Emerging...

I am mentally beginning to thaw after a long tough battle. Now, I am putting my feet back under me.
To stand tall.
To run the race.
To achieve more than ever before.
Not only will I survive, I will thrive beyond my dreams.
Happy New Year 2010!

Happiness has nothing to do with pleasure

God's message to me today....
(from the Facebook application)

"You feel pleasure when you want something and you get it. Or when you don't want something and you remove it. Pleasure is always relative.
Happiness is absolute.
Happiness is the understanding and acceptance of life as it is in this very moment completely perfect, because every creation of God is perfect.
The degree to which you do not accept life in all of the Devine forms is the degree to which you suffer."

Situational anger, disappointment, frustration, despair, etc. are then self-generated. Those emotions are not pleasurable. Lack of pleasure makes us unhappy.

Unless...we are able to view the situation in a way that makes it simply what it is in that moment: perfect.
Neutral.
Not good, not bad. Simply, what is.

It is a matter of changing our perspective. Our thoughts about something (yes, Mr. N V Peale, I did pay attention to what I read!) determine our outlook about the moment. For example, if I go outside, get in my car and it won't start, I call AAA (or someone to come help me). I am told I will have to wait 45 minutes to one hour for assistance. I think...this is bad. I will now be late to work. My boss will be angry. I will be rushing all morning. My whole day will be "off".

Or will it?

What if I shift my perspective?
When I am told I will have to wait 45 minutes, I smile, knowing that I have suddenly been blessed with time to put the dishes away and fold the last of the laundry. I can return those few calls that I need to follow up on that I wouldn't have been able to get to until after dinner. I can sit and read the newspaper while catching the end of the morning news. This is good. And on thte news I hear that there has been a road closure on my route to work due to an accident. One that, I realize, happened exactly where I would have been driving on my way to work.
Perhaps I had been protected by this otherwise-perceived-misfortune.
Oh, how thankful I am.

All a matter of perspective.

I am happy. And it has nothing to do with pleasure!

Answers...we've got 'em!

I watched as he squirmed in his seat. The young man was trying to think of the right answer. He had given the correct answer for the last five. Could he do it again?
He spoke and the crowd cheered. Right again.
How did he possibly know THAT, I wondered.

The faraway look in his eye and his clenched jaw was subtle, and it took him a minute to come back to the moment. He had remembered. Now he was smiling.

Somewhere in his past he had been given the answer. It probably seemed unimportant and random at the time. Yet, filed away and deep in his memory was the answer.
Pieces of his life, scattered for so many years, came together in that moment to make sense. To teach the lesson. Present the opportunity to understand. To provide the answer.

When our life feels like a puzzle full of random and inconsistent pieces it is just a matter of time before a truth or purpose is revealed. And if we put forth the effort, we can discover the answer.
Nothing that happens in our lives is insignificant. Everything, each detail, fulfills a purpose... provides an answer for a moment down the road.
We already have our answers.
They often lie deep inside our hearts. Our memories. Waiting to be recalled at the right moment. To give us strength. To complete a task. To remind us of who we are. To answer a game show question correctly.

So when you ask, How am I going to handle this? How am I expected to endure this situation that seems so foreign to me? How will I survive my circumstances?
Remember, you already have the answer. It lies within you. At some point in your past you have received the answer, or the gift or the talent necessary to withstand this moment.

Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz who all along had the power to return home by tapping her heels together.
So I guess the question then becomes, how do we dig into our memories/talents to discover what the answer is in the moment?
Some of us recall our childhood with precise detail. Others pull memories out of a distant fog. We all have forgottten moments and painful times we choose to ignore.
Looking at old photos, visiting places, talking with people from the past, counseling and prayer, are but a few ways people journey back to uncover answers to life's questions.

Maybe that's why it is said, God will not give you more than you can handle. The answer to the question that you have infront of you already exists inside you. Find your answer!

