Posted: 9/9/2011 | Personal Development	Comments
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Whether we know it or not, we all have gifts and talents. We might be artistically gifted or naturally great communicators. We might have a gift for numbers, mechanics, science, architecture, problem solving or an ease with seeing the “big picture” in difficult situations. We all have our unique way of seeing the world through the eyes of our gifts, but sometimes we don’t know exactly how to use them or what to do with them. Our job is to take responsibility for fully embodying the gifts and talents that have been given to us. They’re a sacred obligation that we’re meant to fulfill and share.

What exactly does that mean? How do we “fulfill our sacred obligation?” We start by taking responsibility, by being willing to commit to developing and using our innate gifts. These capacities are ultimately aligned with our deeper self. So one part of knowing and offering these gifts and talents is seeing how they fit into our deeper mission, and how they can serve others.

When we take responsibility for our talents we shepherd and develop them. For example, if you’re a gifted pianist, you must be willing to put in the time and effort to learn the necessary skills involved. This probably means taking lessons and practicing daily. It might mean learning music theory and learning how to compose music. It could involve performing and practicing the skills needed for the stage. It could also mean finding a mentor to guide you on your musical path.

When our gifts and talents are nurtured, they become our most significant contributions in this life, and create a deep source of personal meaning that ultimately leads to the fulfillment of our life purpose. But this doesn’t always look the way we believe it should. Our endowment might not be the avenue through which we gain and acquire more “stuff.” Cultivating our talents will certainly help us find and sustain a heightened quality of life, yet the path it leads us on may take us in a very different direction than we originally imagined or intended. However, when we follow the path of our gifts and talents, it has the potential to fulfill us in deep and fundamental ways.

So how do we take responsibility? We start by becoming aligned spiritually and psychologically. We look at whatever blocks may still be within us that have been overlooked, so that we can achieve our goals ranging from the material to the highest and deepest level of attainment. We do this in two ways: by relaxing into opening and receiving, and by then taking responsibility!

We each follow our own spiritual way to relax into a receptive space. We may center ourselves in the Cosmic Christ, or Buddha consciousness, or we may be called to another path. However we choose to connect to the deepest source, we can affirm, “I am open to what needs to come to me.” When we allow ourselves to settle inwardly into these silent places, ideas can flow, insight arises, and creativity is abundant. We know what to do next in our creative process, our business, our parenting journey, or whatever we’re called to.  From this place we feed ourselves emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically.

Next we take responsibility. This requires our commitment. We might be guided to stay put, and follow our plan, even when we don’t feel like it. Sometimes we need to just be with the resistance before our lives can flow. When we’re not in the flow, we’re usually caught up in fear. We can work with releasing this fear, and deal with whatever we need to process so that we can get back to the flow, which is living in God’s grace. Our dedication to our gifts has us write, paint, compose, and dance. It also has us design buildings, study cultures through anthropology, work in medicine, build things, run companies, develop theories, preach, teach, etc.  Taking responsibility helps us follow through with our inspiration.

Try this affirmation: I allow my life to flow. What thoughts come to you immediately after affirming this? Write down the first ten things that come to you. You might think, “I need to call somebody.” Or, “I need to take a nap.” You might just realize that you need to spend a little quality time with friends. Or you might think, “I need to sketch out this idea before anything else.”

Taking responsibility for our gifts and talents means opening ourselves up to our greater wisdom. It means listening to our intuition, following through on inspired action, and dedicating ourselves to our personal, professional and creative development. When we take responsibility, we’re aligned with our highest purpose, our true path in life. It’s absolutely our greatest fulfillment!

Have you taken on the responsibility of developing and fulfilling your gifts and talents? Are you dedicated and determined? Have you tried these affirmations? What experiences have you had? Your comments make an enormous difference to all of us!