(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!” 

Christine has utilized numerous Success for the Soul services over the past few years to keep growing, expanding and making her dreams come true. For long-time Soul Food and blog subscribers you may remember her from when she left an unsatisfying job in corporate America to open her dream consignment store (click here to read an earlier success story).

More recently Christine completed her six month group coaching commitment (a predecessor program to the Ultimate Manifestation System Boot Camp) and we celebrated together a whole new level of success, fulfillment and growth!

“Sonia, in the past six months I have learned so much! With Source as my source, I can live and experience peace, love, joy and hope in the face of the same situations that were causing the constant anxiety. I’m living from flow, faith and joy which allows me to let go of attachment to specific outcomes. There is a shift in the way I am holding money – I’m more relaxed about and more trusting that there will always be enough.

As a result all sorts of abundance has manifested in my life and in my business! I found 2 great employees that are perfect for my business. I’m now able to spend 2 ½ days out of the store every week, with a lot more flexibility in my schedule.  Had 2 wildly successful events in my store. Am now paying myself from SISTERS earnings (a big milestone for any new business venture!). Took 6 trips away since January. And I have more connection to my community through events and joining women’s club.

My work with you has helped me grow into a new way of “being.” I feel more peaceful and joyful. I’m much more relaxed about my business, trusting that source is providing. And I live from a new place of service, feeling grateful all the time!

I can’t thank you enough Sonia! I so look forward to continuing the journey with you and allowing the next level of abundance to flow through and expand my life freely!”

Christine Johnson, Proprietor
SISTERS Consignment Couture
Sonoma, California, USA

If you’d like to learn more about how Success for the Soul can help you make your dreams come true, contact Executive Manager, Chris at Chris@Successforthesoul.com or 503-961-1228.
Please note: There are just a few 2009 private coaching slots left before the programs and fee structures change for 2010. We are currently accepting applications for a very limited number of complimentary Get to Know sessions with Sonia. Contact Chris for more information.

To start at the beginning of the series, click on this link: http://successforthesoul.com/law-of-attraction-the-success-for-the-soul-philosophy/925/

Like Attracts Like

• Whatever you offer the Universe in thought and emotion, you attract back into your life as a physical equivalent. A common Law of Attraction distortion is that the Law of Attraction is about attraction, or creating something that you don’t already have, or that doesn’t exist. The idea of the Law of Attraction is based in truth, but the problem is that it sets up in people’s minds the idea that they are separate from what they want.

As long as you feel separate. As long as you keep WANTING something you think you don’t have. You will put out a vibration of being separate and wanting and because like attracts like, you will experience being separate and wanting.

The vibration of manifestation is to get to a place where you feel that you are ALREADY ONE with what you want and that you ALREADY HAVE it.

Hard to wrap your brain around this one? Here’s the place to start. Try this affirmation every day for a month:

I am willing to experience my Oneness with the infinite abundance that is already here!

Choose YOUR Reality! TM

Sonia

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!”

And so, read on at your own risk. For I am about to talk about the metaphysical practice of “minding your own business.” Taken out of context one may judge this harshly in any number of ways. However, correctly understood, the practice of minding one’s own business can not only be personally liberating, but it can foster peace in relationships and in the world, and can be a creative catalyst for the betterment of society.

The Problem:

Most people walk around thinking that in order to feel better and to solve problems they must CHANGE the people, situations, opinions and circumstances around them. Wrong. From a Law of Attraction perspective nothing outside of us creates or perpetuates the problems. The only thing that creates your reality is your consciousness. So, if you put a lot of energy into changing your external world, you are telling the Universe the following:

a) My well-being is contingent upon external circumstances.
b) The Source of my well-being is outside of me.
c) John Doe is the cause of all of my problems.
d) I will remain unhappy until things change.

Because like attracts like, your BELIEF in all of this, will make it so. Consequently, you will remain a victim to circumstance until circumstances change. This is bad news. But worse is that nothing will change as long as your attention is on all that is wrong. Since like attracts like, if you focus on wrongness, you get more wrongness. A no-win situation wouldn’t you say?

The Solution:

When you take your nose out of everyone else’s business, and mind your own business, you’ve essentially broken out of your self-imposed prison of victim-hood. What does it mean to mind your own business? It means that you take that finger you were pointing outwardly and point it back at yourself with a single-minded intention to cultivate and nurture a mind-set of openness, receptivity, willingness and possibility. THAT is YOUR business. And THAT is where ALL of your power lies. Here are some tips to help you mind your own business:

When your external world feels negative, scary and overpowering…
contemplate the TRUE nature of Source Energy. Source is everywhere present and infinite in goodness, love, well-being and abundance, beyond human understanding. Make it your top priority to study and immerse yourself in this concept.

