Day 12 Don’t take it personally

First comes thought; then organization of that thought into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination.

-Napoleon Hill

Essential Ingredient #3


Life Lesson # 1  Don’t take it personally

As I was reading today’s short story I once again found myself face to face with a lesson that I was meant to experience at just that particular moment. My belief is that when you begin to tune into yourself and your values the universe steps up to see that you are provided with the right tools to make things happen. Apparently I’m right where I need to be and the tools I need have been finding me right here Monday –Friday.

Attitude is the reflection of a person, and our world mirrors our attitude.

-Earl Nightingale

My take away from today’s story; our biggest roadblock s in achieving our dreams is ourselves. I knew that, but I’m always learning new ways we accomplish it. We find ways to both internally and externally, consciously and unconsciously impede our progress. Imagine for a second all that we could accomplish, all that we could be do and have if we would only stay out of our own way. Think for a moment about all the time wasted on anger, excuses, and blame…now forgive yourself for it, let it go and move forward.



There are many things that block us from receiving the prosperity we desire one of which is blame. In today’s lesson they not only discuss this type of blockage but they give you a method for clearing it…FORGIVENESS. Forgiving someone for doing you wrong is tough enough and can be unimaginable for some depending on the circumstances. However forgiving one’s self can be even harder.
Now if you, like me believe in the Law of Attraction you understand that what you put out into the universe you attract back more of the same. So if you are angry and miserable and holding a grudge against yourself or anyone else it stands to reason that you will attract more situations into your life that will produce similar feelings and outcomes. However if you let go of the anger and forgive (truly) forgive yourself and others for everything you remove the roadblock and clear your path to receive more of what you want.
At this point I want to back track a step and let you know that the story also talks about the Laws of Prosperity (The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity). In Randy’s story he mentions that there are seven prosperity laws that we should live by and that they are all interrelated. It is the Vacuum Law of Prosperity is the law that is in effect during forgiveness situations. If you have a prosperity block he would recommend three simple steps;

1. Mentally forgive everyone you are out of harmony with.

2. Mentally ask forgiveness from the people you have wronged in the past, gossiped about, in a law suit with or any other disharmony with.

3. If you have accused yourself of failure or mistakes, forgive yourself.

Once you have completed these steps you will clear your path and open your door for prosperity.

There was a time in my life where I commuted from Hampton to Boston for work. I did this for nine years through all sorts of weather. During that time I developed road rage…everyone was out to get me, cutting me off, slamming on their breaks for no apparent reason, not letting me on the highway, and just all around rude. I didn’t know what I did to them but apparently I had done it to a lot of people. That anger would linger at both the start and end of my day. That was then.

These days when someone cuts me off I try to remember that everyone has a story and I always say “They were in such a hurry I hope everything is ok”, no anger to carry through my day and I feel so much better and all I did was change how I saw the situation, I changed my perspective, let go of the anger and mad my commute, days and evenings a lot more pleasant.
Exercise 1


In your prosperity journal write the name of a person you have felt resentful towards lately.


Write down the perspective you currently hold about the situation.


Ask yourself what’s a different perspective that I could hold and feel better about?


Try to identify at least six different perspectives.


Read through all of them and decide which one feels better.


When you‘ve felt even the smallest amount of relief in how you feel, you’ve done your work!

So the next time someone does something and you notice that you are taking in personally and allowing it to effect you remember the above exercise and try looking at the situation from a different perspective. You’ll be surprised how the quality of your life can improve simply by changing your perspective.

Final thought for the day:

In life, we will encounter hurts and trials that we will not be able to change; we are just going to have to allow them to change us.

Ron Lee Davis

Tomorrow:


Essential Ingredient #3 Transforming Thoughts
Life Lesson #2 Where Thought Goes, Energy Flows

Have a great weekend, Smile Often
Barbara
http://www.lifetude.com/

Day 11 Call In Your Team

Interdependent people combine their own efforts with the efforts of others to achieve their greatest success.

-Stephen Covey

Essential Ingredient #2


Life Lesson # 5 Call In Your Team

 Sometimes the lessons we learn are hard…very hard. The situations we get ourselves into can be even more difficult to get ourselves out of (most of the time because we make it that way by believing it to be that way). However with everything I have been through I have learned a couple of things over and over again…I’ll be ok and things work out. They tend to work out better and faster when I make choices that align with who I am and the values I hold. I’ve also learned that we never have to go it alone…sometimes we just choose to.

Great moments wait around every corner.
 -Richard M. DeVos

So if life is filled with ups and downs and ups and downs are filled with lessons and lessons are filled with choices and choices become the stones that pave our path to our desires, how do we navigate our way through it all? Well you could go it alone. That’s one choice or you could do as this lesson is titled and “Call in Your Team”.

I have a team. Each member of my team has a special purpose. Some people are there as shoulders to lean on, they listen ask questions and give hugs but offer little advice. My coach is there to help me work through challenges and help me stay on track. I also have an attitude person, who helps me stay in a positive frame of mind. My point is that I have different people I can go to for different reasons. They are family, friends, and professionals and as I travel through life on my journey to achieving my dreams I call on them for support, advice, reminders, even hugs.

Today’s lesson talked about not only having a team in place but having the right members on the team and calling on them for the right reason. Simply put if you needed financial advice you should probably think twice before calling on the friend who has a gambling problem and doesn’t have a penny to his name.

The book Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction: 7 Essential Ingredients for Living a Prosperous Life also mentions that your team can also include classes and/or retreats. The authors also says to keep personal history in mind when working with people that have a personal history with you, the more objective your team the better.

