The economy is GREAT!

…Great for fine-tuning my awareness of what I am creating for MYSELF that is!

The other night I was thinking about the economy: The "deplorable" value of the US dollar on the world market, the US National debt and the thousands of dollars each and every one of us in the United States is paying in interest to service that debt – thinking about it all got me SO discouraged, SO down, and SO angry!!! I should have known that I was on the wrong track right there, but, I had been in a conversation in which I was trying to prove to someone else [NOTE TO SELF: trying to prove anything to anybody is the opposite of alignment on the subject (for future reference!)] But, I was trying to prove that there is a problem in our country! The person I was speaking with is a dogmatic “all taxes are bad taxes” kind of political thinker, and I was trying to convince him of how “bad” it’s getting out there – foreclosures, credit-card debt, gas prices, food costs, jobs, uuuuhhhg… I was deeply entrenched in the (false) belief that the situation is dire, and that was ALL I could see! I was so “spitting-nails” angry that I excused myself from the conversation and gave myself a time-out to try to re-focus my thoughts…

WHOA, Nellie!!! What am I doing to myself here???!

After a little while I remembered (NEWSFLASH) that our thoughts create our own reality, and asked myself:

• “What am I creating here?”
• “What reality am I creating for myself by marinating in these kind of doomsday thoughts?”
• “What am I creating for myself by trying to PROVE this point?”
• “Why am I arguing FOR limitations that I don't even suffer too badly from?”
• “What kind of situation is all this emotionally-charged worrying scripting for me?”

Then, after a long pause, miraculously, a little light started to peek through: “Who are the people who are NOT worrying about the current economic situation???!”

…They are the people who are NOT using their mental energy to focus on the problem, or the “bad” state of things, or how awful it could get – that’s who! And, if that is true, then who have I been being? Or, even better, who do I want to START being now?

What was my anger telling me about the truth of the situation (as I was focusing on it) for me?? Bad feelings tell us that we have discord within ourselves – discord between what we are thinking about, or how we are perceiving ourselves vs. what our own Inner Being / Highest-Self / Soul knows to be true about us. …Discord between what we are currently imagining and what is actually waiting for us in our own “vibrational escrow” – our future reality (IF we ALLOW ourselves to line-up with it!)

My anger was NOT *because of* the situation / condition of "the economy" (no matter how seductively disguised to SEEM that way it was), my anger was because I was using my creative brain energy to focus my thoughts on something that is NOT TRUE according to my Inner Being/Source Energy! ...My anger was because my OWN vibrational escrow is holding a reality for ME that is not touched, damaged, or harmed in any way by those conditions - they may affect other people dreadfully (if those people are creating/perpetuating that for themselves,) but, for me, my own reality must be "above all that", because when I was looking at the "bad economy reality” my own emotional guidance system was telling me to turn my focus away from it!

It was hard to do, because the "state of the economy" is such a hot-button for me, I gravitate to it like a crack-addict looking for a fix. That, and photo-enforcement traffic signal cameras are two subjects I can’t seem to get myself a slippery enough soap-box for – I get up there and it is damn hard to pull me back down! And, to make matters even worse, trying to "not think" about it is like trying to pull your finger out of an electrical socket - the electricity that is doing the damage is the very thing holding your finger in connection with it! Trying to "not think" about it *IS* thinking about it, therefore, an impossible task!

So, instead, perhaps I should focus on what IS true for me? Or, at least, what do I WANT to be true for me on the subject of the economy? It is in answering that question that I started to allow my own abundance to begin to flicker in my imagination again…

I tried to "look at" the situation from the other side - not the side of the "poor people who are so adversely affected by the economy" with whom I was identifying with so strongly mere moments before, but from the side of the "prosperous people who have plenty, who are living an abundant reality, and who aren't terribly affected by the economy"... BOTH exist. BOTH are living their lives and creating their OWN realities despite what is going on for "the others"!! BUT **I** was the one who was choosing to identify with the "poor, oppressed segment of society" (while I was in that conversation) - I was the one who was observing their plight and offering my thoughts of "something should be done", "this isn't right", etc. - beating the drum of a troubled economy - which only perpetuates that kind of pattern for ME! (Maybe not in the same way, but it certainly wasn't manifesting a pattern of abundance and joy (at least not that night!))

