An Attitude of Gratitude

I’ve been thinking about the idea of being right — versus feeling good or being “right.”. What if we pick a thought that feels good rather than continuing to push our agenda of “being right.” If the need to be right makes you feel angry or distressed—probably because those people out there aren’t acknowledging your “rightness”—give it up. Reach for a thought that feels good and raise your vibration to a higher level. Your good, your happiness, your well-being, all represent your alignment with Source and reside in those good-feeling thoughts. Who cares whether your thought is “right” if being right brings you down?

Feeling good matters. It’s a sure sign that you are on a higher level energy tangent, as opposed to the low-energy negative emotions and self-destructive behavior. Don’t we all want to feel good? And try to watch who yo let into your life or what you focus on and ho it makes you feel. Do you for example allow negative, destructive people into your conversations. Or maybe follow the news? All negative. And keep you in the low energy zone!

It’s just another way of saying that attitude is everything. By the Law of Attraction, a good-feeling thought will bring more good-feeling thoughts and, in turn, things to feel good about. You will build momentum and train your subconscious mind to look for the thoughts that make you feel good. When you are aligned, you feel good.

Here are some ways I have of reminding myself to reach for good-feeling thoughts:

On my desk, I have a note that says “Good Things Are Going to Happen.” That’s what I see every time I’m at my desk.

To help others focus on feeling good, I’ve learned to often say “Hello, friend. Tell me something good” instead of the routine “How are you?”

I get to hear their good-feeling thoughts and they get to reach for them. It’s amazing how a simple question can invoke positivity.

Looking ahead, why not say: “With my luck, things are going to work out great.” Anticipate a positive outcome! Why not try that?

Every moment is a perfect opportunity to practice reaching for those good-feeling thoughts. They are there—always!

Don’t let hassles bring down your Qi— your energy. Celebrate by keeping your thoughts happy, hopeful, loving, and forgiving. Feeling good is just a thought away! And remember, attitude is where it starts. Simple adjustments make profound changes.

An attitude of gratitude. Of appreciation. Of love. Respect. Kindness. It’s one thought away. Just give it a try!

Be you. Be great!

With love and kindness— toddszen@gmail.com, todd@mitchellcreativegroup.com

Appreciate the inner genius

Try saying this: “I appreciate and intend to allow my inner genius to express itself.”

Not arrogance. Rather— appreciation for who and what you are. Try approaching this differently like that above. Say it, say it often, and FEEL it. Allow a confident expression to emmanate outward.

Below is a ten-step program for putting this intention to appreciate and express the genius within you to work. Trust me— you have it in you. You just haven’t been able to tap into it!

Step 1: First—declare and accept yourself to be a genius! This shouldn’t be a public pronouncement, but a statement of intention between you and your Creator. Remind yourself that you’re one of the masterpieces that emanated from the universal field of intention. You don’t have to prove that you’re a genius, nor do you need to compare any of your accomplishments to those of others. You have a unique gift to offer this world, and you are unique in the entire history of creation.

Step 2: Make a decision to listen more carefully to your inner insights, no matter how small or insignificant you may have previously judged them to be. These thoughts, which you may have viewed as silly or unworthy of attention, are your private connection to the field of intention. Thoughts that seem to persist, particularly if they relate to new activities and adventures, aren’t in your mind accidentally. Those tenacious thoughts that don’t go away should be viewed by you as intention talking to you, saying, You signed up to express your unique brilliance, so why do you keep ignoring the genius in favor of settling for less?

Step 3: Take constructive action toward implementing your inner intuitive inclinations. Any step in the direction of expressing your creative impulses is a step in the direction of actualizing the genius that resides within you—for example, writing and submitting a book outline, regardless of how you may have doubted yourself up until now; recording yourself reading poetry or singing the songs you’ve written; purchasing an easel and art paraphernalia and spending an afternoon painting; or visiting an expert in the field that interests you. Start doing things in other words that move you in that direction.

Step 4: Know that any and all thoughts that you have regarding your own skills, interests, and inclinations are valid. To reinforce the validity of your thoughts, keep them private. Tell yourself that they’re between you and God. If you keep them in the spiritual domain, you don’t have to introduce them to your ego or expose them to the egos of those around you. This means that you’ll never have to compromise them by explaining and defending them to others. No exceptions here!

Step 5: Remind yourself that aligning with spiritual energy is how you will find and convey the genius within you. In Power vs. Force (a great book!), David Hawkins concluded: “From our studies it appears that the alignment of one’s goals and values with high energy attractors is more closely associated with genius than anything else.” This is completely in line with understanding and implementing the power of intention. Shift your energy to harmonize vibrationally with the energy of Source. Be an appreciator of life, and refuse to have thoughts of hatred, anxiety, anger, and judgment. Trust yourself as a piece of God and your genius will flourish.

