December 23rd, 2009
It’s hard to believe we are wrapping up the first decade of the new century. Time flies and it seems to have little to do with whether we are having fun.
As we move into the first year of a new decade (I like that—it makes it seem so dramatic!) it seems an opportune time to consider what we want to attract into our lives.
One of the most profound lessons I’ve learned as I’ve studied how to apply the Law of Attraction to my life is that you must give whatever it is you want to get.
For example, I hear many complaints about bosses who are poor managers. “My boss never tells me when I’m doing something right but is very quick to point out when I’ve done something wrong,” is a common lament. I’ve no doubt that’s true. We are a society that is more comfortable pointing out problems than focusing on what’s going right. If this is one of your complaints, take a moment to answer this question, “How often do you point out to yourself the things you are doing right?” Do you pat yourself on the back regularly or are you always chiding yourself about procrastination, mistakes and your work performance?
You cannot attract something you won’t give to yourself!
Keep this in mind as you venture forth into the new year. What is it that you want more of in your life and how can you give it to yourself?
Do you want more respect? Then take a look at whether you are practicing self-respect. For example, let’s say you find that people are late to appointments with you, cancel at the last minute or don’t show up at all. There’s a good chance that you don’t keep the appointments you make with yourself. If you tell yourself you’re going to exercise, do you keep that appointment or do you allow other things to get in the way? When you take a vacation day from work do you use it to relax or are you still working? Others won’t keep their word with you until you keep your word with yourself.
You cannot attract something you won’t give to yourself!
Like most people, I want to be recognized for the value of my work. If I don’t first recognize it myself, then accolades are unlikely to show up. I’ve noticed over the years that the prouder I am of the work I do, the more people tell me in person or write to tell me how much they value that very same work.
You cannot attract something you won’t give to yourself!
Longshoreman-philosopher Eric Hoffer wrote, “You can never get enough of what you really don’t want.” I am a recovering alcoholic. When I was drinking, I could never get enough because it wasn’t what I really wanted. What I was looking for in the bottle was what I felt was missing in me. That’s true whether you use food, shopping, work, sex, drugs or rock ‘n roll. Any kind of addictive behavior is comprised of trying to fill a giant hole with something that can never fill it!
A friend of mine who is also in recovery tells the following story: I went to my counselor, very excited because I had finally figured out what my problem was—I wasn’t loved enough. Instead of offering me a comforting pat on the back, my counselor instead said, “Gary, let me tell you something. We could get the United Nations to issue a proclamation declaring tomorrow Love Gary Day. The highlight of Love Gary Day is that everyone in the world stops at noon, turns in your direction and sends waves of love to you. And it would not be enough. Addicts are the black hole of love. If you think you’re not loved enough, there is only one solution—love!”
That is Law of Attraction in a nutshell. You give what you want to get because while you are giving it, you are focused on it and you always get more of what you focus on.
This is a wonderful time of year to take a good, long look at all that we have collected—toys, friends, accolades, complaints, “stuff,” debt, etc.—and ask ourselves, “Is this what I really want?” If the answer is no, figure out what you do want and give it to yourself because you cannot attract something you won’t give to yourself.
Download a PDF of this column
No Comments »
December 18th, 2009
The way we carry ourselves, the position of our bodies has an amazing impact on how we feel and yet, how much attention do we pay to this?
I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately as I watch how people walk. Yes, you read that correctly—how people walk. Some walk with arrogance; some walk with great self-confidence; and some walk as if they’re hoping no one will notice them.
For example, I am writing this column in my favorite coffee shop and I just watched a woman walk across the room with shoulders slumped and her posture folded in; she carried her body as if completely disconnected from it. When she sat down, I took a closer look and noticed that her hair, make-up and clothing were perfect. My guess is that she stands in front of her mirror in the morning thinking she looks great. And she does, if she were to simply hold that pose all day long. However, if she saw herself on film as she walks, she would realize that all the time spent on trying to look good is wasted. Her body delivers the message—to her and to the rest of the world—that she lacks self-confidence. All the outer fixings in the universe cannot change that.
Why is this important? Because your physiology delivers to your brain distinct messages about how you are feeling in the moment. If your fists or jaw are clenched, your brain interprets that as extreme duress. If you are smiling, your brain’s interpretation is that you are happy. And even if you’re dressed in rags, when you hold yourself in a pose of self-confidence, the feelings follow.
