Want, or Allow?

There is an excellent post over at Attraction Mind Map about Intentions. The process of setting a good intention is outlined well, with entertaining anecdotes to illustrate concepts.

On rare occasions, I find a gem within the comments, and this was no exception. Christopher, who did not link to a URL, pointed out the importance of using the right words:

For myself, I prefer to use the terms “I allow” rather than “I want”, as “I want” typically implies “I lack”. For example, “I want more money” implies “I don’t have enough money”. The focus is on lack. Instead, I might ask myself: could I let go of “wanting” [this or that] and just allow myself to have it?

I have been aware for some time now that words like "want", "need", "desire" and "wish for" imply lack. While "I am/have/do" is the most powerful affirmation there is, anyone who has been playing with this for awhile knows that sometimes the brain/Ego refuses to agree and puts up resistance ("No, you're not" or "Yeah, but").

In those instances, I'd use "I prefer" instead, which seemed to cause the Ego to relent.

However, I think I like Christopher's suggestion better: "I allow". Here's why.

When I say "I prefer" something, it's indicating I'd rather have it my way. But it's almost like I'm asking for permission to receive it—like the Universe asks me "Which would you like?" and I say "I prefer this..." and the Universe says, "That's nice, but you're getting that instead."

"I allow", on the other hand, reverses the roles. In order for me to allow something, I must have some control over its allowance. It's more like the Universe is asking me which one to provide, and I say, "I allow this, thank you". No questions asked.

I'll switch to this for now and let you know how it goes. Thanks, Christopher, for the suggestion, and thank you to Attraction Mind Map for leading me there.

PS: We sold Lot #3 in October. All that remains is to sell the house in the estate and my own personal house, and we can finally close the estate and I can move on.

Post-Election Thoughts

DISCLAIMER: Please understand that while I respect, admire and am inspired by Barack Obama, I do not in any way worship him or idolize him or put him above God and Jesus. If it comes off as such, it is simply because I am utterly amazed that for the first time in 2000-some years, one man has come along who has been able to do the impossible—shift the attitude of an entire world. He's not the Second Coming, as far as I know—but should we be surprised that he is being idolized by some? Jesus himself said "Far greater works than mine shall you do". I'd like to think Jesus would be pleased by this, not offended. That said, let's go.

Despite the overall excitement being felt worldwide about our recent Presidential election, there remains a surprising amount of vitriol from the dissenters. I find it appalling that the "losing" side can be so vehemently opposed to the choice that was made, and feel that they are merely reacting without thinking; focusing on issues and the "sky-is-falling" supposedly horrendous and painful changes that Obama's administration may foist upon them.

IMHO, they are missing the point.

It isn't about who is in the White House, or what color s/he may be. It isn't even about the policies they bring in with them.

Yes, Barack Obama has a laundry list of policies and changes he's proposed. But they are proposals only at this stage. Nothing is set in stone yet. Until it is, it can always be changed if it is discovered that it isn't working as is. Meaning, let's not freak out about high taxes when high taxes haven't been approved yet.

Obama still has to get past the House of Representatives, the Senate, and whomever else is in the chain of decision-making. These are just the philosophies and ideas that Obama presented to introduce who he is and what he stands for, so that we would be able to decide in which direction we might want to go as a nation.

The most important point, the one we all seem to be overlooking, isn't what he's proposing or who he is—it is the profound attitude shift that HE inspired in not just the American public, but throughout the entire world—AND that he inspired it to occur collectively in our minds at exactly the same moment!

Never mind his policy!

Those of us who are familiar with the Law of Attraction understand how profound it is that this has occurred.

Practitioners of the LOA such as myself, as well as many charismatic preachers and prayer groups around the world, are fully aware that circumstances are an illusion and that we as individuals are 100% responsible for attracting to us the circumstances we are experiencing. The situations are what they are—it is our reaction to them that decides whether they are "good" or "bad".

