News from Transcending Fear

The media would have us believe that we are in a recession. The graphs are clear, and the evidence is everywhere. The logical conclusion, one that many have been implementing, is that we should hang back, avoid over-committing, and simply wait it out. This is exactly the mentality that is creating a state of recession in the first place. Of course, it is only a recession for some. For others, this is a time of great opportunity.
            How can we prevent fear from making our decisions for us? How can we advance when others are retreating? The answer lies in the process of controlling our thoughts. If we can maintain our focus on positive, constructive thinking, we can create the mood that leads to success. That feeling is one of joy and abundance, and it is possible to remain in this feeling despite conflicting surroundings.
            You have a choice about what you give your attention to. Your experiences are all food for thought, and your thoughts create your mood. Your mood in turn creates your reality. You know that when you focus your attention on things that depress you and rob you of hope, you feel lousy and you will not get into the spirit of creativity and positive expectation. That comes as a result of choosing to deliberately focusing on things that bring you to a state of happiness and appreciation. Once you are there, you can envision the answers.
            We must not allow ourselves to drift into patterns of thought that make us feel negative. We must defend our happiness all day, every day, because it is our happiness that brings us all the things and experiences that make us happier. We create everything we want from this feeling. Therefore, as soon as we find ourselves feeling hopeless because we are telling the story of why we can't succeed and why things aren't getting better, we must shift our focus deliberately.
            This begins with a deep breath. Stress erodes our connection to feeling good, and our first line of defense is always to slow down. Stop what you are doing. Stop what you are thinking and the stories about the way things are. We cannot build a different future by dwelling on the past, and everything that has happened up to now is already the past. Let it go.

Meditation 7

          Once you are calm again, and this only takes one good deep breath followed by one slow exhale, you must draw your attention to thoughts that make you feel good. There are many things in your life, and indeed in your immediate surroundings that will bring you to a feeling of appreciation. Start with the simplest of things: "I love this coffee and how it makes me feel when I take a moment to truly taste it". That is enough to alter the direction of your thinking. Once you are pointed in the general direction of up, you are on your way.
            It has been said that if you wait until you are thirsty to drink water, it is too late as you are already dehydrated. You must sip water throughout your day. Likewise, you must sip on joy throughout your day. Take the time to focus on the things that make you feel appreciation, and you will have a much easier time remaining in a positive, constructive mood. Look out the window. Take a walk in nature. Look up at the sky and let your happiness return.
            The world around you will always provide imagery and information that will take you away from this feeling. Pay no attention to the negativity that is bringing others down. Let them vibrate on that frequency if they choose to. If you want to be one of the few that sets your own mood, you must not let that conflicting stuff get in the way. Your conscious intention to remain in a positive mindset will bring you to a reality that is not a reflection of the way things are, but of how they could be. In this way, you will create your own economy.
            The feeling of hopelessness can only lead us to thoughts and experiences that lead to more hopelessness. Stop telling those stories. Stop focusing on the lack of money, and the bills you aren't yet able to pay. Return to a feeling of happiness and the feeling of having more than enough money. Imagine yourself with more abundance than you know what to do with, and you will find that it will come to pass. This happens because everybody loves to be around winner. The key, then, is to think like a winner. The most important aspect of thinking like a winner is to be authentically positive and happy. Rather than waiting for a reason to feel good, skip the contingencies and simply let the feeling in. Once you do that, you will find that everyone and everything in your world becomes a mirror for your feeling, and your life blossoms into fullness. Love your world and it will love you back.