What you focus on expands!!!

I've always enjoyed Dr. Wayne Dyer and his profound teachings. We miss you Dr. Dyer. 

What you focus upon expands he said. 

I've had times in my life when I have had runaway thoughts - about how crappy the day is, how bored I am or other things that were going wrong at the time. All or nothing thinking was another common favourite. Nothing is going right. Everyone is mad at me. The list goes on. 

Does any of this resonate with you?

There's a whole body of study out there that says that if we learn to visualize what we want in life, we will see more of it. If we could just drag our minds away from what isn't going well and purposefully think about what is going well - then what is going well will expand. I like to use the analogy of a spot light. Take that big old spotlight and move it away from the negative and toward what is going well. Don't ruminate on things that are not going well. There is no benefit in this. 

This week in our chapter one of Pam Grout's E Squared, we're learning to ask the universe or God or whatever you want to call that power greater than ourselves to show us that it is actually listening to little old me. Yep, you matter and he/she/it will respond if you look for that sign. 

It's tough to change your mind. Set your stopwatch/timer to nudge you at any given time during the day and check in to tell us what you are thinking about. Will you be thinking about that thing that you wish would show up or are you thinking about that thing that is pissing you off right now. 

Which is it?

What you focus upon expands - worth thinking about.

Law of Attraction - it's for everyone but it sure does feel weird in the beginning!!

Photo by Emily Murphy

My world turned upside down in  2009, I went from frying pan to fire after 6 years of trying to make a better life. I was a mess as I sat there on the step watching the truck pull away with all of my belongings. I had sold my home. 

Truth was, I got served with a notice to foreclose in the morning and an offer to purchase in the afternoon which meant that they didn't foreclose. 

I sold my house because I couldn't afford to live there. Not because I wanted to upsize or downsize but because I hadn't paid my mortgage in months - I needed a new place to live. It was a shit year.

Someone had mentioned the Law of Attraction stuff to me. It sounded a lot like blaming the victim - "You're responsible for the world you're creating - you've brought this on yourself." That was a tough pill to swallow - vision loss, loss of career, failed marriage and eventually bankruptcy didn't feel like things that I had a ton of control over at the time. 

It took me two more years before I got into practising the universal laws of attraction full time. I needed to go down that tragic road a bit further before I decided that I had nothing to lose and a lot to learn.

Invited to listen to Nova Scotia's Own Eddie Lemoine speak about his new book "Bring About What You Think About" opened the door a crack. His own story of loss and reinvention and the role that a positive mindset played in his journey inspired me to want to learn more about the topic. Hard luck is relative - I didn't think that his bottom and my bottom had anything in common but he definitely took a hit or two in life. I liked the dude and so I decided I needed to know more about the concept. I started studying other people who were writing on this topic.

I read everything I could get my hands on about Law of Attraction. I started reading books by Joe Vitale, Napoleon Hill and listening to Norman Vincent Peale. I was in pain and nothing that I was doing was working so I felt that I had nothing to lose. 

It was tough but I was determined. I took baby steps - gave up complaining, took up gratitude even when there was nothing to be grateful for.  (Read my blog on how grateful I was that the cat pissed in the litter box ). It was a slow start at first but eventually I gained momentum. 

Truth was, it took a lot of energy to gain some traction. I limited my time with folks who would gossip and did a lot of journal work. I surrounded myself with people who had already enjoyed success with this new way of looking at things. Sometimes I was inspired. Other times I was jealous and frustrated by my own lack of progress but I didn't give up. I was a work in progress and I knew it took time.

Oh, the rest is history - but it isn't really history. I went from there to owning a business, writing 3 books, travelling to teach and now I'm here mentoring other entrepreneurs who want to learn this stuff. What seemed like foo foo in the beginning has turned into a staple in my life. 

