Long before I knew anything about quantum physics or my two favorite laws (Law of Attraction and The Butterfly Effect), I was using positive thinking and the principle of attraction without even knowing what I was doing. I had read Norman Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking by age 10 and was already applying its principles. I know 10 is a bit young for that kind of work, so let me explain by saying that my mother did not believe in television and my only forms of entertainment in childhood were art and reading (for which I will be eternally grateful!!). At any rate, by age 12 I recall making a list of my life goals---essentially a bucket list, although I turned 12 long before that idea was a thing. I actually set actionable steps toward those goals, and by the time I was thirty I had achieved all but one. Now I know that the act of making that list, and setting those goals, was one of the most powerful things I have done in my life. I literally mapped out my life and set my course in childhood, and have not strayed far from it since that time.
I reached those goals and set more goals several times since age 12, still oblivious to the fact that I was enacting scientific principles of the universe in which we live. In 2016 someone introduced to me the idea of the Law of Attraction in the movie, The Secret. I was a tad bit interested, but overall dismissed the ideas, thinking they were too "new-age," or really "too good to be true." It all felt a bit too magical to me. I fancy myself more scientifically minded and just didn't quite buy into it. Fast forward a few years, years filled with some of the most challenging and heart-breaking experiences of my entire life, and The Secret crossed my path again. By this point I was feeling quite discouraged and beaten down by life's circumstances and was a little more open to the idea. So, in 2020, I decided to watch The Secret with my group of clients at the behavioral hospital where I worked. We discussed taking it on as a challenge. Let's discover, once and for all, if there was any truth to this idea or not, we thought. At this point, my thought was simply, "What do I have to lose?" And the answer was NOTHING. Nothing but a tiny bit of energy and time. Why not? So my group and I watched The Secret, and set about trying to apply the principles of the Law of Attraction. We didn't put much effort into it--simply made a list, just as I had done at age 12, of five things we wanted to happen in our lives in the next year or so.
This was October of 2020. I wrote:
*more time with my kids
*change in work venue, to work on the trauma unit
*to make more money
*to find true love
*to downsize to a more affordable house
I asked my group members to let me know if any of the things on their list happened, and we set our mind to just look at our lists, or speak them aloud once per day for the next few weeks to see if anything "manifested." I started a practice of praying on my way to work and saying that the things on my list would happen each morning. Within two weeks I had received a job offer to work on the trauma unit, and not just work but to direct the unit at a higher pay rate. At the time I had written that list there were no openings on that unit, but suddenly within one week two of the staff members resigned. Could that possibly be a coincidence?? Maybe. So, just like that, I was getting two things on my list almost immediately. On November 1, 2020, I started my new position as Director of the Trauma Unit. In the meantime I was getting calls from various clients about their lists. One got a new car--the car of her dreams! Another one got a house--the first house of her own that she had ever owned! Testimony after testimony was coming forward of things that were happening for all of us.
Of course, life went on as usual, but let me outline how the other things on my list came true: In November of 2020 I put an offer on a smaller home and my offer was accepted. In January of 2021 I reunited with an old high school classmate, and we started dating. In September of 2021 we got engaged. In November of 2021 I was offered an even higher position, even more money, as Director of Women's Programs. In November of 2021 I also married my "true love!" Keep in mind, this is all within a year of the original list!! In April of 2022 I experienced a major change that allowed me much more time with my kids. So what did I do then? I made a new list, of course!! By this time I was a true believer. Since then, I used this principle to leave the stressful director position at the hospital to open my own office! Let me tell you, this journey has been pretty amazing to walk out!
I continue to and will continue to use these principles, because THEY WORK! What better time to sit down and set your own life goals than New Years? What are your dreams, hopes, goals? What do you want to happen in your life? Don't be afraid to dream big! I encourage you to make a list, make a plan, create a vision board, or start speaking your dreams and goals out loud. It works!
"Your thoughts control your life," Proverbs 4:23
"Call that which is not as though it were," Romans 4:17
“See yourself living in abundance and you will attract it.” – Rhonda Byrne
“The Law of Attraction allows for infinite possibilities, infinite abundance & infinite joy. It knows no order of difficulty.” – Jack Canfield
“All that we are is a result of what we have thought.” – Buddha