Elizabeth Grant's Quantum Living Blog

Have you heard about Noah St. John’s innovation in affirmations?

I was talking with Noah the other day on Twitter about his innovation in affirmations. He said, “Don’t you think it’s weird no one ever thought of it before?” My answer, “Yes, I do!” That’s because it is so obvious, and so simple. But not even the world’s best brain scientists thought of it!

Noah has discovered a rare breakthrough in personal growth: “afformations.” That’s his name for a new take on affirmations. See, when you say an affirmation, like, “Money comes to me easily.” or “I am so grateful to have met my perfect partner,” your rational mind immediately says, “Yeah, right! Have you seen how hard you struggle?” Or “Really? Is that why you’re home on a Saturday night once again?” Now, as you probably know, your subconscious mind doesn’t do this … it can’t tell the difference between fantasy and reality. But your rational mind can trigger all kinds of resistance and lead to self-sabotage.

What Noah came up with (in the shower, no less), is this: What if you could bypass your rational mind, put that affirmation directly in your subconscious, and instead of feeling resistance, put your mind to work looking for what’s RIGHT about your life and not what’s WRONG?

In addition, when you use Noah’s technique, you will immediately notice a difference in how the statement feels. It will feel light and fun and clear! You will be on a higher energy vibration. Where traditional affirmations, while they do work, sometimes can feel unbelievable, or cause the body to contract or even elicit a sarcastic response (which is a form of anger). That’s not to say they always do this, but in the areas where you have the deepest issues or resistance, this is often the case.

What Noah created is the most simple, yet massively effective, tweak to what was already a pretty great concept. It just involves shifting the way you say the affirmation so you can get your mind solving the right problem for you. PLEASE take 3 minutes and learn about it. It will change your life!

Feel free to come back here and comment … once you learn how to form them, share your afformations with the world!

Recently a friend and I watched a fabulous HBO film called Grey Gardens. With stunning performances by Drew Barrymore and Jessice Lange, this film fascinated us and blew us away. The movie chronicles the lives of Edith “Big Edie” Bouvier Beale and her daughter, “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale. Big Edie was the aunt of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis.

A documentary was filmed of these two in the 1970s, and this is included as a movie-within-a-movie in the updated version, which is much better, because it includes the backstory of these two eccentric people.

Their story is one of riches to rags. Having grown up a Bouvier — a prominent American family — Big Edie lived a life of endless prosperity. She married a successful attorney and they settled in at a mansion called Grey Gardens in The Hamptons, Long Island, near the water, in a neighborhood where only the super-rich can afford to live. A spendthrift, Big Edie soon blew through her husband’s earnings and eventually he left her. Little Edie wanted to be in show business but her mother manipulated her into giving up her dream and moving back to Grey Gardens to live with her so she wouldn’t be alone. She never married. These women, in their younger years, were stunningly beautiful, by the way, and Little Edie would have been considered quite a debutante.

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Family members, and even her husband, begged Big Edie to sell Grey Gardens, as it was her principal asset received in the divorce settlement. She refused, clinging to memories of years gone by and a now-impossible opulent lifestyle. She was evidently written out of the Bouvier fortune and received only a small trust when her father passed away. She seemed completely unable to take care of herself — in the most basic ways.

Fast forward 15 years and these two are living in a completely dilapidated mansion (which was later bought by Ben Bradlee, of the Washington Post, and his wife for only $220,000). You should have seen the footage from the original documentary! Overrun by cats and raccoons, with holes in the walls, roof and siding, and a jungle of an overrun garden, the property was eventually condemned, and when this info made the tabloids, Jackie Onassis stepped in and had the property cleaned and repaired.

With junk, garbage, cat poop, and newspapers piled to the ceiling, the Edies spent most of their day cooped up in one small disgusting, filthy room. The house was, literally, falling apart. Bradlee later said that even after the home was completely restored, it still smelled like cat pee when it rained.

What fascinated me most about seeing the original documentary was how oblivious these women were to their surroundings. They didn’t seem to notice the filth, the junk, the holes, the dirt, the smell. I wondered why, and realized it was because it had happened so gradually. Their “set point” for their surroundings changed only a tiny amount each day until one day they were living in squalor.