It’s important that when you call on your team that you be very specific when you are asking them for help with what you need. When you make a request be sure you receive a yes. This is a powerful team you are putting together and the interaction may take practice for all involved. Some may give you what you need and others may need to be reminded, but it’s up to you to you to get what you need.

Exercise 1

In your prosperity journal answer the following questions:

1. Who’s on your team?

2. What role do you want them to take on with you?

3. How do you want them to support you?

4. Are you forcing anyone to be on your team? If so why?

5. Who else could you find who’s more suitable?

Note: Please keep in mind that although I use excerpts and exercise from the book Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction: 7 Essential Ingredients for Living a Prosperous Life, I do believe that you can and will benefit from reading the blog and following the exercises. Having said that I also think you miss out on the stories and larger explanations that may provide you a deeper understanding of the material. If you don’t want to purchase the book you could ask a friend if you could borrow it or check your local library.

Tomorrow:

Essential Ingredient #3

Transforming Thoughts

Until tomorrow, Smile Often

Barbara

http://www.lifetude.com/

Day 10 You Are Always at Choice

You always do what you want to do. This is true with every act. You may say that you had to do something, or that you were forced to, but actually whatever you do you do it by choice. Only you have the power to choose for yourself.

-V. Clement Stone

Essential Ingredient #2

Life Lesson # 4              You Are Always at Choice


I don’t know about you but for me the last ten days have been like a ride on a rollercoaster. My journey has been an interesting one to say the least. I have experienced ups and downs highs and lows. My life seems to be following this blog and making sure that I experience all that I can so that my journey becomes a value to you as well as myself. At first I didn’t think it was so funny and I certainly wasn’t enjoying the ride, but then I stepped back and started following my own advice as well as the advice of the authors. However now I know, it was meant to be. I’m learning a lot that I will be able to use to help others and for that I am truly grateful.

Yesterday’s lesson really helped me release the “now what” and simply allow myself to live the present moment, to stay true to who I am and the values I hold. As I reread a couple of the lessons I realized that I did not have to work through them alone and I picked up the phone and called on my support team (my coach, my attitude shifter). Do you have a support team? People who truly hear what you have to say and help you stay centered and on track? Positive influences, not negative energy hogs? I cannot stress enough how important it is to have some type of positive support in your life, negativity is a very slippery slope.

Freedom, then, lies only in our innate human capacity to choose between different sorts of bondage, bondage to desire and self-esteem, or bondage to the light that lightens all our lives.

-SRI Madhava Ashish

One of the things I have noticed over the years is that some people get very upset (even though it is said in a non-judgmental way)when you mention that they do what they do because they have made a choice to do so, or they are where they are in life because of the choices they have made. Although I have my theories I am not 100% sure why people react this way. Choices are good; it’s great to have them. When you get to the stage where you are aware that you always have a choice you deflate many of your fears.

The authors of Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction: 7 Essential Ingredients for Living a Prosperous Life say that knowing you have a choice and consciously choosing your outcome or claiming your dream is very different from being in a situation and simply wanting, wishing it to be different. If there is a situation in your life that is frustrating for you, you are the only person who can choose to change it. You need to put yourself behind the wheel; you need to take charge of your options.

If you think you can or you think you can’t you’re probably right.

-Henry Ford

Don’t settle for less than you want. If you believe that something isn’t possible or is out of your reach your effort at achieving your dream will be minimal. However when you decide that a desire is possible and are ready to have it the universe will assist you and things will begin to unfold.

So what do you do? In the book they suggest stepping back. Stop exhausting yourself take some deep breaths over and over again, allow yourself to relax and let in thoughts not bound by the issue. When you settle down enough to focus on you, your body & how you are feeling, you can begin to accept what is going on and accept responsibility for your situation. By accepting responsibility you are taking control , giving yourself back the power to change it and best of all you can turn any situation around no matter how dark or deep.


Exercise 1

What are you choosing to claim for yourself today?


What do you want to feel?


Take five minutes to see this choice as a movie on the screen of your mind.


Close your eyes and take some deliberate breaths in and out to relax, allowing yourself to tap into your heart.


Imagine there is a twenty foot wide screen in front of you. See the scene of your choice playing out in front of you. Listen to the sounds. Is there a conversation happening? With whom? What is the scene? Where is it taking place? Do you look happy and peaceful or are you experiencing another emotion?


Step into the scene. Place yourself in the movie. Notice how you feel. Once you feel the scene becoming real, enjoy it. Take a few minutes to be there. Then close the scene.


Doing this type of visualization generates a lot of movement toward your desires. Even though you may not see it you are amping up the vibration. This may be the most important action to take today toward fulfillment and joy.
I truly hope that you will follow the suggestions of the authors so that you can experience this journey and its joy as I am…it’s your choice, choose.
Tomorrow:

Life Lesson #5 Call In Your Team

Until tomorrow, Smile Often
Barbara
http://www.lifetude.com/

Day 9 Where You Currently Stand is Perfect

We do not see things as they are; we see them as we are

-The Talmud

Essential Ingredient #2


Life Lesson # 3
Where You Currently Stand is Perfect


Have you ever been so worried about something you made yourself sick? So worried the only things you could concentrate on were all the ones you did that didn’t work out? A situation that you had no idea how to fix (and you kept telling yourself that) or how you would survive it? If you said yes you are not alone.

I have experienced it. Stranger thing most of the time I realized my worry was much larger than the actual issue. It’s a vicious negative circle that when looked at closely is usually fueled by our negative thoughts and fears…we make things worse. Our imagination climbs on board the train and out of nowhere we go from a board missing off the track to the bridge being out. We forget about all that has gone right. We forget about what we have gone through. We forget that we always have a choice and that choice could lead be our ticket off the train.

