I started writing this because my personal 2012 started off with a BANG!  And [...]]]> Hello again!  As I’ve developed the last two posts containing manifestation tips and tools, I’ve found more and more that I can share with you.  So here’s still more of my informal manifestation guide.
Read Part 1 right here.
Read Part 2 right here.

I started writing this because my personal 2012 started off with a BANG!  And I wanted to share with you just how I did it, so you can get your own BANG!  for 2012 or any time.

Continuing with tips and tools to manifest what you want, here are a few more:

15.  Hypnosis -
I’m a fan.  In fact, I am studying right now to become a certified hypnotherapist, so that I can share with others what has been quite profound for me.  I loved the past-life regression sessions that I had with two different hypnotherapists.  In the very first one, I recalled 7 or 8 different past lives.  In another session, I recalled a number of lives, and went on later to find one of those people in history!  Very cool!  And no, it wasn’t Cleopatra or Genghis Khan.  It was someone who was more of a footnote, but a real person nonetheless!  But back to the value of hypnosis.  Through hypnosis, I’ve been able to break down old barriers that were put in place when I was young.  And that’s the point.  Everyone has subconscious barriers that can keep them from reaching their goals.  You may not know what they are, but your subconscious does, so you and your hypnotherapist will ask it:  What’s blocking this?  It’s a wonderful process and I do recommend it.

16. The daily check - 
No, not a check on something, not checking off the calendar, an actual check.  In England, I believe they spell it “cheque”.  Write yourself a check.  You may have heard the famous story of actor Jim Carrey writing himself a check for $20 million and carrying it around until he actually was paid $20 million for being in a movie.  This is a very simple manifestation tool.  I’ve written a check to myself.  I wrote it on a blank piece of paper, drew a rectangle, and wrote in the amount of money that I would like to come to me every day.  In the blank for the date, I wrote “Every day, 2012″.  In the section in the top left, where the person who is paying you would be represented, I wrote, “The Universe, Everywhere, The Mind of God 99999″.  And I signed it “The Universe,” because no person is the source of my income, no group of people, but the Universe is the source of my income.  And yours.  Write yourself a check.  You can make it in one lump sum like Jim Carrey did, or you can write a “daily check” like I did.  But write it down.  And don’t be afraid to make it REALLY BIG.  Then put it somewhere where you’ll see it every day.

17. Read everything -
Pretty simple.  Read any book or article or blog that you feel will be helpful.  You’ve heard/read me recommend Joe Vitale’s The Attractor Factor, I’m sure.  And I’ve recommended a number of other books and blogs, such as Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich, “The Secret”, Nan Akasha’s blog, anything by Abraham-Hicks, and the list goes on and on.  I’ve got shelves full of books on manifesting, Law of Attraction, modern spirituality, and both ancient and modern philosophy.  I noticed last year, when I started reading The Attractor Factor, there was a big shift.  I felt that the shift was not exclusively due to reading that book, but it certainly coincided with other events and catalysts.  So when I turn this manifestation guide into a book, you can add that to your library.  Oh, and of course, don’t miss my collection, available here, as well as on Amazon and other sources.

18. The magic money list -
This is something I made up.  Or I was inspired to do.  I’ve never heard or read about it anywhere.  And that’s because it started from my making a list of bills that were coming due.  I got out a 3″ x 3″ sticky note (I love sticky notes!) and wrote the date the bill was due or when I wanted to have the money, what it was for, and the amount.  Sort of like this:

1-15      Electric bill      $xxx
1-20     Cable bill           $xxx
1-27     Rent                    $xxx
1-17     Something fun $xx

