When I joined Mary Kay a few years ago, instruction was given to write a description of who you are and who you're going to be in glowing terms. Then to write a few affirmative sentences like, "I am a positive woman, I see beautiful women everywhere I go, I am successful, I am going to be a director," etc. Post them on your mirror and say them to yourself several times a day. Another source, can't remember where, said to put pictures of what you want where you can see them every day and imagine yourself having what are in the pictures.
Napoleon Hill in his book "You Can Work Your Own Miracles (How to Condition Yourself for Success), printed in 1971, talks about conditioning your mind. He had an experience at the dentist's office where he immersed himself in thinking of something so strongly that he forgot to focus on the pain. Considering the fact that he was having six teeth taken out at the same time, I think that's an amazing demonstration of a conditioned mind.
Though focusing, as Hill did, and affirmations seem to be two different things, they have a connection in that they are both thoughts that are being fed to the mind. One type of thought is to distract, the other to train. Right now I think it's important for me to train, or continue training my mind to think of certain things, and it doesn't hurt to have reminders of the positive because the negative still has a strong foothold. So I'm putting a note on my bathroom mirror. It will say things like "I am a likeable person, I plan to be prosperous, I plan to be focused, I will have an organized life." Maybe I'll use those, maybe I'll use others. That's a personal thing.
I once told a finalist for a beauty pageant that the self-doubts she was beginning to show were of her own making. "Your mind doesn't know if the thoughts you're feeding it are good or bad. If you want to win, remind yourself of all the attributes you have that got you this far." In taking my own advice, if I list the attributes I already have, and add the attributes I want to have, and talk myself through the list a few times a day, my mind is going to believe what I tell it. I'll let you know the results next week.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
It was staring me right in the face, and I never noticed!
You know how you can buy a car of a certain model and color and then notice that lots of other people have the same model and color as you do? Yet, you never noticed those cars before. Well, entering into the power within has proven to be like that. I started searching within because of a couple of Cd's, and was intrigued to find that, apparently, only a very select group of people were aware of the ability to tap into the power within and had been willing to share that "secret," that "key," that "wondrous ability." And then, after immersing myself into the works of that select group, I find that the secret, the key, the wondrous ability, is being taught by many, in subtle ways. I just hadn't paid attention until now.
At this point, after reading, listening, and practicing the varied suggested methods, this is what I've concluded: The pursuit of happiness is the base for the use of the power within. The process is to eliminate negative thinking and focus on the positives, which then leads to overlooking obstacles and seeing possibilities; and this leads to believing those possibilities can be realized. By this time, a person will have established a pattern of thinking that reverberates, creating endless possibilities. And then, because what energy you project attracts more of the same, the positivity compounds itself.
Positive thinking, then, is the generator for the power within. The secret, the key, the wondrous ability plugs into that generator and uses every single amp to focus the energy derived to achieve all things possible. The result is that energy--in turn--generates positive thinking and so the circuit is contiguous. Plus, the output of the generator can be increased by, among other things, touching another person positively. In essence, by the continuous positive use of the power within, there is no limit to it's output. And we're all given that power. That's amazing!
At this point, after reading, listening, and practicing the varied suggested methods, this is what I've concluded: The pursuit of happiness is the base for the use of the power within. The process is to eliminate negative thinking and focus on the positives, which then leads to overlooking obstacles and seeing possibilities; and this leads to believing those possibilities can be realized. By this time, a person will have established a pattern of thinking that reverberates, creating endless possibilities. And then, because what energy you project attracts more of the same, the positivity compounds itself.
Positive thinking, then, is the generator for the power within. The secret, the key, the wondrous ability plugs into that generator and uses every single amp to focus the energy derived to achieve all things possible. The result is that energy--in turn--generates positive thinking and so the circuit is contiguous. Plus, the output of the generator can be increased by, among other things, touching another person positively. In essence, by the continuous positive use of the power within, there is no limit to it's output. And we're all given that power. That's amazing!