Recently I had a setback - something I hadn't planned for that I would have considered a piece of bad luck in the past. I was pissed for about a day and then I reminded myself of how all of the bad luck that I have experienced have transformed into blessings. Yep!! You heard me say it. It is true and I'm sure that this event will also have value in my life. A different mindset helps  me to have a healthier attitude about setbacks. I've learned to put things into perspective and I will more quickly get back to healthy thinking. This is where the magic happens. 

Know what? What you focus on expands. It's so true!!! It isn't reserved for the chosen few. Just as the sun sets for each of us - this way of thinking is available to everyone. What are you focusing on?

Meet Debbie

Debbie Adams is the owner of PeopleCan Training in Lower Sackville, NS. She's legally blind but has a tremendous amount of the kind of vision that you need to be successful. She is a 3 time published author including the book Money Mindset as well as contributing author in Dreaming Big, Being Bold. Although she is a reluctant entrepreneur, she has won awards for entrepreneurship. She loves helping others move from misery to magic in Entrepreneurship. Debbie is originally from Newfoundland but makes her home in Nova Scotia. 

Website: www.peoplecan.ca

3 lessons I learned on my journey to learn the laws of attraction.

Let's set the stage here - when I first began studying the law of attraction, I had a ton of crap in my life and absolutely nothing to lose. I was also a sceptic. But guess what, my current recipe for success wasn't working - I may as well try this. The learning curve is always steeper in the early days but as we get better at it, we forget those early lessons. I wanted to share some of those while it was still fresh in my mind. Here are three huge lessons that come to mind for me.

1. Be grateful for the lessons - This was a bit of a tough one. Having experienced a few real ugly events in life, I resisted the urge to be grateful for my experiences. But I did find that if I tried to find the lesson in each experience, I could be grateful for the lesson. In the early days, I would jokingly tell people that the only thing I have to be grateful for is that the cat did her business in the litter box. But after a while I got it - we need to be grateful for the lesson that is embedded in everything that happens. If you come from a background of bad experiences, the only real way to manage this is to ask  "What have I learned from this?" Sometimes you may have only learned that you're strong or graceful under pressure. Over time, I've been able to revisit some of the events in my life that were more painful and find the lesson in them as well. Stick with it - it's a process.

2. Be very clear in what you're asking for - "I want a better life." is not an example of being clear in what you're asking for. In the early days I just wanted a "bit of peace" or "something good to happen." These kinds of statements are vague and ambiguous - they are certainly open to interpretation. Many people are afraid to ask for exactly what they want. I know I was. I had to deal with a ton of guilt around asking for too much blah blah blah. ASK FOR EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT. Try it - clarity is key. So when you ask for "something good to happen" don't be surprised if the only good thing that happens is that your partner puts the toilet seat down. That's good isn't it?

3. Get rid of the guilt. Now that you're asking for what you want, don't keep it small. You deserve the good life too. Does the good life feel out of reach for you? Think about it, do you ever feel guilty asking for too much? Were you raised to believe that you're greedy if you ask for too much? If this is something that you're struggling with find a way to get rid of it. Admitting that it's an issue is the first step. No one benefits from you playing small. Seek and ye shall find - yes, all of ye.

Bonus!!! I had to unlearn a lot of stuff that I had learned along the way - some of these lessons I learned from parents, some from the church, the school and others. I continue to find remnants of this early teaching as I continue on this journey. Life is as much about unlearning as it is about learning. Go for it.

Getting tired of not achieving goals? Is it time to check in to see if your "certainty" tank is filled?

A lot of folks get caught up in the "actions" that are required to achieve a goal. But that's not where you should be initially focusing all of your energy.

The fuel that drives "right action" is our belief system. Wouldn't it make perfect sense to ensure that we have a full talk before we head out?

 Let's break it down.

If you're living your life on purpose, you have taken some serious time this past month to set business goals for 2017. You also know how to write a goal as if it were already achieved. Having done this, you have come up with a solid plan for how you will proceed to ensure that when the year comes to a close, you will have achieved these goals.

