In other words, when life happens… do we react or do we respond?

Do you allow that person, place or condition to determine whether you will feel good or bad, encouraged or discouraged, hopeful or hopeless, peaceful or anxious?

As some of you know, life has presented me with opportunities to go to a whole new level of mastery in the realm of manifestation.  Go to: www.successforthesoul.com/beyond-loa to get the scoop.  Suffice to say that after 4 years of caregiving for my dying mother, her death, earthquakes in home and business life and now a divorce… I’ve had the opportunity to go deeeeeeeep in asking myself, “What DO you believe, Sonia?” 

My beliefs have not waivered, but my understanding and integration of them have deepened profoundly. 

Most recently, I’ve had the opportunity to practice LOOKING BEYOND the circumstances of my life, to focus on the TRUE nature of reality.  So… instead of seeing giant legal bills, emotionally reactive emails from people in my inner circle, seeming delays, obstacles and surprises in my personal and professional life… instead of seeing all of these things as “signs”… signs that I’m “doing well” with manifesting or “doing bad” with my consciousness… I look BEYOND my physical reality.   I wake up in the morning and declare:

I AM UNMOVED BY APPEARANCES.  I SEE BEYOND THE ILLUSION TO GOD, MY SOURCE OF INIFINITE WELL-BEING AND ABUNDANCE.  I SEE, EXPERIENCE AND ALLOW DIVINE TRUTH INTO MY EXPERIENCE NOW.  I AM HOME NOW.

It is a discipline, no question.  And my human self takes care of me in human ways…. big giant melt-downs by myself and with good friends, lots of thinking out loud with confidants, eating, sleeping, walking, pedicures, laughter… heck, I’m going line dancing tomorrow night!

And yet, the spiritual self must be nourished too… with contemplation of the HIGHEST TRUTH, with meditation to allow divine guidance, and with the steady practice of faith.  I am birthing something very big.  There is evidence of it all around me.  The feedback I’m getting form seekers all over the world confirms this.  And yet… the birthing process can be painful, scary and downright messy.

But when the dream is called forth, conceived and given life… there’s no turning back. 

Just one more PUSH Sonia!

Anyway… I got off on a tangent… but I’ll leave it be because I know some of you will relate.  For those of you who don’t… go grab the audios.  This will all make more sense.  They are now available at: www.successforthesoul.com/beyond-loa – They are free and they are powerful!

Choose YOUR Reality! tm

Sonia

On this call I talked about how easy it is to let the world tell us what is possible.  People, circumstances, the media all tell us how it is… and what do we do?  WE AGREE.  Consciously or not, most of us simply agree, and allow ourselves to experience only what we can imagine.

The Law of Attraction is great and all, but let’s face it, all the “stuff” you seek to manifest, you do so for one reason:  because of how you “think” that stuff will make you feel.  Even if you DO manifest the stuff, and it makes you feel good, how long does the feeling last?

The truth is that eventually, you are faced with the opportunity to look BEYOND the stuff you want to manifest to the TRUTH of what you seek: Your Self.  The TRUTH of your SELF.  The TRUTH of who you really are.  And who you really are is BEYOND the you you see in the mirror.  It is the you that you sit with in the stillness, when there is no “stuff” to entertain you, distract you, or scare you.

Today was a rough day for me.  It was a day where I had to deal with lawyers and phone calls and emails and decisions around a legal dispute and my divorce.  Frankly, I got overwhelmed.  The “stuff of life” was looming big and scary.  My mind went on overdrive.  So, I called a bunch of friends till I reached one live.  Vented, cried and calmed down.

Then, when the kids went to bed, I sat in stillness.  Om Namah Shivayah. 

Came back to myself.

Went on the computer and guess what I found?  A prayer from Teresa of Avila, the mystic nun Carolyn Myss speaks of often.  For now, it is my new favorite prayer:

“Let nothing disturb you;
Let nothing frighten you.
All things are passing.
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
Nothing is wanting to him/her who possesses God.
God alone suffices.”

… Did you catch that?  “Nothing is wanting to him/her who possesses God.” 

When we focus on the Divine.  Think about the Divine.  Contemplate the Divine.  Declare our willingness to know the Divine… we commune with the Divine.  We remember our Oneness.  And when we do, ALL blessings can then grace our life.  Why?  Because the Law of Attraction makes it so.  Where our attention goes, the energy flows.  The Divine is Infinite LOVE, well-being, power, freedom and abundance…  When we look beyond the “stuff” to the true Source of all we desire, we ALLOW ourselves to remember and experience our oneness with ALL of it. 