Destiny

"Some journeys take us far from home. Some adventures lead us to our destiny."
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

July 22

Before you can become the Queen Bee you must first learn to be a Worker Bee.

July 21

Out of our greatest rejection can come our greatest direction.

July 20

"Nobody is defeated until he starts blaming someone else" John Wooden, UCLA Coach

July 19

In relationships, deposit before withdrawing.

July 18

Your destiny is not determined by your critics!

July 17

People who never take a chance never get ahead.

July 16 Dream

The dream in your heart may be bigger than the environment in which you find yourself. You may need to get out of your environment to allow your dream to be fulfilled.

July 15 Do It!

There is a difference between doing your best and doing whatever it takes.

Mourning

It is morning.
I am mourning.

Ahhh, Grasshopper. Heere's Johnny. Jill Monroe. The Gloved One.

...my childhood has taken a hit.

Oh, Honestly!

It is a disappointing moment when you realize a friendship has soured because of something you unwittingly said.
Some friends just don't want to hear what you have to say.

I value the few friendships I have.
Recently, I talked with a friend about what was going on in his life. He asked me what I thought.

NOTE TO SELF: When asked for your opinion it is wise to stop and decide whether the friendship is one
(1) that allows you to be completely honest,
(2) you really don't know how sensitive the other person is so you should tread lightly,
(3) you know that if you do not validate their behavior the friendship will probably end,
or (4) that you are indifferent to it so it doesn't matter what you say anyway.

Sometimes we intend to mean one thing but when the words leave us they inadvertantly mean something else.
As I have aged I have begun to worry less about the reactions of people and more about speaking the truth.
Pro: I feel good about having given myself a voice, sharing my truth.
Con: If the truth hurts or causes someone to become defensive or addresses something that the person is in denial about, the friendship will shift.

Some people have the ability to be told something they don't want to hear and choose to use it as a constructive opportunity to grow and improve. They eventually appreciate your honesty.
Others get angry. Distance themselves. Fade away.

When asked, I told my friend exactly what I thought before realizing the impact of my words. I (somewhere in my brain) rationalized that if I didn't tell him that what he was doing may not be in his best interest it would come back to bite him in the ass. And it might.
But upon further reflection, it may have been better for him to discover this on his own. As it is, I am on my own, having hit a nerve. Darn. He was a fun friend.

But don't tell me "I learned a valuable lesson"...I don't want to hear it!

Me again...I'm laughing as several of you asked "Who is Debbie Raitt? She looks alot like Debbie Taylor".

It's Debbie Taylor! Yes, in Bend! Happily using my maiden name :)

If you read some of my blog entries (found at the blogspot site) and thought "she writes alot about nothing" then I am sooo ok with relieving you of the torturous burden of having to read them periodically! LOL... if my blogging gets any more soggy then I will venture into those fabulous art classes that Mary teaches (OK with you Mary?) and work on my watercolor!!

Thanks for reading,
Debbie (Raitt) Taylor

Today

Today is a gift. That is why it is called...the present.

Should we settle?

Part 1

There was a defining moment in Abram's life.
He was with his father, Terah, and a few others who had set out for Canaan. When they arrived in Haran, "they settled there." (Gen 11:31).
The goal was Canaan. They stopped in Haran. And settled.

We do this in life.
In school...I did the required work, a C is average, good.
In dating...well, he's not great but he's good enough.
In marriage...she drives me nuts but it's too much work to try to improve it.
In a career...well, at least I get a paycheck, even though it's not what I'm worth.

Then at the age of 75 years old, God said to Abram, "leave your country...and go to the land I will show you." He did not go in blind faith, but in complete confidence in God's trustworthiness.
Abram had to leave the settled world and begin a pilgrimage with God to a better world of God's making.
And God promised that when he obeyed, he would be blessed. Sevenfold (Gen 12:2).
And so the adventure begins. The dream begins.

Do you have dreams?
The reason you are still alive is that God still has something for you to do. We all plateau, but if we stay the course and push toward the goal, there is much blessing at the end.
Perhaps, if we all plateau, the issue is how long will we let it last before we push through and move on.