Here is the magic of physiology: your brain does not know the difference between pretend and reality—all it knows is where you are focused. This is why books, music, movies and where we place our attention have such a profound impact. Have you ever been in a perfectly good mood, gone to a sad movie and walked out feeling blue? If there were a camera on you as you watched the film you would see your physiology change in response to the story. The quickest way to recover from this is to change your physiology. It turns out that “shake it off” is sage advice.
If you were crazy enough to allow it, I could teach you how to put yourself into a state of depression. All you need to do is slump your shoulders, collapse your core so it’s mushy, cast your eyes down, frown and breathe very shallow. Within minutes, I guarantee you will feel down. If you do it for a long period of time, you will be depressed.
On the flip side, if you are already feeling down, you can pull out of it by doing the opposite: sit or stand up straight, pull your stomach muscles tight, look out at the world, grin from ear to ear and breathe very deeply. Within minutes you would feel your mood lift. Imagine how great you’d feel if you did that for a long period of time.
We are in the midst of the holidays, a time when using the magical power of physiology can mean the difference between a season that reminds you how wonderful the holidays can be or the kind you cannot wait to be over and done with.
Here are some physiological “tricks” that will quickly elevate your mood:
• Smile. If you really want to go for it, grin from ear-to-ear. • Sing. There’s holiday music playing everywhere. When you sing along, your brain gets the message you are in a good mood. • Laugh. This is a quick way to go from feeling stressed to feeling blessed. • Extend the hand of friendship. Doing for others is guaranteed to elevate your mood. • Dance. You can’t dance without music and when your brain hears music with a dance beat, it makes you—well, want to dance! • Hang out with happy children. Kids have their priorities straight—it’s all about what makes them happy.
The Law of Attraction says that you get more of what you focus on. When you “act as if” you immediately shift your brain’s focus. Ask yourself how you want to feel, adjust your body accordingly and watch how quickly you feel the way you want.
That’s the magical power of physiology!
Download a PDF of this column
No Comments »
November 25th, 2009
Thanksgiving launches us full-speed into the holiday season, potentially a time of great stress. Certainly it is fraught with many emotions, both positive and negative.
As you look ahead to your Thanksgiving plans, you may want to do what my teacher Abraham Hicks calls “pre-paving.” Actually, most of us have already done quite a lot of pre-paving in the form of expectations. You may want to do some deliberate pre-paving.
If you expect Thanksgiving to be a problem, you are probably basing that expectation on past years when things did not go so well. Conversely, those of you who cannot wait to sit around the table visiting with the friends and family you love have used your memories of past holidays to fuel an expectation of a good time.
Either way, you get what you expect.
It is a rare one among us who completely ignores what has happened in the past and decides what kind of holiday they intend to have. This is pre-paving—shaping your experience in advance.
You will be pleasantly surprised by what you can accomplish when you decide beforehand the kind of experience you intend to have. For example, if you think ahead to the things Uncle Fred typically says that make you want to scream, you can decide that this year you will listen to his particular brand of craziness and regard it as humorously eccentric. In fact, you may want to take notes so that, after the holiday, you can entertain your friends with stories of his antics.
You can also use your fertile imagination to turn your cousin Maria (the one who is always trying to tell you how to run your life) into an Oprah gone horribly wrong. Imagine her as a talk show host and picture the audience’s reaction to the bad advice she spouts. You’ll (almost) feel sorry for her as she continues to regale you with her good ideas for how your life ought to be.
You can even listen to those things your parents say every year that trigger the four-year-old inside you to stage a tantrum and instead smilingly respond, “I know you say that because you love me. I love you, too.” Wouldn’t that be worth the looks of shock on their faces? After all, their memories of holidays past are probably that you usually “overreact” to things.
What’s interesting about the holidays is how they so clearly demonstrate that you get what you expect. Oh sure, I know that you think you expect everyone to link arms, sing a happy song and be lovey-dovey. That’s not an expectation, it’s a hope. Consider that the Law of Attraction says you get more of what you focus on. In reality, you’re not focused on having a happy holiday you’re worried that it will all go wrong and that you’ll be disappointed one more time. The more worried you are, the more likely that the holidays will be a rough ride.
