You may have heard "The Secret" already! It seems to be everywhere~ (hmm, the secret is certainly being spread around!)
In case you missed Oprah last week or Larry King back in December, or if you just can't get enough - I would love to share with you a little more about it.
"The Secret" is a DVD about the Law of Attraction. It's a philosophy, a way of thinking, being and doing. Rhonda Byrne is the Australian who explores this captivating and empowering universal law in the program she created called "The Secret". It's a high-quality production and it gives you a lot to think about. She also interviews well known practitioners of the Law of Attraction principles such as Dr. Michael Beckwith (who I believe speaks from his soul every time he opens his mouth!), Jack Canfield, James Ray and Lisa Nichols.
It is a great introduction and reminder of the basic principles to live by. In the simplest version - "Like attracts like". That is....what you think about, believe in and guides you in your action, is what you will attract more of in your life and business.
Last week these folks were all featured on Oprah. I was so excited (as were many coaches around the world), not only to hear these folks, but also because we all know - if Oprah talks about something on her show then the world pays attention! Oprah shares how she has been using these principles for years.
I will warn you that the DVD does really play up that this is finally being revealed and has been buried for centuries....ok, all that is a little much for my taste, and I still like the principles and it's a great way to reinforce this way of thinking and believing and acting. I'm all for structures (like books, movies, cards, games, websites, and ezines) that reinforce this universal principle. I know many of you were raised like me - many of us grew up being immersed in a philosophy where you believe that only other people deserve and will achieve great success and prosperity, and only others will be able to live a life of their dreams. Well, that's a tease about why my business is called "joyful" - it's a structure to remind me that what I think about all the time is what I attract!
Back to Oprah and friends....and The Secret! A special gift for you - I took notes! I want to share my notes with you so you can get the juice of the program! Here you go!
Notes about The Secret on Oprah (along with my own comments):
- What you think about all the time - what you think about deep in the core of your being is what you attract into your life and business. "It's like you are placing an order with the Universe!"
- We may say we want something, or act in a certain way, but our unconscious fears, worries and stress keep it at bay. You can shift things in your life by simply bringing it to your awareness. (note from Laura: this means track those synchroncities, write in your gratitude journal - what you focus on is what you will let out in yourself and attract in your life. These simple techniques will help you heighten your awareness.)
- The intention of "The Secret" creators: To bring joy into the lives of all who touch it! (Laura: don't you love that!! I agree wholeheartedly with that intention!)
- Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want! Ex: Instead of focusing on "being out of debt" - focus on "Creating Financial Freedom". If you are obsessing about "getting out of debt" then the universe serves you up more opportunities to 'get out of debt". If you take action toward getting out of debt and then let go worrying about it and instead switch your awareness and focus to "Creating Financial Freedom" you are aligning your thoughts, feelings and awareness to that happening. (Laura: I made this switch about 1 year ago. I realized that I was focused on "It's never enough" when it came to money. And yet, I always seem to have enough money. I finally realized that I was doing this by tracking how many times I woke up at 3am worrying about money! The thing was I had enough. I finally realized and accepted that I do have enough and it might come in other ways than me making $1million at my business. By letting in and accepting other ways of prosperity coming to me, I starting allowing more prosperity to come to me.)
Steps for Law of Attraction:
- Visualize what you really want -(Laura: think about it, marinate in it, create Vision Boards, talk about it, keep it alive!)
- Feel it - as though it has already happened - (Laura: What does it feel like to have achieved this thing you want to do, or to be this person you want to be? There is a piece inside you - even if it's a little teeny, weeny piece inside you, that knows what it feels like. Let that grow.)
- Allow it in - (Laura: This sounds so easy! And it's actually the hardest part for many of us. We are all full of limiting beliefs, self sabotaging habits that pull us away from what we want. They close off the tap to the faucet of abundance. Look for programs, books, teachers, coaches who can help you expose the limiting beliefs so you can allow your natural well-being and abundance to flow to you. It's kind of like ordering room service and then putting a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door!)
And the 4th step:
- Take Inspired Action - (Laura: In the video they don't play this step up very much. It sounds a bit like visualize and feel it and you will receive it. The thing is we have to decide to pull our chair up to the buffet the universe has created for us and pick up the knife and fork to eat! You have to take action. On Oprah, the speakers all talked about being quiet, having time to listen to the universe/spirit/inner wisdom/intuition - then take action that is aligned and inspired.)
- Create rituals that will keep your vision alive! Parts of your mind do not know the difference between imagination and reality. Create a story board collage showing pictures, words, colors, people - that represent your vision. (Laura: I've held several visioning workshops and do this myself and with clients. It's very powerful! I had a chiropractic client who said to me that she just found her vision board that we did with her office 3 years ago - everything came true!! You hear this story a lot around vision boards.)
- Let go of old wounds, old stories. Forgive others. Forgive yourself. Don't let the past dictate your future. (Laura: Again, Simple to say. You can do it and you have to commit to doing it.)
- Lisa Nichols to a woman in the audience: "Claim your birthright as a woman, as a mother, and as a person!" (Laura: I just love that woman!)
- A great saying to practice when something happens you don't like: "Thank you for giving me that experience. What is the lesson I need to learn here?" (Laura: This is one of the reasons I highly endorse journaling on a daily basis. It's the only way I can consistently spin out situations and see what I need to learn.)
- Until I fall in love with myself things in my life (and business) won't shift. "I am the first example of how to love me!" (Laura: Very powerful. Easy for us to forget - especially for many women, as we are brought up to give first. I love the idea of teaching others how to love us!)
- We are constantly releasing our gifts, talents and capacities from inside ourselves. As we grow we continue to release.
- Energy goes where the attention flows!
- Are you ready to claim what you really want?!
- Today I choose to give myself the best life ever!
I hope you enjoyed the notes and find them useful!
With love and gratitude,
Laura
Ruth King, author of "The Ugly Truth About Small Business" and president of the Profitability Channel.com. We talked about how it's time for a new type of business plan that combines practical business strategies and law of attraction tools. We took a glance at some of the tools of the Joyful Business Guide like the Daily Giggle Goals and Mind Map Worksheets.
of Fame. It has signatures from all their interviewees. It was fun to feel a part of big community of teachers! 