Friday, October 1, 2010
It's a pendulum
Yesterday I hit a dip, a big dip, and I started to cry. The thing I asked for, the one thing I asked for by the end of the month, didn't materialize. "Ah. There you go." you say. And if you're someone who was so sure all along that this was bunk. You can say, "I told you so." But what I wrote the other day is absolutely true. Though things haven't come as others say they do, or will, I've still managed to make a difference in how I approach each day. So what's the harm in believing, or continuing to believe? We're told to have faith in God; that he hears our prayers and answers them in his way, in his time. And sometimes, something we wanted to have, or have happen, doesn't or won't. This is an exercise in faith and I should expect the same process.
My dip yesterday came from doing a printing job for a client. I had put it off until the last minute and when I was half-way through the job, the printer wouldn't print the copies right. And still won't, and I'm still in the middle of the job. When I figured out what was wrong, and that it would take over $100 and 5 days to fix it, that's when I dipped. All of the doubts were pushing each other out of the way so they could come in first, and a few of them made it. It was through a concerted effort that I was able to pull myself out of the dip within a half hour, and the thought that helped the most--I think--was that by acting fine, and acting positive, I would BE fine and I would BE positive. I ended the day being fine, but as for the positive--I think I'm stuck on pragmatic.
My dip yesterday came from doing a printing job for a client. I had put it off until the last minute and when I was half-way through the job, the printer wouldn't print the copies right. And still won't, and I'm still in the middle of the job. When I figured out what was wrong, and that it would take over $100 and 5 days to fix it, that's when I dipped. All of the doubts were pushing each other out of the way so they could come in first, and a few of them made it. It was through a concerted effort that I was able to pull myself out of the dip within a half hour, and the thought that helped the most--I think--was that by acting fine, and acting positive, I would BE fine and I would BE positive. I ended the day being fine, but as for the positive--I think I'm stuck on pragmatic.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Whether I'm getting more material abundance or not, I feel better about myself
It's important to say that before I started this journey I was extremely depressed. I felt my life was all screwed up, that I had really missed out on the opportunities presented, or that I badly botched the opportunities I had. I thought that, instead of continuing to try to excell the way I've always felt I could, it was time to give up, give in, quit trying and just "roll-with-the-flow." Considering the fact that I have some 20+ years to go in my life, that last thought--in itself--would be enough to send anyone into depression.
Even now I feel that my life has been inconsequential and my accomplishments few. For example: I can play the piano by ear. So I play for myself. I can compose music at the piano, and apparently some people like the compositions, but I've never played my pieces anywhere by church, and I've never published them. (In defense of the latter though, I can play music, and I can read music; I just never learned how to write music.) I've written well, and I can edit a piece to convey more of the feeling that the writer wanted to express themselves. But I've never submitted a piece for publication. I have taken a few exceptional (I think) pictures, but never tried to market them. I've raised 5+2 beautiful kids with great potential, but I haven't raised them well.
There are roadblocks I put up that have kept me from taking my talents beyond my home, but I'm clueless as to how to take them down. (Refer back to the "I can't" blog....I've been really at advising others while constructing my own walls.)
And my marriage has been a living arrangement for over 10 years. Ten years without passion, without emotional love, without a true partner, has definitely helped pave the road to a dispassionate life. I have had few "YEAH!" moments in that time. I mean the moments where you're estatic, happy beyond happy. Moments that create tears of joy. I miss them.
So why the downer intro, you ask? Because in order to track progress it helps to know what the starting point was. I'm no wealthier than I was two months ago. I'm no more beautiful than I was two months ago. My children aren't any closer to me than they were two months ago (well, except for one--who, apparently, I made some good choices with). And I still haven't published. BUT.....I was giving up two months ago. I didn't see any reason not to. Then I started listening and reading and one of the most oft repeated instructions was to have a goal. I've lived my life thinking I had a goal, only to realize, now, that it was a goal to achieve or succeed, but not at what, or where, or when. So it was an aimless goal. If there's any one thing that really makes sense of what I've learned, is that specificity is imperative.