How do we push through?
1. Begin to dream again. You will need to do this several times in your life. It requires you to imagine what you can get to, what you can yet become.
2. It is never too late. If Abram can begin fulfilling his dream at 75 yrs old, you can certainly do it now. Look at those who became successful as senior citizens: Mary Kay. You may not become everything you dream of, but you'll never be anything if you don't dream.
3. The bigger people dream, the bigger they live. We all have potential. When we dream, our potential comes to the surface. Our faith is then developed. Faith is the evidence of things unseen (Heb 11:1). Imagine what yet can be done.

What is it that propels you? What motivates you? Without fantasizing, what do you dream of doing, of becoming?

Dreaming compels us to start learning again. I have been a stay at home mom for many years. I have rekindled some of my dreams. I am exploring photography. I am writing. I am taking classes and joining groups. I am asking questions and pursuing knowledge.

It stirs my heart again....

From Living Out Loud

We lie
when there is too much pain

We pretend
when it is easier

We wish
so we don't run out of hope

We turn on noise
to tune out the voice in our head

We create illusions
to make sense of the world

We cry
because it hurts

All these years
the one person who I counted on
to fight for me
to be on my side
to protect me
was me.
And I failed.

I left me long before you did.

I'm going back
and I'm going to finish this time.

Give it up

Here is a warning to those who sit around on the night before Ash Wednesday and decide what to give up for Lent:

Pick chocolate, not alcohol!

(for those who do not normally participate in Lent, this is a 40 day period beginning Ash Wednesday and ending at Easter).

I opted for alcohol for this year.
For 40 days.
Shouldn't be a big deal.
It has become, however the most trying of times: My children have decided to push ALL my buttons at the same time. The dog dug down to the PVC piping to chew on it...quite a feat given the ground is still frozen. My friends have suddenly become busy with their families and activities. My work, despite this economy, has become busier and more demanding. My personal trainer is bringing a new definition to the word pain, and Aleeve is not as effective as I remember. The toxic relationships that I thought were behind me have been creeping back into my life and the need for escape is upon me.

Until now I didn't realize that Merlot had become such a good friend. BBQing steaks and roasting veggies isn't the same without that cold beer to hold while I laugh with good friends and the Martini Bar just wasn't the same without those yummy lemon drops.

I am big on commitments. When you start something you finish it. It has been suggested that I simply substitute alcohol for something else. I guess that would make it easier but when you join the soccer team and it gets hard you don't just switch to lacrosse mid season.
The whole point of Lent is to experience something slightly difficult...to persevere.... to endure.
And I will. I will stay committed. Every day until Easter.

And next year, I'll try to remember not to give up coffee!!

Hearing Aid

I sat in Starbucks for a meeting recently. I love the smell of coffee. Coffee shops usually have plenty of places to sit, and yet there is no expectation of true privacy.
I was sitting across from a guy who was testing the boundaries. My boundaries.
And then, there it was: the offer.

Neatly wrapped in packaging that looked like "isn't this pretty, it's all for you" while buried tightly inside was the real bomb "this is my agenda and I am going to get you to give me what I want."
I have learned to detect these offers.

It was an offer to take something of mine.

I politely explained that it belonged to me, that it wasn't something I could get rid of and that his idea of me just giving it to him wasn't something I wanted to do.

So, he began to tell me how giving it to him would benefit me (which actually wasn't true, but those soft sell words can be so lovely to hear). And he went into great detail. I listened. But in the end I simply said "That's just not going to work."

He shifted slightly in his chair and tried again from a different angle. He stated that everyone would benefit if I would give it up, let him have it. That I would be contributing to the universe. That, in the words of Rick Warren, "it's not about me". And I should recognize the bigger picture.
To which I replied, "That's not going to work."

He leaned in, smiled and lowered his voice and restated his idea. Perfect eye contact. Open body language. The lure of sweet words indicating that he would be willing to take it today or tomorrow, whichever would work best for me. He was, after all, looking out for what was in my best interest, he said.