Choose YOUR Reality! TM

Sonia

This is a very personal message from me to you, which I truly hope
you’ll take the time to read. It has turned out to be a bit long. I
hope you’ll print it out and read it over a cup of coffee or tea.
It seems that I’ve written this type of letter to you several times
in the past year and a half. The kind of letter that goes something
like… “Sorry I’ve been absent for a while, this is what’s been
happening, and… I’m back!” Well, for someone like me who has
identified a bit with herself on being the “pillar of strength” and
the “dependable one”, this recurring phenomenon has been a bit
frustrating to say the least.

And yet… now that I’ve been on this path where my only choice has
been to SURRENDER, ACCEPT, and ADAPT long enough to see a
bigger picture emerging, I’m here today to tell you that I have a
message for you. And that message is coming to you through the
experience of my life.

Before I get into the message, I’d like to give you some background
so that the message makes sense.

Anyone who has read my book or done any work through Success for
the Soul knows that I’ve prided myself on not only being able to
make my own dreams come true – big giant life dreams – but that I’m
pretty darn good at helping others make their dreams come true. And
the truth is that none of that has changed. Since 2002 my soul-mate
husband and I manifested an amazing life in wine-country Oregon, we
had two beautiful children after struggling with infertility, and I’d written
and published my dream book, which became a best-seller… to name
a few.

SIMULTANEOUSLY, life was presenting me with tremendous personal
challenges: In 2005 my mother had been diagnosed with lung cancer
and I became her primary caregiver for four years until she passed in
May of 2009. As I looked forward to healing and reclaiming my life,
extenuating circumstances triggered a series of “earthquakes” that
affected our sense of security and safety regarding our home life
(which, among other things included the joys of a legal dispute), and
most recently, in the wee hours of Easter Sunday morning, I discovered
that my marriage was ending, in a most shocking, unexpected and
painful way (by divorce not death).

At a time when my life’s work was taking off like a rocket, as Source
Energy was supporting me in reaching an international audience, as
new and improved coaching programs were coming on line… my
personal world was turned upside down.

As all spiritual beings living a human experience I had to give myself
the space to process the shock and pain. I was living a paradox…
part of me wanted the space and permission to make it all about
ME… to curl up into a fetal position, hide under the blankets and
disappear for a few months. While the grown-up part of me knew I
had to be strong for my children. I had clients who had entrusted
their hopes and dreams with me. I had financial responsibilities to
honor. I simply didn’t have the luxury to “go away”.

So, what did I do? I did what I’ve been doing, what I’ve been
teaching, and what I’ve been practicing for all these years. I turned
to Source. I turned to God. But I did it in a way and to a depth I’ve
never gone before. I turned it ALL over, really and truly ALL to God.
Every day. Every minute. Every care. Every question. Every decision.
Every concern. I turned over my need to know. My addiction t o
reasoning. My love of control. My desire for order. I turned over my
fears. My worry about the children. I turned over my business. My
clients. My finances. I turned over difficult conversations I needed
to have. It turned over my physical health and well-being.

I THOUGHT I had let God live my life for me and through me before.
But like this? Never.

With all of my God time, some things became clear very quickly.

Firstly, I KNEW WHY this was happening…

I HAD ASKED FOR IT.

You’re thinking to yourself WHAT?! How could you have possibly
asked for this? Well, this sort of thing happens ALL the time. We
set goals and intentions. We ask the Universe for change. But when
things DO change, we forget we asked for it! Not only that, but we
don’t like HOW the change is unfolding. We ask God for help, but
try to tell God how to do her job. (And don’t even THINK about
trusting God!)

As for me, what happened is that back in 2009 I had declared to the
Universe, “I want to KNOW that God is my Source. My ONLY. My
EVERY. My ALL! I want to get it at a cellular level, so that I no
longer have to try to convince myself of this. I want to move BEYOND
intellectual understanding to deep, spiritual KNOWING.”

So, what happened? I manifested the exact experiences I needed to
have no choice, but to turn to God for everything. Every external
structure in my life that I used to count on to feel safe and secure
was stripped away. With my mother’s illness, my freedom (my
ability to live life on my terms) was confiscated. When my home
life crumbled into a chaotic mess of conflict, threat, and
abandonment… the illusion that safety and security come through
external comforts vanished. And when my marriage ended, my
“religion of relationship”, and my earthly identity burned away to
ashes.