And then I thought about how if you look at this in the opposite way, that’s how moving up the world works, too. How one day you are living in meager surroundings, with an empty bank account, and then years later, after you’ve done the work on yourself, and little by little changed your habits, you realized you’re doing pretty well. You look around and smile as you realize you live in a nice house and it’s a rare day your checking account goes under $10,000, and you can easily afford the lifestyle you want.

For most people, growth, prosperity, permanent weight loss, or whatever they are working toward, isn’t a quantum leap. It’s the small choices every single day that add up and accumulate into a huge shift.

And one day, you wake up, and you realize you have created quite an amazing life for yourself.

By the way, if you want to see some images of Grey Gardens, here is a great blog post I found about it from Life magazine.

http://www.thequantumcoach.net.

Yesterday someone triggered my “pain body,” or the energy field within me that’s a combination of my ego and my emotional memory. The term was coined by Eckhart Tolle. You’ll know when it’s triggered because you will have a severe emotional reaction and the situation itself won’t warrant such a strong response.

This doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, look out! I became very defensive, but other people may fly into a rage, fall apart emotionally, or become emotionally or physically violent (or withdraw completely). Everyone has a pain body. And you have no doubt encountered someone else’s pain body and wondered what they heck was going on. For instance, your spouse will lash out at you, withdraw, or burst into tears from what is seemingly an innocent remark.

Everyone gets triggered sometimes. When it happens, it’s because there is something deep inside from the past that needs to be healed. See it as a gift — after you calm down enough to reason with yourself!

I thought this was a good opportunity to address what to do from both people’s standpoints, as we’ve all been on both sides of the equation and will probably be again.

When you trigger someone’s pain body, NEVER:

1) Point it out to them.

2) Say things like, “Why are you freaking out?” and “You’re sure getting defensive, Bill. That’s your issue, not mine.”

3) Engage them in a discussion, thinking you can surely help them see they are overreacting.

4) Counsel them in the “right” way to feel.

What’s really important to realize about yourself in this situation is that the minute you point out their behavior, judge them, or try to discuss with them why they are overreacting, you are now in YOUR ego. Isn’t that ironic? Your authentic self — your spirit — has no need to be right, or to change or correct people’s feelings.

DO:

1) Ask yourself if you did a behavior that deep inside you knew would cause them to react this way or cause them pain because it’s caused it before. Be honest with yourself. While they own their reaction, you also own your part if you did something you knew would likely cause them pain.

2) Stay present. The most common thing that happens when you trigger someone’s pain body is that yours is immediately triggered back, as they are now in their ego and would like you to join them there.

3) Remain neutral, foregoing judgment.

4) Avoid conversations until they are “themselves” again.

5) Love them and have compassion for them — if they are triggered, it is because some part of them is hurting badly. Be gentle.

6) Avoid doing the thing again that triggers their pain, if this is possible.

What to do when YOUR pain body is triggered.

NEVER:
1) Engage in a discussion while you feel so disconnected from your spirit. (This may be very hard, as you won’t be rational.)

DO:
1) Try to recognize that you’re “not yourself.” This is often hard as you’re sort of lost in your mind. The moment you have this awareness, you’re half way there!

2) Try to get back into your deeper self by observing what’s going on within you and asking yourself, “What is really going on here? Why am I feeling this way?”

3) Get back on track as soon as you can.

4) Have a rational conversation with whoever triggered you and explain why you reacted so severely. Apologize if appropriate, and mean it.

I hope this helps you and may you be trigger-free!

http://www.thequantumcoach.net

Hey all.

In my teleseminars last week, we talked in detail about how the law of attraction really works.

One the biggest things I talked about was this: Your outer life is just a reflection of the inner you.

How do I feel good when all this outer stuff is going on that doesn’t feel good?

In The Secret, Abraham-Hicks’ teachings and many others, they make a big point of feeling good to attract more of what you want. “You have to feel happy, and then you’ll attract more happiness. You have to feel abundant and then you can attract more abundance.”

The thing is, you can’t fake this feeling. Energy doesn’t buy into your fake feelings. You actually have to feel it, and in that respect, these teachings are right on the money, so to speak.

Find it first.

How do you do this? The answer is simple, but getting there isn’t so simple. That happiness you seek already exists inside you. You just have to access it. See, your natural state is happiness. It actually takes a great deal of energy and effort to be unhappy.

