Thursday, January 31, 2008

How To Live A Happy Life

Are you interested in learning how to live a happy life? Just yesterday I was reading an article about how unhappy we are as a society ... particularly those of us in our 40s. (Gulp ... that's me!)

We were away on a little retreat into the heart of Manitoba in the middle of winter this past week. And while enjoying the outdoors (it had actually warmed up from -40 to -12 by the weekend), I sat down with a hot beverage, played around with my video camera, and put my thoughts on the subject to video.

Here it is ... the video is entitled How To Live A Happy Life.

Have a terrific day.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

What Is A Media Fast?

Implementing a media fast is a common recommendation as a technique for learning to more effectively work with law of attraction. In a media fast, you give up all newspaper, radio and television for a block of time, typically 30 days.

The idea of the media fast is to avoid the constant bombardment of negative messages you are typically receiving throughout the day. Think about it ... rarely do we read or hear a good news story. The vast majority of the news is about the bad or unfortunate stuff that happens, whether it be the latest war on whatever, another homicide, an unfortunate accident, etc.

This has a not so subtle impact on our minds. Negative messages tend to make us feel bad. It draws our attention onto the things we don't want in the world. And that then leads us to begin to naturally feel fearful of what might happen to us or our loved ones. Pretty soon we're wondering "what's become of this world".

They leave us prone to act out relative to what we see, hear or feel. Our entire focus is shifted to the world of chaos around us, rather than the world of love within us. We are then most definitely no longer in vibrational alignment.

That's why a media fast can be so effective. It's a way of insulating ourselves from the constant negative bombardment thereby protecting our vibration. By avoiding those negative messages, we are able to focus more clearly on what we want, where we're going, and enjoy the moment.

And when it comes to losing touch with what's happening in the world, the important stuff still gets around. We'll still hear about it.

So if you find you are having trouble maintaining a high vibration, start to cut out many of the negative messages that may be dragging you down. Probably the easiest place to start is with a media fast.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Vibrational Alignment And Law Of Attraction

I've talked a great deal about vibrational alignment and the importance of aligning my vibration (frequency) with the goals or desires I seek.

By law of attraction, in order to manifest my desire I must align with them vibrationally. To better help explain this concept, we've created the following law of attraction audio.

It's entitled What Is Vibrational Alignment?



MP3 File

I hope you enjoy it. To hear more law of attraction audios, visit our website at http://www.inspiredabundance.com/. Thanks for reading (and listening).

Monday, January 21, 2008

Why Is Gratitude An Important Part of Using Law Of Attraction?

Have you read or heard those different self-help gurus who say that gratitude is an important part of deliberately using law of attraction in your life?

Do you ever wonder if the advice works and if so, why it works? Me too -- especially the why part.

So I've spent a fair amount of time reading and experimenting around the topic in order to understand it better.

I think I first heard about the power of gratitude from Abraham in one their audios. The way they explained it, and I've come to understand this as truth, gratitude is a powerful way to bridge the vibrational gap between where I am and what I want.

As they explain, and as I've focused on in prior posts, most of us find it difficult to shift our thoughts to a, say "level 10" in vibration, if we're mired in current thinking that is maybe, say a "level 3". The gap is too wide.

But finding something we're grateful for is much easier. So by placing our focus on things we have right now for which we're thankful, we are able to begin bridge the gap and begin to realign our thoughts to a level of vibration that move us closer to where we want to be.

Using this technique, I can shift myself to, say a "level 6" or a "7" relatively quickly.

Both Abraham and Bob Proctor teach that in order for something to manifest, we must be a vibrational match to it. That's where gratitude becomes such an important part of effectively and deliberately using Law of Attraction. It assists us in aligning our vibration.

And there's more. There is a growing body of scientific and academic research that backs up the important role gratitude can play in living a happier, healthier life.

Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar is the head of the Positive Psychology program at Harvard University. In his book, Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment Dr Ben-Shahar says that research studies now suggest the habit of keeping a daily “gratitude journal” can lead to a higher level of emotional and physical well being.