As a result, I was left with nothing but my relationship with and
trust in God. I knew I could be strong and loving for my children,
because there is just something super-human that gets activated
when a woman becomes a mother. But I had no idea how I could
possibly be present and helpful to my clients, let alone get
through each day. And yet, I had to. So, before each client
session, before each class, and before each Q&A session, I’d turn
everything over to God. I would say, “Okay God. The life-coach
formerly known as Sonia is no longer here. Work through me so
that I may serve this person in the highest way.”

I did this for EVERY single professional interaction and exchange,
and what happened was quite astounding. Not only would amazing
wisdom come through and my clients felt served, but I felt better.
Letting God work through me, FOR another, uplifted me. Of course I
alw ays knew about this phenomenon. But to experience it when it
took everything I had just to answer the telephone… this was a
whole new level.

And then… the feedback started coming in.

“Sonia, I don’t know what’s happened to you, but something is
different. I’ve never heard or felt you be so powerful.”

“Sonia, I got off the phone the other day crying, and I knew that I
had to have you as my coach for the rest of my life.”

And then… I started letting my clients know what had happened in
my life and the feedback continued.

“Sonia, I have no idea how, but what you’re bringing is more
inspiring, confident and clearer than I’ve ever heard from you.”

My response was always the same: I’m letting God work through me,
because there is nothing of “me” left.

Which brings me to why I’m writing this letter to you today:

As a result of this unfolding in my life, my work is changing. I
don’t know where it is going for sure, or for how long it will be
this way, but I’m clear about what I need to do right now. I
haven’t written an ezine or a blog post in two or more months.
Instead I’m being guided away from writing toward staying
connected with all of you in a more interactive, intimate way.
So… for a while, instead of providing my Soul Food electronic
newsletter as my primary way of offering tips, tools, inspiration
and information, I will be facilitating a Free LIVE Q&A Forum call
twice a month. This tele-conference series is called:

Beyond the Law of Attraction: How to Let God Work Through You

HERE ARE THE DETAILS:

What will happen on the calls?
The calls will be up to 60 minutes in length. I will begin by
delivering whatever inspired message seems to be coming through
at the time. (There’s a lot of that happening these days.) And then
I’ll open the lines up for Q&A. Anyone on the call can ask any
questions they have about personal success, healing,
transformation, manifestation, navigating the illusion that is our
physical experience here on earth, the law of attraction, letting
God work through you… things like that. My intention is and always
will be to answer questions and support those that are called to be
there in the highest way, as guided by Source.

Who Are These Calls For?

These Live Forums are for YOU, if…

• You feel a calling to something deeper or bigger in yourself or
  your life, but don’t know what that is or how to connect with it.
• You feel in your soul that life is about much more than
  “manifesting things” in your life.
• You read “My Story” about the unfolding experiences of my
  life in the past year-and-a-half and feel like you need to know
  more… (or my story resonates for you).
• You would like a chance to receive live support from me as a
  gift.
• You would like to connect with like-minded and like-hearted
  seekers.
• You’re curious.
• You feel that you’re supposed to be there.

What if I can’t make the times?
The calls will be recorded. Simply register by visiting the link
below. This will automatically place you on the email list which
we’ll use to send you the recordings when they are available. 
There is no obligation of any kind associated with registering. 
You’ll simply be on the mailing list which will update you
regarding the dates, times, telephone numbers and pass-
codes you’ll need to get on the call.

The first call is scheduled for Thursday, June 24th at 1:00pm
PACIFIC STANDARD TIME.  A tentative call schedule for future
dates will go out as soon as possible.

Please join us for “BEYOND the Law of Attraction: How to Let God
Work Through You”, by registering at:
http://www.successforthesoul.com/beyond-loa/

How long will this series last?  Will the audios be available later?
I have no idea.  This is an entirely new way of working for me.  I
hope you’ll join me in this glorious adventure!

What if I have other questions?
Please click on the link below for the full scoop. If you have
additional questions, my admin team would be very happy to help
you!

Email:  CustomerCare@SuccessfortheSoul.com
Phone: 503-961-1228

I hope you’ll join me and the like-minded seekers that you are
meant to connect with through this experience.

Beyond the Law of At traction: How to Let God Work Through You

Choose YOUR Reality! TM
Sonia : )

(Although this article was written with the U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving in mind, but it is applicable year-round!)

