After watching "The Secret," reading tons of books, blogs, programs, listening to audios from many different sources, it seems that all the gurus are saying pretty much the same thing. How I have come to understand the Law of Attraction comes down to this formula:
1. Define what you want.
2. Imagine what you want in the PRESENT TENSE with as much emotion as you can attach to it.
3. Let it go. Let that idea go out there into the Universe and don't dwell on it.
4. When opportunity knocks, open the door.
5. Receive.
The biggest problem I have been having personally is that when opportunity knocks I'm afraid to say no. There was a while there that my life was going really well. By that I mean, I was very happy in my day to day life. I was taking care of my children and pursuing my art and my writing. I was moderating a Science Fiction Writer's Workshop once a week, making fun illustrations, doing some batiks and spending enormous amounts of time with my family and friends.
Then for some reason I decided I still hadn't "made it." You know, that golden ring hanging just out of reach that surely will bring you great wealth and security. We were doing okay, and like I said, I was truly happy. However, we weren't saving any money for the future. The kids are going to get older and there will be college expenses, and what about unexpected expenses and how are we going to retire someday? Mostly I think I felt like I "Should" be contributing more to our financial security as a family. (I'd talk more about that, but that's a whole other rant about expectations placed on women today).
When opportunity knocked I felt like I had to do it. Like maybe I don't have a right to be happy in my place as wife and mother and friend, maybe I have to put Successful Entrepreneur on my resume too doing projects for other people instead of following my own passions.
When a friend had a really fantastic idea for a website I said yes, yes, I'll do that art. When another friend heard about the first, yes, yes, I'll do that too. I mean, one of these projects could be that thing that gets me to that magical peak. And more projects heaped themselves on my doorstep and I thought that for sure, if one of these just panned out a hit I'd be set. All the while thinking, "I really don't want to do this. This isn't my project. I was so happy. Do I have a right to be happy when my husband is struggling to support us?"
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the work, it's not like I suffered. It's just that it didn't feel right. It wasn't "my thing." As long as I was working on other people's projects, even when I had some ownership, I felt like I was spinning my wheels, like I didn't have control of my own future and I wasn't sure that working on these projects was a future I even wanted beyond the material security. The more I seized opportunities just because they presented themselves, or because I felt like I "should" help this or that person, the more I felt like I was failing. Success was still something out there in the future somewhere. Once I had success, then I could be happy.
Wait. Back up. There it is, I said it: "Once I had success, then I could be happy." Thing is, I was happy before I started down that path. I just didn't think I deserved that happiness. I look back at all that time I could have been spending pursuing my own passions, and maybe they wouldn't have panned out, but damnit, I would have been happy doing them and heck, maybe I'd be rich right now, who knows?
So I'm looking back at the step in the Law of Attraction formula where we act on inspired ideas because we don't know how the Universe is going to deliver our wishes. Yes, absolutely, when opportunity knocks whip that sucker open with all your might, but if what's standing on the other side isn't your passion, it's knocking on the wrong door. It was meant for that guy or gal down the street who would love nothing more than to have that opportunity.
How do you know which opportunities are the right ones? If you're following your passion and doing what you love, those are the right ones.
Lets put that to the test, shall we?
Right now I'm working on an illustrated kids book/app that I plan to release in the Apple app store. I'm also meeting with a friend once a week to work on our writing together. I'm working on an urban fantasy novel. I'm having a lot of fun! I'm really enjoying myself, feeling good about my work for the first time in a long time, and yes, I am happy.
I said it here on August 26th, 2010, just 4 hours before I turn 42 years old. Should I give finishing these two books a deadline to get them done and out there? I'm not sure. Some gurus say yes, some say no. Right now I'm with the nos because at this moment I'm having so much fun doing them I don't want to ruin it with self-inflicted stress, but if I change my mind I'll post it here. When those books do go out I'll come back and explore this blog and see what I can add to the idea of following your passions first.
Define your desires, ask for them, let them fly free and wait for the Universe to bless you with those inspired ideas to act on. If you really want to be successful follow your passions and receive abundance with joy.
Cheers!
Kelle
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