So the evidence is pretty clear that it works. And I see the evidence in my own life. I can "measure" it by the way I feel. Focusing on the things I'm grateful for makes me feel better -- my problems start to feel smaller, I gain a sense of relief, and because of the relief I'm able to shift my focus onto more things I'm grateful for.

I'm able to "feel" the power of gratitude at work within me and I "feel" my vibration rising. And as that happens, I know I'm now once again using law of attraction in a deliberate way that best serves me.

So that's my explanation of why gratitude is such an important part of using law of attraction. Thanks for reading.

To learn more about gratitude and law of attraction, visit my website at http://www.InspiredAbundance.com/.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Law of Attraction For Newbies

Following yesterday's post about what is law of attraction, Michelle and I decided to record an audio entitled Law of attraction for Newbies.

So we've done just that. Here's a 16 minute, 18 second audio that elaborates on law of attraction and in it we attempt to define the key concepts in very basic, layman's language.

So if you find you're curious about law of attraction, but maybe just don't quite "get it", perhaps this audio will help. Feel free to download and listen to it on your PC or MP3 player if you like.



MP3 File


And feel free to forward this audio to your friends.

You'll also be able to find the Law of Attraction for Newbies audio on our website at http://www.InspiredAbundance.com. Thanks for reading (and listening).

Friday, January 18, 2008

What Is Law of Attraction?

What is law of attraction?

Michelle and I were reflecting on this question yesterday and it donned on us that, although we've been in the personal development world for several years and are typically dialoguing with people who are interested in and at least somewhat familiar with the concept of law of attraction, the vast majority of people have no idea what the heck law of attraction is.

So today's entry is my attempt at answering the question in a straight forward, simple way ... let's call it law of attraction for newbies. :-)

At its simplest, law of attraction states that you attract into your experience whatever you think about -- like attracts like.

So the premise is that wherever you place the majority of your thought attention, with emotion, that is what you will draw more of into your life.

Since most people spend the majority of their time thinking about things that they don't want, they generally attract a lot of what they do not want. That's because most people spend the bulk of their time rehashing things that have happened in the past (like why people don't like me, or a divorce, or that idiot who cut me off on the freeway) or worrying about things that might happen tomorrow (what if ...).

I've heard it said that we average about 60,000 thoughts per day. The problem for most of us is that it's the same 60,000 thoughts each day.

The law of attraction works whether we're aware of it or not (just like, say the law of gravity works all of the time). The opportunity is to become aware of the law and to learn to use it deliberately by consciously monitoring our thoughts and placing attention and focus on what we do want.

Now that in itself can be a very elusive thing. What I've described is a very simplistic definition of what law of attraction is and how it works.

There are nuances to learning to work with it effectively. One of the key ones is matching frequencies of vibration, which is a topic I've blogged about quite a lot in the past. Essentially, we and everything around us are energy. Like energy, which can be measured as a vibrational frequency, attracts like energy.

Law of attraction is not a new concept; it's been around for a very, very long time. For a broad historical overview of the concept and its use, go to wikipedia and search the term "law of attraction". You will find good basic information and links to other resources.

One of the books I've read that really keeps law of attraction very simple and provides simple, practical exercises and advice on how to use it is written by Michael Losier. The book is titled Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't. Michael has been a guest on Oprah, and Michelle and I have seen Michael speak several times. If you're looking for a practical introduction to law of attraction, it's well worth the read.

So there it is ... that's my attempt at answering the question "what is law of attraction?" How'd I do?

To learn more about what is law of attraction and how to use it deliberately in your life, visit my website at http://www.InspiredAbundance.com/. Thanks for reading.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Are You Being Present With Your Daily Decisions?

Be present with your daily decisions.

My wife Michelle and I are developing a program called 7 Steps To Happiness. As I was editing some of the program material yesterday, I came across Michelle's first draft on what she considers to be one of the key steps to living a happier, healthier life.

It was about being present.