With Thanksgiving upon us here in the U.S. we are offered the opportunity to elevate our understanding of gratitude: what it is, what we are grateful for, and what we are NOT grateful for.

This holiday is lovely in concept, but as a life coach I can tell you that the reality is not always so wonderful. Rather than being an opportunity to connect with our blessings, this day often becomes a catalyst that stirs emotions regarding tricky family dynamics, the pressures of expectations, and other less than celebratory issues.

No matter what “thanksgiving” means to you, whether you are celebrating the holiday or not, I’d like to highlight the power of gratitude in a way that escapes many. And it is this:

Oftentimes, the very thing that you need to change an undesired
circumstance in your life is GRATITUDE for that very circumstance.

Yes! This is completely counter-intuitive. Why would you give thanks for “bad luck,” misfortune, or adversity of any kind? Because if you don’t, there’s a pretty good chance that you are resisting it in one way or another, even if you think you are “going with the flow” or surrendering. Anything other than outright gratitude for your misfortune, may mean that at best, you are keeping the situation in a holding pattern, and at worst, you are magnifying it by fighting against it. What you resist persists, right?

Why Gratitude for Adversity works:

Giving and receiving are one and the same. They are part of a constant flow. When we give, we are participating in the Universe’s eternal flow of abundance. When we receive we are also participating in that flow. Abundance and well-being are NOT states of having. They are states of participating in the flow.

Whether we’re talking about money, relationships or health, you must join in the movement of energy. Everything is energy. Money is energy. Relationships are exchanges of energy. And health is the flow of life force energy within you.

Because the nature of the Universe is infinite abundance and well-being, it is consistently offering you all that you could need or want. However (and this is a big however) we judge what the Universe gives us. If we lose our job, we judge it as bad. If a situation doesn’t go our way, we judge it as bad. If we have to spend money we didn’t want to spend, we judge it as bad.

Every time you judge something as bad, two counterproductive things happen:

1) You called it “bad” and because you are a powerful creator, you MUST now experience it as bad, because that is all that you will allow into your experience, and
2) You’ve resisted it, which is a way of giving the very thing you don’t want lots of attention (i.e. energy) which simply magnifies the thing you don’t want.

This scenario is the very scenario that keeps us stuck and perpetuating what we don’t want for eternity! That is until, we change the scenario.

How do you do this?

1) Suspend judgment. When something bad happens refrain from the impulse to call it “bad” and instead tell yourself, “I suspend judgment. It is what it is. I’m willing to remember that Source is Well-Being. I remain open and receptive to this well-being.”
2) Then (and I know this is a big leap, but it works!) GIVE THANKS! Based on your willingness to trust that Source is giving you a blessing, even if you can’t see it or understand how your situation could possibly be a good thing, declare to yourself, “I give grateful thanks for this. I am willing to believe that there is good here, even if I can not perceive it, even if it feels bad or scary. I am willing to remain open and receive the blessings the Universe is offering me. I receive the good that is here right now!”

Giving thanks for the very misfortune you wish to reject is tantamount to waving a magic wand of transformation over the situation. This is because…

1) It is impossible to resist something and give thanks for it at the same time. So, any resistance that existed dissipates, and any power the negative situation had dissolves.
2) When you give thanks you are officially receiving. The Universe has been trying to give you something and now you’ve officially received. You have participated in the flow and now the energy of abundance and well-being can move through your life. If you do not receive what the Universe is trying to give you, it will keep trying to give it to you until you receive it. This is because that’s what the Universe does. It gives. It offers. It expands.

When you suspend judgment of what the Universe is giving you, then you can see the blessing. The blessing might be a new perspective, a lesson, an opportunity (maybe you had to let something go in order to receive something better). You may not see the blessing or understand it until sometime in the future. But if you move forward in trust, and receive what you’re being given, it will reveal itself.

Giving thanks when it feels good, or we’ve received what we want is easy, and yes it is expansive. But, giving thanks when it doesn’t feel good, or we can’t see the blessing – now that is downright transformational. You DO have the power to transform your situation. The question is, will you rise above your knee-jerk reactions to summon the creative well-spring of power within you.

Willingness.
Faith in goodness.
And a commitment to a better way.

It starts and continues here.

To learn more about the subtle nuances and advanced principles that make all the difference in harnessing the power of the Law of Attraction, consider picking up a copy of my book, “The Attraction Distraction: Why the Law of Attraction Isn’t Working for You and How to Get Results-Finally!” 