There are techniques you can learn to help you access this part of you, to “awaken” it, and that’s what I do with my clients. I mentor people to help them find inner happiness and keep it going.

Everything you need already exists within you.

Millions of people watched The Secret and their minds expanded instantaneously. All of a sudden, they realized that they could actually have that dream come true. But I almost think it was irresponsible, if not cruel, to dangle this carrot in front of your face but not really explain how to do it. In fact, I called my friend Lisa right after seeing The Secret and told her, “No one is going to understand how to do this.” And that is when my coaching practice was born.

The reason I know how to do it is because several years ago, I experienced a spiritual awakening myself. Then, I spent the next few years figuring out how to access that happiness inside me all the time. Because at first, it was just a glimpse. Then a few minutes, then a whole day, then within a few years, I was in that blissful state it was all the time.

It takes time to make that shift. It took me years, but you can experience it quicker, by applying the techniques I learned.

Once I figured out how to do it, I felt so excited to help others do it. I developed a program based on my own experience where I mentor people through this process. The great thing is, virtually all of my clients find in just a few weeks the happiness that it took me years to find. It’s much easier and quicker with someone guiding you.

Life before my transformation

You have to realize where I started before my awakening and shift. I was in a mild depression for about ten years, until I plummeted into major clinical depression. Since the age of 16, I had really never known anything besides internal struggle. I needed anti-depressants just to function semi-normally.

At my worst, I was unable to work for over a year, and for a few years after that, I could only handle jobs way beneath my abilities. My income dropped by almost 80%.

I then developed panic disorder. So essentially, I was either dead-feeling or feeling like I had my finger in a light socket emotionally. I had no in between. I plummeted into financial ruin.

Yet, just by learning a new way to live I am happy, have great relationships, attract what I need and want effortlessly, and have created multiple careers that are purposeful and abundant. I love my life!

Don’t take my word for it

Those on the call last Monday heard my client Natalie tell her personal experience about finding a tremendous sense of well-being just three weeks into my private 12-week program.

She experienced a shift in consciousness as her energy vibration spiked. She then began to effortlessly attract the success she had struggled to find for the past five years. New people, new circumstances. She actually called me in a state of disbelief asking, “Is this normal? Everything is happening to easily and quickly … my life has never been like this before.”

She is still experiencing it, in fact — she is an actress (I saw her on TV just the other day … a big breakthrough is happening with her career!) Yet, for five years, Natalie worked hard and then worked harder, with the success she wanted always just out of reach.

Another client sent me this email two weeks ago:

“Working with Elizabeth has been a truly life changing experience. I have spent years feeling depressed, hopeless and like I had no control over the things that were happening in my life. Going through the 12 week program gave me the tools and the support I needed to shift my mindsets and create the habits we all need to create the life I have always wanted.

I finally know that I have the power to create the life I want – and that is just what I am doing now! I highly recommend Elizabeth and her coaching program to anyone who is looking to start creating the life of their dreams.”

This client began effortlessly attracting what she wanted on the outside during her time with me, and also saw a major improvement in her intimate relationships. See, when you’re already happy, you extract and attract good behaviors from other people.

A new year, a fresh start

As you look ahead to the new year, I just want you to know that, should you decide to finally make this “your year,” I am here to help you get there.

The life you want doesn’t have to be just out of reach.

Living the life you truly want can be effortless. You don’t have to struggle anymore. You can learn to let your life take you where you want to go … I don’t care whether it’s finding your perfect partner, launching your dream, increasing your income, losing weight or just being sick and tired of being unhappy … the answer is to find the happiness FIRST, and I’d love to help you do it.

Let’s get real in 2009

One thing I am not going to do is make you promises of some overnight millionaire success or that without making any changes, you can sit on your couch and attract your prince charming.

Instead, what I offer is the real deal … a proven program for doing the backwork (which is insightful and fun, by the way!). Then, you can consistently experience the good end of the law of attraction in your life, and you can live the way I do … in joy and awe at what your life has become.

If you want to learn more about my transformation or what I do, feel free to visit my site.

Have a wonderful week!

