If you've been watching Larry King Live or
Oprah lately, then you've heard about a
phenomenon called "The Secret." It's the
result of one woman's passionate research
about something called "The Law of
Attraction," a concept that is gathering
momentum not only in the metaphysical
community, but also among scientists,
philosophers and physicians. It is the secret
to getting what you want in life.
It is not a new concept. Great historical
figures including Henry Ford, Andrew
Carnegie, Thomas Edison, and Albert Einstein
understood and practiced the concepts brought
forth in "The Secret." It has been the
subject of many "how to get rich" books
including the classic, "Think and Grow Rich,"
by Napoleon Hill.
But it's not only about attracting financial
prosperity. "The Secret" is about how to
attract whatever it is that your heart
desires, be it loving relationships, success
in business, robust health and well being, or
literally anything you can imagine.
So what exactly is "The Secret"? It is a very
simple concept, but in today's complex world,
it can be very difficult to grasp and
actually practice. The concept is often
reduced to these three words: Like attracts
like. So what does that mean?
If you are feeling angry, resentful,
victimized and defeated you will attract more
in your life to feel angry, resentful,
victimized and defeated about! Likewise, if
you are feeling happy, hopeful, grateful and
optimistic, you will attract more in your
life to feel happy, hopeful, grateful and
optimistic about. In metaphysical terms, as
described in "The Secret," it's all about the
"vibration" you are sending out in the world.
A positive vibration yields positive
outcomes. A negative vibration yields
negative outcomes.
Now, if we just had an On/Off switch, we
could easily just shift our vibration from
negative to positive. But when life events
and circumstances have beat us down, it seems
incredulous to imagine that just putting on a
happy face is going to change anything. And
that's exactly right. It's not going to
change anything.
Putting on a happy face isn't at all the same
as actually feeling happy. It's just wearing
a mask to conceal the deep and pervasive
unhappiness beneath the surface. So what can
you do to lift your "vibration" to shift your
energy from a heavy negative emotional place
to an authentic joyful and positive
anticipation that will attract more of what
you want in your life?
The fastest and most effective way is to
adopt an attitude of gratitude. That means to
shift your focus away from what's not working
and what's not right in your world and to
take inventory of what is working, what you
appreciate, and what you wouldn't want to
change.
It means choosing to dwell on the positive
aspects of the events, people and
circumstances in your life. It means
immersing yourself in the joy of appreciating
the simple things in life – like the smell of
roses, the taste of chocolate, a child's
giggle, or the helpful attitude of a clerk at
the grocery store.
The point is to consciously shift your focus
from the negative and to look for and find
things to feel good about right now. If you
spend just fifteen minutes every day
expressing gratitude, perhaps in quiet
reflection or prayer, in discussion with a
partner or friend, or by writing in a journal,
you will be amazed at the impact it will have
on raising your energy to a more positive,
"attractive" place.
I have been delighted to see the intensity of
interest in the media about "The Secret," but
also disappointed that the message is often
delivered in metaphysical jargon that is just
not easily understood by most people. I have
been thrilled that the concepts offered in
"The Secret" are so closely aligned with the
Seven Stepping Stone program that I offer in
my book, "Give Wings to Your Dreams: Reawaken
Your Joy and Passion for Life" which is not
only written in layman's language, but offers
practical tools and techniques you can use to
shift your energy to a positive feeling place
and guide you on a productive journey to
transform your life.
You will significantly improve the quality of
your life when you make the choice to dwell
in positive thought and feeling. Jump off the
"I'll be happy when" treadmill and embrace
the power of appreciation and positive energy
to feel good now! Then enjoy the journey, as
your positive energy propels you in a new and
exciting direction.