We are also fully aware that change WILL occur regardless of and in spite of what we do or don't do about it. Good AND bad.

In addition, we understand that the type of change that manifests is wholly dependent upon three things:

• our attitude about it
• our thoughts about it
• the energy we put into it as we think it

When a person is trying to manifest a positive change, it does her no good to dwell on what appear to be unpleasant circumstances; to wallow in negative thinking; to speak it into being; or to get upset about it. To make the change, she must change her thoughts first, then her attitude. Then when she envisions her changed world, she must do so with an uplifted, positive energy.

She has to think and shout, "Yes I Can!"

It works. It's been proven through time immemorial. It even says it works in the Bible. "As a man thinketh, so shall he be." When you "think" happy, you'll be happy, even if circumstances appear to be otherwise. Because you're emitting "happy", you'll attract back more "happy", and eventually the circumstances will have no choice BUT to change and comply with your vibration.

What you focus on, expands.

What you put out, you receive back or attract.

If you focus on negative situations and put out negative energy, you get back more of the same.

If you focus on positive situations and put out positive energy, you get back more of the same.

This is why things can go from good to bad or bad to worse, or bad to not so bad to good to great.

It's all about the 'Tude.

It's all about having a "Yes I Can" energy about you.

Because we LOAers understand this, we accept 100% responsibility for what we experience in our own lives... and must, as a world, accept 100% collective responsibility for what we, as a world, experience. Yes, WE created the high gas prices. WE created the economic crisis. Not by our physical actions so much, but by our thoughts.

I avoid complaining whenever possible, because when I complain, I must first think the thought, then I must speak it, then I add in the emotions surrounding it (attitude/energy). Then, if I'm whining to a friend, they add their emotions, energies and thoughts into the mix. Whammo. Instant manifestation. You shouldn't be surprised when, shortly after pitching a bitch about whatever is bothering you, another similar experience comes around again. Why me? Why does this always happen to me?

I'll tell you why and yes, it's redundant but bears repeating. What you focus on, expands. What you put out, you receive back or attract. It's all about the Tude. It's all about having a "Yes I Can" energy about you.

If you want to complain, complain about the annoying amount of blessings you've been receiving. Focus on POSITIVE changes.

Why am I saying this? Think about it! If ONE PERSON can make dramatic changes in their life simply by shifting their energies, thoughts and attitudes to a "Yes I Can" frame of mind...

...what do you suppose a group of 10 people, such as a Prayer Chain, can do with the same energies, thoughts and attitude going out at the same time?

...what do you suppose a group of 100 people, or 1,000, or 10,000, can do with the same energies, thoughts and attitude going out at the same time?

...what do you suppose can happen when 52.4% of a nation the size of America—that is more than half of us, people—can do, if the energies, thoughts and attitude of each one of those 63.7 million people are attuned to the VERY SAME VISION of relief, happiness, better jobs, improved economy, and positive change?

What if they're all attuned to that thought AT THE VERY SAME MOMENT?

Now add in the majority of the WORLD who was watching this election. Add THEIR energies of positivity, peace on earth, change for the better.

Obama has done what nobody has yet been able to do. He has managed to COLLECTIVELY inspire nearly the entire world with visions of better days, to infuse us with hope, and to raise our collective vibration to a higher level. (Sure, a large percent of ya feel otherwise, but, friends, majority rules. Those who choose to remain wallowing in negativity and who'd rather complain than do anything about it? That's fine. But know that 52.4% trumps 46.3%, so... looks like you'd all just better get ready for positive change!)

Before the election took place, we were in a collective funk. We were bemoaning the state of our economy, predicting dire future events, panicking about our 401Ks. We were criticizing the current administration and wallowing in a stagnant sea of negative energy.

Then we made our choice, and everything shifted.