You get what you expect.
What if you approached Thanksgiving with the expectation that you’re going to have a good time–period? It isn’t contingent on the behavior of others. The meal you sit down to needn’t be perfect. Heck, your favorite football team doesn’t even need to win. (Gasp—such blasphemy!) No matter what happens, you fully intend to have a good time.
You get what you expect.
This is something you can put into play every single day, holiday or not. Pre-paving can mean using the time in your shower each morning to decide to have a great day. If you think about it, you’re probably already deciding to have a not-so-good day by spending your shower time focused on problems you have to deal with in the hours ahead.
You can also use this technique of pre-paving any time you like. You can stop yourself in the course of your day and decide that, in the next hour things are going to improve considerably (even if they are already great).
You get what you expect.
Whatever your expectations for Thanksgiving, I wish you a holiday of focusing on what you are grateful for and whispering, “Thank you” to your higher power. While you’re at it, you may want to express gratitude for the incredible freedom that lies in your ability to get what you expect.
Download a PDF of this column
No Comments »
November 12th, 2009
I’ve always had this theory that people drive the way they think. I developed this after observing two people:
The first was my Dad who drove incredibly slow and seemed oblivious to the impact it had on drivers on the road with him. People thought it was because of his age but he drove that way even when he was younger. His thought process mirrored the driving—he took a lot of time to think about and articulate ideas and didn’t care if he was holding things up. He would let you know his thoughts when he was good and ready. As an impatient young child living in his house, this habit drove me a little bit crazy.
The second person who inspired this theory was a manager I worked with years ago. One day we went to lunch and, on the harrowing drive to the restaurant, she tailgated every car that had the misfortune of being in front of us. As I reflected on this, I realized that in the office she did her own form of tailgating —she was an impossible micro-manager who put fear into the hearts of her staff.
I’ve started to refine this idea even further because I now understand that the way we drive is also an indication of our spiritual and emotional health. This may have been inspired by the following story someone sent me in an email:
A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and coffee.
Mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, ”I’m very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the ‘What Would Jesus Do’ bumper sticker, the ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder, the ‘Follow Me to Sunday-School’ bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated fish emblem on the trunk; naturally…
I assumed you had stolen the car.”
The Law of Attraction says that you get more of what you focus on. If you’re not sure about where your focus is, don’t look to affirmations you are praying, bumper stickers you are displaying or positive words you are saying. Too often they are indicators of how you’d like to be or how you’d like others to think you are. Look instead to how you are responding to everyday situations.
It doesn’t take much personal fortitude to behave in church or temple. But in the midst of traffic, when everything seems to be going wrong and you are late and stressed to the limit, that’s when you can see the state of your spiritual and emotional health.
Here’s the fun part. If you discover that you are not where you want to be, an easy way to quickly turn it around is to shift your focus.
Look, the vast majority of drivers on the road are skilled and courteous. If, however, you spend all your time focused on the few who are not, then your driving experience is going to be very stressful (and you’ll attract more poor drivers around you.)
Try this: for the next week, decide what kind of person you want to be all the time, even while behind the wheel of your car. Then do whatever is necessary to be that person even when no one is looking. You’ll soon discover that your health, spiritual and emotional has improved considerably, both behind the wheel and everywhere else. And you will be bowled over by what you start to attract.
Download a PDF of this column
No Comments »
November 5th, 2009
The longer I apply the principles of the Law of Attraction, the more I realize that, for most of my life I’ve been working way too hard. Can you relate?
This universal law says, “You attract more of what you focus on.” There are three steps to attracting what we want:
Step One is to identify a desire or a preference. You don’t have to concentrate on this—you are doing it all day long.
“What?!?” you may well want to shout. “That can’t possibly be true! I would never have asked for some of the things in my life!” The word “ask” is what throws us off. We think we ask for something by putting in a verbal request. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works. Whatever you pay attention to is what you are asking the Universe to deliver.
Here’s an example. Let’s say you work with eight people at your job. Seven of your co-workers are people you genuinely enjoy; they’re great and you’re glad they’re on your team. But there is one member of the team you think of as The Jerk.