He was about mid way through his next sentence on action steps toward the greater good of mankind when I suddenly leaned forward and exclaimed excitedly, "Oh, I have something for you." He paused at my interruption.

I cheerfully reached down into my bag and pulled out...
... a Q-tip.

I gracefully handed it to him across the table.

He looked at the Q-tip. He looked at me. He looked puzzled.

"You seem to be having trouble hearing me," I said, "This might help."

There was a slight pause before he begrudgingly placed the Q-tip down on the table and muttered something under his breath. I mustered up my best Buddy-the-Elf impression and quietly said, "I like to whisper too!"

The grin on my face must have reflected my newly acquired sassy, empowered feeling. This was someone I had cowered to in the past. We were in new territory.
I exhaled. I smiled.

And he now has the proper tool to use when he can't believe his ears.

Letting Go

I slowly let go of a white, hellium balloon. It floated up into the air and would eventually be out of sight. I knew I'd never see it again.
I remember, just after releasing it, wanting to reach up and grab it...I did not want to let it go just yet. I hadn't had enough time with it. But it was too late...gone.
It was the day of my grandmother's funeral.

My dog just turned one year old. He has big teeth and when he grabs on to his ball or chew toy or a sock there is no getting that thing out of his mouth. He holds on for dear-life.
"Drop, Marley" is a constant saying in our house.

Why is it so hard to let go?

People don't want to do it. Dogs don't want to do it. Kids certainly don't want to do it.

Is it because we feel territorial and possessive?
Does it have to do with change?
Is it because we believe that if our little brother gets it then it won't come back the same?
Does letting go mean we may never be the same?

My daughter has said that she can't remember what her great grandmother looked like. The memory is fading.
Is letting go the acknowledgement that soon a person can be gone even from our memory? Even the good stuff...gone?

In this economy some of us are letting go of a certain lifestyle. Our springbreak family vacation to Disney World has been replaced with a trip to the local bowling alley and boardgames at home. Jewelry on Valentines Day is now a stroll along the river at sunset. Gym memberships have been exchanged with a pair of tennis shoes, a leash and the dog.

Letting go is hard.
And yet it can also be freeing.
A friend of mine just lost 70 lbs. She looks amazing. She let go of the weight, along with some other issues she had been hanging on to. Her soul is lighter.

I think I'll join a catch and release program...sit on a boat, wait, catch a fish, then release it back into the water. Over and over.
Perhaps this will build up strength.
Maybe.
And maybe I'll become a little more willing to let go of certain things in my life.
But I'll always wish I had more time with my grandmother!

Make a comment...

Leave me a comment about my blog. It is now set so anyone can comment.

I want to know what you think!!
Thanks.

My Boy!

I love my son! He is awesome!
And some day I hope to know as much about computers as he does.
<3

Integrity...but I WANT it!!

Have you ever wanted something so bad it hurt?

Walking through the snow yesterday I was suddenly hit by the desire to have something that didn't belong to me. I kept walking.

And I kept wanting.

By the time I reached my destination I had come up with several ways to go about getting what I wanted. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I knew how I could take it and not get caught.

I was raised to believe that if you want something you work to earn it. I have not stolen candy from a candy store. I haven't eaten a meal at a restaurant and left without paying. It's a code I've lived by and it's worked for me.
It has been a while since I've wanted something so desperately, or this intensely.

Sometimes I want to eat the entire chocolate cake. Sometimes I want to go shopping instead of going to the gym. Or buy THOSE shoes even though it would cost me two paychecks. But when push comes to shove and I don't get those things it's really no big deal. I just move on about my day.

In addition, I have been deeply hurt by a person who took something of mine recently, something dear, that is now destroyed and so it will never be returned.

So how is it that I find myself yearning for something that is not mine, that belongs to someone else? Why do I feel that I am somehow entitled to take it simply because I want it?