This entire world has had a positive energy hyper infusion! At the moment Obama's election was announced on Tuesday night, the vast majority—MAJORITY—of the world rejoiced! There was dancing in the streets, fireworks were being shot off, people were crying happy tears, they were dancing and singing and holding in their minds visions of the wonderful future ahead of us and they were doing so with an enormous amount of positive energy. They were stomping and shouting joyfully,

YES! WE! CAN! YES! WE! CAN! YES! WE! CAN! YES! WE! CAN!

If one can manifest positive change in their own little life by doing this, what can a world majority do?

Hold onto your hats, people, because I'm happy to say, we are about to find out. :-D

What Happens When You Give Away Money?

That's what David, aka the "Bald Guy in a Blue House", intends to find out.

Bald Guy In A Blue House has created the world's first-ever free lottery, based on the Law of Attraction. It's called the Lawterry of Attraction Contest.

After viewing the Secret and learning to use the LOA, Bald Guy has been inspired to try an LOA experiment to see what happens when "a bald guy in a blue house gives away money".

Bald Guy (David) intends to give away a million dollars, $50 at a time, once per week.

No strings attached.

He'll be doing this for five years or until a million has been given away, whichever comes first. It is based on the principle that all abundance comes through us, rather than to or because of us.

The contest is open to anyone in the world. Doesn't matter if you're in Kenya or Antarctica, if you have computer access and an email address and a first name, you are eligible.

To enter, visit

http://www.iwannagivenow.com/

or just click on this link to go straight to the contest. Be sure to visit his blog as well,

http://www.blog.baldguyinabluehouse.com/

One caveat: when entering, if you have an email address such as blank.blank.com, you may get an error message telling you your email is invalid. I was able to sign up using a Yahoo address. GMail will also work.

Closer

I realized something in a flash today.

The outcomes I've been waiting to manifest are on their way. But I haven't seen it like that.

The estate closing, the house sales, my future—it's all been this ephemeral, foggy "out there someday" kind of vision. The outcomes have had no solidity, no depth or tangibility to them.

This kind of focus, or lack thereof, is what has held them at bay. My thought process, which was that I was standing here in one spot waiting for things to come TO me, is the culprit.

It's akin to waiting at the bus stop for a bus you aren't certain is ever going to come. You don't know the schedule or if the bus even runs past here anymore. You wait, you watch, you check the time... you wonder if you should leave... afraid to leave because you KNOW the bus will arrive the minute you do...

And so you stand still and wait, visualizing everything as "out there", swirling around you, never making contact.

The realization that snapped me out of it was this:

One day, the estate has to close. It cannot stay open forever. One day, the house will sell. Houses can be on the market for a long time but not for all eternity. EVENTUALLY, things must change. The day will arrive when all of this happens.

But I'm not standing motionless in time. Time is moving. Time is carrying me forward. Every moment that I am alive, I am moving toward the day when the estate closes, toward the day when the houses sell, toward my next birthday/Christmas/next Spring...

I am in progress. I am ON MY WAY TO IT.

I might not be able to "see" it yet in my mind, but I am on my way TO it. Whatever "it" represents.

WITH EVERY MOMENT THAT PASSES, I AM ONE MOMENT CLOSER TO MY OUTCOME.

That concept knocked me right over.

Now I see myself as walking along, firmly on the path to my outcome. I'm on a road. Maybe it's out in the country where signs are few and far between. But I'm on the road. I'm pointed in the right direction. With every step I am one step closer. Pretty soon, I'll see a tiny green rectangle hovering above the horizon. As I get closer, I'll see that it is a roadsign. The closer I get, the more visible the words:

"Outcome, 60 miles ahead"

I'll keep walking, or maybe I'll start jogging. Then more signposts, telling me Outcome is 30 miles, 20, 10, 5. The skyline of Outcome will emerge into view. And then...

Here I am.

I've arrived. I'm at Outcome. I'm IN Outcome. And all is well.

