Manifest Your Dreams Today

The Secret Message - October 18th, 2007

A few weeks ago, I updated the inspirational-message board that hangs on the inside of my front door. It now reads:

Happiness
|
Manifestations
|
Intentions
|
Desires

The brief outline serves as a reminder to invert my expectations about achieving or getting happiness. We almost always think of happiness as existing at a distant point beyond initial desires, intentions, and finally - manifestations. The irony, of course, is that such a model really prevents you from ever becoming happy since happiness is forever connected to some outcome or goal. (Even once you've reached the goal, another replaces it.)

I decided to really start implementing the "Happiness First" model of living life after a strange but uplifting encounter with an old friend. I was visiting my hometown about one month ago and decided to stop in at a café. Inside, I ran into the friend. We had a brief conversation before parting ways. On his way out the door, quite unexpectedly, he looked at me with a sense of directness and said,

"Remember: If you want to be happy, just be happy."

Seems obvious enough, right? Most of us would agree that this simple statement contains profound truth. Yet, in this moment, I reached a new level of understanding about the meaning of "accept happiness now." There are likely many more similar realizations to come.

Happiness and The Law of Attraction

Much of my writing in the last few weeks has attempted to explain and interpret The Law of Attraction and the intention-manifestation model. These are great tools for inviting positive change into your life partly because they help clarify dreams and partly because they offer a taste or preview of those dreams today. This last component, I believe, is essential.

As a recent visitor expressed in his comment, we must improve our lives and situations from a position of strength. In other words, we must be happy now if we expect to be happy later after achieving a goal or reaching an objective.

I've titled this article "Manifest Your Dreams Today" to point out the real power each of us has to create what we want right now - to be happy right now. This is what The Law of Attraction and intention-manifestation is really about: creating a link between the present moment and our future desires.

The classic example for intention-manifestation is a new car. Let's suppose you want to manifest a new car into your life. That is your dream. If you want to manifest your dream today, you can do so at anytime. Of course, there's always visualization: Sit back and visualize the car you really want to have. See yourself driving it, feeling good, and looking good. Really focus on the feeling the new car brings into your life.

You may very well wish to have a new car. That can be part of your dream(s). But, in my view, the thing you really want is the feeling the new car will bring - the happiness it will deliver into your life. A big part of this is also having a sense of control. By getting the new car and experiencing the positive feelings, you will feel a sense of control in your life - a satisfying and empowering place to be.

My question is:

· Why wait until the new car arrives to start feeling good?

· Why put yourself in a position where you're always living at Point A and only allowing happiness to exist at Point B?

In a discussion about this concept last night, my girlfriend made an excellent point: Why not conceive of a path in terms of Point A, B, and C - where A is your point of departure, B your current position, and C your destination. At least that model illustrates some process or consistent growth.

Manifest Your Dreams NOW

I would take this idea a step further and package all three of these "points" in the present moment - in the NOW. This allows for a greater degree of congruence between all three and is consistent with the true nature of time. After all, where lies the past and future but inside the present moment? It's wonderful to look back on the past and make out a narrative of progress and growth that led you here, and then to look out on the future and project a similar narrative of progress and growth that will take you further ahead. But the point of departure is always NOW.

Take this concept with you into today. Acknowledge where you've come from. Look out onto the road ahead.

But remember to live your dreams today. Be happy today. Make that choice NOW.

The Law of Attraction: The Power of Intention

The Secret Message - October 11th, 2007

There is a distinct difference between intention and Intention. How many times have you set an intention only to realize a few days or weeks or months later that you were not fully committed to its manifestation? And how long have you continued to push even after you have lost the enthusiasm that caused you to embark on that path?

Small-i intentions come from the mind and from the will. They are those ideas that seem great in the moment but, for whatever reason, fail to ignite the spark within us that transforms them into sustainable Intentions.