Simple, just like that.  And I started adding the “something fun” and things that weren’t mandatory.   I drew a line at the bottom and put the total.  Then, at the bottom of the sticky note, I wrote, “This or more every day!”  Now, that total might be in the hundreds or the thousands.  Writing down that total amount as a possible daily income was very empowering!  It told the Universe that I was ready to receive that much!  And I posted the sticky note on my computer monitor.  Then, as each bill was paid or as the money came in, I would draw one line through that item, and put a check-mark next to it.  This was a simple process, and all I had in mind at the start was to have some idea of what needed to be paid in the next couple of weeks.  I celebrated just a little as each bill was paid.  I checked it off with just a little sense of triumph.  And guess what happened.  The money started to flow better and faster.  The bills got paid.  And I would find a little extra for something fun or to pay back a little something I had borrowed.  I still write my magic money note every two weeks or so and I really like it.  It’s not perfect–some items get carried over because they haven’t come in yet, and I’ve still got debt!  But I do believe that this little sticky note process has magic in it.  Try this for yourself or create your own variation.  And then let me know what happens!

You know, I started out to give you just half a dozen or so manifestation tools.  We’re now up to 18 in 3 parts!  So…  while this may be the end, there will probably be more.  And I’m pretty sure this is going to be a book.  So stay tuned!

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As I was sayin’, my personal 2012 has started off with a BANG!  And I wanted to share with you just how I did it, so you can get your own BANG!  (By the way, [...]]]> Here we are again, boys and girls!  As promised, here’s more of my informal manifestation guide.  Read Part 1 right here.

As I was sayin’, my personal 2012 has started off with a BANG!  And I wanted to share with you just how I did it, so you can get your own BANG!  (By the way, I drew my own graphic for this – like it?  Share in the comments.  Don’t worry; I know it’s not “real art”, but it suits my purposes here!)

Continuing with tips and tools to manifest what you want, here are a few more:

7. Affirmations - 
Right, I know, affirmations are trite, dumb, they don’t work, whatever.  And you may have heard (or read) me say that I used not to care much for them myself.  I used to think they were a “ritual” and I didn’t care for “rituals”.  But then one day, I drew an angel card that recommended affirmations, and I kind of sighed.  ”Affirmations.  Bleh.”  Then I heard a clear and kind angel voice that said, “Affirmations are about affirming, not about ritual.”  And I changed my attitude!  So I have used affirmations quite a bit, and I believe some of them have contributed to my current bang of success.  Try “I am rich and I am worthy, yes I am.”  And “I always have more money.”  Or success or happiness or physical comfort… you get the idea.

8.  Recognize everything -
Pay attention!  This is one of the biggest and best tips I can give you for manifestation–or just for a happier life.  Notice what’s happening around you and don’t be too quick to dismiss things as coincidence or imagination.  Could there be a message for you in everything you see, hear, and feel?  YES!  And there usually is.  So pay attention and then notice what happens.  Notice that money might come to you in different forms from what you would expect.  For example, not long ago, I held a Suzi-Q & A LIVE psychic event in a hotel meeting room.  When I arrived for the event, the salesperson had neglected to record it, so the room wasn’t ready.  Fortunately, it was still available and the staff hustled to get it ready for me.  And then the clerk announced a little gift:  I would be given 50% off the cost of the room, because they made a mistake.  Now, I had just set the intention to come out of the event with more money than I walked into it with.  I didn’t have any expectations about what form that “more money” would take.  But because of this simple error, I walked out with more than I walked in with!  I also had four people show up whom I didn’t expect.  And the gas for my car was less than I thought it would be.  So I wound up with more money than I started with–but do you see how you could miss that as being money coming in?  So recognize all the ways the Universe is sending you what you want.