What happens in life and in business in particular is that we make a plan, work hard on our plan, get real busy and we.....don't come near achieving the BIG GOALS that we have set for ourselves.

I'm not here to talk about accountability, check ins, or whether you can manage time well. No, I want to talk about your belief system - that little seed that can make or break even the most thorough and well laid out plan.

BEING CERTAIN MATTERS

How certain were you when you put those goals down on paper that you could actually achieve them? Be honest with yourself.

Are you shaking your head right now because you hadn't really given it much thought before?  You're in good company. It's an area that often gets neglected.

Just as a car needs fuel to move forward - your plans and dreams also need fuel.

Belief is our fuel - certainty is high octane energy that fires us up and keeps us focused when the going gets tough. It makes perfect sense to glance at the "Certainty Gauge" before you set out on a new journey and at regular intervals along the way.

HOW DO YOU GAUGE YOUR CERTAINTY LEVEL?

I can gauge my "Certainty Level" by visioning. If I struggle to envision a day with the goal already achieved, it tells me that I am feeling a little uncertain in my belief about achieving that goal. If I can't write a page on what a day will look like with the goal already achieved, I know that my fuel is low and I need to do something about it.

Writing has always helped me to fill my tank. I meditate and sit quietly with "MY WHY" for setting that particular goal in the first place.

I don't believe in wasting time or spinning tires - it's important that I have the belief system primed (the fuel tanks filled) before I take action or spend money on my business.

With a full tank of certainty, the likelihood of achieving a goal is greatly increased.

After all, success hinges on our belief that we can make it happen - spend time checking on your certainty levels and elevating your beliefs in the early days and you won't regret it down the road.  

After all you can only achieve that which you believe you can.

I would love to hear about your strategies to elevating your certainty.

Why I study Napoleon Hill: Dreamers dream even when they have no idea where the resources come from.

The instructor asked a question,

"If money were not an issue, what kind of home would you live in?"

I actually sat there and didn't even respond - this exercise seemed like a waste of time to me. What was the sense of thinking about this?  One of my classmates was a little more vocal than I was at the time and she yelled out:

"Why are you asking us that question? What are we wasting time on that for? Money is always the issue." I agreed with her and I saw others in the room who were nodding along with her.

That conversation took place 10 years ago, I'd love to know whether the rest of the class were as inspired as I was.


WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW

 I had no idea that this day would be a turning point for me. A door had opened and I stepped through.

People who achieve big dreams are also big dreamers. They dream in technicolour long before they know where the resources are coming from. This was a wild concept for me - the introduction to The Law of Attraction. It was the first time I had ever heard anyone speak about Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich"

It didn't take me long to realize that I didn't know how to dream this way and only a second longer to find out where I could learn. I purchased my first copy of the book within days and since then have read different versions and watched many videos on the topic.

....I became a sponge when it came to this topic - I wanted a better life - work I loved, great relationships, a good place to live. I wanted it all. I read everything I could read on the power of suggestion, the law of attraction, fixed and growth mindset, etc. I was a voracious learner. I did affirmations, wrote reams of prose, created vision boards, tapped, twisted and sought out people who were interested in the topic. If it would help me to break free of the limited thinking that I found myself in, I was interested in learning.

Now I teach other people. Some of the big gurus have gone on and forgotten how challenging it was in the early days to take that first step into a new way of thinking. I'm still close enough to it that I recall those early challenges - I love sharing what I have learned with others who are eager for a better life.

Come join us during our next book club - space is limited so you MUST pre-register.

Email for details.

debbie.adams08@gmail.com

Start date: Jan 9th @ 1:00 PM.

It isn't enough to dream of a better life, you have to believe it's going to happen. That's how you create a better life.

The title of this post is kind of telling - it isn't your ability to dream that helps you to create a better life. It's your ability to dream and expect the things that you desire. That's been my learning curve and the lesson that I needed so desperately to embrace. I had the dreaming down pat long before I learned to manage my expectations.