It’s like that bill collector you’ve been avoiding, he calls and calls and you never pick up the phone. Instead you cringe when your phone rings and worry about the next time he’s going to call. You may even take it a step further and start complaining about him and all he’s trying to do is his job. It’s not his fault he’s calling you.

Most bill collectors know that they are calling people who are struggling. That doesn’t change the fact that they want their money and would like to know when you can give it to them. You probably feel like you have no choice here so you don’t answer the phone you avoid it at all cost. Truth is you do have a choice…avoid or pick up the phone. Why not communicate with them and lessen the load. They may not stop calling but maybe they work with you. Maybe they call less often. The point being you may not like your choices but you always have one.

I use the example above because so many can relate to it and I know it must be hard for those who don’t know me that well to put their faith in believing I understand where they are coming from, but keep this in mind; everybody has a story. My story could fill several episodes of Oprha, without even trying. It is these experiences that have brought me to where I am today and what help me to relate so well to my clients.

I’ve never been poor only broke.

Being poor is a frame of mind.

Being broke is a temporary situation.

-Mike Todd

My interpretation of today’s stories is; learning to live in the moment, letting go of the outcome, freeing your mind so that you stay in a “place” where possibilities and opportunities become clear. When you are in a crazed no hope frame of mind you close yourself off to both. I am not saying ignore, or toss in the towel simply live this moment, believe that opportunities to improve are everywhere and the possibilities are endless. To borrow a line from the movie “The Santa Clause 2” Seeing is not believing, believing is seeing.” Have a faith…look how far you have already come.

I know what you are probably thinking. You’re probably thinking “easier said than done”. Been there said that. However I also believe in the Law of Attraction. I also have experienced all of this enough to know that it is true. But most of all I know that if you think about your state of mind when you have experienced a situation like this then you know how difficult it can be to have faith and see anything good when you are so crazy with worry.

So what do you do? In the book they suggest stepping back. Stop exhausting yourself take some deep breaths over and over again, allow yourself to relax and let in thoughts not bound by the issue. When you settle down enough to focus on you, your body & how you are feeling, you can begin to accept what is going on and accept responsibility for your situation. By accepting responsibility you are taking control , giving yourself back the power to change it and best of all you can turn any situation around no matter how dark or deep.

Sound too good to be true? It’s true. As hard as it may be to believe you are in the perfect place right now. You have been moving away from your dream and what is happening is actually happening to help you make the corrections you need to make.
It Matters not how many times you fall, but how many times you rise.


There may be bumps in the road but what matters is how you respond to them.
So give yourself permission to be exactly where you are. Whatever the current state of your relationships, family, finances, health, or life balance, accept that you are fine. Stop comparing, stop self criticizing.

Straight from the book:


Exercise 1

 Here is a great way to be at peace with your life even if you’re not anywhere near living your dreams.


Call to mind any areas in your life where you feel negative judgment about. (Its easier if you write it down)


Do you have any constant negative judgment or guilt about your financial status? Debt?


Do you have any frustration about your mate (or lack of one)? What about your family? Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? Write down every nagging situation that you wish were different.


When you are done choose one topic you would like to release. Imagine you could hold all the negative thoughts about this issue in your hand. You can begin to look at them from a different perspective. Take a nice deep breath in. Continue to take deep breaths in through your nose then releasing through your mouth. Imagine squashing all the thoughts into a ball the size of an orange


Keep breathing. As you become more centered ask yourself some questions about the ball of thoughts you are holding. What’s it made of? Is there a texture to it? Does it feel light or heavy? Does it have color?


Decide what you would like to do with it. It’s your ball of thoughts and you get to decide its fate. You can drop it, burn it or dissolve it. You can shrink it to the size of a pin head. You can toss it in the ocean. What about an imaginary laser beam breaking it up into dust? You can blow it into the wind. You can put it anywhere you want. Choose.


Good. How are you feeling about the issue now? Continue your breathing. Remember you are bigger than it. These thoughts mean nothing about you. You can continue releasing these thoughts one by one.

Tomorrow?

Life Lesson #4


You Are Always At Choice

Until tomorrow, Smile Often
Barbara
http://www.lifetude.com/

Day 8 Breakthroughs Don’t Have To Be Hard

At any moment I could start being a better person...

But which moment should I choose?

-Ashleigh Brilliant

Essential Ingredient #2


Life Lesson # 2
Breakthroughs Don’t Have To Be Hard

The dictionary defines “defining moment” as; a point at which the essential nature or character of a person, group, etc., is revealed or identified. I would like to add that it is a point at which one obtains clarity. They get “it”. In coaching terms it is referred to as an “aha moment”. For me, reflecting back over my own defining moments tells a story, reminds me of what’s truly important, points out just how far I have come, and all that I have overcome and accomplished to get here.

Each of us has moments in our lives that stand out... Moments that have either taught or reminded us something about ourselves. For me these moments range from simply biting my tongue and keeping a particular thought to myself to the time when the Doctor told me that the humane thing to do was to not tell my Mom what was going on and instead just to allow her to bleed to death. My point is defining moments come in all sizes and we experience them at different times in different situations. The moment itself doesn’t need to be large for there to be an “Aha” sometimes it comes down to a saying yes or no when your usual response would have been the opposite.

One of the things I have always been good at is helping people see things from a different perspective. Seeing things differently can help you go from fearful to proactive, from trapped and hopeless to open and filled with possibilities. These moments, life defining moments build you up, give you strength, teach you about life and yourself and get stored in your memory for a future time when you need a boost of confidence, or to recall how you dealt with a similar situation.