Big-I Intentions, on the other hand, come from the heart and from our Source-connected, wise self. These big Intentions inspire us. They call to us and call us into a grander expression of who we are. These Intentions feel aligned with who we are and serve to draw us into our true nature. These Intentions are so powerful that there is no way we will allow them to remain unmanifested.

Wouldn't it be nice if all of our intentions were Big-I Intentions? My personal experiences and observations have led me to believe that in order to get to those inspiring, grand, big-I Intentions we've got to go through a few practice runs with some small-i intentions.

So if you find yourself setting intentions that fail to manifest, don't despair: You are getting ready to connect with a big one! Your small intentions are like the clothes you bring into the dressing room but decide you don't like. If you didn't try them on, you wouldn't know. And if you didn't try them on, you wouldn't recognize the outfit that truly inspires you when you found it.

So get out there and set some intentions. Big-I, small-i, doesn't matter. You've got to be in the game. And the way you get in the game is by setting intentions.

Clearly decide what you want.

I know what I want to accomplish and I know how to get there. The ultimate goal is to be the best. Whether that's the best ever, who knows? I hope so.

Dream bigger.

You must at least start with the Wow Factor in order to propel an idea's launch; you need big dreams with enough big energy and big excitement to have something to endure. But save the practical, bite-size mindset for executing steps on the long haul toward fruition.

BONUS

4 Steps to make it happen - every time

• What is your it?
• Do you want it?
• Are you determined?
• Will you dedicate your energy and focus towards it?

You can achieve it. You can be an entrepreneur. You can skyrocket your business to success. You can complete the big project and meet the deadline. You can go back to school. You can teach yourself a new skill. You can develop and sustain a relationship with the person God has for you. You can live without regret. You can make it happen, and you can do it now, with these four steps.

#1: Define it: What is your it? What drives you, what is it you dream of achieving? Think big. What will keep you motivated? Do you want to start your own business and be your own boss? Do you want to switch careers? Are you seeking the love of your life? Are you striving to be a better person? Label your it. Now, be sure this is the it for you, for now. Are you ready for it? What if your dream happened, would you be ready to handle the success it brings? Be confident that God gives you the strength to accomplish the dreams He lays on your heart (He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it - Philippians 1:6).

If it is the right dream for you, is this the right time for this it?

For example, starting a new business. Income opportunities are wide open for entrepreneurs. In addition to finding a niche for your company offline, the internet provides the opportunity for people to earn a good living with relatively little investment. But it requires initiative, something to contribute to the world, and a person smart enough to understand (or learn about) business, the content, and the internet. Is that you? You also have to check the timing. Before you quit your day job, try it out on a small scale and see if your it has found a place.

#2: Detail it- Create a step by step action plan for success. Investigate other successes in your area of focus. Searching for the love of your life? Read books on relationships. Spell out what type of person you are seeking, and be the person that type of person would desire. Looking to improve in business? List out exactly what needs improvement and devise strategies for success in increments, monitoring your progress at regular intervals. Be specific with yourself, so you have clear and practical goals to accomplish each day.

#3: Do it- do it better, do it more, or do it differently, but never stop striving. If you find obstacles impeding your success, find a way around them: do it better. If you find you had difficulty in a relationship, learn from this experience, and learn how to do it better for the next time. If you stumble, get back up. If you lose a contract or client, or find you are fumbling deadlines, invest more energy into it: do it more. If you are finding brick walls with every attempt, seek out advice and change your strategy: do it differently.

If you are sure this is the right it for you and for now, then whether you do it better, do it more, or do it differently, never give up, just keep going and do it.

Do what you determine to create. Make it happen! Attitude is everything. You will never succeed without an "I can do it!" attitude. Exude confidence inside and out. Let your clients, business contacts, and others involved in your it see your expectations of achievement. Believe it and keep your focus.

#4: Do a different it- If you have truly put forth the effort, and it is not happening, then change your it. Some it is unfolding, so learn what that is, and refocus your energy towards that: do a different it. For example, only 1% of those who try to run their own business succeed. Are you in that 1%? You never know until you try, and you just might change your life. If you never try, you will never succeed. Either way, you will succeed in your it. Success means seeing past failures as stepping stones on your journey to the mountain peak of your it.