Who do you pay more attention to, your loveable team or The Jerk? Whichever it is, that’s what you are telling the Universe your preference is—more people like that. Your attention is the same as a request.
Step Two is not your work—the Universe responds to your preference and sends out what you have asked for. No exception.
The Universe, you see, does not sort between what’s good for you or bad for you. That’s your job; the Universe simply takes note of your preference and delivers.
Step Three, to allow, accept and receive is your work. What you receive is all up to you.
When you are at work or thinking about your job who has your attention—the co-workers you like or The Jerk? Who do you talk about with your spouse or friends? Who do you lie awake thinking about?
The more you pay attention to The Jerk, the more of his/her tribe you are allowing into your life. Pretty soon you’re encountering Jerks on the freeway, at the grocery store, even at church! People you have never had problems with start acting like Jerks. This is a clear example of just how good you are at manifesting what you ask for (see Step One).
If you want to know what you are allowing in any given moment, the only thing you need pay attention to is how you feel. When you feel good, you are allowing the things you want that will please you. When you are feeling bad, you are allowing those things into your life that you don’t want. Either way, you are the one manifesting.
I have spent the last 20 years working on leveraging the Law of Attraction’s three steps to allow more of what I want. The journey has been remarkable and the results have been concrete:
• My 30-year depression lifted, never to return • I am in recovery from alcoholism • I no longer lay awake consumed with worry • I do work that I love • I have great relationships with family and friends
These results are major and I’m thrilled to have them. However, they came more slowly than need be.
In contrast, over the past several months, some major dreams have suddenly come true for me in such a profound way that I’ve wondered what caused the floodgate to open. I didn’t have to wonder long; I know exactly what is different. Since July I have been meditating every day for 30 minutes or more.
Why would the simple act of daily meditation make such a difference? Meditation puts you in touch with the pure, positive energy of Source (many call this energy God—your name for it is your business). When you are connected to this energy, you release all resistance, all negativity. When there is no resistance, all the things you’ve been asking for over the years, those things that have been held in escrow waiting for you to allow yourself to receive come flooding into your life. Things that would have taken me more hours than I have to orchestrate are happening for me, easily and effortlessly. The same is available to you.
I’m done working so hard—what about you?
Download a PDF of this column
No Comments »
October 23rd, 2009
I once attended a Professional Coaching conference where I had the pleasure of hearing Julio Olalla, founder of The Newfield Network speak. One of the things Julio said that captured my attention was, “There is tremendous suffering around our inability to ask.”
That has been my observation, as well. Our inability to ask for what we want—from others, from ourselves, and from life—is the root of nearly all suffering. That’s a pretty strong statement. Here is why I make it: the only way to draw into your life what you want is by asking for it. The trouble is, most of us don’t realize what we are asking for moment-by-moment because we have a fixed idea of what asking looks like or sounds like.
The most direct way of asking for something is to say, “Could I have that please?” That’s pure and simple. As long as you are looking at the object of your desire and feeling confident that you can have it, it is also the quickest way to get it.
But most of us don’t look at what we WANT. We look at what we don’t want and resist it; we try and push it away. For example, we say the words, “I want a job I love,” while our full attention is focused on what we hate about the one we currently have.
When you pay attention to something, it is the same as asking the Universe, “Could I have that, please?”
You see, the Universe is energy-based. As such, it is ruled by the Law of Attraction which, in its simplest form says “Like attracts like.”
The Universe has no ears. It cannot hear your words. Instead, it reads energy. When your energy is focused on something, the Universe interprets it as a request for delivery. The longer you focus on it, the sooner it gets delivered. The stronger your emotions are at the time (positive or negative), the more intense your energy. This also causes whatever you’re focused on (or something very similar) to be delivered more quickly.
The Universe does not discern on your behalf whether what you ask for is good for you or bad. It simply receives your request (i.e., “Please deliver more of what I hate about my job”) and fulfills it.
Does this mean we can’t change our minds? No! What is required in order to cancel a request we inadvertently made is to shift our attention to its opposite and strongly visualize that being delivered.
It sounds far-fetched unless you’re awake to how it’s happening in your life every single day. Haven’t you ever noticed that the more you don’t want something to happen, the more it seems to come your way? That is where expressions such as, “It went from bad to worse,” come from.