What you learn or gain from one moment can be used to help you through others and make your life better, happier, more fulfilling. The situation may be different, but the process is not. In the book Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction: 7 Essential Ingredients for Living a Prosperous Life the authors note that the three step process is always the same;

1 Decide what you want.

2. Give your attention to it in a way that feels good.

3. Follow your inner guidance to take the steps that will be perfect for your journey.

Give me a kiss to build a dream on, and my imagination will thrive upon that kiss.

-Louis Armstrong

Exercise 1

What are your Life Defining Moments?

In your prosperity journal list at least 10 situations, moments that turned your life toward a more fulfilling path.

Look back on your life and appreciate all you have done, all your accomplishments. Feel joy, celebrate, relive it, relish it, and remember it as vividly as you can use all your senses to paint the picture.

Next identify those thoughts and practices that served you in each instance. This information is your road map to your desires.

The easiest time to forget what we have been through, how far we have come, all the road blocks we have knock down, all the times we succeeded, and all our accomplishments is when we are on the verge of another defining moment. That is why taking the time to look back, remember, celebrate and use what we have learned about who we are, who we want to be is so important.

Tomorrow
Life Lesson #3
Where You Currently Stand Is Perfect

Until tomorrow, Smile Often
Barbara
http://www.lifetude.com/

Day 7 You’re Never Stuck!

I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.

-Booker T. Washington

Essential Ingredient #2
Life Lesson # 1
You’re Never Stuck!

Burnout doesn’t occur because we’re solving problems; it occurs because we’ve been trying to solve the same problems over and over. The problem named is the problem solved. Identify and confront the real problems in your path.

-Susan Scott

I was recently talking with a friend who wanted to know what kind of people I work with. I told her that I work with people from different walks of life. These individuals are in a wide range of careers and are at different stages in their lives. I also told her that my ideal client was someone who was; sick and tired of being sick and tired, ready, open and willing to change, committed to living a better life and have at least one goal.
It is your responsibility to see that your life works out the way you want it to. No one else can do it for you. The power to change your life is within you. –Heidi Baer

The short story that goes along with today’s lesson is said to be a rags to faith to riches story. After reading the story it was clear to me that it was riches to rags to faith to riches story.

The short version is that this woman left one marriage (where she was well off), received a settlement. Invested it with someone she trusted. Lost everything, filed bankruptcy, and had to start all over again (large family in tow). It’s an amazing true tale of someone on the verge of falling apart, recommitting to her dreams, holding tight to her faith, and coming out on top.

This woman understood the stakes were high. She was scared and knew the journey would be a tough one. She fought through the fear and rejection she faced along the way and was rewarded in the end.

Have you ever felt “stuck”? Is there a situation in your life that you are unhappy with yet still you “put up” with? Maybe the stuck is too mild a word. What keeps you up at night worrying how you are going to fix or solve it?
No doubt about it, it’s a terrible situation to be in. Worrying, unhappy, seeing no way out. Most of us have been there, many of us still are. If you are at the stage where you have had enough and you are not going to put up with it any more then you are ready.

I’m going to share a secret with you, one that’s important you know: You’re never truly stuck. It’s the way we interpret the situation that holds us back or pushes us forward and no matter where you are on your journey you have the power/ability to turn your life around. You do not need to figure out the how this very second. You only need be open to change.
Exercise 1

Today’s exercise asks us to identify an area in our life that we are tiered of? Define and record it in your prosperity journal. Look at the situation and ask yourself if you are ready for it to be different.

The authors ask us to then define the real problem not the side effects (I have included the example from the book( Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction: 7 Essential Ingredients for Living a Prosperous Life ) below).

Example:

Side effects- I’m overwhelmed, I have too many people emailing me and I can’t handle them all. Even when I’m with my family I’m stressing about all the -emails in my inbox and not enjoying my family.

Real Problem- The lack of structure with my schedule has me feeling overwhelmed. I’m reacting to the outside circumstances verses designing a schedule and structure that works for me.

Now next to each problem you have written down describe your ideal outcome. Every part of the outcome should feel good to you. Once you do all of that go back over them and make a conscious decision about each. Are you ready for them to be different? Don’t worry about how you will do that right now just make a choice, are you ready or not and it’s perfectly ok if you are not. All you have to do at this point is make a choice; ready or not, yes or no. The act of deciding alone can be very empowering because you are not allowing the choice to be made for you.

Once you complete the exercise let me know how things are going and if you have any questions.

Monday


Essential Ingredient #2 continued


Defining Moments


Life Lesson #2 Breakthroughs don’t have to Be Hard

Until Then have a wonderful weekend and Smile Often

Barbara

Would you like help achieving your goals? Want to know if you are a good canidate for coaching? Follow this link and take the "Are you Coachable" quiz http://www.lifetude.com/Are_You_Coachable_.html

Day 6 The Power of Intention, Not Attachment

Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.

-Dr. Samuel Johnson

Life Lesson # 5
Life Lesson #6


The Power of Intention, Not Attachment

You don’t give up the intention, and you don’t give up the desire. You give up your attachment to the result.

-George Bernard Shaw

Understanding can come from the strangest most unexpected places. It was a busy day for me. Running back and forth between my office and my home, trying to get everything on my to-do list accomplished by 5pm. Since I normally work late I knew this would be a stretch, but nothing was going to stop me from trying. Well here it is 4:54pm and trying isn’t getting it done…maybe tomorrow.