I did a lot of things “right” in caring for her and caring for myself while I was caring for her.

I slept.

I ate.

I asked for help.

I received help.

I’d set intentions.

I’d meditate.

I’d exercise when I could.

I’d read helpful books.

I’d open my heart.

I’d set boundaries.

I’d feel my feelings……

And yet, the one thing I couldn’t do was ELIMINATE the fact that my mom was battling cancer and I was her caregiver.  It was among the hardest things I’ve ever gone through and it was stressful no matter how you sliced it.  I would have LOVED to create a very different reality, but hard as I might, I couldn’t.  I wanted control over everything and I had control over nothing!

As I find myself unwinding, I find myself experiencing S-P-A-C-E in my life in ways I haven’t for a long time.  Space to be.  Space to have nothing vying for attention in my brain.  Space to be spontaneous.  Space to rest.  Space to catch up on the mundane.  And in the space, I’m feeling things I haven’t had the space to feel in a long time.  Loneliness for one.  I realized the other day that I have no social life.  And I haven’t for a looooong time.  So, with that awareness, I’ve become clear about some new intentions.  To reconnect with friends and make new ones.  What a happy thought!

Anyway, I digress… what I wanted to share is that in these spaces, I reconnected with an important Law of Attraction concept.  And it relates to one of the biggest distortions out there.  It goes something like this:  Just because we’re told that we “create our reality” does NOT mean that we get to CONTROL our reality.  We don’t. 

Just like we don’t get to control what the economy is doing, what world leaders are doing, what the weather is doing, or what our loved ones (or enemies for that matter) are doing,  we also don’t get to control how blessings manifest in our lives, small and large, how miracles occur, or how the Universe orchestrates things better than we could ever imagine.

Creating our reality is about CHOOSING how we will RELATE to what the Universe is giving us at any given moment.  There will always be events and conditions we’d rather NOT experience.  Our power, however, is not decided by whether or not we can determine a certain outcome (i.e. get control over the situation). 

Instead, our power as co-creators comes from…

1) ACCEPTING what is (i.e. releasing any resistance that might give an unwanted situation more life)

2) SUSPENDING JUDGMENT (i.e. rather than labeling something as “bad,” we tell ourselves, “It is not good, it is not bad.  It simply is what it is.”)

3) REMAINING OPEN AND TRUSTING THAT THERE IS GOOD HERE (… because Source is ALL-GOODNESS and Source is All-That-Is.  Therefore there MUST be GOOD here.)

4) ALLOWING THE GOOD TO BE REVEALED… and when it does…

5) GIVE GRATEFUL THANKS!

THIS is how we create our reality!

Choose YOURS – okay?

Sonia

Well, this week the theme is “Acting As If” and it has been coming through loud and clear.  Two days ago I taught Lesson #4, “Maximize Your Action,” of the  Ultimate Manifestation System Boot Camp.  One of the five guidelines I teach is the principle of “Acting As If.” 

And just now I completed a coaching call with a client who, as we burrowed down to where she was stuck, became clear that she was holding back from really claiming her power.  She knew who and how she needed to BE.  This bigger, grander version of herself was already within her, but she was “hiding out.”  I suggested she give the “bigger her” a name, and to practice calling her out by name when she felt herself shrinking.  Instantly she knew.  When she was playing small, she was “being Susie.”  But when she was owning her power she was “being Susan.” 

Then what arrives in my inbox today?  And article on “Acting As If” from one of my favorite entrepreneur coaches!  Of course!  And so, with her permission, I pass it along to you.  Whether you use this principle in business or in your personal life, it is powerful stuff – and it works!  Enjoy!

Choose YOUR Reality!tm

Sonia

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How To Activate the “Law of AS IF …” In Your Business
by Heather Dominick
EnergyRICH® Entrepreneur Success  & Master Coach

Remember the story of the “Little Engine That Could”? This little train had always pulled small loads, but one day it was called upon to deliver something greater. First, it had a hard time getting the load to move at all so it cheered itself on by puffing, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can …” The load began to move and then natural momentum began to take over at the top of the hill and it was pulled forward -smoothly and easily …” Ahhh – such a nice story, isn’t it?

Think your business is any different?

Well, your answer says a lot about whether it is … or it isn’t.

In order to accomplish anything, you have to think and act AS IF you can. When you behave as if a task is possible, existing laws come into effect to help you. And here’s a major EnergyRICH® Insider Secret Tip for you: when you reach the point of behaving AS IF the action were already accomplished, you receive even more help!