I'm not standing still waiting for it to come TO me. I am on my way, getting there, going to IT, and every moment brings me one step closer to being there.

The Shift

Do you want to be on the leading edge of manifesting the greatest social transformation in human history?

Then click on this link right now and watch this six-minute trailer for The Shift Movie.

These are just a few of the individuals appearing in this movie. Other notables such as Dr. Joe Vitale will also be appearing.

It is time to CHOOSE CHANGE.

More on Deciding

This morning I awoke with a further understanding about deciding. It relates back to one of my ongoing struggles, which has been panic related to finances. But first, a little backstory.

I did not used to panic when I thought about money. But then, growing up, there was always enough of it. My parents were upper-middle class suburbanites who'd survived the Great Depression. Dad was a University professor and taught grad school; Mom was a stay-at-home who pursued her passion for painting but it was strictly a hobby. On one salary from one full-time job with summers and holidays off and plenty of leisure time after work, he provided us with a lovely home in a safe neighborhood.

At one time there were three cars in the driveway—modest, but always bought new—except for his "utility vehicle" for doing our household fix-up projects (used; something to take to the hardware store). We took nice family vacations such as renting a cabin for a week at a state park. He had a 14' sailboat he enjoyed immensely. We never went hungry. They always paid the bills on time and had enough saved for rainy days so that when unexpected things arose, they were easily dealt with and the savings and investments were still largely intact.

And he almost always paid cash or by check (and they were always good). Credit cards were carefully guarded, for absolute emergency use only, and paid off immediately.

Dad had a knack.

Because of this, though, I grew up with the belief that it IS possible to survive quite comfortably on one good salary and that there is always more than enough money.

The past two years have been a shocker for me. My belief system has been thoroughly shaken up, my cage rattled. I've experienced what it's like to NOT have more than enough money, to look at the price of things and wonder how on Earth one salary could ever accommodate it, and I've felt genuine fear on more than one occasion.

However. If this hadn't happened, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to CHANGE.

Now for the revelation. The fear I feel related to money is ALSO a decision.

My thought process subconsciously goes like this:

1. I once believed that money arrived in a continuous, dependable flow (even though it wasn't mine) and departed the same way.
2. I once believed that it was possible to balance in against out, and thus I (decided that I) always felt confident about the flow.
   
3. My parents died, I was liberated from the workforce, and I became temporarily dependent in the meantime upon partial distributions from the estate, from selling some of my unnecessary belongings, and from the occasional freelance job.
4. Due to #3, I've decided that money now comes in chunks over which I have little control (or... I've decided that I have little control over it. *ahem).
5. I've decided that chunks don't last long when spending is a continuous flow action.
6. I must've decided at some time that spending is a continuous flow action.
7. I decided to be terrified about all of this.

Remember, I didn't decide this CONSCIOUSLY.

This is my current belief structure related to money:

• Money comes in to me as random chunks at random times.
• Money goes out from me as a continuous flow.
• This is imbalanced and I choose to experience fear about it.

It occurred to me today that all I need to do is CHANGE the first and last sentence, instill the new belief structure, and all will be well:

• Money comes in to me as chunks AND as a continuous, dependable flow.
• Money goes out from me as a continuous, dependable flow.
• This is balanced in my favor, and I choose to experience confidence and security about it.

Oh, but HOW will I get a continuous inflow of money, you ask? Guess what? That is not up to me! That is the domain of the Universe, which knows all of the infinite possibilities that I, as a mere human, do not. As with everything else, once I decide, the Universe will align with my decision.

The most obvious Continuous Flow Financial source is a job. However, there are plenty of other methods of obtaining CFFs. Royalties, for example. If you write a song that becomes a classic hit and is still being played at weddings or on the radio 30 years later, and you have a good publishing deal, you have a source of CFF for the life of the song. Or how about investment interest? The chunk arrives, it is invested, and the interest compounds regularly. That is self-generating! I'm simply trying to open the mind to alternatives.

