Gratitude and Now

I came up with a couple of new prayers today that I thought I'd share with you:

Thank you God, that I have more than enough of all good things, plenty to share, and freedom from desire, want and need. Amen.

That’s it. No need to ask for money, love, stuff, food, etc. Just assume He is providing me constantly with more than enough so I can share my wealth (of all types) generously, and that I’m free from desire (cravings, yearnings, wanting what is lacking). That’s a good place to be, eh? And I can be there right now. That's much better than arriving there "someday in the future".

The other one is more of an affirmation:

Right now, I am happy!
As I am,
Where I am,
With what I have,
And who I am...
Because I choose to be.
Thank You, God, and God Bless Me! Amen.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Can You Identify Your Goal in 5 Words or Less?

I couldn't before, but I can, now.

So many blog posts go on at length in an attempt to define a concept, goal, or belief. I should know. I've been doing it myself. As you know, I tend to ramble. And I've been trying for months now to provide my skeptical friends and family with a sufficient explanation of why I find the concept of having a J.O.B. so offensive and out of alignment with my true nature.

I've tried to describe this state of producing things from my heart and soul, of enjoying my efforts, of having more than one source of income and still being highly successful (as in, no need to book me a couch at your place for the month, thanks). I've come up with a long list of the myriad ways in which money can be had other than from a J.O.B. I've tried to dispel the myth my parents told me—without a job, you will not be able to survive.

Along the way, I have (as you probably also have) run across quite a number of folks who are defying that myth daily—people like Portable Empire's Pat O'Bryan or The Attractor Factor's Joe Vitale—as well as people who are doing what they love no matter how crazy it might sound and enjoying amazing success doing it, like my horsemanship mentor Pat Parelli.

It's proof that you don't need a trust fund or a lottery win to have it all.

You've probably tried your hand at affirmations. If so, then you are aware that brevity is the key to success, because it's easier to focus on a brief statement than a long-winded ramble. You know that it's easier to visualize a focused concept akin to remembering one scene than to try to replay the entire movie in your head. You also know how difficult it can be to condense into a short sentence the Ultimate Goal you're trying to achieve.

I'm with you there. I've struggled with the same thing.

Until today.

All I did was read another's blog post. I'm giving a big shout-out to Pat O'Bryan for summing it up for me in his own ramble.

Drumroll, please.

My Ultimate Goal is to have...

"multiple streams of passive income"

That's it. That's all it takes to define my goal. Five little words.

Passive income, meaning I don't have a J.O.B. by definition but I still have the income; and multiple streams meaning it comes from my "various creative endeavors and not one takes primary focus". With multiple streams of passive income, I'm free to pursue all of my activities and enjoy my life rather than waste my precious years working for someone else, doing someone else's "thing", making someone else's dreams come true while mine die on the vine.

All right. I have my goal. I'm heading off now to visualize my goal and set my intention for having "multiple streams of passive income". Thanks for listening.

PS: When you can define your goal in five words or less, please share it with me in the comments.

Energy Shifts

I've been struggling with a few concepts today, but I’ve had insights. Big ones. The main point is:

If I put out half-assed energy, I’ll get back half-assed energy and results.

My struggle has been with doubt and hesitation over actually pursuing a new home business venture that I've been thinking about doing. Being the crafty creative type, with a background in fiber arts, I've been mulling over the possibility of turning my art into profit. This past month, against all logic (because I'm in need of a funding injection, bills are due, and I'm still liberated from the workforce), I took a small risk and invested a tiny bit of money in supplies and equipment for said venture. I launched into it with great gusto.

Then came the procrastination after the first efforts were complete.

I was happy with my results, yet... this nagging feeling began to grow. Since then, I've been finding all sorts of reasons not to focus on my art.

Now, when I think about getting up to do the artistic thing, in the back of my mind this voice of doubt pipes up, saying:

“I shouldn’t be doing this, I should be out looking for a job.”

Yes, I realize I am shoulding all over myself and that's a big LOA no-no.

Well, it occurred to me that no matter how productive I’m being all day over the dye pots, if I’m doing it with THAT energy going out alongside of it, with this little voice in the back of my head nagging at me and insisting I should be elsewhere, then...

What energy am I going get in return?

I'll tell you what: a whole lot of evidence to support that voice that said “I told you you should have been out looking for a job rather than futzing around with that silly little 'hobby' of yours”.

But... what if the energy shifted?

What if I purposely shifted the energy? What if I was actively engaged in my creative pursuits with the constant conscious refrain of:

“THIS is what I’m meant to be doing RIGHT NOW, this is what I AM doing, and this is what is supporting me and my furry loved ones for the next several months or years and it IS successful”?

What do you suppose might happen?

My feeling is that the energy shift is all it would take to change everything for the better. My guess is, I'd be more productive, more enthusiastic, and doors full of opportunities would fly open before me. My guess is, success would begin to chase ME down.

This is so simple, yet so darned hard at the same time.

Word of the Year

Caroline over at The Zen In You pointed me toward Christine Kane's blog. Christine came up with a concept that Caroline and many others have embraced: choose ONE WORD to empower you throughout 2009.

The idea is that by choosing one word, rather than creating a list of resolutions to keep, you will be directed more clearly toward achieving that goal.

I examined the list of possible words as suggested by Christine. Many felt acceptable, but none were hitting the mark. I mulled it over for a bit and asked myself: "What is it that I most need in my life this year?"

The answer came. So simple, of course. Here is my word for 2009:

IMPROVEMENT

For this is what is needed in all aspects of my life. What's yours?

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays...

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.