do you LIVE or simply EXIST

Sunday’s are self-help Guest Column day where I find an article I think appropriate for this site.
Today’s article is from Michael McGrath, Focus - Your Power To Create

Photo by Rickydavid

Unfortunately the majority of people on our lavish little green planet are not happy with their ‘lot’ in life. They are living lives of quiet desperation, unsatisfied with their relationships, careers or finances.

What is the main reason for this dissatisfaction? The main reason I believe this is so is due to a lack of understanding about the nature of our universe which can be directly linked to our belief conditioning from childhood.

As a child we begin to replicate the conditioning of our parents. A person’s beliefs and values are often passed from generation to generation until someone down the generations either has a life-changing experience or consciously reorganises or changes their belief system.

Your beliefs and values determine your focus and a key point I make in all my writings on personal development is the simple truth that “your focus determines your reality”. Focus sets in motion the Law of Attraction. (See Wealth Beyond Reason for instructions on using the law of attraction.)

The internal dialogue and imaginings of your mind are guided by your focus and your focus is reflected in your thinking. Your thinking becomes automatic and therefore this becomes your automatic creation system.

If you are not currently living a life that is in correspondence with your desires it is due to your internal automatic creation system being out of alignment with your goals. Simply put this means: Your focus is on what you do not want instead of what you want!

Let’s say you have bills piling up everywhere and no way of paying them. When you receive post through the mail what is your first thought? I bet it goes something like this, “oh no not more bills”. Where is your focus directed?

Why do the rich get richer and the poor get poorer? Well a rich man has money and he knows it. He sees wealth all around him. The poor person sees lack and concentrates on it. Can you see the difference in focus?

Now there are there are two basic ways to redirect your focus. The first is to change your beliefs so that your focus becomes more automatic in the direction that you wish it to go. The second way is to consciously redirect your attention to situations, people or events that correspond to a new belief.

This, however, is often easier said than done. For example examine the beliefs of a racist who thinks that he is superior to another person due to his heritage, skin colour, or ethnic origins. Now any right thinking person knows that these beliefs have no foundation in reality (subjective or otherwise). So in order to change these beliefs, at a core level, the racist would need to have some contact with other racial groups that have equal or better results in areas of their lives than he does. If he believes he is more intelligent then he would need to see that there are highly intelligent people of all races. If he believes that he is more prone to being successful because of his genetics then he would need to see that there are people of all races who achieve success with ease. If he believes that he is more equipped to overcome obstacles than members of another race then he would need to know that people from all walks of life and different cultures have achieved against seemingly insurmountable odds at great hardship to themselves and so on!

The problem with this is FOCUS! In most cases the racist does not want to see these things. He focuses on the situations, people and events that correspond and reinforce his beliefs! In extreme circumstances such a person will not even be in the company, correspond with, or listen about members of the group he is racist against.

You and I do exactly the same thing everyday. If your life is similar today to yesterday, last week or last year it is primarily because your focus has remained the same. Your thoughts yesterday where the same as last week and if your thoughts and focus are the same today then you can expect tomorrow to bring the same results!

If your beliefs are challenged by what you see, hear or experience many times you simply disregard the information and continue ‘blindly’ believing what you chose to believe. We filter our reality so that is reinforces our beliefs. We need to break free from this self-imposed brain-washing and redirect our focus on the things that will reinforce a new belief until we actually come to belief it.

For example take a couple in a ‘bad’ relationship. They come home from work and just know that they are going to have an argument with their spouse. Sure enough they arrive home and argue about who is taking the dog for a walk, what to watch on TV or why they argue so much! Where is the focus in this relationship?

Let’s say they decide to try an experiment in beliefs and focus. They look at what IS working in the relationship. They recall the reasons why they first became a couple and begin to reinforce the things they have in common. Their focus is beginning to shift. Although they will probably fall back into some old routines of arguing again if they keep their focus on their shared interests and the things in their relationship that are working what do you think the effect will be?

Try this little experiment yourself. Choose a person who annoys you in some way and that you can’t avoid but would if the choice where yours. A work colleague is a good example. Can you think of one? OK, what are you focusing on about that person? I bet it is all the things they do that annoy you. Try to think of something they do that you admire of that you like. This can be sometimes difficult but remember that every person has good and bad qualities so try not to become too polarised about people thinking them either good or bad - they are just human beings.

Now for a few days try your best to focus on the things you like or admire about them and watch what happens.

After you have tried this little experiment try other small ones in other areas of your life that you wish to improve.

About The Author

Michael McGrath operates several successful websites including the product review sites http://hypnosis.personal-development.info & http://www.personal-development.info/subliminals.html . His sites test & review the best in their industry.