In the mad rush to get things done today I also had to deal with the unexpected interruptions of the normal day. The problem wasn’t the interruptions themselves the problem was that I neglected to schedule in any cushion time. So at 4pm when my phone rang I had a choice to make; reread Lessons 5 & 6 so that I could figure out how to interpret them for this blog, or answer the phone...I answered the phone. It was after all an important call; little did I know just how important it was.

Actually although the call was important what happened during the call was the answer to the question I had been pondering most of the day; how to convey the point in today’s lesson. I was at home sitting at my desk, talking on the phone when my dog Cha Cha came out of nowhere jumping, barking and trying like crazy to get my attention. I tried, without much success to get her to settle down but she was just too wound up.
The person on the other end laughed a little but kept talking and Cha Cha kept barking. I snapped my fingers and the loud barks turned into low whimpers. She sat right in front of me alternating the whining and barking. Then she started jumping and pacing back and forth side to side. I snapped my fingers again, and she sat once more. It wasn’t long before the person on the other end of the phone realized that Cha Cha didn’t care how important the call was.

I hung up the phone and Cha Cha sat in front of me waiting. I knew what she wanted. I knew her buddy was outside and she wanted out. But I had a preverbal bone to pick with her, so I made her wait…not long, but long enough for her to calm herself a bit, I’d say 30 seconds and then I gave her what she wanted. Kuma was there waiting for her, and she was in her glory.

As I watched Cha Cha play in the snow with her friend I realized that she had the right idea; she knew what she wanted and she persisted until she got it. She backed off just a little when she didn’t get anywhere but still she kept the goal in mind coming back to it little by little approaching the goal in different ways. Now this may seem like a small thing to you but to her getting outside and playing Kuma is like winning the lottery and Cha Cha’s strategy paid off because she eventually realized her goal. Her persistence paid off.

Today’s lessons are about setting intentions, letting go of the outcome and being persistent. I know that the above story might be a simple example of today’s lessons, however sometime the simplest explanations are the best.

I’m not a dog whisperer or anything like that, but I know Cha Cha well enough to say that she doesn’t give up easily. I also know that what she did do had nothing to do with giving up. She may have backed off a little, but she did not give up…she altered her approach. She changed her approach…and she came out on top.

So what did they want us to take away from these lessons? Set your intention on the dream and allow your persistent to propel you towards it, and don’t let your focus be the outcome. Know your dream, talk about it, but don’t be so distracted and attached to the outcome that you lose sight of the journey and end up creating more roadblocks for yourself.

If along your journey you encounter a roadblock or two, what would you do? How would you handle it? Quit? Throw in the towel? The advice the authors give is don’t quit and the advice that I would give you? Don’t quit. Take a step back, acknowledge your progress, celebrate your accomplishments, re-evaluate, change the path, take smaller steps, turn the road block into a question or a request that you can ask yourself or someone else. Get support, don’t give up.
Exercise 1

1. In your prosperity journal identify a goal or dream that you have encountered a road block in your progress.
2. Determine if you can break it down into smaller steps.
3. Turn the road block into a question or request
4. Review and notice which one you are inspired to work on and go with that.
5. Acknowledge the progress you have made, celebrate.

Today’s lessons complete the 1st Essential Ingredient. It may be a great time to go back over all the lessons and exercises and see where you are with each and if you have any questions. If you do have questions, comments or suggestions please feel free to post them.

Tomorrow

Essential Ingredient #2


Defining Moments


Life Lesson #1 You’re Never Stuck



Until Then, Smile Often



Barbara
http://www.lifetude.com/

Day 5 The Power of Your State of Mind

Abundance is not something we acquire.

It is something we tune into.

-Wayne Dyer

Life Lesson #4


The Power of Your State of Mind

The People who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and if they can’t find them, make them.

-George Bernard Shaw

It’s been said that; good things come in small packages. Today’s lesson may have been small in terms of written words, but it was huge in terms of the impact it had and will continue to have on me.

So far when I have talked about The Law of Attraction I have given you the basic bottom line explanation. In other words I gave you a car without giving you any gas. Much like gas fuels a car today you will learn what fuels The Law of Attraction.

Today’s story was about a business that was going down fast and how the owners with the support of their staff used The Law of Attraction to improve the financial situation.

The company was suffering. It wasn’t until one of the owners discovered The Law of Attraction and it’s catalyst that everything began to change. They learned that the basic explanation was; whatever you focused on you would get more of, wanted or not. They also learned that there was a little more to it. They found out that the “Law” is fueled by emotion. Think about it; emotion is filled with energy. Sometimes the energy is positive and sometimes it’s negative either way that energy causes vibrations. Those vibrations act like magnetic waves that channel from you out into the universe and the universe has no choice but to give back to you what you gave to it…you get what you give.

With the walls caving in on them they needed to find a way to change the energy that they way and their staff were emitting into atmosphere. During the time when they were researching the “Law” they came across the Abraham Hicks website (www.Abraham-Hicks.com) and a game called “The Prosperity Game”. The game became the vehicle they used to shift their energy as well as their staff’s and in doing so changed what they thought was the enviable future of the company.

It’s a great story, a true story and this book is filled with them. If you haven’t already purchased this book I highly recommend that you do, truly a small price to pay when you consider all the benefits you can receive.

The prosperity game is like an imaginary bank account, a bank account that replenishes itself on a daily basis. On the first day you deposit $10,000 and spend it. On anything your heart desires. One the next day you increase the deposit by $1,000 (so your deposit is $11,000) and then you spend that. The next day your deposit will be $12,000 and continues like this until there’s nothing left for you to buy or you no longer need the assistance of the game to shift from lack to abundance. I Love this idea and I am beginning my prosperity account tomorrow.