My brain wouldn't shut off. I felt like I'd go crazy if I didn't get it.

When I thought about the "advice" my friends would give me I had the response of a 5 year old..."but I WANT it!" "It's not fair, I should have that!" "I want it NOW!"

And then the bargaining set in..."If I can have this one I will never ask for anything else again!" "Please God, just this once." "Let me have this one and I'll feed the homeless on Thanksgiving for the rest of my life."

Maybe, I reasoned, it could also be good for someone else.

What if what I wanted would benefit someone? Would it make wanting it more noble? What about the father who loses his job and can't pay for the medicine for his sick child? Does taking the medicine without paying for it make it less honorable?

Yet what I wanted, I had to admit, would only benefit me. It would complete some sense of deep longing within me and satisfy a hunger I suddenly realized I had.

If I want something for my own pleasure, my own satisfaction does that then diminish the "want" to selfishness and lessen the need-quotient so I am less deserving of it?
I needed some time to think about this.

I just asked my son to define integrity. He replied that it is when you choose to do something because it's the right thing to do. He's 9. Life is still simple. I said, "but what if you really want something? And no one would see you take it. Would you?"
And he asked, "Do I NEED it?"

So I ask myself, this thing I want so badly, Do I Need It? To survive?

No, I suppose not, not to survive.

As time passed I started to notice myself sliding over to the other side of the fence. Who am I to feel entitled to something that doesn't belong to me? Was I really willing to take it? It might feel good for a short time, but the weight of doing that would be more than I wanted to carry in the long run. I would rather live with integrity. If I took it, no one would know.
But I would. And eventually the owner would. And God would.

I have been wanting to become a person of excellence. (It would be easier if people of excellence wouldn't be tempted so much!). People of excellence don't park in handicapped spots even if they are just going to "run in" and they don't call in sick when they are not and they don't tell their children to "just tell them I'm not home" when they don't want to talk on the phone. People of excellence live with integrity. They keep their commitments and do the right thing whether anyone is watching or not.

Everyday our integrity is tested.

If you lie about the little things before long you'll lie about the bigger things.

Just look at the corporate execs who are falling from grace, having stolen millions of dollars. Most likely, they compromised something smaller earlier and when the opportunity presented itself, they compromised millions. Theft is theft. And you usually start out small.

The bible says if we are faithful with the little things God will entrust us with more.

When you go the extra mile, keep your word, tell the truth, dedicate yourself to doing your best, you go past living a mediocre life. You become a target for blessing. God blesses excellence. Integrity is good karma.

If you want to be average, do as little as possible. If you want to excel, live with integrity.

No, it's not easy. That's why many will opt to take what they want because they want it, no matter who it belongs to and who it will hurt.

When you are self-driven, you feel quenched by what you take.

I realized, as thirsty as I was, I would not take it. I would chose to go without.

And the farther I got from the thought of what I was wanting, the better I began to feel about myself. The longing began to slowly dissipate and I replaced that wanting-feeling with gratitude, thanking God for what I already had.

When I think about it, it would still be nice to have it, but I don't want it with the intensity of yesterday. I won't die without it.
I hope the owner appreciates it's value half as much as I believe I would. But regardless, it will stay where it is.

And I'll go to the gym!

These shoes were made for walking!

I remember the shoes I was wearing the day my friend came into my office and said, with an excited smile on her face, "I've been offered a new job. I'm leaving."

They were black patent leather pumps I'd paid entirely too much for. But my friend had told me they looked fabulous and I hadn't stood that tall in years. She was smart, funny and brought a lightness to an otherwise overwhelming and competitive work environment.

"Are you kidding?" I grumbly replied, dismay written all over my face.
I couldn't quite muster the congrats she was hoping for.

We worked for a law firm in LA. She had just been offered a job with in-house counsel at Princess Cruises. "I won't be that far away, just two buildings over." Given that my office was on the 40th floor and hers was on the 41st, I had discovered that any information that had to be shared immediately took entirely too long to communicate in person, given the inability of the elevators to ever be available when I needed them. This was one floor. Now we're talking down the block.