9.  Feng Shui -
I am not a Feng Shui practitioner.  I leave that to the experts, and I highly recommend that you check out my friend, Belinda Mendoza, at Design for Energy.  You’ll find info about Feng Shui on her website and you can also sign up for her newsletters.  She’s brilliant!  And I don’t claim to be brilliant with Feng Shui, but I can tell you some things I’ve done or know about that have been effective for me.
a)  Clean and de-clutter:  In particular, keep these three areas clean – the stove and kitchen, the walkway to the main entrance of your home, and your bed/bedroom.  I usually make my bed every day just because I like the way it looks, but this is a principle of Feng Shui too.  And I confess that my kitchen is not always clean.  In fact, the busier I am (like now), the less attention it gets.  But I do try!  Clearing out clutter in general keeps the past from dragging you down.  And Belinda told me that dust represents the past–so get it out of there!
b)  Greenery at the front door:  I didn’t have any handy, so I cut out a “wreath” from a green file folder and stuck it on my front door.  Within a couple of hours, I had a new client.  Coincidence?  Well….  Remember that fresh/real is better than silk, but silk is better than plastic.  And your intentions and feelings are most important of all.
c)  Keep toilet lids down and bathroom doors shut:  I already kept the lids down for a lot of other reasons, so this one hasn’t made a difference for me recently, but you might find that it does.  Keeping drains plugged up can be a hassle, but it might keep your money from going down the drain!

10. Astrology - 
I can’t recommend enough that you get a good astrology reading, preferably one that addresses the current transits and their effect on your natal chart.  I know just a little more about astrology than I do about Feng Shui, but I know that there’s no way my current increase in energy and success has come without some heavenly shifts.  I know that Uranus, planet of generosity and surprise, is getting very close to my second house of income.  And the last time that happened, before it went retrograde last year, I was starting to feel some effects of that.  And understanding even as much as I do gives me the chance to do some things I might not otherwise do.  In other words, if you get a good astrology reading, you’ll know what opportunities to watch for, what setbacks you might avoid, etc.

11. Abraham -
Ah, the teachings of Abraham.  If you’re not already familiar, hie thee:  www.Abraham-Hicks.com.  Esther Hicks is an “interpreter” (her word) of Pure Source Energy, which, in this case, calls itself Abraham.  Abraham talks all about Law of Attraction and why you’re here and how to create your best life.  When I first heard Abraham speak a number of years ago, my first thought was, “Oh, good, someone is talking about this stuff I have always known!  Now I can talk about it too!”  They started to demystify the concepts of energy, vibration, and manifestation, and I was so thrilled that they paved the way for teachers like myself.  I don’t think I have ever disagreed with one thing they’ve presented.  Oh, and you can sign up for a daily quote from Abraham too.

12.  Focus on the good stuff - 
It has not escaped my attention that some people talk in negative terms all the time.  ”That won’t work.”  ”Things are terrible.”  ”I’m so worried about…”  ”I’m very disappointed about…”   Notice whether you are one of those and, if you are, STOP!  Start noticing every negative phrase you utter–or think–and replace those phrases with positive ones.  It takes practice but it’s far from impossible.  Now, what did you say?  ”This is such a good thing!”  That’s better.  Here’s a quick example:  I was recently cast in a play that I starred in when I was in high school.  This time, I got a bit part.  This is the first bit part I’ve had since I was 15!  (That’s a really long time ago.)  It’s a great part, though, lots of fun, the potential to really steal my one scene, not to mention that I am waaay too busy to learn 250 lines and be on stage the whole show and at every single rehearsal for the next six weeks!  Maybe the Universe knows what it’s doing after all…

13.  Gratitudinalize -
Yeah, yeah, you know about gratitude, right?   Maybe you have a gratitude journal or you say a daily prayer of gratitude.  Great!  I want to add a couple of things to that.  First of all, gratitude is for you.  Thanking is for the thanker.  Maybe not when you thank your friend for giving you a really nice gift.  Or a not so nice gift.  That’s for both of you.  But when you thank God, the Universe, your Higher Self, Spirit, or whatever you are thanking, that thanks is for you.  Why?  Because God and all the rest do not need your thanks.  They/It is not concerned with your gratitude, but when you say, “Thank you,” it makes a huge difference for you.  Here we are back to something that has worked for me–not long ago, I woke up every morning with “Thank you, thank you, thank YOU” in a conga rhythm playing in my head.  Pretty soon, it was a habit and, if I didn’t “hear” it, I would start it on my own.  This is one of my new habits.  Yeah, you could add this under “affirmations”.  It’s a good one.  So be grateful for everything you like and even some of what you don’t like.