Consider this: The “Law of AS IF …” has been activated by great achievers of all times and situations. Barbra Streisand was told that her voice was not suited for large audiences … however she behaved AS IF and even though large venues still scare her – she has performed to the largest sold out audiences of all times. Christopher Columbus behaved AS IF he could sail from Spain to India … Alexander Graham Bell behaved AS IF he could talk through a device to someone in another room … You don’t really think you and your business are any different do you? Or Do You?

Well, what I’ve come to understand is that most entrepreneurs do activate the Law of AS IF … as if they can’t do it. A lot of energy is invested in all the reasons why something won’t work:

· “I don’t have the time …”

· “I don’t have the money …”

· “Others in my field/city/country don’t do it this way …”

· “It will take too much work …”

· “It’s a bad time of year …”

· “I need to learn more …”

· “If only my parents/spouse/the lottery would give me money …”

The Law is activated, but the energy is being directed away from what they say they want. So there is an energy mis-match, but the Law doesn’t know this. It’s just following the natural, energetic flow of the science that created it.

I learned how to turn this around for myself in a big way and to really have this Law working for me:

I behaved AS IF I could find an affordable apartment in Manhattan. Did it.

I behaved AS IF I could find true-love after 30. Did it.

I behaved AS IF I could make a high 6-figure living as a coach. Doing it.

I now hold the energy of the Law of AS IF for all EnergyRICH® Clients and EnergyRICH® Business Boot Campers and teach specific techniques and tools that has each EnergyRICH® Entrepreneur activating this for themselves as a consistent part of the growth of their business.

What is it about this Law that works?

Some may say it enlists the aid of the subconscious mind and I sense this is part of it, but I also sense that there is something HUGE at work here. When you feel a desire to do or to be something you haven’t done or been before, you are responding to a divine idea pushing toward manifestation. When you consciously resolve to take action toward realization of that desire, you mentally CLAIM your good. When you behave AS IF you can accomplish your desire, you totally believe that it will be fulfilled. Total belief is active belief including both mental acceptance of the idea and positive action upon it. That’s it. AND such belief both springs from and activates faith — the mightiest power of all.

See, here’s the thing: You are designed not only to contemplate divine ideas, but also to manifest them. So when you make a tiny effort of your own, just as the Little Engine did, you find one law after another coming to your aid.

Now, again, remember this: do not misuse the AS IF Law. It operates whether you use it consciously or not. So, if you behave AS IF something not so great exists – that works too. Get it? And either way the Law is contagious. Other energies respond to the activation of the Law of AS IF – always, no matter what. So, imagine, what contagiously would happen (more clients, more money, more freedom…) when you acted AS IF with …

· Your EnergyRICH® Prospect to Profits Process™

· Your clients and customers

· Your marketing

· Your business vision

· and more …

How do you CHOOSE to activate the Law of AS IF for YOU?

Heather Dominick, is founder of the EnergyRICH® Success System for Entrepreneurs, the proven step-by-step program to help you partner your inner and outer approach to business for profitable productivity that is fused with JOY! To sign up for her freebie how-to articles and no-charge teleclasses on how to create an EnergyRICH® Business as a WomenPreneur, visit www.energyrichcoach.com

Such a great reminder.  I loved it.  Thought I’d pass it along today.

“Trying too hard IS resisting… for this reason — think about this — if you decide that you want to go to the grocery store and buy a quart of milk, do you ever find yourself trying too hard? Or do you just go get it?

And the reason you just go get it is because you have absolute knowledge – you KNOW. You know you have the ability to go, you know you have the money in your purse, you know the milk will be there when you get there. In other words, there is no doubt and so there is no trying against anything. And so whenever you’re trying too hard, what is happening is there is a part of you that is not believing that it can be.”

Extract from Abraham-Hicks tape G-8/22/90

Choose YOUR Reality! tm

Sonia

And so, during these eleven days – the personal leave I’ve taken since my mother’s passing – even though I’ve wanted to connect with you (I didn’t want to just disappear), I didn’t know what to write about.  I felt like I had nothing to give.  The truth is that I needed and wanted life to be about MY needs.  I just wanted to BE. 

~ I didn’t want to be “on”.

~ I didn’t want to think or make any decisions that weren’t absolutely necessary.

~ I didn’t want to “have to” anything.

~ I didn’t want a schedule, or an alarm clock.

