When you don't feel it, you won't have it

Law of Attraction says whatever we think about most will, eventually, manifest in our life.  That's a powerful statement but it's also a little unnerving  given the sometimes compulsive way our mind works. If the thought is one of fear or desperation, then we're really off to the races..."I can't afford to lose my job, I'm afraid I'm going to fail, how am I going to get out of this one?" You can add your flavor-of-the-day to the mix but as students of the LOA it's important to remember that just thinking a negative thought isn't going to be our Waterloo. For any thought to morph into being, it has to include feeling.

Years ago I got myself into hot water when I managed a large territory for a national clothing company. My job was to oversee the merchandising of men's slacks in various department stores and one day I was assigned to do a floor re-set in Macy's. My new manager called the night before to verify that she would meet me there before the store opened. Because the job would take the entire day, the store's department manager had to be notified so she could do some prep work. The problem was I had done something galactically stupid. I had forgotten to prepare for everything...the re-set, the appointment, the notification. It's safe to say it didn't go well.

When I went home that night I was sure I was going to get fired. My mind raced all the way to the end of the story and by the time I went to sleep, I was wondering if my sure-to-dwindle income would allow me to collect food stamps. I knew enough back then about the LOA to know that if these toxic thoughts continued, I was bound to attract everything I feared. I needed to find a way to reverse the vortex of negative energy I was creating so I decided to start with an affirmation: I am appreciated and congratulated for being an outstanding employee.  

I placed it on the bulletin board in the entryway to my apartment. Every morning as I left for work and every evening when I returned I read it out loud to myself. At first it felt artificial but as I persisted, my thoughts began to turn from 'yeah right' to 'well maybe' to a feeling of relief. As I began to feel better, I behaved more confidently on the job and saw myself as a valued employee. Within weeks I was called on to solve a public relations problem with a major account, which I did, and more requests followed. When I finally left the division to take a transfer, I received a hand written note of appreciation and congratulations on a job well done. Just as I had imagined.

I want to be clear here, an affirmation alone isn't going to turn the tide. Mirrors and walls are littered with affirmations of LOA students who are still reaching for the dream. They are one of many tools that can move you forward but whatever the tool, the goal is to shift out of your present mental state of defeat or fear and into a state of the wish fulfilled. The formula contains both thought and feeling. Emotion is energy in motion and that energy is the creative force of the universe. It is non-judgmental, however, and will either produce results that benefit you or hinder you so be keenly aware of how your are feeling when you think a thought.

I'm a huge fan of starting small when I am on the learning curve. If you are feeling overwhelmed by your current circumstances and don't know where to begin, start by going general. One of my favorites phrases comes from Louise Hay, inspirational teacher and founder of the mega publishing company, Hay House. She rules her days with the thought that "only good goes before me." I like that one because it's easy to remember and it instantly emits a feeling of well being. You'll know the phrase that works best for you when get a feeling of relief as you say it. Again, you are after the feeling.

Don't collapse because you fail and slip backwards when you begin. You'll grow stronger in time as you learn to be conscious of defeating thoughts and turn them around before they grow claws. Success, however you define that, is an inside job. There is no one waiting to fire you - in fact there is no one in charge who can fire you - because you are the CEO, the Chief Emotional Operator. Choose the new thought, infuse it with feeling and persist till it exists. The results will astound you.