It works to our advantage as well. Success does indeed breed success. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer as long their focus is on “what is,” because their attention to it is tantamount to asking for more.
So how do you know what you’re asking for? Pay attention to how you feel. When you have a good feeling in your gut, it is your signal that what’s coming your way is going to feel equally good. Remember, “like attracts like” so the only thing you can attract when you’re feeling good is something that’s a match to that feeling.
If you have a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach, start looking for what you’re focused on that’s making you feel bad. When you identify where your attention is, say to yourself, “That’s clearly something I don’t want (as evidenced by my negative reaction) What do I want?” Once you identify what it is, put your full attention on it until you’ve replaced the negative feeling with a positive one.
It’s really very simple. Ask the Universe to send to you only those things that will make you happy. How do you ask for that? By giving your FULL ATTENTION to what you already have in your life that makes you happy. Then, open up the delivery dock. Good things are headed your way.
You asked for them.
Download a PDF of this column
No Comments »
October 1st, 2009
Most problems I see in the workplace are generated by three things:
1. Direct meddling 2. Gossiping 3. Indirect meddling, i.e., sitting in judgment
meddle—v. Interfere in something that is not one’s concern.
It’s obvious why direct meddling would be a problem. No one wants to be told how to do their job, even if (and this is the funny part) the person telling you is your boss.
It’s obvious, too why gossiping about how others do their work would be a problem. You’re not only meddling; you’re recruiting others to join the team.
But indirect meddling can be equally destructive. Just because you don’t say anything out loud doesn’t mean your message isn’t being delivered. Non-verbal communication is stronger than verbal. If you doubt this, think of how teenagers and moms communicate. Both can speak volumes with just one look.
When we put ourselves in a position to judge, we generally think we know better than the other person. Rarely do we question whether or not it’s true.
Just because someone isn’t doing a task the way you would, does not mean they’re doing it ineffectively. When we try and force our will on another it can only lead to trouble. (Trust me I know this from direct experience. I’m sure my daughters and some of my friends will forward this column back to me. LOL.)
It’s actually amusing when our brilliant advice is rejected and we respond by being hurt, “I was only trying to help,” we say and then we sulk.
Are we really only trying to help or are we showing off? When someone ignores your advice, if your response is to be hurt or angry, chances are it’s your ego at play, not your benevolence.
Getting along in the workplace (and at home) would go much more smoothly if we did one simple thing—honor each other’s expertise. Allow the person who is tasked with doing something to do it, unburdened by unsolicited (and usually unwelcomed) advice from you.
“But,” you protest, “I really can make it easier for them!”
So what? If your meddling makes them uncomfortable or resentful, what is served? Chances are it’s your ego.
I’m not saying don’t offer. People often do want our help. Don’t, however do it by asking the usual, “Can I help?” This puts the other person in the position of having to reject your gesture. If instead you say, “Let me know if you need any help with that,” it leaves the choice up to them. The difficult part is when they decide to forge ahead without us. I have literally had to bite my lip to keep from pointing out how someone could do a task better. Or sometimes I whip off an email with all my good ideas. This, by the way, is where having a 5-10 minute delay on your email “sends” comes in handy. If you hit “send” and then realize you’ve given unsolicited advice, you can fish it out of your “outbox” before the damage is done.
The problem with meddling is that it is interpreted in a variety of ways. The person may think you’re saying, “You don’t know what you’re doing,” or “I’m smarter than you,” or even (and this does real damage), “You’re incapable of figuring it out.” Many of us routinely do this when interacting with our loved ones at home. It only follows that we would do the same at work.
So what if you’re the boss and it’s your job to develop this person? Here is how to honor their developing expertise. Describe for your employee the end result you seek and then say, “Walk me through how you would approach this task so I can be sure I’ve given you all the information you need.” And then stop talking and listen. If they tell you an approach you think will work, give them your blessing to move ahead. If some tweaking needs to be done you can say, “I’m not sure about this aspect of your plan—are there other ways that might work?”
Honor people’s expertise and your relationships (at work and at home) will flourish!
Download a PDF of this column
1 Comment »
September 24th, 2009
A happy life is just a string of happy moments. But most people don’t allow the happy moment because they are SO BUSY trying to get a happy life. – Esther Hicks
The quote above arrived in an email this week and it impacted me like a cold bucket of water on a hot summer’s day.