Elizabeth Grant
The Quantum Coach

Let’s Talk About Money, Honey: Using the Law of Attraction to Create Abundance in a Shaky Economy

We’re all aware that we are in a down economic cycle. And if you have enough life experience, you probably know that the economy is cyclical (like everything in life). This isn’t the first economic down cycle I’ve experienced, and it surely won’t be the last.

But what do you do from a Law of Attraction standpoint with all the doomsday news going on around you? Here are some tips:

1) Keep informed if you’d like, but do not inundate yourself with information. If you hear it enough times, you will actually start to believe that no one will thrive in this economy — yet, that is simply not factually true.

2) Every time you see this doomsday evidence, correct the thought in your mind with something truthful and positive that’s the opposite of the news you’re hearing.

For instance, if you hear, “Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better,” choose a thought like, “There are billions of people in the world. I only need to attract 20 clients into my life at any given time who can afford my services. Easy!”

3) Remind yourself that your happiness does not come from external conditions. It comes from deep down inside of you. Even if you lose your job, home or some other external part of your life, you do NOT have to let it ruin your life. Embrace whatever comes your way and let your life take you where you want to go.

4) Find gratitude in every experience you have. Whether it’s a learning experience, the chance to really put your spiritual bliss to the test and prove your happiness comes from a deeper place, or just the chance to gain empathy for others, there is something to be grateful for in every experience we have.

5) Do not let economic news create doubt in your mind. Continue to put all of your attention on achieving your goals as if it is a given they will manifest. Does a downturn in the stock market mean you don’t get to live the life you dreamed of? Somebody’s script will be bought, somebody’s coaching practice will thrive, somebody’s products will sell. … might as well be yours! Assume it will be yours and keep going forward. Keep your attention on what you want and what you like.

6) Take daily steps to feel abundant. Here are some ideas: Do something nice for yourself, plan how you will invest that money when it arrives, test drive the car you want, take financially responsible action, develop a future budget that you will implement when your income increase to your target level.

Make plans as if it’s a given the money will arrive. And for goodness sake, don’t spend money you don’t have. You must take in more money than goes out … if you don’t do this, you cannot create wealth consciousness. Your sponsoring thought will continue to be worry.

7) If your budget falls short, look at ways of evening it up. There are only two ways to do this: cut back on spending, or bring in more money. There are lots of ways to bring in another income stream. You could start a direct selling business. Or you could get a second job. You could call your creditors and ask them to lower your interest rates. You can make sure your withholding is appropriate so you’re not overpaying Uncle Sam all year.

Through life’s greatest changes and transitions come life’s greatest opportunities. Embrace what comes your way, and let the universe take you where you want to go. A few years ago, I was laid off. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. I was given a little push to do what I’d always wanted – become a writer and find deeper meaning in my life. Out of that came a thriving freelance writing career, abundant book editing work, an audio book, a coaching practice and a budding additional career as a singer/songwriter. Wow! All from one layoff. I’m so grateful!

Economic conditions do not have to affect your mindset, beliefs or your personal happiness. Use these tips and you’ll continue to feel abundant — a key to attracting more abundance into your life.

About Elizabeth A. Grant

Prior to experiencing a spiritual awakening in 2002, Elizabeth A. Grant lived in an almost constant state of depression and anxiety. Within four years, she was living in an almost constant state of bliss. Almost immediately, though, she noticed that manifesting her external life became virtually effortless, later learning that her inner happiness had put her in perfect harmony with universal laws of quantum physics, such as the law of attraction. Through her experiences, she developed Quantum Approach, a method to help others awaken and find their true nature — one of happiness and bliss. Since then, she has helped clients find meaning in their lives and remain happy even amid seemingly chaotic external circumstances.

A firm believer in The Power of Thought and The Power of Now, Elizabeth is the author of Morning Commute, an audio book that helps listeners develop crucial mindsets, habits and beliefs to experience happiness from the inside out. She has been featured in the books Living the Law of Attraction and Serendipity Jane’s Guide to Life Coaching. Elizabeth is a graduate of Iowa State University and a certified life coach. She can be reached at www.TheQuantumCoach.net or 888-371-4958.

On your inner guidance system

Esther Hicks, a great teacher of quantum concepts, uses a powerful analogy to explain the greatest power every single human being innately possesses. It’s more important than your IQ or what you learned in school or the knowledge you acquired from the books you’ve read. It’s your inner guidance system (let’s call it your IGS for short). Esther uses the analogy of a vehicle’s GPS — a brilliant metaphor.