14. Dream -
You may have read my recent blog post about dreams.  If not, you can enjoy it right here.   I’m not talking about your subconscious acting out while you sleep.  I’m talking about dreaming about what you want in your life.  Visioning, imagining, fantasizing, no matter what you call it, it’s really useful.  Brian Tracy wrote, “All successful people men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.”  I am not a hard-core goal-setter.  I’ve read those business success books and been to the leadership seminars and so forth.  I did all that back in the 1980s and 1990s.  And, while the business success gurus offer some overlap into my more woo-woo world of Law of Attraction, I suggest you dream more dreamily.  Paint pictures in your mind of events and conversations, of feeling happy and successful according to your own definitions.  Dream of results, not “HOW” to get to them.  And let the Universe put the opportunities, people, and potential in your path.  Then follow your dreams right to those results!

If these points have spoken to you, or you’ve had results with tools like these, or if you have a different tool that’s been effective for you, won’t you share it with me and my readers?  I welcome your comments!

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As you may know, manifestation is not often a straight line.  It takes patience, courage, and the ability [...]]]> I’ve been talking about the Big Bang that 2012 brought into my life–or that I brought into my life!  And I’ve been trying to figure out how I did it, energetically-speaking, so I can share it with you.

As you may know, manifestation is not often a straight line.  It takes patience, courage, and the ability to follow your inner guidance.  This blog post is by no means an exhaustive manifestation guide, but I’ve put together some of the tools I have used that have created a “Big Bang” in my life!

I may not know you personally, but I suspect we have a lot of things in common.  I have worked with enough clients to know what most people go through on a regular basis.  I understand pretty well what your life is like, based on my experiences and those of my clients.  Most of us have money issues, and I am no exception.  I have a minority of clients who do not–and that’s another story, as to why they don’t struggle while the rest of us do.  Hold on, I’m going to add that to my list…

Okay, I’m back.  Where was I?  Oh, yes.  It’s also my job, my calling, my duty, and my privilege to give you information that will improve your life whenever I come across it!  Keep in mind that it’s never over, you’re never done creating your life.  You don’t just set up a lottery win (for example) and then sit in your chair watching TV for the rest of your life!  But once you get some momentum going, you can keep creating more and more of what you like and enjoy.  So here, in a few points, are some of the tools I’ve used to go from bored and struggling to busy and prosperous.

1.  Do everything - 
My angels recently put this little tidbit in my head.  I was wondering, what works?  Feng Shui, vision boards, affirmations, magic incantations, what?  What’s the best manifestation tool I can use?  What’s the ONE that works for me?  And the answer came back, “All of it.  All of it works, so do everything.  Do everything that you know of or can imagine, and it will help you create what you want.”  To that end…

2.  Write a letter to 2012 -
One of the things I thought of was to write a letter to 2012.  You could also write to this week or month or day or your whole life.  I chose to write to 2012, because, well, it’s 2012.  I’m still working on this letter to the “New Year” (it won’t be new for much longer), and it says things like, “By the end of you, I will have paid back all obligations, or at least have made a sizable dent in them.”  And “You’re already doing a great job of bringing me new opportunities.  For the rest of the year, I want to notice lots more great opportunities for me to enjoy my life.  I want to make more friends and more money…”  And “I’m excited about getting to go to these events…  Please help me to orchestrate those.”  You get the idea.  This is a way of focusing your attention clearly on what you really want.  Remember to stay positive!  Stay away from ideas like, “Dear 2012, this year, I really don’t want any more drama and I don’t want to gain any more weight.”  That’s a good way to get more of what you don’t want!