At the worse point in my life, someone spoke those words at a seminar - the life that you have is the life that you are expecting. To say I was pissed was an understatement. I was in the midst of one of the worse days of my life. My home that I cherished had been on the market 8 months - I was behind on payments and even though I had equity in the home, I had no way of accessing the equity because my income was too low. I was living on a fixed income disability pension. (Some might say I didn't know the right broker - topic for another day) :).

One day someone knocked at the door and when I answered the door - there was a gentleman standing there with registered mail. I had to sign for the dreaded letter - it was a notice from the lawyers informing me that they were going to foreclose on the mortgage. It was a soft landing - I hadn't run from my debt. I knew that this was the next step for me. Every day I hoped that the home would sell.

That same day, I got a call from the realtor that we had an offer on the house. Needless to say, we stalled the foreclosure and went ahead with the sale - I took a big hit on that sale because I was vulnerable and not making decisions from a position of strength. It would take a long time to realise the blessing hidden in this mess - many months later, I did eventually go bankrupt but there was no house included in the bankruptcy and for anyone who understands that industry, that makes a world of difference.

I landed in a pretty scary place - no home, no job and no prospects. I was literally dependent on someone's kind heart to help me out. It was a very low point in my life. At a seminar I was given tickets to, I heard this powerful message that really annoyed me at the time. The life you have is the one you believe you can have. Grrrrrrrrr - really?

It took me quite some time before I could appreciate this lesson. I've put enough distance between me and that terrible time to be able to reflect and I can see the wisdom in that statement now. I was struggling with high anxiety at the time - a real fear that I was going to be living in a cardboard box somewhere or dependent on others to get by in life. It was bad enough that I was visually impaired but I really didn't believe that I could create a better life. I was feeling about as low as I had ever been. Like they say - I had nowhere to go but up and I had tough lessons yet to learn.

I spent a lot of time working on the skills that it takes to unleash the creative powers that we all have. It's not an easy task - I took every course imaginable. If there was even a hint that I was creating this mess - someone please show me the way out. I begged the universe to show me how to become a believer when everything around me was not affirming the life I wanted.

The law of attraction depends on three things that have to be in alignment - our thoughts (dream a big dream) and our feelings (this is where belief comes in after all you're not getting fired up if you don't belief your dream can come true) and actions (in alignment with the dreams).

I had a vision board back then with some pretty impressive images on there but I didn't get excited when I looked at that board. Actually, more often than not, the thought that came up was "how do you go from here to there?" I wanted to know "how" but every book I read and every lesson I learned told me that I didn't need to know how. I just needed to get fired up about the good life.

Back them my EXPECTATIONS were low - I was stuck in this pity party but I kept going. If there was a lesson to learn I was going to learn it and I am so glad I did. Now I don't need to know how. I still have days where I stress but once we get rid of bad habits like complaining, it's hard to go back there for extended periods. I also have an accountability partner, a network of people who operate like I do, someone to kick me in the arse on the bad days - oh yes, there will be bad days.

What are you expecting in life? I don't mean what do you dream about - what are you expecting to happen? Really? Deep down? When you expect something to happen it gets you fired up with a knowing that it's coming toward you as quickly as you take action toward it. Don't lie to yourself if you're expectation is not there yet. Work on the skill of a disciplined mind - letting go of the how and working on the things that you need to work on to become the person who can sustain that dream.

It isn't enough to dream of a better life, you have to believe it will happen and only then take the right action.

Suspend Your Disbelief Until You Can See Your Way Clear - Dreaming is Not For Sissies.

Photo by Christian Holzinger

"I can't see my way clear." Sometimes the way that we speak in our Newfoundland vernacular can be a little confusing. But let's take a look at this one statement - when you "can't see your way clear", you're struggling to see how you can manage to find the resources to achieve a particular objective. I like to take bold action toward a goal even when "I can't see my way clear".