Step 6: Practice radical humility. Take no credit for your talents, intellectual abilities, aptitudes, or proficiencies. Be in a state of awe and bewilderment. Practice radical humility, and give credit everywhere except to your ego. This is very important—and the distinction between egoistical and humbly confident.

Step 7: Remove resistance to actualizing your genius. Resistance always shows up in the form of your thoughts. Watch for thoughts that convey your inability to think of yourself in genius terms . . . thoughts of doubt about your abilities . . . or thoughts that reinforce what you’ve been taught about a lack of talent or lack of aptitude. All of these kinds of thoughts are a misalignment and don’t allow you to be in vibrational harmony with the universal all-creating field of intention. Your Source knows that you’re a genius. Any thought you have that challenges this notion is resistance, which will inhibit you from realizing your intention.

Step 8: Look for the genius in others. Pay attention to the greatness you observe in as many people as possible, and if you don’t see it at first, then spend some mental energy looking for it. The more you’re inclined to think in genius terms, the more natural it becomes for you to apply the same standards to yourself. Tell others about their genius. Be as complimentary and authentic as you can. In doing so, you’ll radiate loving, kind, abundant, creative energy. In a universe that operates on energy and attraction, you’ll find these same qualities returning to you.

Step 9: Simplify your life. Take the complications, rules, shoulds, musts, have tos, and so on out of your life. By uncomplicating your life and removing the trivial pursuits that occupy so much of it, you open a channel for the genius within you to emerge. One of the most effective techniques for simplifying life is to take time each day to spend 20 or so minutes in silence and meditation. The more conscious contact you make with your Source, the more you come to appreciate your own highest self. And it’s from this highest self that your own genius will be manifested.

Step 10: Remain humble while staying in a state of gratitude. This genius that you are has nothing at all to do with your ego-mind. Be ever so grateful to the Source of intention for providing you with the life force to express the genius that resides within you. Those who attribute their inspiration and success to their ego soon lose this capacity, or they allow the approval and attention of others to destroy them. Remain humble and grateful, and more of your genius will surface as you remain in a constant state of expansion. Gratitude is a sacred space where you allow and know that a force greater than your ego is always at work and always available.

Never again lose sight of your inner genius. Remove the doubt and accept it. Embrace it and take massive action. You have nothing to lose!

Be well. Be the real you!

todd@toddszen.com & todd@mitchellcreativegroup.com

https://www.toddszen.com

https://www.mitchellcreativegroup.com

12 steps to simplicity

As taught and written by Dr. Wayne Dyer

Here are 12 very specific tools for simplifying your life. Begin using them today if you’re serious about hearing that ultimate call to inspiration.

1. Unclutter your life.

You’ll feel a real rush of inspiration when you clear out stuff that’s no longer useful in your life:

• If you haven’t worn it in the past year or two, recycle it for others to use.

• Get rid of old files that take up space and are seldom, if ever, needed.

• Donate unused toys, tools, books, bicycles, and dishes to a charitable organization.

• Get rid of anything that keeps you mired in acquisitions that contribute to a cluttered life. In the words of Socrates, “He is nearest to God who needs the fewest things.” So the less you need to insure, protect, dust, reorganize, and move, the closer you’ll be to hearing inspiration’s call.

2. Clear your calendar of unwanted and unnecessary activities and obligations.

If you’re unavailable for Spirit, you’re unlikely to know the glow of inspiration. God will indeed work with you and send you the guidance—and the people—you need, but if you’re grossly overscheduled, you’re going to miss these life-altering gifts. So practice saying no to excessive demands and don’t feel guilty about injecting a dose of leisure time into your daily routine.

3. Be sure to keep your free time free. 

Be on the lookout for invitations to functions that may keep you on top of society’s pyramid, but which inhibit your access to joyful inspiration. If cocktail parties, social get-togethers, fund-raising events, or even drinking-and-gossiping gatherings with friends aren’t really how you want to spend your free time, then don’t. Begin declining invitations that don’t activate feelings of inspiration.

4. Take time for meditation and yoga.

Give yourself at least 20 minutes a day to sit quietly and make conscious contact with God. I’ve written an entire book on this subject called Getting in the Gap, so I won’t belabor it here. 

I also encourage you to find a yoga center near you and begin a regular practice. The rewards are so powerful: You’ll feel healthier, less stressed, and inspired by what you’ll be able to do with and for your body in a very short time.