So here's the "rest of the story" (ala Paul Harvey). My interest in learning has been rekindled. My interest in finding myself, my strengths, my attributes, my potential, is escalating. I'm disecting my wants and desires to find the core goal, one that can create an overwhelming craving for it. And because the focus of using the power within is to always think positive, I find myself smiling a lot more. Plus, wonder of wonders, I had a little (it's a beginning) "Yeah!" moment last week that meant I'm starting to live again. A life of truly living now has the potential to be abundantly possible.
Even now I feel that my life has been inconsequential and my accomplishments few. For example: I can play the piano by ear. So I play for myself. I can compose music at the piano, and apparently some people like the compositions, but I've never played my pieces anywhere by church, and I've never published them. (In defense of the latter though, I can play music, and I can read music; I just never learned how to write music.) I've written well, and I can edit a piece to convey more of the feeling that the writer wanted to express themselves. But I've never submitted a piece for publication. I have taken a few exceptional (I think) pictures, but never tried to market them. I've raised 5+2 beautiful kids with great potential, but I haven't raised them well.
There are roadblocks I put up that have kept me from taking my talents beyond my home, but I'm clueless as to how to take them down. (Refer back to the "I can't" blog....I've been really at advising others while constructing my own walls.)
And my marriage has been a living arrangement for over 10 years. Ten years without passion, without emotional love, without a true partner, has definitely helped pave the road to a dispassionate life. I have had few "YEAH!" moments in that time. I mean the moments where you're estatic, happy beyond happy. Moments that create tears of joy. I miss them.
So why the downer intro, you ask? Because in order to track progress it helps to know what the starting point was. I'm no wealthier than I was two months ago. I'm no more beautiful than I was two months ago. My children aren't any closer to me than they were two months ago (well, except for one--who, apparently, I made some good choices with). And I still haven't published. BUT.....I was giving up two months ago. I didn't see any reason not to. Then I started listening and reading and one of the most oft repeated instructions was to have a goal. I've lived my life thinking I had a goal, only to realize, now, that it was a goal to achieve or succeed, but not at what, or where, or when. So it was an aimless goal. If there's any one thing that really makes sense of what I've learned, is that specificity is imperative.
So here's the "rest of the story" (ala Paul Harvey). My interest in learning has been rekindled. My interest in finding myself, my strengths, my attributes, my potential, is escalating. I'm disecting my wants and desires to find the core goal, one that can create an overwhelming craving for it. And because the focus of using the power within is to always think positive, I find myself smiling a lot more. Plus, wonder of wonders, I had a little (it's a beginning) "Yeah!" moment last week that meant I'm starting to live again. A life of truly living now has the potential to be abundantly possible.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Almost every hour of every day
Almost every hour of every day I see evidences of the use of the power within. I see it in myself, I see it in others. I hear accounts, small nuances here and there, evidence not only that it is a viably functioning process, but that it is functioning in my favor. In church today our lesson focused on choices, making the right ones, or making the wrong ones and using the resources available (scriptures, prayer, etc.) to help direct you to making the right choices, positive choices. I commented that making a choice is the result of a thought and that it would be wise to go to the most basic point in the process. If you think "I want to follow Christ," then you'll choose to follow Christ. In times of stress or distress, if you think "I'm mad," or "I'm upset," you'll be upset, but you can think your way calmly through just about anything.
One of the other members of our class commented that she thought to herself, very often, that she was a pleasing, likeable person. When she said that, there were chuckles throughout the classroom. It was perceived as a humorous statement. But the girl who said it, and I knew the truth behind the statement. We both understood the power of positive thinking. By thinking she was pleasant and likeable, she projected that and, as a result, people liked to be around her.
The more I study this, the more I understand, and the more I struggle to practice it. When I say struggle, I mean it because even now I'm still at the infancy of my learning and changing a lifetime of self-doubt, and self-criticism, and insecurity is very, very difficult. Nevertheless, I can see....no, I know it's going to be more than worth the effort.