I once considered myself a "rookie dreamer". But fear ye not, dreaming is a skill and like most skills, it can be learned.

The first step is to learn to suspend your disbelief. How the heck do you "suspend" your disbelief?

When I first get students to dream of living their big dream - whether it be living in the perfect home or homestead, taking vacations more than once a year or enjoying a retirement life that is beyond magical, their first remark is usually...."where am I getting the money to do this?"

I call this type of resistance "only allowing yourself to dream to the capacity of your present resources".

Anyone can create a good life if you have the means to make it happen. What I want people to realise is that you can indeed create a better life for yourself without having a road map laid out in front of you and without having the resources at present to do so.

You're not going to be able to "see your way clear" to making it happen in the very beginning.

Are you starting to get it?  Dreaming a better life into existence takes faith - so in order to get started you will need to suspend your disbelief if  you fall into the rookie dreamer category referred to above. By now, I'm hoping you are at least mildly curious.  If so, let's read on.

Your attempt at dreaming probably goes something like this.

You start to dream of driving a fancy and expensive car or opening that next business or quitting your job and suddenly a little voice reminds you that you've got more month than money, your student loan is in arrears and you are 30 days away from Christmas and you haven't even started your shopping. That's reality thinking. If you want to be stuck in the life you have, you will stop reading right now - after all it has been working for you so far. Yes, you have been very efficient - the practice that you presently have in place has been allowing you to create the life you have.

You've attracted what you've allowed yourself to dream of.

It takes strength of character and mind to dream of a bigger life long before you can "see your way clear". Dreaming is only the first step - I'm not going to touch on the "right action" here because the reality is, in order to muster the activation energy that is required to take that first step out in faith - you're going to have to buy into the part about dreams.

You can read more about achieving goals here. After all, creating an awesome life is a real art form. I would also suggest that you sign up for my blog and remain involved in the dialogue.

I come form a long line of realists - folks who are "sensible" about dreaming. Most of this law of attraction stuff would be hocus pocus and a crock of crap. But I've learned that this type of thinking keeps a person stuck. I have migrated over to the other camp of practitioners. After all, things could only get better. Learning to "suspend my disbelief" was one of the first things I needed to do.

When I set about trying to create a dream, I would have the same resistance "Not possible, seems like nonsense." But I would let the thought float away. If a thought like "I can't afford that" came up. I wouldn't engage or meander down that path. I would just release the thought and get back to dreaming. I dreamt myself off the couch into a new training facility where I could teach people simple skills. I even dreamt of teaching people who didn't have the resources to pay me. After all, if you're going to dream, you may as well make it a good one. I knew they would find the resources if they wanted the information - and they have.

There are many more steps to achieving a goal than dreaming. Some of those include having the right network, taking bold action and stepping out of your comfort zone. There is also a need to understand and avoid self sabotage which is apt to come along more often if you're not buying into the process or have underlying core beliefs that are counter productive to what you are trying to achieve. I can always spot a person who is a naysayer - they are full of "ya buts".

I  believe my law school experience came about as a result of me not quite getting it (I quit in 2nd year). I didn't feel comfortable with the decision - I felt like an impostor. I don't feel that now. I feel that I do have things to learn but I'm on my way to building a very productive life, a place where people come when they want to build a better life. I'm also very aware that there are things I need to learn and that there will be more turns in my road.

It all starts with a dream - even if you can't see yourself clear. Can you dream a little dream? I'd love to hear more.

Play and Have Fun in the Middle of a Crapstorm

Creativity requires us to be positive and to create some pretty awesome and optimistic energy.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that but it isn't easy to remain positive when everything around you is going to crap. Have you ever had one of those 3 year runs of bad luck? It's around then that you start to think that the law of attraction has a flaw? N'est-ce pas? Well - if what you're doing is not working so well why not try something different?