But if I wind up taking the obvious route and there is a new job in my future, the only other thing I need to focus on is making sure that I find a job that is in alignment with my Mission Statement and my life goals. No small feat, but... I've decided I can do that.

Deciding

There is a theme continuing in these entries. I feel I'm getting closer and closer to The Answer that will permanently and positively change my life. First, I thought it was about asking for things, like you're placing an order with God/Universe/Source (let's just call it God for simplicity's sake). Then I thought it was about what we focus on.

Then it came to me in the last post that we decide. It's not up to anyone else what we become—no one else can stop us or make it work—each of us is solely responsible for making life work out. Everyone, including God, just subconsciously "agrees" with what we've already decided is true for ourselves, and "becomes" an obstacle, a hindrance or a helper to us.

This morning, the concept of deciding expanded further.

I have been trying in vain to turn myself into a morning person because I feel I'll be more productive, and with the waning daylight and the fall heat, morning seems like a great time to play with my horses. It would also allow me to treat the horse thing more like a job.

For the 9,000th time, I failed to rise at 7:00 AM. Same old situation. To bed too late, tired, unexplained sore/stiff neck, bleaghhhhh... when my eyes finally did pry themselves opened, I asked God:

"Why it is so damned hard for me to manifest this stuff? Why can't I seem to get stuff to change?"

I got an answer.

Because you’ve DECIDED it is.

Well. That launched a conversation with God that I won’t go into blow-by-blow lest we be here all night, but I'll sum up the more pertinent points.

Not only do we decide who/what we want to be/do/have/experience.

We decide EVERYTHING. Every word out of our mouth is a decision we’ve made.

In addition I was told that Prayer = Deciding; Faith = Expecting Deliverance of the Decision (manifestation).

Here’s an example. I was complaining about the morning rising issue. I said:

But, I hate getting up in the morning. I’m not a morning person. If I do get up, it’s only because I HAVE to, like for a job. And I usually feel really tired and draggy all day, because I didn’t get enough sleep the night before, because I went to bed too late. So... that makes a lot of options (careers) not possible for me.

I said, “How do I change THAT?”

The answer:

DECIDE to.

Very long debate with God about how I can’t just decide to change all that, it’s just who I am, yadda yadda... with His countering me at every turn.

He pointed out how I’d surprised myself with how much I’d enjoyed getting up before dawn for the PNH clinics, loved the morning light, the air, the way it smelled, the barn at first light, the fog, the crispness in the air... but always felt like I wasn’t supposed to be enjoying it.

I said, “Yeah, because it went against every belief I had about morning.”

God just smiled (it felt that way). Suddenly, I got it.

It went against every belief I had about morning!

Read my paragraph of whining again. Now, tell me. How many beliefs can you count?

YES! Every single one is a BELIEF. Rather... it’s what I DECIDED to believe about me and mornings. (I counted seven total.) That’s when it dawned on me (no pun intended) that when I greet someone and they say “how are you today” and I say “I’m OK, but I'm tired, I got up too early today”, I’m basically saying, “I have decided to feel tired today, and I’ve decided that I got up too early and that I don’t like it.” Then, of course, life lines up to present circumstances that underscore just how tired I am today and reminders of how early I got up.

I could have decided that I feel GREAT! I feel more alive than I have in years! But most of us don’t do that automatically. If I’ve decided that’s just how I am, that’s how I’ll BE.

Look at how differently it reads when I add I’ve decided to it:

But, I’ve decided that I hate getting up in the morning. I’ve decided that I’m not a morning person. I’ve decided that if I do get up, it’s only because I HAVE to, like for a job. And I’ve decided that I usually feel really tired and draggy all day, because I’ve decided that I didn’t get enough sleep the night before, because I’ve decided that I went to bed too late. So... I’ve decided that that makes a lot of options (careers) not possible for me.

Wow, huh? Certainly shifts MY perspective.