One of the other members of our class commented that she thought to herself, very often, that she was a pleasing, likeable person. When she said that, there were chuckles throughout the classroom. It was perceived as a humorous statement. But the girl who said it, and I knew the truth behind the statement. We both understood the power of positive thinking. By thinking she was pleasant and likeable, she projected that and, as a result, people liked to be around her.
The more I study this, the more I understand, and the more I struggle to practice it. When I say struggle, I mean it because even now I'm still at the infancy of my learning and changing a lifetime of self-doubt, and self-criticism, and insecurity is very, very difficult. Nevertheless, I can see....no, I know it's going to be more than worth the effort.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Things are beginning to make sense
I've been trying to direct my thoughts, or re-direct my thoughts, if necessary, to the positive. To keep from thinking "I don't like," or "This makes me so mad," or "this won't work," it's taken concerted effort because, as the teachings of the "power" imply, you will attract what you think about. So, when I've started to think "I don't like," I'd catch myself and think instead of what I do like about whatever or whomever the subject was regarding. And when I found it difficult to even do that, I started thinking of some song that would make me smile (look, I'm using every trick I can think of here...don't laugh) and, appropriately, "Happy Talk," from South Pacific came to mind.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Finding the "burning desire"
According to Earl Nightengale, and my other mentors (as I'll call them from now on), the key to fully using the power within is to find something that you want above all else, and are willing to put all your effort into getting. Your "burning desire." It's one thing to daydream about all of the different things you'd really like to have, or do, or be, but this isn't the time to be wishy-washy, or vague, or off-hand. Finding your "burning desire," takes effort, concentrated effort. In helping my husband find his burning desire, I found mine. This is how it happened:
We were on our way to a family reunion and I brought our treasure chest of cd's including "The Secret," "The Five Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me," Kevin Trudeau's cd, and "The Miracle of Believing." Because he likes to listen to books on tape while he drives, I let him finish his book and then we put "The Miracle of Believing" in the player and would play, pause, discuss, play, pause, discuss, until we finally got to the "find your burning desire" point.
The process we went through to help my husband find his burning desire is a little lengthy and detailed, but if you're struggling with the problem too, maybe you could use this as an example to find your own bd. I'll do this in a conversational way, it's easier. My questions will be bold, his reply will be in italics.
"What do you want? What do you really want more than anything else? "Time. More time to do the things I want to do." "How can you get more time?""I can rearrange my schedule, do a little more time-management." "If you choose having more time as your burning desire, how can you measure your success? If you ask for, and get more time, how can you measure it? How can you tell if or when you got it?" "I'll get more things done." "Okay, back to how you can get more time. What can you do that will give you more time--not just use the time you have more efficiently?" "I don't know." (The conversation was going nowhere. He was stuck in generalities.) "Okay, let's try this. What could you give up that would give you more time to do what you want?" (I had something specific in mind and was trying to direct him to think of it himself.). "I don't know." (This went on for a few minutes, so I decided to try a little coaching.) "I know a way you can get more time to do what you want." "How?" "Divorce me." (He looked at me like I had lost my mind.) "Seriously, divorce me. If you're not married you have more time to think of what you want to do, to do what you want to do. You don't have anyone to answer to, or to work around." "Well, I'm not going to divorce you." "Let's say you go into the "extra time" store and in order to get a box of extra time you have to give up something in exchange. What can you give up?" (Note: he's working two jobs). "I don't know." (It's really frustrating when you can see something clearly and someone else can't see it at all.) "What about giving up one of your jobs?" "That would give me more time, but we need the money." "So what you're saying is that you'd like to earn enough money to support your family on one job." "I guess so." "Can you see something about this that would be a goal big enough for a burning desire?" NOTE: to keep this from getting waaaaayyyy too long, and boring (hope it's not already), I'm going to skip to....he actually said what his core burning desire was. "I want a job that will give me more time with my family, and still bring in a good income." TA-DAA .