Here are my top 3 tips for remaining focused especially when you're in the eye of a crapstorm. 

1. Avoid negativity. That includes the people who can get you into full on gossip mode. When things go wrong you're vulnerable to all kinds of trolls. Have you heard of "a shoe in the door" as a psychological concept? In sales it refers to selling something small and then up selling something larger. But in negative thinking, it works like this. You complain a little bit today. After all it makes you feel good to be part of the group. Next thing you know your house is the meeting place for every naysayer around. Don't start - you need those creative juices cloaked in positivity. There's no benefit in negativity even if it does make you feel good for a minute. 

2. Seek out 10 people that you know who are resourceful Ask them to give you half hour of their time. Tell them what your problem is and ask if they have some suggestions for how you might tackle it. Sometimes in the middle of a crap storm we get a little emotional. We may not think straight. Likely, these folks can help you to remain objective and see light where you may not. 

3. Play. Yes, you heard it here first. Get away from all the worry and grief and put yourself out there. Seek out an organization that needs volunteers and get involved. It will not only increase your network but it has other benefits. It gets your mind off your troubles which frees up space for the universe to deliver solutions. It increases your network of peeps which is always good and you will have fun and when you have fun you feel good. Feeling good is what is needed right now.

Your problems will still be there when you get back - let them go for a minute. 

I Have a Secret

It's tax time and that can be a very frustrating time of year for some people. I was all set to write about taxes this month, perhaps a hot button topic, like the changes taking place this year, or the Disability Tax Credit Certificate and how you qualify or how it can benefit the whole family. If you want to know more about a tax topic, please send me a note. I'd rather talk about something else.

I love the Law of Attraction. I never get tired of learning about how people are making it work for them. Whenever I get a chance to talk with someone on the topic, I'm right there soaking it all up.

One point in particular that resonates with me is this: prior to learning about the Law of Attraction, I had taken a ton of training on goal setting the SMART way. We always focused on the mechanics of achieving a goal but spent very little time on learning how to dream. In my opinion, dreaming is the secret to success.

It takes discipline to become an efficient dreamer. Efficient dreamers achieve goals. I love dreaming big dreams.

I know what you're thinking... "If I'm not a dreamer by nature, how do I start dreaming at 62?" Well, there's a trick to it and I teach that trick in my Goal Setting with a Twist. Email me for details.

Here's a little nugget. When I wanted to buy a house, I spent a lot of time watching programs about renovations. I attended home shows and chatted with people who had purchased homes. I had conversations with lenders long before I was ready to borrow. You see, I knew where I was going because I had a laser sharp focus on it. I had dreamed about owning that home. Then, when I purchased that house, well, I wasn't surprised. I was already there in my mind.

I know, you're going to ask me, "What happens when you try to dream but those little voices pop up to tell you that it ain’t gonna happen." Well, you'll have to wait for next month to find out more.

Enjoy your month and, even though I am not talking about taxes, don't put it off until the last minute.

In the company of dreamers?????

How big do you dream? Do you limit your dreams because folks around you would think you were nuts if you were to tell them what you have in mind for the future? 

I'm blessed in that most of the folks I know now fall into that category of dreamer - the ones that are going for the gold so to speak. When we sit together, someone usually says "Imagine if so and so were a fly on the wall?" This of course in reference to the folks who tried to limit our dreams at some point. 

I love people who have the courage to dream big dreams. They usually take steps to get to those dreams and even when they have set backs, they end up in pretty impressive places. The first thing they usually get rid of is the tendency to care what other people think. Not the people who matter, but those people in your corner whose opinion will hold you back. 

I'm intrigued by their courage, inspired by their generosity and encouraged by their support. If you have a dream that would scare most people - watch out for the company you keep.  