Your inner guidance system is constantly telling you the best, least painful, safest, easiest and most rewarding path to your dream, your ideal job or your ideal mate. It is constantly giving you signals to steer you on the right path. Your inner guidance system speaks to you as that little voice in the back of your head, or of feelings you get in your body. It may be a feeling of unease, your skin crawling, or that voice in your mind saying, “Hmmm … that seemed like an odd thing for him to say.” It may also be a feeling of, “Wow, every time I’m with him or her I am filled with positive energy” or “I have a gut feeling this business deal is a good investment.”

It’s much like the GPS in a car. Let’s say I want to go from my home in Chicago to Boise, Idaho, a place I’ve never been. I tell the GPS where I want to go and start my journey. Just like my life, I don’t know the path between my starting point and my desired outcome. Most of it is completely unfamiliar to me but I have to trust that I will eventually arrive in Boise, right – by following the signs. I don’t worry about what will happen in 100 miles or even 1000 miles. I am only concerned with the 50 feet in front of me at the moment.

My GPS system says, “Go straight ahead 22 miles.” I’m sure it’s more like 40 miles, but I drive forward. Then, 22 miles down the road, the GPS says, “Take the next exit and turn right.” But I really think I know the best route. In fact, I am now sure I should continue all the way to the next town before turning.

Now, this system has a satellite pointed at me. Who do you think is right … me or the satellite?

99% of the time, the GPS is going to be right. In fact, if I say, “You’re crazy … I’m going to the next town,” and keep driving, the GPS system’s voice will start freaking out, and very clearly tell me, “Error! You should have exited the freeway and turned north! Proceed to the next exit and turn around immediately.”

The thing is, like a GPS, your inner guidance system always knows the right thing to do. In fact, I would lay a bet that every mess you’ve ever gotten yourself into was preceded by a warning sign (or maybe four or five) that you should go back and turn a different direction. Even once on your path, your IGS continues to give you signs that it’s the wrong one.

But it’s very hard to listen to your IGS when your ego gets involved. Your ego wants you to repeat the same route you’ve always taken, EVEN WHEN THAT ROUTE ENDED IN DISASTER. Your ego will adamantly state that it knows the quickest path, the correct path from point A to point B. In fact, your ego may even try to sabotage you from making it to your destination at all, in favor of a different destination, one that has all the traits of all of your prior destinations, places or people that didn’t make you happy. It will cloud your mind with unproductive or self-defeating thoughts — anything to keep you out of the present moment of your journey. And the present moment is all you actually have; everything else is an illusion.

Sometimes listening to your IGS is extremely difficult. It may mean hurting another person, saying no (which is very hard for most of us), or going in a direction that people ridicule you for taking. People may call you crazy. People may judge you. You may doubt yourself. And you may experience a lot of fear because you’re going into unknown territory. But your IGS is always right. It comes from way beyond your mind.

Think of a situation in your life that didn’t have the outcome you desired. Maybe a job, a relationship problem, a missed opportunity, whatever. Now, list out the warning signs your IGS gave you that this wasn’t the best path. It might have been a little voice in the back of your head. It might have been a clue. Maybe your spouse came home with rumpled hair one evening. Maybe your boyfriend had the smell of liquor on his breath in the middle of the day. Maybe you learned a friend has bad credit, but you went ahead and loaned them money anyway. Maybe you encountered several roadblocks when trying to buy a certain home, but you forced the situation, and it turned out to be a money pit. Maybe someone made a remark that just didn’t sit right, but you kept allowing them to be in your life and get closer to you. Maybe a hint came to you that you and your fiancé had different values, but you got married anyway.

There are a million maybes … sometimes it’s just a creepy feeling as someone approaches you and you have a feeling you should cross the street. Listening to your IGS can save your life! It’s the times in your life when you say, “Something told me not to proceed …”  But it’s also the times when you say, “Everything felt so great when I was with him … I don’t know why I didn’t act on it.”

Trusting your IGS takes practice. This is especially true if you are a people pleaser or you have a strong pattern of dysfunction. It’s hard to take the road less traveled sometimes, or to tell someone no. But ultimately, if your IGS is giving you signs that you’re on the wrong path, it’s for the best.