Nobody said this process was easy, but with a little work, and coaching, my husband just made a paradigm shift and found a little of himself in the process. Remember Bloody Mary in "South Pacific?"......"You've got to have a dream. If you don't have a dream. How you gonna make a dream come true?" And this is how, by coaching my husband, I found my own burning desire: I want to make $150,000 a year using my creativity.
Looking back I realize that whenever I wanted something really bad, and was willing to do whatever I could to get it, I got it. (Except that one guy in 6th grade.....) So I'm going to emblazen that into my mind. I'm going to print several copies of my burning desire and stick them all over my house, and in my car, and in my yard, and I'm going to keep that in the forefront of my mind. Guess I've got my work cut out for me. It's time I learned how to write down the music I've composed at the piano, and get the pieces printed off. And then I'll sit down at the piano and compose some more.
Your turn. Why don't you share with me what you've discovered as your burning desire?
We were on our way to a family reunion and I brought our treasure chest of cd's including "The Secret," "The Five Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me," Kevin Trudeau's cd, and "The Miracle of Believing." Because he likes to listen to books on tape while he drives, I let him finish his book and then we put "The Miracle of Believing" in the player and would play, pause, discuss, play, pause, discuss, until we finally got to the "find your burning desire" point.
The process we went through to help my husband find his burning desire is a little lengthy and detailed, but if you're struggling with the problem too, maybe you could use this as an example to find your own bd. I'll do this in a conversational way, it's easier. My questions will be bold, his reply will be in italics.
"What do you want? What do you really want more than anything else? "Time. More time to do the things I want to do." "How can you get more time?""I can rearrange my schedule, do a little more time-management." "If you choose having more time as your burning desire, how can you measure your success? If you ask for, and get more time, how can you measure it? How can you tell if or when you got it?" "I'll get more things done." "Okay, back to how you can get more time. What can you do that will give you more time--not just use the time you have more efficiently?" "I don't know." (The conversation was going nowhere. He was stuck in generalities.) "Okay, let's try this. What could you give up that would give you more time to do what you want?" (I had something specific in mind and was trying to direct him to think of it himself.). "I don't know." (This went on for a few minutes, so I decided to try a little coaching.) "I know a way you can get more time to do what you want." "How?" "Divorce me." (He looked at me like I had lost my mind.) "Seriously, divorce me. If you're not married you have more time to think of what you want to do, to do what you want to do. You don't have anyone to answer to, or to work around." "Well, I'm not going to divorce you." "Let's say you go into the "extra time" store and in order to get a box of extra time you have to give up something in exchange. What can you give up?" (Note: he's working two jobs). "I don't know." (It's really frustrating when you can see something clearly and someone else can't see it at all.) "What about giving up one of your jobs?" "That would give me more time, but we need the money." "So what you're saying is that you'd like to earn enough money to support your family on one job." "I guess so." "Can you see something about this that would be a goal big enough for a burning desire?" NOTE: to keep this from getting waaaaayyyy too long, and boring (hope it's not already), I'm going to skip to....he actually said what his core burning desire was. "I want a job that will give me more time with my family, and still bring in a good income." TA-DAA .
Nobody said this process was easy, but with a little work, and coaching, my husband just made a paradigm shift and found a little of himself in the process. Remember Bloody Mary in "South Pacific?"......"You've got to have a dream. If you don't have a dream. How you gonna make a dream come true?" And this is how, by coaching my husband, I found my own burning desire: I want to make $150,000 a year using my creativity.
Looking back I realize that whenever I wanted something really bad, and was willing to do whatever I could to get it, I got it. (Except that one guy in 6th grade.....) So I'm going to emblazen that into my mind. I'm going to print several copies of my burning desire and stick them all over my house, and in my car, and in my yard, and I'm going to keep that in the forefront of my mind. Guess I've got my work cut out for me. It's time I learned how to write down the music I've composed at the piano, and get the pieces printed off. And then I'll sit down at the piano and compose some more.
Your turn. Why don't you share with me what you've discovered as your burning desire?
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