Clearly Abundant

My friend Anne Pustil made a challenge in her newsletter to go 1 week without complaining.  This is something that would have been easy for me a little while ago, but I noticed that lately I am beginning to see more of the “reality” of life’s situations and it’s getting easier to vent about them.

The funny thing is that when I focused on the things I was grateful for, I seemed to have more of those things to be grateful for.  So, in the spirit of Anne’s challenge, I have decided to start blogging again and raving about all the good things going on in life right now, because there always are a lot of those things if I’ll open my eyes.

A wise woman once taught me about creating a gratitude journal.  Every day there are things that are contrast in our life.  Rather than focusing on the clouds that have appeared, let’s take the opportunity to focus on the silver linings that are there so that we can have an enjoyable journey.

Today’s opportunities included having 2 hours of really good quality time with my daughter in her church class and watching my 4 boys as they reverently went about their business.  I was able to join my boys in a fast.  It’s a wonderful thing to be able to join together in a common purpose.

I was able to complete a couple of tasks that needed to be done.  I made a delicious dinner for my family – which was gluten free and everyone enjoyed it.  I enjoyed a conversation with my father and got to spend some time with my husband, the love of my life.

I challenge everyone to take the time to focus on the silver  linings in their life.  It makes the cloudy days so much more enjoyable.

So last time I blogged, I introduced the term tapping.  It is a powerful tool, and I have both seen and experienced first hand the differences it can make in a person’s life if it is used.  Let me explain what I mean.

This weekend I had the most amazing opportunity to catch a glimpse of what my potential might be.  More than that was the insight I got into human nature.  Les Brown http://budurl.com/abundant1 was our motivational speaker today.  He can tell you some pretty amazing stories about himself. I found it particularly poignant that no matter where he is today, he remembers where he came from, and the growth of going from the “dumb twin” to being one of the world’s best motivational speakers.  We’re talking top 5 here.  Pretty amazing what he learned he could do.  Here is what I learned from him about myself and perhaps others as well.

Weeds are pretty resilient.  They don’t need anything special to grow. They can grow in the cracks of sidewalks.  Ever noticed, how persistent those little buggers are?  Our minds are gardens.  Ever thought about how abundant your garden is?  All of the beautiful flowers and fruits that are expressed as the ideas that come forth.  How many of those flowers and fruits do you harvest from your garden?  How much of your harvest is left on the vine to rot?  Have the weeds of negativity come in and taken over?  Can you even see the flowers that are growing there?

There are so many factors that contribute to the well-being of your garden.  The media: television, music, movies, books, the internet, etc. can all be excellent fertilizers, they can help us to grow our garden, to help it flourish.  But, have you ever bought fertilizer without checking the ingredients?  I have.  Guess what happens, WEEDS!!  You have to make sure that what you are using to feed your garden has healthy ingredients.  A toxic fertilizer is going to kill your plants and make the fruits so much smaller, if they can survive the poison.

Weeds can come in from so many ways, and you can do your best to prevent them from getting in there, and you can even pull them.  If you miss the roots, they’ll come back.  That’s where tapping comes in.

WOW that was a long time to get to the point.

We all have negative past experiences, those ghosts of the past that come back to haunt us at some point, those weeds that persistently come up to kill our dreams!!

Tapping is a neat little tool that can help you to get to the roots of those weeds and pull them out forever so they can no longer sabotage you.

with himself.  It was a very funny thing to watch.  He has been wanting to quit smoking for a while, on the outside.  However, his subconscious is constantly sabotaging him.  

Yesterday he had energy.  That’s not altogether a common thing around here, his health is not so good, and thus he is trying to quit smoking.  So last night he gets the brilliant idea that he’s going to start working out every time he wants a cigarette.  (I tell him to tap, and it works – more on that in a minute)  So this morning he wakes up.  He goes out and has a cigarette.  

I was out doing some clean up and when I got home, I asked him what happened to his work out designs.  ”Oh, I completely forgot about it.  I couldn’t do it if I wanted to.  I am really weak today,” he says.  

“You realize it’s all in your head, right?” 

“You’re absolutely right, ” he says.  ”I’m going to win this one.”

So he proceeds with a plan to go buy the absolute nastiest tobacco that he can find so if his subconscious is going to win on making him smoke, he’s going to win by making it nasty.  The problem is, the subconscious is still in the driver’s seat.  So when we get to the tobacco store to buy the tobacco so he has to roll his own cigarettes, he looks at the price of the tobacco, looks at the price of the cigarettes, and buys…  the cigarettes.

Chalk one up for the subconscious.

Now seriously, how often do we do that?  How often do we go to war with ourselves because we know, consciously, that there is a better way.  How do we win that war? 