I've talked a lot about the fact that everything is just a decision. It sounds simple, but as we all know it's seldom easy.

So how does one actually start making decisions that move us forward moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day?

The answer is to be present.

Most of us ... and me too much of the time ... spend the majority of our thinking on “stuff” that happened yesterday, or last week, or last year, or in our childhood. We're constantly replaying old movies in our head.

The more I've learned to pay attention to what I'm thinking, the more I've come to realize this is true.

How can I be happy now if I am focused on -- or even dwelling upon -- things that happened in the past?

And for me, most of the past experiences I will focus upon tend to be negative in some way and so they then lead me to worry about the future. How can I be happy right now if I am spending all of my time worrying about tomorrow?

So the trick is to be present ... to start thinking and focusing on right now and what I am doing rather than on something that happened long ago or even 10 minutes ago, or that might happen tomorrow.

And as Michelle pointed out in her material I was reviewing, this is so important because by focusing on replaying the past in my head, what I am actually doing is holding on to something that cannot be held onto and which cannot be changed. It’s done.

She goes on to explain that the more I hold onto something, the more it repels.

So if you find that, like me, you are often spending most of your thought energy focused on the past -- or the future -- our best advice is to just let go.

Let go of the past; it's gone and you can't change it. And let go of your worry about tomorrow; you can't control what will happen tomorrow.

Let go of those conversations and realize that right now you are best served to be thinking about right now!

Do my present thoughts and actions best serve me in moving me towards where I wish to go? Am I taking the time to enjoy what I'm doing right now? Am I living in and fully experiencing this moment right now?

These are the things I have complete control over.

And that's what being present means and that's what being present with your daily decisions is all about.

Thanks for reading.

To hear more ideas about being present with your daily decisions and living the life you want, I invite you to visit our website at http://www.inspiredabundance.com/

Monday, January 14, 2008

Attitude Of Success?

Do you carry yourself with an attitude of success?

Yesterday, I was flying home from Miami back to Manitoba, so I had plenty of time on my hands. So I put on my headphones and listened to some Bob Proctor on my MP3 player.

Listening to Bob Proctor, I was reminded of something that I've learned to be very true. Your results are a direct reflection of your attitude.

If you're broke right now, it's because you are operating with the attitude of a broke person. You don't think, feel, look or behave like a wealthy person.

And this doesn't only apply to financial results. It applies to everything ... your health, your diet, your self esteem, your career ... anything.

Your attitude is a reflection of your thinking, so the great thing about it is that in order to change your attitude all you have to do is change your thinking.

So if you want to become a healthy person, start thinking and behaving like a healthy person. By doing that, you'll start to make the same decisions as a healthy person. You'll start to think like a healthy person. And pretty soon, you'll start to become a healthier person.

The same advice applies if you want that next promotion. If you want to be promoted to, let's say a manager, then start acting like a manager. What would a manager do in this situation? How would a good manager handle this? What would a good manager suggest? If I were a strong manager, how would I respond?

It's like play acting. You take on the role and then play the part. You adopt the attitude ... with enthusiasm. The more fully you throw yourself into the role, the more convincing the performance. And the more convincing the performance, the more you become the part.

Do you want to create wealth and success in your life? Start playing the part. How would a wealthy person think, feel, or behave?

Throw yourself into the role with gusto. Pretty soon, you'll have adopted a new habit of thinking and a new attitude for success. And guess what will start showing up more regularly ... more wealth and success.

If you want to be something, you have to start playing the part first ... with enthusiasm! That's how you develop an attitude of success.

Thanks for reading.

If you'd like to learn about a program that can help you develop an attitude of success, visit http://www.inspiredpersonaldevelopment.com/.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Integrating With Essence

Today I feel compelled to write about getting in touch with one's essence -- or inner being.

I've been familiar with the term inner being for a while as a result of being plugged into the teachings of Abraham. And if you aren't familiar with Esther and Jerry Hicks and their work with Abraham, then you really must visit their website. The material is phenomenal. In fact, go right now and buy their book The Astonishing Power of Emotions.

