TOOL: Your hidden gifts

Do you sometimes say things like “I can’t get started because I lack confidence”, “I don’t know how to engage others”, “I don’t have what is needed to make this happen”?

When we want to take action or do something new or differently we can talk ourselves down by thinking we don’t have the skills to create, be or do what we want. With this we overlook the fact that we are designed to learn, that we come built with natural curiosity and ability to adapt and work things out, and that this never leaves us. We also overlook that each of us has a deeper intelligence that guides us in real time to seek out people who can help us or find out what we need to know.

When we stop focusing on what is lacking or missing in us and focus on what we want to create and on taking steps in that direction, then lacking skills seems to lose importance and our natural capacity to learn new things emerges. 

When we get going we find the way, we find our way and our hidden gifts.

Group Size: individual or pairs

Time frame: 60mins

Materials: Pen, notepad, recording device (like a phone) if you have one

Step 1 - Preparation

Make a list of 5 people to approach to ask a few questions and get greater clarity on your own ‘hidden gifts’. include a mix of friends, family, colleagues, neighbours.

Step 2 - Preparation

Arrange to speak with each person separately ‘LIVE’ = in person, over the phone or video call, NOT via message or email. Don’t provide details in advance, except maybe something very general, like. “I’d like to have a conversation about something as part of a project I’m doing”

Step 3 - Conversations

When you speak, ask them the following double-question (ask both questions in one go), then be silent and listen deeply to what they say, until they have finished.

“What shows up when I do? What qualities do I bring into the room?”

○  Ask it in one sentence, without a break between the two questions.

○  If they ask questions about what kind of thing you’re looking for, simply repeat the question and let them know they can answer with whatever comes up for them. There are no right or wrong answers or ways to answer.

○  be as present as you can while receiving their answers.

○  Thank them for their time and note down anything that stood out for you.

Step 4 - Seeing your hidden gems

Consider what you have heard your people say - were there common threads? Were there surprises? Did people think more of you than you realised? 

Can you see these as gifts you offer to others that you couldn’t see before?

For more tools and support with your volunteering work you can join the In Our Nature Learning Hub. The Learning Hub has online courses which you can access in your own time and live chats about community action (we call these Webinars). The Learning Hub is completely free for you to access at any point in your community (climate) action journey and is open for everyone.

Created by Amity. Inspired by Jamie Smart.