The answer is strange yet simple.  Tapping.  This energy clearing technique is a great way to give the power back to our conscious and higher selves.  More on that tomorrow.

Have a clearly abundant night!!

Baby.  I have a 14 month old.  She is part of the sunshine in my days. She has a determination much like her mother’s and an independence much like her father’s.  Now, I’m not sure what lies down the road, it’s a little scary to see how she won’t stop until she gets what she wants.  

Did you hear what I just said?  It’s scary that she’s determined.  It really struck me today just how much we try to control things.  She isn’t afraid to go after what she wants.  She is finally toddling everywhere.  She has decided that she is ready to be a biped.  She doesn’t want to be like the puppies anymore.  She wants to walk.  Now get ready for this.  She isn’t physically able to get there on her own in one fell swoop yet.  She must fall down, PLOP, every 25 steps or so.  But, where she used to stop there and crawl, now she is refusing to crawl.  She isn’t going to go back to that.  She’s ready for the next step in her life.  She’s ready to walk and nothing is going to stop her.  So down she goes, and up she pops.  Over and over again.  She used to cry when she fell down.  Now, not a peep.

How much can we learn from this determined little tike.  She is my inspiration.  As I am preparing for this new world that is emerging, I find myself falling down every once in a while.  Don’t we all.  Don’t you sometimes wish you could just crawl back into your comfort zone?  Sometimes I do.  The secret is finding someone to model.  Emma has 4 older brothers.  She sees the freedom they have to get where they want to go.  She sees how neat the world is at the higher level.  The bottom is no longer enticing to her.  She’s ready to rise.  Are you?  Are you ready to move up?  

Make that goal and think about it, you were once that determined, otherwise you’d still be crawling.  Give yourself permission to see the world on another level.  Find someone you admire and model them.  There’s no stopping you if you put your mind to it.

Last spring my husband decided that he was going to finally get the trailer of his dreams.  It was amazing to me how quickly it came to us once he finally got clear on what it was that he wanted.  And, it is the trailer of his dreams.  It has everything that he could possibly want.  Room for his off-road toys, plenty of space for the kids – including friends, bay windows, fuel station, large fuel capacity, and the piez de resistance, an Onan 5000 gold generator.  

Now this generator is the stuff campers’ dreams are made of.  It runs quietly, it is fuel efficient, it can power a small house!!  This is his pride and joy.  Several months ago, we ran out of gas on the generator.  I know, bad.  You’re not supposed to let a generator sit for any length of time without running it.  Things in the carburetor get gummed up, and the generator won’t run.  One of the benefits of this particular generator is that it is supposed to be able to store for a long period of time without this happening.  We finally got fuel, and the generator wasn’t running.  We actually found this out the first time while we were camping in the back yard, so it wasn’t the end of the world, we just plugged the trailer into the house.  

“There is something wrong with the fuel supply,” hubby told me.  He fiddled with it.  He got frustrated with it.  He added fuel to it.  He ran it on starter fluid.  It wasn’t the generator, it could run.  He decided that the fuel tanks on the trailer had been switched.  This explained the problem.  There just wasn’t any fuel getting to it.  He had an impression to ask a friend what might have happened, but he ignored that.  He is a mechanic after all.  He didn’t need help with this.  So, he ignored that prompting.  He could do it on his own.

We went camping a few weeks ago out at Valley of Fire state park.  Talk about beautiful, absolutely gorgeous.  God truly is an artist, and it is evident everywhere out there.  It was, however, quite chilly.  Okay, I’d venture to say cold by my Vegas standards.  We had fueled up the tanks on the way out, Ken knowing that this would solve the problem with the generator and we would be fine for energy while out.  Beings that we were dry camping.

Guess what?!  That wasn’t the problem.  We were very blessed that we had a battery that was able to run the fan on the heater for part of the night, and then we fired it back up in the morning before everyone got out of bed.  The problem was, there was no rhyme nor reason to why the generator wasn’t working.  Maybe it was the fuel filter.  That had to be it.  So, when we got back home, we went out and purchased a fuel filter.  The filter was changed, nothing.  It still wasn’t working, and there was no indication that there was a problem with fuel supply.  

SO, we went down to Camping World to find out what it would take to have the generator serviced.  Surely that would fix it.  When we told them what was going on, they insisted that it had to be a carburetor jet issue, and the carburetor would have to be replaced at a cost of a minimum of $600.  Blessedly, my husband is not one to just have blind faith in a mechanic.  He was a mechanic for too long.  He knows how that can work.  So, he finally gave in and asked his friend – you remember, the one he was impressed to ask months ago – what he should do.  The friend said that it was probably a float issue and that if he would gently tap it with a hammer, it would most likely start right up.  Guess what?! It did.  Tap, tap, and it was all over.  