~ I didn’t want to “surrender” to other people’s needs, or to fulfill commitments.

After four years of caring for my mother, worrying about her, worrying about taking care of her while still wanting and having my own life – wanting to be present and available for my husband, our kids, my friends and my clients (and often feeling like I wasn’t doing any of those things well).  Holding a BIG GIANT SPACE for many different feelings:  love, care, concern, gratitude, grief, anger, burden, obligation, resentment, and exhaustion… after four years of that, I just wanted to have life on MY TERMS, even if only for a week.

And so I have. (As much as is realistically possible.)

Chris my husband has deftly done the River Dance of emotional spousal support, hopping between giving me my space and doing things for me.  The kids have been incredibly understanding amidst mommy’s explanations of “what’s going on” and thank you’s for their extra patience.  My clients have been incredibly loving, patient, understanding and supportive.  And my friends have done their own River Dance of support. (Bless you, all!)

All this has given me a symbolic transitional time of sorts.  I mean I know I’ll be in transition for longer than eleven days, but this time-off felt almost ceremonial. 

~ A crossing of the bridge from a life of caring for mom with cancer, to a life complete with that journey.

~ A time of giving to myself so that I can give to others again, the way I want to and love to.

~ A time to, as Abraham-Hicks teaches, “pick up my oars” and let my boat simply turn around on its own.  To stop paddling so hard upstream and remember that everything I want is downstream.

And what has all this “me time” given me?  A connection once again to all of you! 

This time of transition has reinforced for me, once again, an idea I believe in strongly. 

That TRANSITION doesn’t just happen, it is something that needs to be acknowledged.  It is something that needs to be honored.  Yes, life is full of endings and beginnings.  But between them are transitions.  And transitional times, when properly acknowledged, can be some of the most powerful times of life.  When we allow ourselves to simply “BE,” we create a space.  We become more able to live in the NOW.  We endeavor to release the past.  We give ourselves permission to refrain from grasping at the future.  We flow through the air between the trapeze bars… in FAITH. 

Yes, it can be uncomfortable and downright scary.  But that usually happens because we don’t understand that transition is normal.  Transition is healthy.  Transition is necessary.  When we learn how to BE in transition – allowing ourselves to be in the void, in the unknown – we let go of control.  And when we release control, we become receptive to the Divine.  We become the powerful manifestors that we can be because we ALLOW the infinite well-being that already is, into our lives.

Choose YOUR Reality! tm

Sonia

Life happens. Period. Some people accept that and deal with life head on. But if you happen to be a practitioner of the Law of Attraction you might fall victim to any number of myths and distortions that fly around freely about “negative occurrences” in one’s life.

Instead of fulfilling the promise of the Law of Attraction, which tells us that we create our own reality, some seekers mistakenly attempt to apply half truths to their difficult situations, only to make matters worse.

For example, when something “bad” happens, misguided seekers might ask themselves, “What did I do to create this?” Or when they feel fear or stress about an undesired situation they’ll scold themselves, ‘I need to stay positive. I can’t think that way because I’ll attract that.” This line of thinking only serves to a) misdirect one’s precious creative energy by asking questions that lead nowhere, OR b) to perpetuate resistance of what is; which only adds more energy to the unwanted situation.

Life happens. We get scared. We panic and we stress out. Harnessing the power of the Law of Attraction is NOT about pushing away bad feelings. It isn’t about slapping on a coat of positive thinking over a persistence case of dread. It isn’t about gritting your teeth and muscling through a bad situation in an attempt to force a good situation to appear. To truly harness the power of the Law of Attraction is to relax into a much kinder and gentler approach to yourself and life… we accept what is. We don’t fight it. We say yes to it and then we gently redirect our attention… to what we want, to what is good in life, and to that for which we are grateful.

In order to debunk common Law of Attraction distortions it is important to understand what really works when life happens. The following practices can help you effectively navigate the storms of life so as to reach higher, drier ground.

1. Unplug from All Channels of Fear and Negativity

Stop watching the news or reading the paper. In this day an age you do not need to go out and find current events, they’ll find you. Critics say this is irresponsible and only fosters denial of “reality.” Well, if you believe in the Law of Attraction it means that you also believe that there is a larger reality than what happens in our physical world. The only way to tap into this higher truth is to put your attention on it, and that requires taking your attention off of all that distracts you from it.