I suddenly felt abandoned. Who would I laugh with when a new associate blundered his way through an assignment? Who would guide me through shoe racks to find the perfect pair? I decided to take the afternoon off and go sit at the Bodhi Tree and sip tea. Life always slowed down at the new age bookstore on Melrose and I wanted to digest this ache in my stomach...


God has been tapping me on the shoulder lately.
Sometimes he has to use a frying pan, but for now he is tapping.
I think what He is saying is,

"Your destiny is not tied to the people who walk away from you."

I pause, wishing Melrose was not so far from Bend.

The plain truth: people leave.
Sometimes it has nothing to do with you. Sometimes it does.

All of us will have people that step out of our lives. They may not be bad people. We may like them. Or love them. We may not understand why...but their purpose in our life, the purpose of the relationship is over.

And when that person steps away, whether it's a friend, co-worker, spouse or business partner, you can choose to hang on or to let go.

I am learning that it is harder, but better, to let go.

Because when someone decides to move on, there is no amount of glue that is going to hold him to you.

I often think, "But I need that person in my life." "I depend on that person." "I don't want this to become different."

There is the chance that gracefully letting that person move in a different direction will actually enhance the relationship, but it will change nonetheless.

And when you give someone permission to walk their own journey, rather than trying to keep them in yours, you give yourself permission to walk away from others on your journey. For whatever reason. At any time.


...as I sipped my tea at the Bodhi Tree that day, I understood my choice. I could sit there, in my designer shoes, wishing it to be different or I could open the window and see how much sunshine would come in.

Family or friends or co-workers who lack similar values, are abusive or hold you back from your dreams, may be the person who pushes you into the opportunity to take a step through a new door to get closer to your potential. It's been said that what you tolerate you will never change. If you accept mediocrity, that's what you will get. I don't want to be mediocre. I want to be excellent.

As it turns out, after she left the law firm I actually saw her more often. It was no longer a co-worker relationship but a friendship. And shortly after that, I had the opportunity to step away from my friends and co-workers to fulfill my dream of attending graduate school 3,000 miles away. One of the best decisions I ever made. And some of the hardest people to walk away from.
I suddenly don't feel the tapping.
Maybe I've understood a part of the lesson: when you choose to step away or let go, and let a relationship change, you will be stepping closer to your destiny.
And hopefully, when that happens you'll be wearing a fabulous pair of shoes!

When is enough, enough? (Just say "when")

I sat at a restaurant on a recent date wondering what to order. It had been a long, tiring day full of bad jokes from a guy with bad breath and narcissistic tendencies. As he sat across from me he watched as his drink was refilled. The waitress said, "say when." And upon the liquid reaching the top, he did. He actually said it. And maybe it's not just that he said it, but how he said it. With the enthusiasm of a child, he excitedly punctuated the word..."WHEN!"

Then he sat up proudly as he took a sip his drink.

I looked into the face of what seemed a seven year old...then it slowly morphed back into the familiar face of a 46 year old man.

At that moment I knew. I'd had enough!

As I look around, it seems I am not the only one who has had enough.

We have a new president, elected by those who felt they'd had enough of the Republican party.

We've watched as CEOs took more than enough for their bonuses and we don't have enough to pay our mortgages.

We have 12 step programs for people who have had more than enough food, alcohol, gambling, etc.

We've all had enough of Paris and Brittany.

When someone says "enough is enough" it means it is time to stop.
And "when" means "now"!

There comes a point in everyone's life when they reach "enough."

Does it mean that at that point we stop doing something?

What if we can't stop someone from hitting us? What if we can't stop someone from ignoring us? What if we can't stop the stock market from plunging? What if we can't stop a country from going to war?

Since no one can control the actions of another, perhaps "enough is enough" becomes the door to walk through to new opportunity. The start of pushing ourselves in a new direction.