Turns out that when we took the trailer out the first time, it had come unhitched and fallen.  The force of that impact had actually gotten the float stuck.  It was just a coincidence that we had run out of fuel just before that.  We would have replaced the whole carburetor, when all that needed to happen was that something needed to be put back into alignment.

Now I have learned a few things from this.  The first thing is that if we will listen to the promptings that come and not rely on our own wisdom, we can avoid a lot of heartache.  Many times we are too close to a situation to see it objectively and so we don’t realize that we know the answer.  Once he heard it, he realized that that was the obvious solution.  He was so emotionally involved that he missed the obvious answer.  

The second thing is that we are a lot like this generator.  When everything is in balance, we can run efficiently.  But if even one part gets stuck, it can make it impossible to perform our proper function in this world.  And, it was simple.  Just tap on it and it’ll fix.  

If you’re not familiar with tapping, it is a phenomenal tool that I discovered that has made a huge difference in my life.  Visit http://www.emofree.com to discover more about tapping and this revolutionary new technique that is changing the lives of millions.

There may not be a need to do a complete overhaul.  You might just need to tap on the problem and you’ll find that things go back into alignment and you are soon running again like a well-oiled machine.

I was having a conversation today with Jeff Howard of Mastermind Mentors.  We were talking about building my business and some of the hesitations that I had been having about really rocking it out of the park.  As it is, I have done phenomenal since starting.  The enthusiasm is there.  I’ve made more in the last month than most people make in a lifetime of network marketing.  This is huge for me.

I realized that I was having a bit of a problem because I am me.  I am a mom.  My kids are my #1 priority.  In fact, part of the reason that I stay home and home school is because of how important it is for me to be a mom.  There is a perception in my mind that if I am going to have a huge and successful business that there can’t be time for both my children and my business.

When we first met, he referred me to the book “Afformations.”  The main thought is that if we ask the right question, we can get the answer to solve any of our problems.  The question for me is, Why is it so easy for me to be able to balance my family and my business in a way that brings me peace, joy and meets my financial goals?  As I open myself up to the answers that this brings, I am excited because I can see.  I am open to inspiration both from my inner self and from that higher power that I like to call my Heavenly Father.

If you are finding yourself stuck in a spot, try asking a different kind of question.  Why are things working out for you the way you desire?  Open yourself up to the possibilities of having all that God intended for you.  You deserve to see just how “Clearly Abundant” you truly are.

Our perspective is the only thing that our happiness is dependent upon.  Each moment of contrast becomes an opportunity for growth. Among the laws of physics there is a law that says for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  This is true in life as well.  As dark as the night may be, the dawn will be all the brighter.  

Take the opportunity that God has given you to grow.  Perhaps the day has come for you to move past your comfort zone into the beautiful expanse of the world outside your normal safe place.  The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, but if you refuse to leave your yard, how can you know what else there is.  Perhaps it’s time to change your scenery.  

Take a look at what you have and what you want.  If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.  If you’re content with life, fantastic!!  If it’s time to move on and you’re not quite sure what you want to do or even what you really want, reach out.  I would love to help you find your passion and how to truly be happy.

What a week it has been!!  Talk about contrast.  We found out on Wednesday that Dad gets to stay home from now on.  This in and of itself is a blessing as he has had poor health for years.  The contrast would be that now I get to pursue my dreams much quicker than I had anticipated.

The path has been made clear.  So many things are falling into place…  About a month ago, I was doing a discovery session with Jeff Howard.  In our discussion, I mentioned that I wanted to write a book or two or ten.  Anyway, he had a couple of ideas as to things that I can do to move forward and start earning money right away while the dream of becoming an author became a reality.  Long story short, he was offered a ticket to the Life Success Publishing, Publish Your Way To Profits seminar and was unable to attend.  He remembered that I had mentioned the book and offered me his.  This was actually a bit of a hard decision (not really, but for a minute)  as I haven’t really left Emma before.   When he asked me if I was available for a conference at the end of February, I actually felt every fiber of my being say “YES!!!”  So I said yes.  One way or the other, I was going to be there.  As Ken was home now I didn’t have to feel bad about leaving her behind, and they all had fun.

This was the most amazing seminar.  The energy was high.  Gerry Robert was phenomenal.  His energy was so astoundingly high.  There was a positive vibe in the room that was so contagious.  All of these authors in the room.  Some were published; some were close; and some, like me, were dreaming of becoming an author.  

Hey, Guess what!! I’m an author.  I met so many positive and uplifting people while I was there.  People from all over the country… all over the world.  Every single one of them has a brilliant idea, and every single one of them has that potential of being a published author.  I truly hope that they all follow through.  I know I am.  