How happy are you with your life? Unfortunately, most people will say they are very unhappy. They have regrets over what they have done in the past, or what they did not do, or even what they should have done.

The field of existentialism says your life is the way it is because of the choices you have made. The movie and book, “The Secret” says the same thing: You have made choices that led you to the life you are living.

In other words, your internal pattern of thinking, your core beliefs, caused you to create your lifestyle.

Here’s an example: Pretend its your birthday. Pretend someone has given you a very, very, VERY expensive gift. The gift costs $500,000. What is your first reaction? Are you thankful? Do you happily accept it? Are you embarrassed? Are you ashamed? Do you try to give it back to the giver? Do you think you are not worthy of it? Picture it in your mind and really try to feel how you would react.

How did you do? If you reacted any other way than being thankful and happily accepting it, then you have shown that one of your core beliefs is that you were not worthy of that expensive gift. It shows deep down you don’t think you deserve the good things life has to offer. Even though you may consciously say you want money or good things or a better life, your subconscious does it’s best to thwart those things from coming into your life.

Some would say it’s not the subconscious, but the Law of Attraction, or Infinite Intelligence, or the Law of the Universe, or even God. What you call it is unimportant. The fact remains that there is SOMETHING that causes your core beliefs to affect your reality. I prefer to think of it as the subconscious mind, rather than an invisible FORCE that just makes things happen.

Many of us need to change our core beliefs and expectations of the world around us. We need a Life Makeover. This can be done is several steps:

1. Identification - Identify what you want in life. Do you want money, a better job, a mate, a life of travel and adventure? Identify what you want and write it down.

2. Visualize - Visualize yourself having or doing that thing you identified. If it’s money, then SEE yourself with money. Visualize how your life would be different if you had money. If it’s doing something like traveling the world, then visualize yourself at the world’s most remote lands. See yourself visiting the wonders of the world.

3. Affirm it - Tell yourself you have these things. Don’t tell yourself you want them, tell yourself you already have them. They are yours. Look in the mirror while you are visualizing yourself driving an expensive car, and tell yourself, “that’s my car. It’s mine. I am driving that car as soon as I go outside.” Create an affirmation tailored to your desires and visualizations.

4. Be Aware - Notice what is going on around you. Be aware of how you feel and think throughout the day to identify those little things you are doing that keeps you from getting the things you want. In the expensive gift example from earlier, if you were embarrassed, then notice your embarrassment and use your affimations to change that core beliefe.

5. Take action - This is the most important step. DO SOMETHING! Do something to make your desires come true. Otherwise it’s only wishful thinking. If what you want is a better job, then go get that better job! It won’t fall in your lap. You have to go out and get it. Visualize it. Affirm that it is yours. Take action to get it.

Conducting a life makeover is not an overnight process. It is a process you must conduct every day.

Sunday’s are self-help Guest Column day where I find an article I think appropriate for this site.
Today’s article is from Becky Kimes, Are You Unconsciously Limiting Your Wealth Potential?  It is part of the growing Law of Attraction category.

Photo by PPDIGITAL

Unlimited financial abundance is your birthright!!

Sounds great doesn’t it, but do you really believe it? It’s not surprising if you don’t.

Many of us don’t believe we have access to unlimited financial abundance because we were raised in a culture that places severe limitations on our creative abilities to attract money. These limitations begin during early childhood when our basic beliefs about everything are being formed.

Think back to when you were a child. What did you consistently hear and experience regarding money?

Did you hear that “money doesn’t grow on trees” or “money is the root of all evil”?

Did people in your household fight about not having enough money?

Did your dad grow surly and silent when it was time to pay the bills?

Was your mom afraid to ask your dad for more money if an unexpected financial emergency came up?

Were vacations eagerly anticipated or were they actually stressful because the family was going on vacation even if they “couldn’t afford it”?

Whatever the situation, you consciously and unconsciously absorbed those beliefs about money and wealth. This became your belief system or paradigm.

Many of us are completely unaware of the unconscious belief systems that are governing our attitudes, behaviors, expectations and comfort level regarding how much money we think we deserve and actually attract.

Do this little exercise with me.

Imagine for a moment that a complete stranger walks up to you on the street and hands you a cashier’s check for one million dollars. This stranger tells you that the money is a special gift and is unconditionally yours-no strings attached.

How would you instantly react?

1. Would you nervously look around for the hidden cameras?

2. Would you absolutely refuse the gift and even feel some resentment towards the stranger for putting you in such a predicament?

