By Samantha McKenzie

“All worthwhile men have good thoughts, good ideas and good intentions – but precious few of them ever translate those into action.” – John Hancock Field

I don’t know about you, but when I get a gift, I have to open it immediately. Especially if it’s packaged in beautiful wrapping paper and topped off with a stunning bow. I simply can’t resist.

Gifts are meant to be unwrapped. They bring joy and excitement to the giver and the receiver.

It’s time you open yourself up and share with others.  I’m talking about your very own gift: the one that you were born with. This is the special gift that was placed there by your maker and nurtured by your experiences. The gift that got shaped over time. This special gift that lives inside of you.

Open it up.

It’s that part of you that sits in your belly and has been fighting to come out for what seems like forever. It’s the gift that you have known about for years, but have kept it a secret.

It’s the gift the old people in the church used to tell your mother about. The gift your third grade teacher mentioned to you over and over again. The one your coach pointed out. Your best friend repeated. The one you’ve been ignoring.

That special gift of yours.

Funny thing about gifts, they keep you up at night, tugging at you to take action. They even creep into your dreams so you won’t forget.

Set it free.

Your gift is usually the thing you are really good at. It may come natural to you. Go back in time for a moment. It’s the one thing you’ve gotten compliments about your entire life. Some people are gifted designers. They can walk into an empty room and see exactly how it should be furnished and decorated. They have an eye for beauty. Some people have a knack for building things. They can see the finished product before they pick up the first piece of wood. I’ve met people whose gifts lie in their visions, in their touch, or through their insight. What a special gift indeed.

Whatever your gift is, I hope that you are using it. I hope you recognize its uniqueness and how special you are for having it. I hope you are courageous with your special gift and become relentless about giving it away. I mean, what else are we here for? I hope too, at the very least that you do us all the honor and…

Unwrap it.