But it's actually through the work of another channeler, Maureen Becker and her work with the teachings of SAM that I came to become familiar with the term essence.

Michelle and I had the privilege of meeting with SAM this summer and it was a tremendous experience.

SAM teaches that we have 3 levels of being: Ego, Soul, and Essence. We're in our strongest connection to Source when we live and operated as an integrated being. But why not let SAM explain this concept for you.

Visit http://www.sourcewithin.com/ to plug into the powerful teachings of SAM.

And of course, to learn more about how to connect with essence and law of attraction, visit my website at http://www.inspiredabundance.com/. Thanks for reading.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Happiness: You Are What You Think About

In reading an article today on The Wealthy Attitude Blog, entitled The Source of Happiness, I was reminded yet again that "you are what you think about".

The power of the mind is such a fascinating thing. And I get to be reminded of this whenever I choose to pay attention.

Here's a video by Shiv R. Jhawar that you may find quite helpful in understanding the concept of discovering the source of happiness.

For some reason, the html embed code keeps failing, so here's a direct link to the video:
We speak over and over about the power of our thoughts and the importance of our habits of thinking. Yet another example for us to ponder. We find happiness when we choose to be happy.
Visit my website for more thoughts, tools and techniques to discover the secret to happiness at http://www.inspiredabundance.com/.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Feed Your Mind To Create A Wealthy Mindset

Are you feeding your mind with nutritious "brain food" that will help you create a wealthy mindset?

Given we're just into the new year, I see a lot of focus and attention on "tips" to help people keep their resolutions. Particularly related to losing weight,diet, and getting into shape.

Just today, as I skimmed the local newspaper, there was a full page article talking about the importance of good eating habits, planning and pre-portioning the foods you plan to eat today, ensuring you have healthy snacks available so you're less tempted to hit the nearest fast food stop, and becoming more aware of what you put into your body. It also talked about the importance of eating several small meals as opposed to fewer large meals.

That got me to thinking. Isn't it exactly the same when it comes to nurturing our minds?

We place so much focus and attention on what we should or shouldn't put into our bodies, but most of us place so little focus and attention on what messages we put into our minds.

From the constantly negative news, to the celebration of violence and gore so common in entertainment films, to the reality television and schlock programming, to the tabloids, to the complaining co-workers, even to much of the Internet -- we're literally swimming in a never ending onslaught of negative images and messages.

Is it any wonder most people do not have a wealthy mindset? Just as there's an epidemic of obesity in the world, so too there's an epidemic of poverty consciousness.

So why not take some of the weight loss advice and apply it to your mind?

Avoid negative, junk programming just like you'd avoid fast foods. Nurture your mind with frequent, empowering mini meals and healthy snacks by listening to some positive messages throughout the day. Play a CD by Tony Robbins, or Wayne Dyer, or Bob Proctor -- anything that will give you positive messages. Keep a journal handy.

Cultivate a discipline of thinking to strengthen and improve the health of your your mindset.

Most people will agree we are more than our bodies. So perhaps it's time to pay more attention to our mind. Do that for 30 days and see what begins to happen.

To learn more about creating a wealthy mindset, visit my website at http://www.inspiredabundance.com/.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

The Downside To Law Of Attraction

A while ago, I posted an article discussing what I called the "downside to the law of attraction".

The downside I referred to was that you get whatever you focus upon. So if you neglect to train yourself to focus on what you want, rather than on what you don't want, you will continue to get more of what you don't want.

For me that is the reason why personal development is so key. In order for me to create wealth and freedom in my life, I must first teach myself to focus on the wealth and freedom that I desire -- rather than focusing on its absence.

The better I get at doing that, the more quickly I'm going to attract the ideas, circumstances and inspiration that will lead me to create more wealth and freedom in my life.

So to me that's the whole point of a self improvement (personal development) regimen. It's about training my thinking patterns in a way that will better serve me.