Exercise 1

With so many homeless and hungry people in this world it can be truly tough believing in abundance. However with all the food that goes to waste and all the empty home it plain to see that we do not have a shortage problem we have a distribution problem.

In order for us to receive we need to believe, so it’s time to believe in abundance. It’s time to understand that you having everything and as much of everything as you want in life you are not depriving anyone else of having the same There is more than enough to go around. So believe and receive.
Get some index cards and on them write one “I am” statement each.

Here are the examples in the book Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction: 7 Essential Ingredients for Living a Prosperous Life:

I am so happy & grateful that money is mine to receive, invest, grow, & share.


I am so happy & grateful that money flows to me easily & effortlessly.


I am so happy & grateful that I am outrageously successful in everything I do.


I am so happy & grateful that I embrace abundance, & abundance embraces me.

The above statements are great affirmations, I encourage you to use them and/or come up with some of your own.

Once you have written and are happy with your “I am” statements read them, and not in a haphazard way but with emotion, conviction, believe it is so. Do this at least twice a day (try it while looking in a mirror), once in the morning and again before you go to bed. Consistency is important so commit to doing this every day, it takes about four weeks for it to become a habit and for the belief to kick in. If you want the reality do the work…recognizing the abundance that surrounds you is one heck of a pay off.

Tomorrow

Life lesson, #5 “The Power of Intention Not Attachment”
Until Then, Smile Often
Barbara
http://www.lifetude.com/

Day 4 Releasing the “How” So the Dream Can Unfold

When the truly great people discover they have been deceived by the signposts along the road of life, they shift gears and keep going.

                                                                                       -Nido Qubein

Life Lesson #3 Releasing the “How” So the Dream Can Unfold

Some people create their own opportunities; others go where the opportunities are the greatest; others fail to recognize the opportunity when they are faced with it.     

                                                                                                                              -Walter P Chrysler

I’m sitting in church and the minister begins his sermon, although I haven’t sat through a Sunday Mass in a very long time, as he continues on one thing becomes perfectly clear; he’s talking about me. Have you ever experienced anything like that? I have, and I experienced it again when I opened to today’s Life Lesson and begun to read. This is one lesson that hits close to home as I have always wanted to know the “How” of it all. I have been told a time or to that relaxing isn’t my strong suit (even by my chiropractor). I have come a long way and have become better at ‘Releasing the How” but there is always room for improvement.

There is very good reason to release the how. When we focus on the how of a dream or goal we tend to see the road blocks instead of the possibilities. In many cases, the “how” ends up freezing our dreams in their tracks. The book goes on to say that by focusing on the how we are trying to control our future instead of creating it using the Law of Attraction. They suggest we focus on the what, where, when & who and put the how off to the side suggesting that it will unfold latter.

We are asked to be specific, have as clear of a vision of our goal as possible. Our job is the vision and the clearer the vision the easier the how of it all will show up. They give the example of going to a restaurant and placing your order with the waiter, the clearer more specific you are the more likely your food will show up the way you wanted…you don’t need to know the how of it all for it to happen.
As you become more and more specific with your vision pay close attention to the feelings you experience. As you get more specific if you start to feel a bit tense, anxious or that your focus is being drawn away from the vision and is back on the how, it’s probably a good idea to back off the specifics a little until you are once again feeling positive when you think of the goal. Remember the more positive energy regarding a specific goal that you send out into the universe the more that will return to you.

You want to feel good when you think about your dream; it’s not going to work if your focus ends up being given to the thing about your dream that makes you feel tense and starts you back on a road to negative self-talk.

Exercise 1
Today we are asked to go back to our Journals and get specific with the dreams/goals we have written down. This means focus on the; who, when, what, and where of it all and not on the how. As you record the specifics notice your thoughts and feelings surrounding the goals. Make sure you get as specific as possible with each goal without bringing yourself to the point of feeling negative (stay in a “happy Place”).

If you do start feeling negative about any of the goals write the negative thoughts down and find ways to flip the negative statements around to positive ones.

Next go back over each of the goals and ask yourself why you want them. How will you and your life benefit from accomplishing this? By doing this we discover not only what we want and why we want it, but what we do not want as well and it is good to be aware of that also.

Taking our focus off the how and placing it back on the dream may not be easy at first but after realizing that so many of the dilemmas I have been in could have been avoided had I changed my focus, I would have to say it’s worth the effort.

Have you always focused on the how and all the negative feelings that are associated with doing so? Curious..."How's that working for you"? Are you ready to try something new? How do you turn your bad/negative moments around?

Tomorrow’s Life lesson, #4 “The Power of Your State of Mind”

Until Then, Smile Often

Barbara

http://www.lifetude.com/

Day 3 “The Power of Your State of Mind”

I don’t know about you, but for me this is a very interesting journey.


I spent sometime over the Holiday weekend going over the first two lessons and thinking about the exercises we were asked to complete. One thing that just kept jumping out at me and one that my clients often ask me about is; “that annoying little voice inside your head”. I know that sounds funny however I also know most of you if not all, know exactly what I’m talking about. Sometimes referred to as “the annoying little voice inside your head” and sometimes referred to as negative self-talk. I don’t think it matters what name you use, only that you have a way of quieting or changing it from negative to positive.