Admitting to myself that there did indeed exist people who were so prosperous and abundant in their creation of their life reality, that the state of the economy didn't affect them too harshly felt really good to me, so I thought about it more... "Those people" (of whom I must be one in vibrational escrow, because thinking about it feels good) don't see a "problem" with the economy, and are therefore creating/attracting a reality that supports that belief! For "they" who have an abundance of dollars for their own desired lifestyle, the current economy might be an annoyance at worst, an opportunity at least, and a stroke of good luck for whatever it is that they are up to! "They" are using the economy right now, as it IS, to THRIVE! "They" are doing really well, and quite possibly, finding opportunities to do even better financially than they did last year, or the year before that! There are even people who are becoming more and more prosperous WHILE creating win-win situations for EVERYBODY involved with them! ...The already abundant Universe is giving them even more of what they desire - that is the reality they are creating with their focus. They don't see a problem with the economy, because, to them, it literally isn't there! Just like when Abraham (the teachings of Abraham-Hicks) says that the world doesn't need to be fixed, and the Polar Bears don't need to be saved, and there is plenty of everything for everybody - as soon as we each align ourselves with that knowing - then it is true for us too! ...I want me some of THAT!!!

...The Law of Attraction brings to our experience EXACTLY what we focus our attention on!

I had been the one "creating" a troubled economy because I was the one choosing to focus my thoughts on it and identify with it!!! As soon as I choose anew, and focus my thoughts on what my own Inner Being knows to be true for ME, both now, and in my own future, then, there won't be a troubled economy for ME anymore!!! ...And that is the ONLY reality I CAN create - the one for ME! And, it is only when it doesn't exist for me anymore that I can *really* help anyone else to know that it doesn't have to exist for them anymore!!!

(...I certainly wasn't adding value by creating more "poor and oppressed" conditions! As we have all heard before, “one can’t get sick enough to heal anyone else’s disease!”)

I create MY OWN reality, so, *I* am the one who has to discipline myself to look at the world through the lens of Source Energy and abundance, or, at least the lens of how I desire to live MY life. ...Then, I just have to trust that all the rest will fall into place perfectly in it's own time. So what IS the reality I can now create based on my shift of focus?

• Now I have again begun to be more conscious about NOT watching the news when stories of doom and gloom come on...
• When I do catch myself in a conversation where those topics come up, or I notice them for some reason, I use it as a trigger to say to myself: "That is NOT my reality - MY reality is that ALL is well, MY reality is that my opportunities are coming to me BECAUSE of the conditions right now, MY reality is rich, and prosperous, and full and fun, MY reality is thriving in ALL conditions!"
• When I see examples of people, or companies, or products flourishing in this market, I say "THAT's for ME!"
• When I have ideas for products or services or collaborations, I think "WOW! Look! It's another possible channel through which the abundant Universe might be bringing me fabulous success!"
• If I hear of someone else's success, windfall, or income improvement, I know even more strongly that mine is on the way - the simple awareness of the "desired reality" in someone else tells me that my own vibration is attracting THAT reality, so I rejoice! (For them, AND for me!)

Through the simple shift of focus as to which experience I am choosing to identify with, I can turn the "they" who are prosperous in the above example into a "WE"! And, finally, get back on track with the real work of looking for ALL the ways that my "desired reality" is true for me NOW... How MY economy IS great!!! ...I *DO* have money coming in, I *AM* able to pay the bills that are due today (using the legitimate resources available to me) , I *DO* have tons of ideas that could really be something awesome, I *AM* able to do exactly what I love doing for work, and I am really happy doing it, I *DO* see many opportunities that I really can do if I choose...

When I am looking ONLY for what I WANT to see (be it economic conditions, income, health, love, family, etc.) and looking for ways to see it as already true now (even a little bit) the Law of Attraction MUST bring my attention to more of THAT! And, when I am experiencing peace, and prosperity, and love in my heart - the economy IS great!! ...And so it is. It is Law.

Testing your Mettle

The Universe has a way of testing your mettle at the VERY moment you are on the verge of something you have been waiting for, wishing/hoping/dreaming about, or are just about to manifest for yourself.