As I've said before, this is so deceptively simple, yet it can be extremely challenging. I heard an audio by Dr. Wayne Dyer quite some time ago in which he said that we have something like 60,000 thoughts per day, but for most of us it's essentially the same 60,000 thoughts as we had yesterday.

Law of attraction works, whether we're aware of it or not. If we're not aware, then that's the downside -- law of attraction still works. We just give up the opportunity to apply it deliberately in our day-to-day lives.

So for now, forgive me ... it's time for my daily visualization. :-)

Visit my website to learn more about how to create wealth and freedom using law of attraction.
And if you'd like to look at a personal development program that can help teach you new habits of thinking, click here.

Friday, January 4, 2008

A Wealthy Successful Mindset Is A Decision

Wealth and prosperity are a state of mind enabled by the decision to be so. And a wealthy and successful mindset is a prerequisite to those things appearing in the material world.

I was reminded of this a couple of days ago while reading an article by Randy Gage over on my friend Peter's blog at The Wealthy Attitude.

I find this to be difficult to accept at times, but the evidence in my life is irrefutable. Regardless of what my particular life circumstances may be, whether it be the state of my bank account, the state of my health or the level of my happiness, once I decide to put my mind to something I become virtually unstoppable.

When I choose to operate from the position that I am talented, I am capable, and I am successful, I find my confidence level and posture immediately changes. And the result is that I'm immediately more effective, more decisive, and more attractive to the world.

And guess what happens? I begin attracting the success and wealth and happiness I desire.

It's so deceptively simple that I'm prone to want to dismiss it. But it can't be dismissed. And it isn't necessarily easy.

So for me, and it's a lesson I seem to like to keep relearning, wealth and success is clearly a simple formula.

Stop looking for the results first. Instead decide I am wealthy and successful, and then once I've made that decision, begin operating from that wealthy and successful mindset. And then watch the magic happen.

Post your comments. And to read and hear more about developing a wealthy mindset, visit my website at http://www.inspiredabundance.com/.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Intentions, Resolutions, And Goals

What are your intentions for 2008? Did you set out your resolutions for the new year or have you set specific goals?

One of the things I've been musing about for a while is the use of language around our desires, especially at the beginning of the year when most of us are inclined to reflect on what we really want.

So often we declare a resolution and within a few days or weeks we've already broken the promise and so we give up. Our "resolve" to change something has dissipated and we feel we've let ourselves down. The term resolution implies an "all or nothing", so to "break" the resolution implies failure.

Setting goals can often have a similar effect. As part of the goal setting process typically taught, the goal should be time bound -- meaning we've set a date. Well for many life goals, that date is arbitrary; it's a best guess based on what we know, believe, or expect.

So what happens if the date comes up and we haven't achieved the goal? We're prone to feel disappointed in ourselves and question what we were thinking. Of course that leads almost immediately into damaging, negative self-talk which automatically lowers our vibration and thus takes us even further away from achieving our goal.

That's why I've come to prefer the term "intention".

Setting an intention rather than a goal or a resolution feels more comfortable. It doesn't set up a negative pressure around slipping on a resolution or missing a deadline. Rather it clearly puts focus on what I want, but in a relaxed matter. There's no "force" in the language.

"It is my intention to __________ in 2008."

You fill in the blank. Then you pay attention signs pointing you to the most direct path to your intention and begin to follow it. If you become wayward, refocus on your intention and find the path again. That's the process -- that's the journey we're all on.

Esther Hicks and Abraham talk about this is in the audio CD that accompanies their book The Astonishing Power of Emotions. They talk about how the use of the term "goal" implies we're looking upstream rather than downstream. They explain this concept beautifully and I highly recommend you get the book and listen to the audio because it is a very powerful explanation of this concept.

And have a wonderful 2008. May all of your intentions come true.

Learn more about how to set intentions by visiting my website at http://www.inspiredabundance.com/. And if you'd like to learn more about a personal development program that teaches you how to get whatever you want, visit http://www.inspiredpersonaldevelopment.com/ today.