2. Contemplate the Nature of Source Energy

In other words, seek out, study and put your attention on higher truth. Q: What is higher truth? A: There is only ONE. One life. One consciousness. One energy. All that is, is a part of this whole. You, and everyone and everything around you are a part of this whole – individual yet inseparable like the individual drops of water in the ocean. This ONE is infinite health, prosperity, well-being, freedom, etc. So if the ONE is this, it means YOU are this. Your job is to drop the veil of illusion to remember this higher truth so that you can experience it in your life.

3. Stay in the NOW

Our minds have a life of their own. Without prompting or hesitation our minds fly off into future imaginings of fearful outcomes, or they leap into past replays of negative experiences. However, by staying in the NOW, we claim our power over the terrorist activities of our minds. We pause. We breathe. And we remember what is actually true RIGHT NOW. “Right now, I am fine. Right now I have money and food. Right now, I have friends and family that love and support me.” By focusing on the truth of your current well-being you attract more well-being.

4. Give Thanks for Everything

Gratitude is the most powerful vibration there is because when we are grateful, we are telling the Universe “I HAVE this thing for which I am grateful.” Because like attracts like, as you acknowledge all that you have, you attract more of the experience of “having.”

5. Keep Giving

When you give in gratitude for all that you have, no matter how small, you are contributing to the flow of abundance. When you give to the Universe, the Universe gives to you. Abundance is not a state of having. It is an experience of constant flow. You must put yourself in the flow of giving and receiving to perpetuate the flow in your life.

6. Pull Out Your “Feel Good” List

And… if you haven’t already, it is always a powerful exercise to make a list of everything that brings you joy. Make it an exhaustive list and put it on your refrigerator. Anytime you’re feeling down refer to that list and allow yourself to connect with the joy that any particular item gives you. This is especially important when life’s occurrences are pulling you down. Because when we’re down we attract more “down-ness.” Like attracts like, right? It takes intention and discipline to raise your vibration and your “Feel Good List” is one of the easiest ways to do this when you simply can’t remember how to feel good.

Keep your Law of Attraction Took Kit handy. Whenever life happens, practice which ever of the six disciplines feel right at any given time. If you do this consistently, you will not only begin to trust that you have the power to weather any storm, but you will discover that you have the capacity to catch the winds and harness their power in your favor.

Choose YOUR Reality! tm

Sonia

 For more on this subject, consider picking up a copy of my book, “The Attraction Distraction: Why the Law of Attraction Isn’t Working for You and How to Get Results – Finally!”

Given enough attention, a lower-level vibration of resistance or irritation can become highly magnetic, pulling to you even more lower-level experiences. On the flip side the vibration of appreciation, given enough attention, can snowball into a truly blessed day.

This type of situation not only applies to specific circumstances, but to your general way of being. There’s a saying, “How you are anywhere is how you are everywhere.” In other words, your basic state of being IS your vibration. And so, if you want to shed light on what’s holding you back in a particular area of life, try this simple, yet powerful experiment:

1) Pick 2 very specific areas of your life where you struggle (i.e. my relationship with John, my inability to make more than $30,000 per year, my food/body issues, my work situation, etc.).

a) The first area of life should be the one that baffles you – the one for which you are seeking insight.

b) The second area of life should be one where your challenges are really obvious to you – the one where your reactions are right at the surface (i.e. a person or personality type that drives you crazy!)

2) With your attention on (b), make a list of all the ways you struggle. Simply get it all out of your system without censorship. Once you’re done. Pick the top three ways you struggle – the ones that have the most charge.

3) Then from those top three, explore how those challenges might apply to (a), the area of life for which you are seeking new insight.

For example, let’s say that you are trying to figure out where you need to grow next in the realm of relationships, but no matter how you look at things, you can’t quite figure out what’s in your way. However, when it comes to money, your issues and areas of resistance are loud and clear. Take some time to explore how you feel about money (i.e. I’m scared of it, there’s never enough, I can’t count on it to be there, I can’t get ahead, I feel out of control with it, I’m irresponsible…) Then take what you discover and see how it might apply to your relationships.

If you’re having trouble connecting the dots, don’t worry, the answers will come, if you remain open. Say to yourself and the Universe, “I’m willing to discover a higher truth. I’m willing to see things with clarity.” If need be, walk away from the exercise. Often times the “Aha’s” will come to you when you stop trying so hard. And when the insights come, say “Thank you!” to your soul and let your newfound wisdom guide you in taking your next steps toward your personal growth.

Choose YOUR Reality! tm

Sonia