3.  The Law of Opposites - 
Neale Donald Walsch, author of the Conversations with God series, refers to this in his book, Happier than God.  He says that, any time you start to manifest something you want, you’ll get the opposite of it first.  I’m not sure if it happens quite like that, but I have definitely noticed times when I get a lot of opposite going on!  Know what I mean?   Walsch goes on to explain that the problem with this is that a lot of people give up at that point.  ”It didn’t work.  I was trying to create this, and instead I got that.  Pooh.”  He then points out that you have to hang in there and trust that what you are working for will come to be.

4.  Trust, faith, expectation -
“Faith” really means “expectation”.  When you expect something to happen, really know in your heart that it will, it will.  That’s what faith is.  That’s what trust is.  Try using expectation on things you actually like, rather than things you worry about.  (You might appreciate my post, “Can you create with fear?“.)

5.  3-D:  Three simple steps to getting what you want
I sometimes forget that I’m an expert!  Ever have that problem?  Well, check out my manifestation tool, 3-D, right here.  I find it to be successful much of the time.  And when it’s not, I know it’s only because I wasn’t holding my mouth right.  ;o)

6.  Nan Akasha -
I’ve recommended Nan on several occasions, and for good reason.  She has some great insights into bringing more money into your life.   Her video about looking for your car keys just cracked me up!  It really opened my eyes when she said, “When you’re looking for your car keys, you know they’re around there somewhere, and you don’t worry that you aren’t worthy of finding them.”  Brilliant!  Do you get that?  If you looked for money the way you look for your keys, do you think you might have better luck finding it?  Read/see more of Nan’s wisdom here.

And that’s not all!  Next time, I’ll have several more tools for you.  Stay tuned!

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This past December found me and many of my relatives traveling to East Texas–a beautiful drive even on that cloudy day–to celebrate his One Century of Life!

I called Granddaddy on his actual birthday and he told me, “I don’t feel like I’m 100.  Of course, I [...]]]> My grandfather just turned 100 years old.  (Isn’t he cute?)

This past December found me and many of my relatives traveling to East Texas–a beautiful drive even on that cloudy day–to celebrate his One Century of Life!

I called Granddaddy on his actual birthday and he told me, “I don’t feel like I’m 100.  Of course, I don’t know what it feels like to be 100, so maybe it feels like this!”  And maybe it does.

Do you ever wonder about longevity?  Do you WANT to live for a long time?  I think we can all agree that living a long time is great if you are healthy and happy.  My granddaddy is both, even though he has slowed down a lot, but only in the last couple of years.  He was getting out of his car a couple of years ago and fell and broke his leg.  This was a good opportunity for the family to help him quit driving.  Yes, folks, he was still driving at 98!

How has he done it?  Well, I guarantee you he doesn’t know a thing about the Law of Attraction–at least, not in so many words.  But he has lived his life with three things:

1. A great attitude
2. A solid work ethic
3. A lot of love

I’ve never known anyone as positive and hard-working as Granddaddy.  He not only worked his butt off as a butcher, but he always had other projects going, as well, such as working on cars, building an old Model A Ford from the ground-up, running his own meat market, and making violins.  He kept his hands and his mind busy all the time.  And all along the way, he completely  adored my grandmother.  They were married longer than 70 years until her death in 2009.

You might think that, coming from a family of 12 children, dirt poor, and having few opportunities, my granddaddy might find that a good attitude would be hard to come by.  Some of his siblings had harder lives, divorces, addictions, struggles, etc.  But he has something special, and his attitude has always been as strong as his giant, hard-working hands.

When I think about his life, I don’t think he has missed much.  He never had the opportunity to go to college, even though he had the smarts.  He was always grateful for any opportunity he got, and he made the most of them.  When World War II started, he wasn’t eligible for the service, so he moved his family to Ft. Worth, where he worked in an airplane factory, building planes for the war effort.  While there, his superiors discovered his natural aptitude for drafting, so he designed airplane parts and taught others how to do the same.