My oldest daughter, whenever she is reminded of something she already knew but forgot, inevitably says, “Ohhhh yeahhh!” When I read this quote I had the same reaction.
How easy it is to slip back into the habit of postponing the experience of a happy life until all the circumstances line up perfectly. It’s so LOGICAL to think, “When my bills are paid off,” or “When I get that promotion,” or “When my health improves” THEN I’ll be happy.
I ate breakfast at a restaurant this morning and was lucky enough to have a young family sit nearby. The two young boys looked to be about 3 or 4 years old and were cousins (okay, I was eavesdropping). Asian, they had dark hair sticking up straight in today’s style and wore matching green t-shirts. When they laughed, their faces would light up and their eyes disappear. And they laughed a lot. The older of the two would do something comical (like drink two drinks out of two straws at the same time) and his younger cousin, of course, had to follow suit. They were having wonderful, happy moments, for no reason whatsoever except that it felt good to laugh and be silly. I was having my own wonderfully happy moments watching their unapologetic joy.
I don’t know if I would have had those moments before I read the quote that woke me up. I’d been feeling sorry for myself of late, worried about a troubled friend. I’d been postponing my own happy life until she “got better.” How silly. My delaying my own happiness won’t help her get better. On the contrary, it will probably delay it.
Each day, we have many opportunities for happy moments. Beyond the obvious (sun shining, birds singing) there are the not-so-obvious, things like: • completing a task on time • being able to help a co-worker • the boss commenting on a job well done • getting to work in plenty of time to have a leisurely cup of coffee before plunging in • finding a solution to a challenging problem • the sudden realization that you’re really GOOD at what you do
When you finish reading this, I invite you to spend the rest of the day having happy moments. Every time you have one, put an asterisk on a piece of paper and, before you go home for the day, add up how many asterisks you have.
Once you’ve counted them up, pause for a moment and ask yourself the following questions: • Were you clearly more productive as a result? • How do you feel right this minute?
Then go home and ask whomever you live with (even your cat), “What were YOUR happy moments today?” The answers may surprise you.
I do want you to have a happy life but that is no longer my wish for you. Instead, I wish for you a never-ending string of happy moments.
Download a PDF of this column
No Comments »
September 17th, 2009
Now that I’m actively participating on the social networking site Facebook, I’ve become even more keenly aware of how we shoot ourselves in the foot when it comes to using focus to our full advantage.
I see postings like, “Another day of drudgery at work,” or “Is it time to retire yet?” or people whipping each other into a frenzy over the latest political snafu.
I believe we naturally want to bond with each other and we think the fastest route to that end is to share negative feelings that others can relate to. I mean, who wouldn’t utter a heartfelt “Amen!” to someone’s posting: “Just two more days of sleep, that’s all I need!”
Unfortunately, all this negative banter gives us exactly the opposite of what we want.
What would life be like if we were to live each day fully harnessing The Law of Attraction that dictates, “You get more of what you focus on?”
Let’s first understand that whether we use it on purpose or not, the principles of this Law have tremendous impact on our day-to-day lives. It’s where expressions like, “It went from bad to worse” came from. Fortunately, it’s also where expressions like. “The better it gets, the better it gets” come from.
In order to harness The Law of Attraction to full advantage, we would need to be careful about where we place our focus. No more self-indulgent negativity. No more “being right” about how awful things are or how people are rude or how the country is going to hell in a hand basket.
Focusing on what we don’t want is merely a habit. We can just as easily create the habit of focusing on what we DO want. The challenge is to do it when so many others are doing just the opposite. It requires swimming against the tide.
One thing I would need to do, for example, is begin focusing on the positive postings on Facebook—there are many. It doesn’t mean I won’t see the others; they are there. It simply means that I have the opportunity every day to simply skip over the ones I don’t agree with and find the ones I do.
Facebook is really a metaphor for how we live our lives. It is, after all, a social networking site. How we engage there is how we engage face-to-face. We can go there to find things that make us feel good (like all the fun games and silly tests) or we can look for things to push against. Whenever I think of which I’d rather do, I imagine the difference on the faces of people who are holding a candlelight vigil for something they believe in versus the angry faces of people who are protesting against something they vehemently oppose. Which way would I rather feel?