When I ran my business years ago, I started with a determination to make it work because I had to make it work. I had picked up and moved to a new state, and started from scratch. God had given me the skills, the opportunity, and the business smarts, and it was up to me to do the work. And I did. I treated my clients with respect, balanced professionalism with personality, and in a very competitive niche, I received more business than I could handle. I chose my own hours, referred work to others when I wanted time off, and received positive feedback from others in the business community. It was the right it, at the right time, and I followed through with the details and did it. I had a great attitude and I kept my focus on the it. I made it happen.

God is showing me my it, my passion, and His faithfulness in completing His purpose for my life. The grant was just a stepping stone towards encountering and achieving my it.

Attitude makes all the difference. Are you giving up, just hanging on, or excited about your future? Seek out your it, and make it happen! I continue to pray for my readers as I write to encourage and help you find your it. You can do it!

You can succeed and make it happen! Why wait? Adjust your attitude with these four steps, and do it today.

The Law of Attraction: Emotions

The Secret Message- October 4^th, 2007

One of the most powerful aspects of the Law of Attraction is its focus on feelings as a primary mode of experiencing the world. The Law of Attraction teachings often speak of our "emotional guidance system." The primary point of this is that our emotions provide us with a valuable source of information.

Even the so-called "negative" emotions provide us with powerful guidance: When we are feeling angry or depressed, or frustrated, or overwhelmed, these emotions are clear indicators that we are disconnected from our Source energy. When we are feeling emotions on the lower end of the emotional spectrum, we are, most likely, attracting more unwanted things into our life.

By paying attention to our emotions, we become clear about our point of attraction. In other words, are we attracting from a positive, connected, intentional state, or are we attracting by default, from a negative, resistant state? When we know where our point of attraction is, we can begin to take steps to consciously raise our point of attraction up the emotional scale.

BONUS

Finding Peace Through Forgiveness

Are there stages of forgiveness?

Long ago, a friend therapist taught me that there are stages to go through before one can forgive. They went something like this:

1) acknowledge and feel the pain

2) express the painful emotions from the hurt

3) process and express anger

4) forgive

How do you want to spend your time?

Now I question the order of those stages. My primary desire is to forgive and I trust that by focusing on this outcome, my anger and hurt over injustices will be healed. It may take time for the healing to occur and that is okay. It still makes me feel good to know that forgiveness is leading the way.

For example, let's say that someone says something to me that hurts my feelings. I determine the source of my pain and then immediately take steps toward forgiveness. I firmly believe that everyone is doing the best that they can and I tell myself this over and over. This belief helps me to forgive. Sometimes I don't forgive 100% right away but I am making the effort. I no longer want to get bogged down in anger and resentment for long periods of time before I strive to forgive.

According to The Bible, some of the last words spoken by Jesus as he hung on the cross included "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." After being tortured and crucified, it is remarkable that Jesus had forgiveness in his heart. Jesus certainly did not have ample time to process anger about being crucified before he said those words. He immediately forgave.

Self-Forgiveness is The Biggie.

Often the person I need to forgive is myself. It is easy for me to continuously beat myself up for a mistake, failure or anything else I perceive as negative about myself. There is no need for me to be so hard on myself! I believe that just as I have to love myself before I can love others, I have to forgive myself before I can forgive others. More and more, I am learning to forgive myself for all the big stuff, the little stuff, the real stuff and the imagined stuff.

I will be the first to admit, it can be challenging to forgive. Like anything else, practice makes forgiving easier. When I first started skating, it was challenging and difficult. After lots of practice, it became a joy. The same thing can happen with forgiveness. Begin by focusing on forgiving the smaller hurts before you leap to the major ones. Thankfully, Thankfully, my first piano teacher did not assign Sonata I by Mozart to me at my first piano lesson! It seems the first piece I learned was something like Mary Had a Little Lamb.