I wish you could hear him tell the stories I have heard.  What a remarkable man!

Did he miss anything?  I couldn’t say for sure, but I know he has never said a word to me about any regrets.  Maybe that’s where I got my no-regret policy for my own life.  Guilt and regret are wastes of my precious energy, and I’m grateful for a grandfather who, by his bold example, taught me that.

Now, I’m guessing that most people reading this have not reached such a ripe old age as Granddaddy.  But take a moment to think about getting close to the end of this life – would you have regrets?  Would you have missed anything?  Could you claim a great attitude, a solid work ethic, and a lot of love?  If not, what changes can you make right now, so that when you look back, you’ll see a life of no regrets?

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I’ve always had a pretty active fantasy life.  And since I learned about the Law [...]]]> I just noticed something – a few weeks ago, I’m not sure when exactly, I stopped dreaming.  And I don’t mean the dreams I have at night while I’m asleep.  Those actually increased when I stopped dreaming during my waking time.

I’ve always had a pretty active fantasy life.  And since I learned about the Law of Attraction a number of years ago, I have been even more intent on dreaming effectively.

What do I dream about?  Oh, probably similar things to what you dream about:  fun things to do, travel, a great marriage, happy friendships, and, of course, shopping.  And maybe winning the “World’s Greatest Psychic” award.

But a few weeks ago, somewhere around Thanksgiving, I got distracted from dreaming and started being all–well, for lack of a better word, serious.  There were many serious things I had to attend to, and I focused on them and not on my “silly fantasies.”

And do you know what happened?  Nothing.  I mean, nothing bad happened, but my life stopped moving forward.  Things came to a standstill.  Oh, sure, life went on, Thanksgiving was enjoyed, my daughter’s wedding was definitely wonderful, Christmas was a pretty good one, considering my daughter and her new husband were still on their honeymoon.  But nothing new came along.  In fact, things seemed to sort of–contract.

That’s it.  Things contracted.  They stopped expanding and growing and changing and morphing and creating.  I stopped creating.

Fortunately, I discovered this problem after only a few weeks!  I’ve started dreaming again, bigger than ever, and now the wheels are starting to turn forward again.  I can feel it.  And I can feel the world changing faster.

Have you stopped dreaming?  How long has it been?  Could that be the reason you’re not moving forward?

Next time you see that corny motivational poster that says, “Dare to dream”, do.

First, though, I loved the holidays, just as I always do every year, and I hope yours were at least pleasant or even extraordinary!  For me personally, besides marrying off my older daughter and enjoying the rest of [...]]]> Can you believe it is already 2012?  I have some thoughts on the New Year–and the old one.

First, though, I loved the holidays, just as I always do every year, and I hope yours were at least pleasant or even extraordinary!  For me personally, besides marrying off my older daughter and enjoying the rest of my family for Christmas, while she and her new husband were off on their honeymoon, I had a couple of big stresses.

The worst one was getting a computer virus right before Christmas.  As I write this, it is still not completely back together.  The computer is working great, but all my data have yet to be restored.  I have faith that they will be (i.e., I EXPECT it–expectation = faith = manifestation), so I’m not really all that jumpy about it.  In fact, the whole situation has shown me that I am generally pretty relaxed and easy-going.  My sister even said that about me at Christmas.  She was telling me how anxious she gets over things and I started singing that Bobby McFerrin song, “Don’t worry… Be happy.”  She said, “That’s what you do!  I wish I could do that!”  And I hope that I can help impart that to others.  From my lips to God’s ears!

Anyway, here’s my thought about 2011.  You may recall my whining about 2010 here, even though I was spinning it all in a positive direction.  It was a pretty bad year; in fact, I still hold that it was the worst year of my life, and that includes the year my husband died!  (How?  Because his death was not the WHOLE YEAR.)  So there was almost no way that 2011 could be any worse, and it was bound to be better.  And it was!  Thank goodness!