When you find yourself judging a person or situation negatively…
say to yourself, “I suspend judgment. It is what it is. It is not good. It is not bad. It simply is. And I remain open to the Infinite Good that is present right here and now.”

When your beliefs have you convinced that there is no other way…
surrender your limiting beliefs to the highest good through willingness and choice. Say to yourself, “It may or may not be true that this bad economy makes finding a job difficult, but I CHOOSE to believe I can find a job easily.” “It may or may not be true that this bully has power over me, but I’m willing to remember, that Source is my ONLY Source, and this person has zero influence over my experience.”

As you practice letting other people, places and situations off the hook, and remember that your creative mind has ultimate power over that which you allow into your life, THEN you are free! Release the desire to mind other people’s business. You have little power there. Mind your own business instead and watch your power to change your own reality, as well as that of others, unfold in ways you never imagined!

Helene (name changed to maintain confidentiality) came to me ready to do her next level of healing work after a huge and challenging time of transition in her life. She had been suspended from her profession in the medical field after taking responsibility for a substance abuse problem. Now clean and sober (for 6 months) she was ready to discover a new level of well-being and creative power within her.

Helene’s goals as a Transformation Private Coaching Client included:

• To heal her body after a life-time of pain,
• Find inner peace, and
• Know her true purpose… all so she could ultimately move on to create the next chapter of her life from a place of wholeness, purpose and empowerment.

Although our work did not look the way she thought it would (it rarely does!), with trust and consistency she experienced powerful break-throughs and recently shared the following with me in her pre-session check-in form:

“I am inspired by endless synchronicities that keep me positive that I am on the best path for my Self right now. That this IS my purpose. I am inspired from somewhere to shop and eat more healthy foods and walk every day NO MATTER WHAT!!!

My energy is up! My body is healing. My mind and soul are merging to become focused and true. My entire life feels better since beginning with you. I am discovering a strength I am already in possession of – I must only claim it – that is amazing and ever present.

I am progressing in the ability to speak my truth to myself and to others. I am successful in listening to my Self and Source and responding from there rather than reacting to life situations. I am finding my Peace for more and more of each day. I am excited about this day and the days to come. That’s new for me.”

If you’d like to learn more about how Success for the Soul can help you make your dreams come true, contact Executive Manager, Chris at Chris@Successforthesoul.com.

Choose YOUR Reality! tm

Sonia

To start at the beginning of the series, click on this link: http://successforthesoul.com/law-of-attraction-the-success-for-the-soul-philosophy/925/

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The ONE is Love

• This Source Energy is, by nature, omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (everywhere), omniscient (all knowing), omni-beneficent (all good).

Consequently this energy is:

o Divine love, perfect health, limitless wealth and success, fulfillment in every way.

o Infinite (absolutely without limitation of any kind).

o Impersonal, non-judgmental, neutral.

o Unconditional (under all circumstances and conditions).

To start at the beginning of the series, click on this link: http://successforthesoul.com/law-of-attraction-the-success-for-the-soul-philosophy/925/

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In the next few posts I’ll be talking about some basic metaphysical principles you’ll need to understand in order to harness the LOA as the vehicle for spiritual development it can be. I’m going to post just ONE principle per post so that you can really let them sink in. Give yourself the gift of really contemplating each one.

There is Only ONE

• There is only one source for ALL that exists in the Universe.

· Since there is only ONE – the only, the every, the all of All That Is – then YOU, like everything else, are made up of this Source Energy.

• Consequently, you are the embodiment of this Source Energy and possess within you all of the properties and expressions of this energy.

Choose YOUR Reality! TM

Sonia

To start at the beginning of the series, click on this link: http://successforthesoul.com/law-of-attraction-the-success-for-the-soul-philosophy/925/

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When you experience the Flip Factor, there is usually a changing of the guard in your mind. Rather than letting your Ego run your life, you start to give much more authority to your Soul.

The Ego Self is the part of you that operates from the 5 senses. It believes that your physical reality IS reality, and generally feels ALONE – an individual, operating independently, separate from all other individuals. The ego likes to get credit, be different, and be noticed. It is also that part of you that will connect with the energy of fear and limitation because in being individual and independent, you will also feel the need to survive and fend for yourself.

The Soul Self is a deeper, higher consciousness that CONTAINS the ego. It is that part of you that is connected to higher truth, to Source energy, to the eternal life force which is all that is. And this Source energy is infinite abundance, well being, peace, power, purpose, truth, joy.