3. Would you accept the gift but then feel guilty and make immediate plans on how you were going to give the money away?

4. Would you graciously accept the money with heart-felt thanks and happily go to your bank cash the check and enjoy the money?

Your initial “gut reaction” to the above scenario allows some of your unconscious core beliefs about money bubble up to the surface.

If you picked one of the first 3 answers you definitely have some inherent beliefs that are severely limiting your birthright of prosperity. But the good new is-they are only beliefs. Keep in mind that beliefs are not truth. They are just a perception and an acceptance of the truth. What’s great about beliefs is that you can change them and choose ones that support you and are in alignment with unlimited wealth potential

If you picked number four, congratulations!!! You’re well on your way to unlimited financial abundance!!!

About The Author

Becky Kimes is a professional coach, speaker and author who specializes in helping women break through the invisible barriers keeping them from manifesting their dreams.

She works with individuals, and conducts live workshops and tele-seminars. More information can be found at http://www.goingforsuccess.com

If you’ve ever driven long distance on a quiet road, you may know what it means to be “road hypnotized” - that state of being where you are simply driving, with no real awareness of your surroundings. You might be passing a beautiful countryside, but it passes by unnoticed. Your mind is lost in the simple act of driving.

That is how many people go through life.

Many people simply EXIST. They go through their day-to-day routines just as they did the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that. You could say many people are “life hypnotized.” They have forgotten the basic truth that life is not a destination, but a journey.

WAKE UP!

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Life should never be an uneventful, boring ride ending in a 6-foot drop in a wooden box. That’s not the way I want my journey to go, and neither should you.

Life should be an extraordinary journey, filled with one happy memory after another. The journey should be an exploration of the world around you, never missing a moment, never missing the opportunity to find a new friend or a new experience.

Many of us don’t even realize we are in a rut until it’s too late. In the book, Wanderer, Sterling Hayden writes, “We are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention for the sheer idiocy of the charade.”

Hayden ends the passage, saying that each of us has a choice: “Bankruptcy of purse, or bankruptcy of life.” Here’s where I disagree with him. I don’t believe a rich, fulfilling life must mean poor in money and security.

I think it’s possible to have both.

What are you waiting for?

Is is possible to live such a life? Absolutely.

• Resolve, TODAY, to enjoy the little things in life.
• Decide what kind of life you want. If you are unsure, use the list of 100 items technique to help decide.
• Seek advice from others who are living the way you want to live.
• Read action manuals to help you along the way. (I suggest The 6-Week Extreme Life Makeover)
• Most importantly, TAKE ACTION! Life doesn’t happen on it’s own. You must make it happen.

To LIFE!

Have you noticed the Law of Attraction in everything?

Lately I’ve been listening to The Secret book on tape. I’ve read about the law of attraction and find it fascinating.

But now that I know about the law of attraction, I’m seeing it in other places and other advice. For example, the classic Think and Grow Rich, is all about the law of attraction.

I listened to a wealth-building conference call by Robert Allen this week, and the techniques he discussed for vivid vision were also very similar to those technniques in the law of attraction.

Over the years I’ve often heard that when you set a goal, don’t just say what the goal is, but VISUALIZE it as if you already had it. FEEL it. SMELL it. Again, the same as the law of attraction.

After reading some the articles on the law of attraction and listening to The Secret, I started to put it to use. I intended for myself to find more business opportunities I can take advantage of. And right away, three things happened to make me believe The Secret is valid.

First, you have to understand a little about me. I’ve been “dabbling” in real estate investing. I’ve made a couple referrals to an investor I know and make $1,750. Not bad for writing a couple emails and talking to a couple people!

I also started a bulk candy vending business after reading about it from Brian Lee at Geniustypes. I grossed $50 in 90 days with one double head machine. That’s not a great income, but that money recouped the investment of the machine. If it keeps earning the way it has, I’ll start seeing profit in another 30 to 60 days.

So what happened to make be believe in The Secret? First, I made the decision that I wanted more business opportunities. Over the weekend I visualized it, thought about it, and became happy with it. The next day I found a bulk vending route of 12 machines being sold locally. I emailed the owner and have begun negotiations. Second, as I walked into 7-11 for a hot chocolate, two ladies walk in right behind me talking about how one is behind on her house payment and may need to sell the house to keep from losing it. Third, my sister sends me the address of a boarded up house she found accidentally.

Coincidence? You can call it that. I call it proof that The Secret is real.

I will test this further. Similar to Steve Pavlina’s Million Dollar Experiment, I will begin my own purposeful intention to build wealth and security. I will give you a monthly report.

I strongly suggest you learn about the law of attraction, or read The Secret.