3 Tips for Remaining Focused During Change

You know it - mindset matters when we decide to make a change. Change is never easy. If it were, everyone would be doing it - right? So how do you remain focused before you  have seen any real evidence of success? Here are 3 tips that work for me: 

1. Limit your time with people who will allow you to have too many pity parties. Once you start down the poor me path, it's not long before it starts to cloud your judgement. All of a sudden you're back in a dark hole and can't even think of a way out.

2. Associate with like minded people.  It can get pretty lonely out there when you decide to make a shift in life. You're going to have tough times - you're going to face resistance. Find a new team to help cheer you on. Those closest to you may not be your best support system and that's a tough pill to swallow. But it's true. Find yourself some cheerleaders.

3. Practice mindfulness. There are so many ways to do that and you  have to find one that works for you. You're training your mind to work a new way - to believe before there is any evidence to support that belief takes faith. Mindfulness is key. 

Change takes focus and a strong mind  - these tips will help with that. 

Morning Ritual - Start with the End in Mind

Do you have a morning ritual? Morning rituals get your day off to the right start.

After a meditation, I grab a coffee and a piece of art paper and some coloured markers. I imagine myself at the end of my day looking back over the day. In the centre of the paper, I write "It was a fantastic day.

I change colours often as I write what it is that made my day fantastic. Like tentacles on an octopus my paper becomes filled with things that I have accomplished today. Your list will look different than my list.Then I get up and I get 'er done. What kind of day will you have today?

Where will you go today?

 Many years ago I was introduced to the music of  the lovely Laura Smith, Nova Scotia talent. the lyrics of one song in particular has stuck with me and I often find myself humming the tune. "I go there, I go there to find stillness when the wind might blow me away." Of course the place that she was referring to was a place where she went in her mind not an actual physical location. 

I had a lovely discussion this morning with a very interesting person I am getting to know and we talked about how important it is that "we go there" when we want to create something new in our lives. It isn't just the logical choices that we need to make - get out there and sell a product, write a good report, etc., success also requires us to go places in our mind to pave the way for the journey.

What you think matters as much as what you do.

Where will you go today? "There's a place that I go, not for pleasure, not for show. I find comfort there."

Eeyore and Tigger

Life is a series of ups and downs – no one stays in the same place forever. It’s been that way for me and for most of the people around me. We don’t have much control over what happens to us – but we do have control over how we respond.

There has been a lot written and said about the Law of Attraction in recent years. We are taught that in order to achieve a better life, we need to focus on where we want to go as opposed to focusing on where we are at present. When I think of this requirement, I’m immediately reminded of my favourite show as a child Winnie the Pooh. Eeyore and Tigger were two characters that I feel clearly demonstrated the law.
Eeyore always had his head hung down and was forever focused on the negative in life and anyone who spent too much time around him would surely come away feeling a little deflated and uninspired. Tigger, on the other hand, bounced through life, filled with optimism and even as I think about him bouncing around the set, I feel my spirits lifting.

Are you an Eeyore or a Tigger – I’ve been both at different times in my life and I’ve learned a few lessons along the way. First of all, for most of us, we have a choice as to which one we’re going to be. I respect that there are people who have legitimate illnesses which prevent them from controlling their thoughts. For the majority of us, we have the ability to choose at any given moment to act like Eeyore or to act like Tigger.

I have also learned that these states are contagious and when we are around Eeyores or Tiggers, their conditions rub off on us. So we must then choose carefully who we come in contact with – if we want to remain positive it is wise to surround ourselves with people who will allow us to be optimistic.

When I am able, I choose to be Tigger because we attract that which we focus on. If we are positive and uplifting, we attract that into our lives. The reverse is also true, when we are not positive, we will attract the same to us. I don’t need a professional to tell me that this is true – I have tested the theory myself. When I am Eeyore, my life is more miserable. When I am Tigger – even the dullest day looks brighter. Others around me are also impacted by my mood – so I do the math – and choose, when I can, to be Tiggerlike.

Are you a Tigger or an Eeyore?