Parker's Points
July 2007
10 Ideas from the Book The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
There has been a lot of talk about the book The Secret. It has been on the best sellers list for a number of months. When a friend offered to lend me her copy, I decided I was curious enough to take it. I'm actually enjoying it more than I thought I would. Skeptical at first I now realize that many of these concepts have been true in my own life. There are many I have discussed and used with clients. You may recognize some of these from previous lists. Here are 10 that have worked for me:
- Gratitude - Thinking about what is good in
my life puts me in a much happier mood than thinking about what
is not good. The author of The Secret
says that when you think about what is not working in your life
you attract more of it. Conversely if you think about and are
grateful for the good in your life you will attract more of it.
All the more reason to write a gratitude journal or just sit quietly
for a few minutes and feel gratitude for all that you have.
Alvah's note: There are lots of things to be grateful for. For me it is the little things that give me pleasure-things I could miss if I wasn't paying attention. For example my list today:
- Living near the beach so I can slip out for an hour during the workday to sit by the ocean.
- Watching a man fly a kite by the water. It was a perfect kite day and his was brightly colored and flew like a bird.
- Listening to music. I just got a recording of the musical Anything Goes by Fats Waller. Hard to sit still through This Joint is Jumpin'
- Thoughts are things - Your thoughts have energy. In
fact your life story comes directly from your thoughts. You frame your
internal dialogue and picture of yourself in your mind. You get to write
the plot of your life story. It is how you interpret your thoughts that
make your story. You have the ability to have the story be wonderfully
positive!! It's the only way to go.
Alvah's note: If you have a loud inner critic this one is a challenge. It is worth the effort though to tame her so that you have a good story in which you are the hero. - Become Aware - To understand if you are keeping
your thoughts positive start to check periodically how you are
feeling. If you are feeling good, you know that your thoughts
are positive and you are happy. Now you are in the right frame
to start to attract what you want in life. If you are not feeling
good and are not happy, find ways to change your mood.
Alvah's note: For some tips on how to do this read my list Ten Ways to Help You Recover From a Bad Mood - Know Your Life Purpose and Live it - If you
know what your purpose is to do in life and find ways to incorporate
that purpose in your life daily, you'll be able to maintain that
happy feeling and attract more of it into your life.
Alvah's note: Not sure of your life purpose? As an Authorized Life Blueprint® Facilitator I guide people through a program that uncovers their true life purpose. Send me an email asparker@asparker.com if you are interested in finding out more about this program. - Do the Work You Love - Find meaning and joy
in the work that you do. This will keep you joyful about your
contribution to the world.
Alvah's note: See my note above. That same program will identify work that you love. - Set Your Intention - Know what you really want in life. Whatever your goals are, you have the ability to make them happen. At this point you don't have to think if these goals are possible or how you will make them happen. Your goals can be big or small - just set the intention without any negative or questioning feelings.
- Believe it is possible for you to achieve your goals - Again you don't have to have a plan yet. You just must be able to believe enough in yourself and the universe to know that it is possible for this to happen to YOU.
- Meditate - Find some quiet time to just feel good about where you are and who you are. Think about all the really special parts of your life. Stay in that good place and breathe.
- Visualization - Imagine that you have achieved your goals. See yourself in the present accomplishing whatever it is that you dreamed about. Come back to this visualization frequently as though it actually is happening.
- Take Good Care of Yourself - If you feel as though you are sacrificing for someone or something else, you will be resentful. This will attract people and situations that cause more resentment. Find ways to love yourself first so that you can then love others fully.