As soon as you have definitely committed to a goal, or, even worse, right when you are "on the brink" of something good, or something great, or something perfect, or EXACTLY what you want/need for where you want to go in life... It happens - the Universe will toss an obstacle, or a distraction, or a temptation your way, and typically make it VERY EASY for you to back out of the opportunity or settle for something else that's "not quite right".

"The Universe will ALWAYS give you EXACTLY what you are WILLING to settle for..."

Unfortunately, I have seen this time and time again, both in my own life as well as in the lives of my friends... Just this week I have first-hand knowledge of 3 or 4 occurrences in the lives of people I know well!

• My mom, having recently made an absolute commitment to getting healthy and trimming down, and having carefully built up a good habit of exercising every day for a month or so (to the point where results are just visible) slipped and broke her shoulder...
• A friend, hemming and hawing over whether he is going to move from NY to LA or not, finally decides "YES! I am going to move to LA!" and is visiting to interview and make plans today - the ONLY day it has rained in months...
• A client whose primary intention is to be in a good, loving relationship, who is focused on that ONE aim in our sessions together, has an opportunity to attend a class with a very high probability of being the EXACT thing she needs to further her goal, decides she is too tired to attend after having car trouble earlier in the day...
  
• Another friend is building up his business in the healing arts, is making really good progress, and then gets a tempting job offer that pays really well in his OLD industry...
  

Now all of these examples may seem like coincidences, they may even seem like "messages" or "signs" from on high that the original goal/intention/aim is not the right one for us, that perhaps we 'really should be' going a different direction...

I don't think so!

In my experience with consciously using the Law of Attraction and the power of intention, I say that it is EXACTLY the opposite! I say that when the Universe throws us these curve balls it is actually an indicator for us to RUN EVEN FASTER toward the original goal - be EVEN MORE DEDICATED to the results you are consciously creating and attracting! In a way, the Universe is testing us to see just how committed we really are to our own visions!!!!

Do NOT be deterred!

These "tests" are not malicious - it is more like forging steel to make it stronger. The loving and abundant Universe is actually TRYING to give you exactly what you want. You may say that you want more money, a relationship, to lose weight, more business, to have more fun, etc., but, somewhere in your subconscious/unconscious mind, maybe that isn't quite accurate. So, when you start to take action toward that goal (or any goal) that action (or progress) upsets the equilibrium of how 'it has always been', the stasis, our comfort zones... Now the part of us who is afraid that there may be 'no turning back' wants to put on the brakes and slow it down a bit (if only subconsciously) and starts to attract occurrences which give us the opportunity to bail out. Literally, giving us a "legitimate" reason to stop short of the goal and declare it "good enough". It takes energy, effort and focused attention to align our intentions with our subconscious motivations. Unfortunately, it is VERY DIFFICULT for us to see or know WHAT our subconscious/unconscious motivations ARE...

THAT is what the "tests" are! These obstacles, temptations, and challenges that the Universe gives us to test our mettle are the physical manifestations of our subconscious motivations coming to light (coming to LIFE) - manifested to focus our attention to how WE are unconsciously blocking OURSELVES from what we consciously think we want!

The real question is what are you going to do about it? So what if the Universe gave you a flat tire? Can you ask a friend to drive you to that important event? So what if you have a sprained ankle? Are you going to do sit-ups and work out with dumb-bells anyway? So what if I have a big expense right when I was trying to manifest more money? Can I find a way to clear the part of me that is attracting it? So what if a friend is doing something you wish you were doing instead? Are you going to go out and do something even better yourself?

Yes. There IS something in your way... But you have the power to go around/over/under/through or clear that obstacle and use it as a cue to focus your intention even more clearly - strengthen that vision, clear your unconscious, take an even more courageous action to honor your heart's desire. Strengthen your determination!

Don't negotiate with yourself by allowing the "curve balls" to re-negotiate your desires for you!

The more we exhibit determination and commitment to our goals and intentions, the more we use the feedback we are being given by the Universe to strengthen our focus and vision on what we truly want to be experiencing, the faster is HAS to come! The Universe is giving us exactly what we need to be able to forge our dreams into physical world reality - the Universe is pointing out where the weak spots are and where we may not be in complete alignment so we can do something about it!

...Literally SO we CAN have the vibrant life we TRULY dream of!