However…   Here’s a story that helps illustrate how 2011 was better but still not what I wanted.  Several years ago, a friend’s wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.  It was one of the most curable versions of the disease and her treatment was relatively easy.  RELATIVELY.  That means, compared with many patients, she got off easy.  Later, my friend said, “We were so busy being grateful that it wasn’t worse, we forgot it was still horrible!”

And that’s kind of how I feel about 2011.  No, it wasn’t horrible.  It was MUCH MUCH better than 2010, which is all I could hope for last year!  But I want 2012 to be so wonderful that it makes me forget 2010 altogether!  Want to join me?  Let’s start expecting now!

Many people are caught up in guilt and a lack of divine value, and they (we) have been taught that it is better to give than to receive.  This leads to an experience of lack in many, if not all, areas of one’s life.

That’s why I [...]]]> I often find myself teaching clients about giving and receiving.

Many people are caught up in guilt and a lack of divine value, and they (we) have been taught that it is better to give than to receive.  This leads to an experience of lack in many, if not all, areas of one’s life.

That’s why I teach that it is equal to give as to receive, and you can’t have one without the other.  This then leads me to instruct my clients to practice giving to and receiving from themselves, accomplishing four things:

1. Show the Universe that you are ready to receive, so that other receiving opportunities will start showing up in your experience.
2. Get accustomed to receiving.
3. Develop your sense of divine value.
4. Learn that giving and receiving are equal.

How do you give to yourself?

• Start small–give a compliment to yourself in the mirror and accept it with thanks, grace, and no excuses.
• Think of a chore as something that you give to yourself because you are worthy.  For example, think, “I’m washing these clothes, because I am special enough to have clean and presentable clothes to wear.”
• Make a special meal just for yourself, and enjoy it without television or other distractions.  Focus on the food and the gift you have prepared for yourself.
• Give gifts to yourself, such as new shoes, a massage, a facial, a book, or a concert.  Include another if you like, and thank yourself profusely, honoring the gift and the receipt.

Try this for yourself, and feel free to share it with your friends too.  I am all for everyone becoming good receivers!

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“If you want your reality to be different from ‘what is’, then you might as well try to teach [...]]]> You may recall that I featured Dr. Robert Anthony in this blog post not long ago.  Dr. Anthony recently sent an email that really got me thinking, and I thought it might be helpful to you too.  See what you think:

“If you want your reality to be different from ‘what is’, then you might as well try to teach your cat to bark. You can try and try and in the end the cat will look up at you and say ‘Meow’.  Wanting your reality to be different from what it is in this moment is just as stupid.  You can spend the rest of your life trying to teach your cat to bark, but you will never succeed.

“And yet if you pay attention, you’ll notice that you think thoughts like this dozens of times every day.  People should be… My neighbors should be… My husband should…  My wife should… I should…

“These thoughts are ways of wanting reality to be different from the way it is. Here is my point – all the stress you feel in your life at this moment is caused by arguing with ‘what is’.

“People say to me, ‘But if I simply accept reality then I will become passive and nothing will change.’  I answer them with this question.  ‘Which of these statements makes more sense?  “I wish I hadn’t lost all that money.” or “What can I do now to create more income?”‘

“Accepting ‘what is’ doesn’t mean you condone or approve of the way things are, it just means you give up all the resistance and inner struggle by wishing it were different.  No one wants to lose their money, have their children get sick or be in a car accident.

“However, when these things happen it can it be helpful not to mentally argue with them. We know better than to do that, yet we do it because it is a HABITUAL PATTERN.

“I am a lover of ‘what is’, not because it is the ‘right’ thing to do, but because it hurts when I argue with reality, and when I do, I ALWAYS lose.”

What do you think?  How does it make you feel?  Does this get your mind’s gears turning?  It certainly gave me plenty to think about!  Please share your comments below with me and other readers.