I recently received the book “The Power of Receiving” by Amanda Owen. As I started reading, I came across a section that got me thinking about how much we give of ourselves doing this amazing Student Affairs work. May it be processing Financial Aid applications, to team building exercises on a retreat, to handling discipline in the middle of the night, to coordinating the next big event. You name it, we are doing it! In all that we do, we give of ourselves. And sometimes, at the end of the day, or week or semester it can feel exhausting. I’m going on my 10th year and some days I still feel out of balance. I’m getting there though 
In Owen’s first chapter of her book called “Attracting your goal”, she asks the question, ‘Why receive?”. She then shares with the reader words that describe “Receptive states” or an in other words, moments you are receiving rather than giving. She also shared words that are “Active states”, usually times when you are “giving”.
How many times to you see yourself doing the following “Active states/Giving” at work?
*Talking *Multitasking *Doing *Building *Judging
*Evaluating *Informing *Shaping *Hiding *Performing
(Owen, A. 2010, Penguin group, pg.31)
Now, ask yourself, how often to I experience “Receptive states/Receiving” at work?
*Meditating *Allowing *Listening * Welcoming *Letting go *Watching
*Letting be *Noticing *Relaxing *Accepting *Embracing
(Owen, A. 2010, Penguin group, pg. 30)
Interesting, I’m now realizing that if I don’t allow some time to receive from my work in Student Affairs, I will miss out on the joy of it.
~On a side note, I think this process of thinking can work in any career field, including parenthood