Webster defines enough as "occurring in such quantity, quality, or scope as to fully meet demands, needs, or expectations. Sufficient."

When are our circumstances sufficient?

When is enough, enough?

Maybe it's when we are ready... to move in a better direction.

To walk away from a hurtful person. To seek comfort when abandoned. To reinvest our savings. To elect leadership that will represent our desires. To find a date that will simply say...

That's enough. Thank you.

Is it really the Secret?

When you suddenly find yourself alone or unemployed, where do you start to pick up the pieces? Do you start with a new resume, a support group or a stiff drink?

Some people can't think to write their resume or find people to support them, let alone order a drink. Others bypass the resume, group and drink and quickly make solid decisions and move on into a world of abundance.
Why is it that some people are in a hopeless holding pattern of what to do next and others make decisions and have opportunities that lead to abundance all around them? Is it true that it is not random and coincidental, but a result of our own mind...our own thoughts?

People sometimes miss opportunities because they've grown accustomed to the status quo. Whether they come from poverty or wealth and education, they expect nothing more than what they already have. When an opportunity arises, rather than grabbing on to it in faith, and believing for the best, they slinker away and think "that could never happen to me. I should be thankful for what I've been given." We often set our standards so low:
"I'm not really healthy, but my body doesn't hurt that much."
"I'm not really happy in my marriage, but we get along ok and I guess this is the best I can expect."

Perhaps what you receive is directly connected to your expectations. Our expectations set the boundaries for our lives. And our expectations come from what we think about.

According to Bob Proctor, the Secret to our success (no, not the movie with Michael J. Fox) is the law of attraction. "Everything that's coming into your life you are attracting into your life. And it is attracted to you by virtue of the images you are holding in your mind. As you think of yourself living in abundance, you are powerfully and consciously determining your life through the law of attraction." If you think abundance, abundance will come to you.

Michael Beckwith writes that what you are thinking now is creating your future life. You create your future with your thoughts. Because you are always thinking you are always creating. And what you think about most is what will appear in your life. If you think abundance, you will create abundance.

Eckhart Tolle in A New Earth reveals that "Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at this moment." You have abundance because it is the most helpful step at this moment in the evolution of your understanding.

In The Art of Happiness, the Dalai Lama emphasizes the importance of determination, effort and time when searching for happiness. He believes in "the tremendous, perhaps even unlimited, power of the mind - but a trained mind that has been systematically trained, focused, and concentrated, a mind tempered by years of experience and sound reasoning." When you are determined to exert effort over a period of time you will be blessed with abundance.

The Bible states in Isaiah 54:2, "Enlarge the place of your tent, let the curtains of your habitation be stretched out. Spare not. Lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes, for soon you will be bursting at the seams." God is saying get ready...I have so much more to give you. Expect more. Don't become complacent with what you have. Jesus said, "According to your faith will it be it done to you." Matt 9:29

Maybe I've been waiting on God to make a move, and God is waiting on me to step out in faith.

When my friend in LA decided to date, he imagined all the amazing people out there. He thought about how fun it would be to get to know them. He visualized the dates he would go on. And when he lost his job he was excited to have the opportunity to explore all the adventures he'd been thinking about for months. He not only "saw" these opportunities, he expected them.

When you suddenly find yourself alone or unemployed, think about what you want. Then step out in faith.

It's not a crapshoot.

It's all a crap shoot

I asked my friend about his love life. Single. Living in LA. He said he's living The Secret. He is putting out there what he wants and he is receiving it. Dates galore.
He lost his job last week. Pink slip on Monday. By Friday, the offers were flying at him. He's enjoying massages, drinks with friends, and in two weeks he's headed to Canada. For an interview. And a date.
How does this happen?
How do you know what to look for when you want to find your soulmate or your dream job? How do you know where to start searching?
When you suddenly find yourself alone or unemployed, where do you start to pick up the pieces? Do you start with a new resume, a support group or a stiff drink?
Does it all really come down to The Secret?