Keeping a Forgiveness Journal

A structure to keep forgiveness alive in your life is to keep a Forgiveness Journal. Write down five of your personal acts of forgiveness each day. Make sure you include forgiveness toward yourself in your list. Also, be specific! Here is a sample:

I forgive myself for spilling juice on the floor.

I forgive that dog for biting me when I was five years old.

I forgive my leg for being so slow to heal!

I forgive that guy for taking my turn at the stop sign.

I forgive everyone in the publishing industry who has sent me a rejection slip!

Making a short, daily list of forgiveness will help keep you focused on forgiving. As you strengthen your forgiveness muscle, you will become less burdened by the heaviness that comes from consciously and unconsciously holding on to self-inflicted hurts as well as hurts that are created by others. If you have doubts about the power of forgiveness, try keeping the journal for just one week. Notice how you feel at the end of your trial run. If you are so inclined, keep forgiving and spread the word about the positive impact of forgiveness.

Do This For You!

Forgiveness brings the greatest healing to the one who forgives. If you constantly forgive others and yourself, there is not much use for resentment, hatred, anger and revenge. Your heart will become a nesting place for peace.

There will not be peace in the world until the majority of us have peace in our hearts. If you want to impact the world in a positive way, start with yourself. Consciously walk the path of forgiveness. Much like gratitude and love, it is a path that will lead you toward greater joy and peace.

Thanks to my Colleague Keaton Smith for this bonus article!

Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. ~Mark Twain

Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future. ~Paul Boese

The Law of Attraction: Joy (Secret Message 9/27/07)

The topic of this edition is Joy. If you have spent any time at all studying the Law of Attraction you know that much of the information focuses on joy. Joy, it is said, is one of the most positively attractive vibrations that you can offer to the Universe. When you are feeling joy you are aligned with your desires, you are connected to Source, and you are drawing to you, things, people and events that are aligned with your desires.

If you have spent any time at all studying the Law of Attraction you know that much of the information focuses on joy. Joy, it is said, is one of the most positively attractive vibrations that you can offer to the Universe. When you are feeling joy you are aligned with your desires, you are connected to Source, and you are drawing to you, things, people and events that are aligned with your desires.

Seems pretty straightforward, except for one thing. There is joy and then there is JOY. We have all experienced those fleeting moments of joy that bounce us up the emotional scale for a moment or a day or a week, only to find ourselves back down near our emotional set point when the moment has passed. This is joy. This is a feeling driven by external events. It is not powered from within but fueled from something outside. Because of that, its very nature is transient, temporary.

The other joy, the big JOY, the JOY that is powered from within, is not transient. It is, I believe, an expression of our true nature, an expression of our connection to Source moving through us. This JOY is not fueled by external circumstances. This JOY is independent of circumstances, events and things. When we are aligned with this JOY, what we have, who we are with and what is happening in the world around us are irrelevant.

Does this mean that the small joy is bad or that, as Deliberate Creators, we should seek to avoid the small joys and strive only for the big one? Absolutely not. For those small joys - the moments when we look into a lover's eyes, or hear the innocent giggles of a baby, or step back and look with joy at a work of art we are creating - are moments that give us a taste of the big JOY. And each of those moments offers a potential doorway into the big JOY.

Yes, seek joy, step into the world following your guidance into relationships, places and situations that hold the promise of joy, but know that ultimately what you are seeking is the big JOY, the JOY that flows out from you into the world independent of anything around you.

See if you can begin noticing when you are experiencing joy and when you are experiencing JOY!

BONUS

The Way of Manifestation Part 1 - Visualization

Visualization is one of the most powerful tools for manifesting the reality that we want. From our desires we build our ideas, from ideas we envision our success, from our vision we create our reality.