By understanding the difference between the two, harnessing the power of the Law of Attraction takes on a very different flavor. You no longer get stuck at the level of LOA techniques, such as visualization, affirmations, etc. When those work, that’s great, but when they don’t it is because there is some form of resistance at work, which is more powerful than your conscious intentions.

All resistance comes from the ego in one form or another. And so, as you become more masterful at recognizing your ego and its different expressions, and learn to consistently RELEASE the resistance, each time you do this, that veil of separation – that illusion – falls away, and you can see, experience and allow into your life your dreams – the abundance and well-being that is ALREADY HERE… that is SOURCE!

Once you begin to trust and give more responsibility to your Soul over your Ego, you become open to understanding higher truths regarding the nature of the Universe, yourself and how manifestation works.

Stay tuned for some Higher Principles!

Choose YOUR Reality! TM

Sonia

To start at the beginning of the series, click on this link: http://successforthesoul.com/law-of-attraction-the-success-for-the-soul-philosophy/925/

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In my last post I referred to the Flip Factor, a phenomenon that can occur for the seeker who is willing and open to discovering how the Law of Attraction can be a vehicle for spiritual development. This is how it works:

Oftentimes people become interested in the Law of Attraction because of the promise it holds for the manifestation of all their desires (often material desires): car, clothes, job, money, relationships, etc.

They’ll practice LOA techniques, have varying degrees of success, and ultimately be faced with a choice: “Will I continue to embrace the LOA as an empowering life-supporting body of knowledge and go DEEPER in understanding how to REALLY harness its power, or will it be my latest self-help toy that I’ll drop when the “magic” where’s off? If you choose the former, the Flip Factor can occur for you. And when it does, you’ve now opened the door for the Law of Attraction being a vehicle for profound spiritual development.

The Flip Factor works as a before and after paradigm shift:

BEFORE:

Manifesting your goals and dreams are your priority and a relationship with Source is a way to make that happen.

Then… FLIP!

AFTER:

Your relationship with Source becomes your priority, because you discover that that connection is your true Source of all fulfillment, and your dreams just happen to manifest as a bi-product of this new way of being.

There’s no right or wrong here – just opportunity. Something to think about…

Next Post: When you experience the Flip Factor, you hire a new “inner boss”… do you know who it is?

Choose YOUR Reality! tm

Sonia

To learn more about The Flip Factor and other Law of Attraction advanced principles 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!” (just click on the title.)

In it we’ll be diving beneath the surface of the Law of Attraction to explore and understand

a) exactly how it works,

b) when and why it doesn’t, and

c) how to transcend the “quick fix” mind-set to let it be a reliable success partner in your life.

To enjoy the full potential of this blog conversation, keep coming back,

or feel free to subscribe to the RSS feed. Simply scroll down the navigation bar on the right

and enter your email where it says, “Get Updates Delivered by Email.”

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Success for the Soul, is more than just a business name. It’s a philosophy and it forms the foundation of everything I teach about manifestation and the Law of Attraction.

The philosophy?

The pursuit of your dreams is a vehicle for spiritual development.

This provides for a deeper and broader foundation for learning about manifestation. You see, many people approach personal success from the ego level. When they first learn about the Law of Attraction, they think it is about “attainment or achievement.” They see it as an opportunity to “get things”.

I certainly was one of those people. But as I studied and practiced higher truth principles two things happened.

1) Sometimes I achieved things and realized that they did not make me happy… so I needed to go deeper. And

2) Other times I did “everything right” in terms of Law of Attraction techniques, or so I thought, but I wasn’t getting the results I wanted. I learned that it wasn’t about technique… it was about who I was BEING. And as I learned how to BE different, more in line with my soul instead of my ego, I began to experience success and fulfillment in a way that the “things” I was trying to “get” could never touch.

As a result the Law of Attraction became something much bigger, much deeper and much more fulfilling. I started to live from my soul’s truth more and more. My ego and that very limited, fear-based perspective began to shrink. I felt more peaceful and confident and because I was allowing my soul’s desires (not my ego’s desires) to guide me, I opened up to connection with Source Energy that now allows abundance and well-being to flow freely and consistently through my life.

I experienced what I call the FLIP factor, a profound experience available to all seekers, if they stay on the path long enough and are willing to have personal success be more than “getting stuff.”

Stay tuned for more on the Flip Factor.

Choose YOUR Reality! tm

Sonia

Are you ready to be THE manifestor of your own life? Enjoy my powerful learning products (including my free audio on the Law of Attraction and Prosperity) – a gift from me! Simply enter your email and name in the box on the right which says, “Get Everything You Want from Life!” The materials will arrive almost immediately in your inbox…