We all have moments when the road we’re on gets a little rocky and it’s a good idea to have a plan in place for how to quiet the voice or change the negative self-talk. This subject weighed on me until I decided that it was important enough to address it before we moved on to the next lesson. So I pulled together a list of things that I use to shift my negative thoughts and or moments to positive ones, I call them my “Lifetude Helpers”;

 Test my negative self talk

Ask questions such as

Am I 100% sure that it’s true (or going to turn out that way)?

What evidence do I have to disprove it (look for positive things to dispel the negative)?

If a friend came to me saying these things about themselves, what advice would I give to them?

What is the best thing that could happen, why not focus on that?

Is thinking this way helping achieve my goals or stopping me?

There are so many different questions you can ask yourself. Write a few of the things you normally say to yourself when the negative self-talk starts creeping in and see what questions you can come up with to turn the negative statements into a positive ones. Once you have changed the negative statements to positive ones write them on index cards and put them some place they will be readily available.

 Sing a song (this is one of my favorites)

Sing a silly funny or up-beat song, one that makes you feel good

Have you ever tried this? Well it’s very difficult to stay in a bad mood or have negative thoughts while singing a silly song. It might seem a little strange at first but it works for me and I have a few clients who use this method as well.

 Gratitude Stone

I have some wonderful river rocks that I have associated the things I am grateful for with. I carry one or two in my pocket, keep another in my car and one at my office. All I have to do is see it or touch it and I see the smiling faces of my daughters, family, and friends. I only need to look at them to recall who’s waiting at home for me, and all the great times we have had together. I have so much in my life that I am truly grateful for and the Gratitude stones are a subtle reminder.
 Meditate

On your own or guided can be very calming as well as have other positive effects on you and your body.

 Affirmations

I believe that positive affirmations on a regular basis can help you change negative self-talk into positive self talk.

 Take a step back and see the situation from the outside.

What can be changed? What can you do differently? How would you help someone in the same situation?

 Hypnosis

 Call a friend or someone that is a positive inffluence in your life.


The above is a small list of ways to shift negative energy to positive. You can use one, all, any combination, none, or if none of these work for you are welcome to email me at Barbara@lifetude.com and I would be happy to help you discover some other options.

That brings us to our next Life Lesson, #3 “Releasing the How, So the Dream Can Unfold”, which we will cover in tomorrow’s entry.

Until then, smile often you never know whose day you'll brighten.

Barbara
http://www.lifetude.com/

Day 2 What You Think and What You Feel Are Always A Match

What is the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity?

Our attitude toward it.

Every opportunity has a difficulty, and every difficulty has an opportunity.

-J. Sidlon Baxter

Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction: 7 Essential Ingredients for Living a Prosperous Life

Life Lesson #2

What You Think and What You Feel Are Always A Match


It isn’t every day that opportunities present themselves…or is it?

We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations

.-Chuck Swindoll

Today’s short story was about opportunity, attitude and commitment. I’m a firm believer that opportunities are everywhere. It’s not opportunity that is in short supply; it’s the level of commitment that one is willing to give in order to turn the opportunity into the outcome that is desired. In short what are you willing to do in order to have what you want?

We all know what opportunities are, although we may not recognize or be interested in every single one that comes our way. But what about attitude and your commitment level, how committed are you to turning the opportunity into a personal win? Are you ready to give it all you have? Or has it been your experience that you start out strong and then a week, maybe two into it you hit a wall and suddenly it doesn’t seem like such a great idea. Suddenly you have something else to do. Suddenly there are at least five or six good reasons why you “can’t” continue. Where is that can do attitude now?

Don’t feel bad, you are not alone and you can break that pattern right here, right now. If you haven’t yet committed to joining me on this journey it’s never too late to start. Go back and read Day One complete the exercises and then re-read Day Two and complete the exercise over the weekend. By Monday morning you will be energized and ready to go.

So far we have started identifying what we want to be do and have, and we have talked a little bit about opportunities, attitude, and commitment. Now they ask us to think about the questions doubts and feelings that are coming to the surface …you know that nagging little voice in the back of your mind. The one that seems to say the same thing over and over again. Things such as:

• I Can’t do it

• I don’t know how

• What if it doesn’t work

• What will people think if It doesn’t work

• I can’t afford it right now

• Nothing else has worked


Take some time to think back and try to recall the opportunities that didn’t turn out the way you wanted. What were the thoughts and feelings associated with those events, are they positive or negative?

Now think about the times when things did work out. What were the thoughts and feelings associated around those events, were they positive or negative?

This is where the Law of Attraction comes in, remember like attracts like; what you focus on and where you put your energy will determine if you attract more positive or negative situations. So if you walk around most of the time with a negative attitude, complaining and feeling sorry for yourself you will attract more things or situations to complain and feel bad about. However if you are happy, grateful for what you have and spend the majority of your time living and behaving in a positive manner you will attract more positive things and situations into your life.

The good news is that no matter which category you place yourself in (positive or negative) you are in control of your life and you can learn to use the Law of Attraction to improve it. You will need to reduce the negative thoughts and behaviors but it can be done.
I know this seems too simple, and my guess is that the negative voice inside your head is saying “too good to be true”. My thoughts? Simple isn’t always easy, but I know this works I have tested it with simple things and over and over again it has worked.

Exercise1

1. In your journal review all the “wants” from yesterday’s exercises and list any limiting beliefs you have regarding each of them.

Examples would be

a. I always make really bad choices

b. I don’t have any time to do what I need to do in order to accomplish my goals

c. I fail at so many things

d. Nothing ever works out for me

2. Now replace these thoughts with ones that support what you want. Record all of this in your journal. Replace old thoughts with the new ones.

a. I have made some great choices in my life (after all you chose to read my blog and that was a great choice )

b. I am willing and ready to commit the time required to accomplish my goals

c. I may not have found the answer yet but I know that I will

d. I am ready to put my energy into creating a better life


The last part of this exercise is to release, rid yourself of your limiting beliefs by throwing it away, burning it, or even burying it.

