I couldn\u2019t help but comment on it! And when she offered me a bite? I declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(It did. And Neighbor\u2026 that morsel was divine.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhat Are You<\/em> Ready to Receive?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ease?
Clarity?
A path forward?
A moment when you<\/em> get to be held for a change?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it is one of the most potent, courageous steps we can take on our healing journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
you deserve to receive just as fully as you give.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"