5. Return to the simplicity of nature.

There’s nothing more awe inspiring than nature itself. The fantasy to return to a less tumultuous life almost always involves living in the splendor of the mountains, the forests, or the tundra; on an island; near the ocean; or beside a lake. These are universal urges, since nature is created by the same Source as we are, and we’re made up of the same chemicals as all of nature (we’re stardust, remember?).

Your urge to simplify and feel inspired is fueled by the desire to be your natural self—that is, your nature self. So give yourself permission to get away to trek or camp in the woods; swim in a river, lake, or ocean; sit by an open fire; ride horseback through trails; or ski down a mountain slope. This doesn’t have to mean long, planned vacations that are months away—no matter where you live, you’re only a few hours or even moments away from a park, campground, or trail that will allow you to enjoy a feeling of being connected to the entire Universe.

6. Put distance between you and your critics.

Choose to align yourself with people who are like-minded in their search for simplified inspiration. Give those who find fault or who are confrontational a silent blessing and remove yourself from their energy as quickly as possible. Your life is simplified enormously when you don’t have to defend yourself to anyone, and when you receive support rather than criticism.

You don’t have to endure the criticism with anything other than a polite thank-you and a promise to consider what’s been said—anything else is a state of conflict that erases the possibility of your feeling inspired. You never need to defend yourself or your desires to anyone, as those inner feelings are Spirit speaking to you. Those thoughts are sacred, so don’t ever let anyone trample on them.

7. Take some time for your health.

Consider that the number one health problem in America seems to be obesity. How can you feel inspired and live in simplicity if you’re gorging on excessive amounts of food and eliminating the exercise that the body craves? Recall that your body is a sacred temple where you reside for this lifetime, so make some time every single day for exercising it. Even if you can only manage a walk around the block, just do it.

Similarly, keep the words portion control uppermost in your consciousness—your stomach is the size of your fist, not a wheelbarrow! Respect your sacred temple and simplify your life by being an exerciser and a sensible eater. I promise that you’ll feel inspired if you act on this today!

8. Play, play, play!

You’ll simplify your life and feel inspired if you learn to play rather than work your way through life. I love to be around kids because they inspire me with their laughter and frivolity. 

Get back in touch with your real, playful self, and take every opportunity to play! Notice how it makes everything so sweet, and so simple.

9. Slow down.

One of Gandhi’s most illuminating observations reminds us that “there is more to life than increasing its speed.” This is great advice for simplifying your life—in fact, slow everything way down for a few moments right here and now. Slowly read these words. Slow your breathing down so that you’re aware of each inhalation and exhalation...

When you’re in your car, downshift and relax. Slow down your speech, your inner thoughts, and the frantic pace of everything you do. Take more time to hear others. Notice your inclination to interrupt and get the conversation over with, and then choose to listen instead. Stop to enjoy the stars on a clear night and the cloud formations on a crisp day. Sit down in a mall and just observe how everyone seems in a hurry to get nowhere.

By slowing down, you’ll simplify and rejoin the perfect pace at which creation works. Imagine trying to hurry nature up by tugging at an emerging tomato plant—you’re as natural as that plant, so let yourself be at peace with the perfection of nature’s plan.

10. Do everything you can to eschew debt.

Remember that you’re attempting to simplify your life here, so you don’t need to purchase more of what will complicate and clutter your life. If you can’t afford it, let it go until you can. By going into debt, you’ll just add layers of anxiety onto your life. That anxiety will then take you away from your peace, which is where you are when you’re in-Spirit.

When you have to work extra hard to pay off debts, the present moments of your life are less enjoyable; consequently, you’re further away from the joy and peace that are the trademarks of inspiration. You’re far better off to have less and enjoy the days of your life than to take on debt and invite stress and anxiety where peace and tranquility could have reigned. And remember that the money you have in your possession is nothing but energy—so refuse to plug in to an energy system that’s not even there.

11. Forget about the cash value.

Do what your heart tells you will bring you joy, rather than determining whether it will be cost-effective. Don’t base your purchases on getting a discount, and don’t rob yourself of a simple joy because you didn’t get a break on the price. You can afford a happy, fulfilling life, and if you’re busy right now thinking that I have some nerve telling you this because of your bleak financial picture, then you have your own barrier of resistance.

Make an attempt to free yourself from placing a price tag on everything you have and do—after all, in the world of Spirit, there are no price tags. Don’t make money the guiding principle for what you have or do; rather, simplify your life and return to Spirit by finding the inherent value in everything. A dollar does not determine worth, even though you live in a world that attempts to convince you otherwise.

12. Remember your spirit.

When life tends to get overly complex, too fast, too cluttered, too deadline oriented, or too type A for you, stop and remember your own spirit. You’re headed for inspiration, a simple, peaceful place where you’re in harmony with the perfect timing of all creation. Go there in your mind, and stop frequently to remember what you really want.