God said, if I just decide to enjoy rising at 7:00 AM and decide to enjoy going to bed by midnight, and decide to fall right into a sound, peaceful sleep, I WILL.

He also said that every other action/behavior and subsequent related belief will fall into place and align with it.

Decide the root belief, and the others line up.

God said:

This will feel a little strange at first—(Me: heh heh, or it will if I’ve decided that it will) because it’s new and unfamiliar. But if you decide that it feels just right, it will.

He said:

Watch what you say out loud, to others and to yourself, as well as what you think. If you can’t comfortably proclaim how great everything is because of how it might offend the people who are on perma-downers, then just respond neutrally but THINK it to yourself.

Say: “Oh, I’m good”

but think: “I’m fantastic!!!” (and try to surreptitiously lift their beliefs/decisions as well if you can)—

Me: or... HA HA HA decide to. (I love me...) I think I’m really beginning to get it. No. Wait. I’ve decided that I’m beginning to get it. HAHAHAHAHA I have to stop laughing at the absurdity of this but it’s so true! And we don’t even realize it! Or, we decide not to! AGH make it stop—

~~~

As the full force of understanding of this concept sunk in, I found myself laughing. It's so simple, yet so difficult! (Or, as I said, it is if we decide... let's not go there again. It's an endless loop. Or could be. If...)

My challenge for today is to try this exercise: Add the phrase I’ve decided that to everything thought and said throughout the day.

So if I’m thinking to myself and I slip and say “Gosh, I’m tired today”, I have to catch it and say “Wait—so I’ve decided that I’m tired today? NO WAY! I’ve decided that I am full of energy today and well-rested!”

or

"I gotta clean the kitchen" becomes "I've decided to clean the kitchen"

"I'll never lose weight" becomes "I've decided I'll never lose weight... no, wait! I've decided I'm in the process of thinning down!"

I challenge YOU to try this as well. Get some paper. Mentally divide it into thirds. Make two columns: the left is one third of the page and the right is two-thirds wide. In the right (wider) column, write down every complaint, every "this is just how I am" that you have.

• I hate vacuuming.
• God, my house is a mess.
• People are annoying and they cannot drive.
• This TV show sucks.
• It'd be nice if the neighbor would leave my lawn darts alone, but he never does.
• I love cats and chocolate!
• My boyfriend irritates me, he thinks I'm daft.
• Crap, I'm going to be late again.
• I'll never find a parking space in this lot.
• Don't drink all that soda pop, it'll make you fat!
• That woman is just never going to get a good job unless she learns to dress better.

When your list is complete (and it will be—should be—far longer than this), add the words "I've decided that" to the front of every single line, in the left-hand column. Then read it out loud.

• I've decided that I hate vacuuming.
• I've decided that God, my house is a mess.
• I've decided that people are annoying and I've decided that they cannot drive.
• I've decided that this TV show sucks.
• I've decided that it'd be nice if the neighbor would leave my lawn darts alone, but I've decided that he never does.
• I've decided that I love cats and chocolate!
• I've decided that my boyfriend irritates me, he's decided that he thinks I'm daft.
• I've decided that crap, I'm going to be late again.
• I've decided that I'll never find a parking space in this lot.
• I've decided that if you drink all that soda pop, it'll make you fat!
• I've decided that that woman is just never going to get a good job unless she learns to dress better.

Does it sound as absurd to you as it does to me? They are all just beliefs, not truths! :-)

You can't change the current circumstances because they are the product of past decisions (or... have I just decided that you can't?), but you CAN change what you decide to bring into your life from now on. The second part of the exercise would be to go back and turn the negatives into positive opposites.

So far, I've decided that I'm happy—not that I'm going to be happy, but that I am right now; I've decided some other things pertaining to the house sales; and I've done a LOT of EFT tapping on other issues, unearthing some core issues I wasn't aware I had.

Life, I've decided, is great.