If we actively sought to use The Law of Attraction to our advantage each day, we would focus on what makes us feel good. When we get up in the morning, we’d be happy to be alive one more day. When in the shower, we’d thrill to the feel of the water on our bodies. We’d savor our morning beverage and be grateful for food to nourish us.
As we went about our day, we would look for people who please us—the clerk at the store who smiles when we purchase the morning paper; the drivers on the freeway who leave room for us to merge into traffic; the co-worker who pleasantly greets us as we arrive on the job.
We’d look at our circumstances and be grateful for what we have: clothing to keep us protected; beautiful scenery to enjoy; a roof over our heads and a bed to sleep in each night.
As we become more grateful for what we have, we begin to notice something wonderful. The more grateful we are, the more we get. Suddenly, things we’d wanted for quite some time are ours. Circumstances seem to line up magically.
It’s important to actively harness The Law of Attraction each day precisely because we DO get more of what we focus on. Use your focus carefully. Use it as the gift that it is. Watch what happens when you decide to swim in the opposite direction of the negative flow. The waters are much warmer, more refreshing and the current will easily carry you when you swim downstream in the river of positive focus.
Download a PDF of this column
No Comments »
September 10th, 2009
I once knew a drummer who played with a Blues band. He told me the story of working with a singer well into her 80s who was so infirm they would roll her onto the stage in a wheelchair and place the microphone in her lap. The band played the opening strains of the song she was to sing over and over and simply waited. When she was moved to do so, she would pick up the mike and start to sing. It was always worth the wait.
One day they were commiserating backstage. He was in his early 20s and just starting in the business. He asked her, “You’ve been around so long. What advice do you have for me? She looked him straight in the eye as she replied, “Honey, whoever dies with the most adventures wins!”
What a great approach to life!
What is an adventure, anyway? Isn’t it whatever you say it is?
We all know people who define an adventure much differently than we would. My friend Betty rates vacation spots 5-star only if there is no running water or electricity. She wants to be out in the open, under the stars enjoying nature at its naked best.
It’s not my cup of tea but it sure makes her happy!
Other adventurers do things like jump out of planes or off bridges tied to bungee cords. My heart beats rapidly at the mere idea.
But every day can also be an adventure! It’s all a matter of focus. The Law of Attraction says that you get more of what you focus on. What might your life be like if you looked at it through the lens of adventure?
A great role model for this is the cartoon dog Snoopy who could take the simple act of eating and turn it into a jungle hunt for prey.
What if getting ready for work each morning were an adventure of “human against the clock?” Rather than dragging yourself through the morning yawning and moaning, you could turn it into a high stakes game that gets your adrenalin pumping and makes you feel alive. Of course, some of you do this already but in a negative way. You get up too late and then it’s a heart-in-your-throat adventure to get to work on time or at least to your desk before your boss notices you’re late. What kind of impact do you think this type of adventure has on the balance of your day?
How could you turn work into an adventure? What would be your equivalent of a bungee cord ride? Perhaps you can focus on what you are discovering (also known as learning) as you move through your day. Many of us get excited when, on vacation or over the weekend we go to a museum or on a tour of a park. We can’t wait to tell friends all that we learned from our guides. What if we shared what we learn at work with equal excitement? Is it any less of an adventure? It’s actually even better because you’re getting paid for learning!
Take a look at your life over this past summer. Make a list of the adventures you’ve added to your list. Maybe you survived the ordeal of a co-worker’s vacation when you were left behind to carry his workload. Is this any less exciting than someone in the news who survived being stranded at an airport for 48 hours by the weather?
Perhaps you figured out some amazing shortcuts for doing your work faster or better. Are they any less impressive than finding shortcuts while on a forest hike?
The kinds of lives we lead all have to do with perspective. I know rich people who are miserable and poor people who are happy as can be. It all has to do with their points of view. One finds life a series of adventures (how little can we spend this week by using coupons at the grocery store?) and the other finds life a chore (“Why can’t I have a drink? Last call doesn’t apply to me!”)
Helen Keller said it perhaps best, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
Remember—whoever dies with the most adventures wins. It could be you!
Download a PDF of this column
No Comments »
|
|