Final thought for the day? Life is too short to allow ourselves to set up road blocks that prevent us from living the life we want. We are the biggest obstacle in the way of achieving our dreams and the good news is we can change that. Take some time this week and become aware of the things you say to yourself when nobody else is listening are you more negative or positive? How can you improve yourself talk?

Until Monday, Have a great weekend and Smile Often

Barbara

Day 1 Let Your Passion Be Your Guide &

There’s a little ceramic plate on my kitchen window sill that says “The best way to predict your future is to create it”. I love that saying, and having it stare me in the face every morning helps to remind me that I am in control of my own future. I can create the life I want. Having said that, one thing that many of us conveniently forget, or simply ignore is that the word “create” is a word of action. In order for us to change the lives we have into the lives we want we need to take inspired action.



Today I began a journey that I hope will inspire others to “create” the life that they want instead of settling for the life they have (unless the life they have is the life they want). I also hope to show people that the answers they seek could be as close as their bookshelf, local library, or book store and that you don’t need to wait until you make more money in order to start living a better life. There are simple things we all can do right now, today, (many refer to this as planting the seeds) that will shape our tomorrows.


Remember today, for it is the beginning of always. Today marks the start of a brave new future filled with all your dreams can hold. Think truly to the future and make those dreams come true.” –Unknown


Let’s start planting!


Tools needed for this journey (only if you plan to join me on the journey, if you choose to follow only you do not need any of these tools…but what if it works, where would you be one year from today)


Book: “Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction”


Prosperity Journal


Pen


Your Imagination






“Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction”


How the book is laid out


The book consists of “7 Essential Ingredients for Living a Prosperous Life”. Each Ingredient is a chapter. Every chapter is broken up into 5 “Life Lessons” that contain positive quotes, a short story, and one or two exercises (or assignments).


Each day (Monday-Friday) I will read one lesson, complete the related exercises (even if I have done this type of exercise in the past) and share my progress with you.


Introduction (If you have the book don’t skip this, it’s a brief but clear explanation of how the Law of Attraction works).


Ingredient # 1 “Here’s How It Works”


Lesson 1 “Let Your Passion Be Your Guide”


All the breaks you need in life wait within your imagination. Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth.-Napoleon Hill


Today’s short story message was about allowing the “good” to flow into your life. For those of us who know something about the Law of Attraction we understand that “like attracts like” but understanding that simple rule doesn’t make it easy to follow…I think whoever defined simple in the dictionary should have mentioned that simple doesn’t always mean easy.


So what are they trying to tell us when they say “like attracts like”? Have you ever noticed how when you are in a bad mood everything else seems to go wrong? That’s because the more negative vibrations we send out the more that come back to us. The flip side of that is the more positive vibrations (energy) we send out the more positive things, people or situations we attract, and there in a nut shell is the Law of Attraction.






Life Lesson #1 Let Your Passion Be Your Guide


In the first lesson they ask us to take some time to think about (in detail) who we want to be, and when you can see yourself as that person and you look back at your life what do you want to recall about your journey, what were your mile stones?


Exercise 1 & and 2


Exercise #1 was to write a letter to myself detailing where I will be one year from this date based on the visualization I did in lesson 1. Once the letter was written I was to place it in an envelope, date it and put it somewhere safe where I would be able to find it one year from today.


My experience


This was an easy exercise for me, because I did something very similar last year. However I decided I would start from square one.


The first thing was to find a quite place where I could sit with my journal, close my eyes and truly visualize myself and my life one year from today. I didn’t visualize the life I thought I would have based on where I am today, I visualized where I wanted to be, what I wanted to be doing, who I wanted around me, and what I wanted to have…be, do, have. Then I put it in an envelope, sealed it, framed it and will hang it in my office.


This was very interesting for me and I found that some things had changed drastically since I last did this exercise, including me.


Exercise #2


Record in your journal all the goals, desires and accomplishments you want to achieve in your lifetime. Yes I did say Life time. I know this is could be huge and they ask that we write each goal on a separate page…I may need two journals. Now this might be the truly tough part but you cannot censor yourself even if it seems silly or unattainable. Include both long and short term desires, no holding back. Go for things that will lift you up and make you feel like you were on top of the world. Things that make your heart race and you smile.


The second half of this exercise was a little tougher for me only because it’s a very long list…I have a great imagination. So this I decided will be an ongoing exercise for me.

Day one was an interesting experience. I know that this is not going to be a quick fix for any of us…but experience tells me quick fixes don’t last. So big commitment or not I’m all in, ready to go open to every possibility and grateful for the opportunity to share this experience with you.






Until tomorrow, Smile Often


Barbara


Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction: 7 Essential Ingredients for Living a Prosperous Life

Almost everyone has at least one self help, self improvement, life changing, dream fulfilling book. It's not that these books aren't good or even great, it's just that most of us buy them with good intentions, read them, get excited, tell friends how great they were and then do nothing…a few months later we buy another book looking for answers to the same questions. Let’s face it, intensions alone, no matter how good, get us nowhere. My blog is a place where you can follow along, or join my journey as I put myself and one of my purchases to the test.

Beginning on Thursday January 14th I will work my way through the lessons in this book and share my experience with you. I have posted a link to the book in hopes that you will not only follow me but join me on this journey.

Smile Often, you never know whose heart you'll touch.

Barbara