The things that have lead to this are miraculous and nothing less.  Each person that I spoke to has their own unique story to tell.  I truly felt so uplifted.  

Aileen Gallegos, the lady who invited me, is a financial planner and she has a knack for taking a minute to speak to you, and she can tell you what kind of a financial personality you have.  It was so cool.  She has been working in her capacity for many years, and you can tell she is good at what she does because she connects so well with people.  When you have that level of intuition with the people you talk to, you have to be good.

Nick Bhakta has an awesome story of overcoming the trials that life has thrown at you.  His personal story and the energy and faith he has that he can overcome the limitations that the physical body have placed on him was truly inspiring.

Dr. Mally is a chiropractor in Iowa, and the brilliance of this man was inspiring.  He connected with me.  I was awestruck at the way he could look at the way I sat at lunch and tell me what I had been like as a child, and of the recent transformation.  He hit the nail on the head.  I am looking forward to his book coming out.  His way of teaching is so easy to understand and so informative.  The world needs his knowledge.  It would clearly benefit all of us.

JoAnne Dozier and I had lunch yesterday, and we had a very interesting conversation.  She, like me, is planning a fiction book.  I know that there are so many women out there who can benefit from her ideas.  She has many elements that make for a fantastic read in her book.  I am looking forward to reading it.  

Florence Monzon is actually here in Las Vegas,  Wow, what a neat lady.  She is such a positive and uplifting person.  She is a spiritual coach, and you can tell by looking at her that she is good at what she does.  She mentioned that she might like to speak with me to help her out on a chapter of her book.  I am really looking forward to that.  Her book is such a testimony of how we can triumph over “life”,  I am excited to be a part of it.

Jay Burow… wow, what a pistol.  This man is a bundle of marketing knowledge.  His mind is very sharp, and he is always looking to speak to new people.  He was a very good example of how no man is a stranger.  He would walk up to someone and introduce me to them like he had known both of us forever, and we were all unacquainted.  I don’t want to say strangers, but we were not familiar with one another.  

Susan Killeen is from Hawaii, and she has an awesome idea for inspiring children to learn.  We had an enjoyable visit.  I was glad that she brought her high energy to lunch with us.

I have to say that one of the highlights of the weekend was when I was able to sit down one on one with Wendy Gallagher from Life Success Publishing.  This woman is brilliant.  Her mind works in such a brilliant way.  She can take anyone, sit down with them for a minute or two, ask a couple of questions (she’s a journalist- and a darn good one) and help them come up with the book that is in them.  WOW!!!  She is such a neat and real lady.  She took my ball of energy that was out there, and let me tell you, I am all over the place.  I have so much I want to share about everything, she suggested that I write my nonfiction book called “The Know-It-All: A-Z tidbits I learned at home with my kids.”  or something like that.  So… That’s my book.  It will be done by April 1, 2009.  With this book, I am going to also offer companion e-courses, seminars, and workshops so people can get more information.  I am also offering custom information services where people can come to me for research on certain things they want to learn about.  

I think more than anything else I learned this weekend…People are just people.  No one is any more perfect than anyone else.  Every one of us has a unique gift and talent.  How blessed are we that people are willing to put themselves out there to benefit the world?

I am a student.  I love to learn.  I also love to share, but up to now, I have kept it in my circle of live friends.  Well, I have decided that the world needs all the good it can get right now.  Especially among the midst of all the negatively expressed ideas that are in the media and around the water coolers.  I use that term loosely.  Water coolers are every where.  My husband hears it at work, I hear it in the doctors’ offices and at the grocery store.  

In October of 2007, I was on bedrest to keep my unborn daughter healthy, and decided I really needed to do something to keep my mind occupied. So, I started investing in self-improvement courses.  There seems to be a common vein that runs through most of them.  In my church, we have a song that points to that same theme.  ”Count your blessings.”  The first verse is as follows:

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,  When you are discouraged thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Now the key is to count them one by one.  And the trick is to start with your biggest complaints.  I know, I know, you’ve heard it all before, right?  ”Look at how bad someone else has it and then be grateful for what you have.”  That’s not what I’m saying here.  Try this…

My dishwasher broke… Thank goodness I have food in my pantry to keep my dishes in need of being hand washed.

It’s such a windy and blustery day outside…  Thank goodness there are walls that can protect me from that nasty wind.

Now I know that there are people in the world that are having a very hard time, we all have bad days.  It’s called contrast.  If you are feeling alone, remember, you’re not alone.  Someone, somewhere loves you.  I believe that you are a magnificent Child of God.  Open up your heart.  Allow yourself to feel loved, and before you know it, that love will be manifested very clearly in your life.  Believe you are worthy.  Ask yourself, “Why are things going so well?”  It will change the way you view the world.  And you will start to see just how well things are going.