Visualization is one of the best kept "secrets" of conscious manifestation. It's one of the ways up the mountain to creating a life that we desire. Whether we seek to create wealth, health, happiness, be free of pain, emotional wounds or just have a simple life - the principles of manifestation will apply. It's all about understanding the interactions of energy and ourselves. Visualization interacts with our minds and bodies in a very interesting and effective way. If a visualization is strong and/or sustained long enough, we create a belief and knowing that we are now manifesting that reality. It is seen and witnessed and so it is done.

All of us have the ability to visualize perfectly. We just need to allow our minds to realize this.

Close your eyes for a moment and try to see in your mind's eye an apple.

How clear is it?

Does it shift and waver?

Can you make the apple red?

Can you see it in detail?

A small percentage of people will be able to visualize the apple clearly the very first time. The rest of us need to train our minds to focus on that image much like focusing a camera lens. In time all of us are capable of seeing that apple perfectly in our mind's eye, and if we can see the apple, then we can see anything - success, health, wealth, love, whatever it is that we wish to create.

It is valuable to understand that clear visualization exists for everyone right here and now - we are just learning to tune into it. It is very similar to tuning a television or radio to get the station that we want. If we are off a little bit, all we see is static. When we keep looking we begin to refine the ability of our mind to hone in on the signal. Eventually the image becomes clearer, and in time it becomes perfect.

Experiment with what types of visualization work easiest for you. Some people find it easy to visualize an apple but difficult to visualize a car driving down the street and vice versa. Make sure to practice both what comes easy and what is more challenging. The aim is to be able to visualize whatever we want whenever we want. As far as manifestation goes however the real fun begins when we visualize ourselves achieving our goals and dreams, and this is what we should focus on as soon as possible. So even if the visualizations are muddy, wavering or unclear at first keep connected and keep going! Your skills will improve with persistence and practice.

One of the important fundamentals of manifestation is that we need to make sure that we see what we want to create as clearly as we can - to actually witness it happening and being achieved in our mind's eye. It is not complete until we see it happen. This is the fundamental difference between intention and knowing. Intention is a may be. Knowing is a certainty.

If we would manifest our reality we need to make our visualization as clear and as certain as possible. If for example you want to cure yourself of a sickness then see your self fully cured. See yourself flourishing and in vibrant health. Do not stop the visualization until you get it just right. If you want to see yourself acing your exams then see it happening. See yourself doing it easily. See yourself accessing the information you need easily. See yourself walking in and walking out full of clarity and confidence in your abilities. See yourself holding your results in front of you.

The more directed, flexible and strong our focus, the easier it is to visualize. This is something we want to keep in mind. We want to develop our visualization so that it is effortless. If we find ourselves straining then we end up affirming that manifestation will be a difficult and challenging process. Through finding the path in our mind of least resistance we can manifest effortlessly and easily.

As can be seen, the principles involved in visualization tie into the practices of focus and observation that have been discussed in previous articles. The skills of observation give us the sensitivity to know what needs to be worked on, what needs to be refined and honed. Focus is what lets us get crystal clear images. It keeps things sharp. Focus is also what transforms ideas into reality.

It's a relatively simple process of training a mind that quite literally sees chaos or "nothing" when it tries to visualize to one that has absolute clarity.

The "secret" of success is regular practice.

We start where we are. Even if the image is present for a split second and then gone this is where we move from. In your practice do not be concerned with whether it is working properly or not. Focus in on the object of your visualization and even if your mind's eye is complete blackness know that your mind is training to find the shape of your images. Start where you are and step by step your skills will evolve and improve.

If motivation and discipline is a limiting factor then a good starting point is to visualize ourselves being motivated and disciplined. The key is to make it easy, to see ourselves practicing and doing what we want with relatively nothing holding us back. Practice even 5 minutes a day for ten days and the degree of difference in motivation and discipline will be substantial enough to begin getting started on other goals. Self- discipline is a very valuable skill for achieving anything in life, so let it be one of the first things we develop.
Conscious, directed visualization is one of the keys to manifesting the reality we desire.

Make it a close friend that you communicate with regularly and it will serve you well.

A special 'Thank you' to my colleague Hieu Doan for this article!