For many of us, a lot of time goes into presents during the holiday season; enduring hectic shopping malls and stores, searching online, contemplating what to give to that person on our list who’s not so easy to shop for. It’s been said, “Tis the season for giving” and giving is often what we do.

Then there are the presents we receive. It can be fun to unwrap presents and discover what surprise lies inside. And it’s even more fun when the person giving the gift considered what you really like and chose their gift accordingly.

Founder of Access Consciousness®, Gary Douglas says, “You get lots of presents for Christmas, you give lots of presents for Christmas, but the one thing you never give you is YOU!

Hmm. Let’s ponder that for a moment. Have you ever considered that you are a gift? Do you have any idea how amazing you are? Do you recognize that you are a contribution to the world?

What do we do with gifts? We often put gifts in a box, wrap them up with pretty paper and stick a bow on the top to complete the package. And there the gift remains, in a pretty box, under a tree or in a closet until it’s time to be opened. Gifts are not intended to stay in the box. They’re not supposed to remain in the closet or under the tree. They are designed to be opened up, bringing surprise, delight and contribution to the receiver.

Many of us are like the gift in the box. We were designed to bring a sense of wonder, of possibility, of contribution to the world. We were intended to create magic and miracles and be as great and as brilliant as we truly be. For many of us, the gift that we are was not recognized. We were considered too much – too much joy, too much wonder, too much magic, too much potency. And the people in our worlds, who long ago put themselves in a box and locked themselves away, taught us to do the same.

So into the box we went. It was a small box and difficult to fit in. We had to cut off pieces of ourselves in order to fit. But we did it! We made ourselves small.

But as I said, gifts are not intended to stay in the box. Gifts are designed to be opened up and received. Are you ready to unwrap the gift of you? Are you ready to come out of the box – the box of limitation, the box of judgment, the box of lies about you? And, are you ready to receive you?

What would it take to unlock you; to set you free? The world needs the gift of you. This holiday season, would you do yourself a favor, would you do the world a favor and unwrap the magnificent and brilliant gift of YOU!!