Here’s a little exercise to help you trust your IGS. Look back on those desired outcomes that didn’t end up the way you envisioned. What were the warning signs that you were on the wrong path? List them out. Now you have the benefit of hindsight and you can learn from it. Then, as you forge ahead toward your dream, realize the tremendous power of intuition you possess, and trust it to take you where you want to go.

For information on private coaching or to set up a seminar, call 888-371-4958 or visit http://www.TheQuantumCoach.net.

Create the life you really want one morning at a time with my audio book, Morning Commute. To purchase or listen to a sample track, visit http://www.TheQuantumCoach.net/Store.html.

Hey all,

 That may seem like a funny title coming from a woman who doesn’t belong to a church, huh? The Power of Faith? Well, just because I do not align myself with any one faith doesn’t mean that faith isn’t at the core of my life. Let me explain.

Whatever you religious or spiritual beliefs, the law of attraction is a spiritual concept. It is your faith that whatever you want to manifest will actually happen that causes it to happen. This belief may be subconscious or conscious. But ultimately, something will only happen to you or for you if you believe it will. That’s why I began praying in advance.

I was raised in a mainstream Protestant faith. Do you know when I was little, I actually thought God was an old man with a white beard who lived in the sky? Someone had shown me a painting of God once. He was really angry and was creating a thunderstorm underneath him. (Seriously!) It was hanging in our Sunday School. I now believe that God is actually energy. If you don’t agree with me, it should in no way detract from your reading further. The one thing every human being has, no matter how oppressed they are, is the right to have a personal relationship with a higher power (or to choose not to).

So anyway, perhaps I missed something, or perhaps that’s just how I learned to pray, but I used to pray from a place of lack. Like this: “Dear God, I really need a new job. I don’t think I can take it much longer. PLEASE God, please, bring me something new.” Today, this is how that same prayer would go for me: “THANK YOU for bringing me a job that is a better fit for me. One that I can use my talents better, where I enjoy the company of my coworkers and receive good direction. THANK you for my current job, which taught me that I want more out of life, and that I deserve better. I can’t wait to see what my next job will be. I know you’re taking care of the details. Thank you!” (BTW this is hypothetical … I happen to love my job!) Did you FEEL the difference between the first prayer and the second prayer? If you didn’t pay attention to the feeling, go back and read them again. I guarantee you that one feels desperate and the other feels calm and confident.

Now you may be asking, “How can you thank God for something you haven’t received yet? You’re still in your crappy job you don’t like!”

I need to make two points: 1) When I say the thank-yous, I really mean them. They are not empty words. I’m actually FEELING gratitude. That’s because I absolutely KNOW that I will be brought a new job. 2) God gives you anything you want, and I do mean anything. Universal energy, which is what I see God as being (if you see Him or Her as something else, great … use whatever words are right for you), doesn’t evaluate every request and see if it’s good for you or bad for you. But God will only bring you what you really want, because it’s the passion and belief behind your request that counts. And that means what’s sitting in your subconscious mind, too. Are your actions truly in line with what you really want? Are the words you choose? Are the thoughts you think? Are your daily habits in line with what you REALLY want? Are the feelings in your body reflective of the desire you claim you have?

If you want a new job, are you putting all of your thoughts on what it will be like when you have that new job? Are you searching online for openings? Are you networking? Or are you sitting around complaining, putting all of your thoughts on how miserable you are?

See, your thoughts, and especially the feelings they generate, are going out to God all the time as requests. Do you actually think He or She or It is sitting there with a checklist, analyzing every request? “Hmmm … is this good for Susan or bad for her?” Universal energy, or the divine, doesn’t distinguish between big, small, hard, easy, good or bad.

God is constantly speaking to you, every moment, telling you how to get what you want. I mean, it’s not very often, right, that we ask for more money and someone writes us a big check out of the blue. (This did happen to me recently, though.) Instead, we are given a feeling of what action is right to take. Or we are given an idea for something that will bring value to the world. Whether you act on those feelings and ideas is up to you. But the one acts first, wins. Leave the how up to God. You concentrate on the what. Put all of your attention on what you want and give none of your attention to what you don’t want.

Tomorrow a new year begins, so it’s an ideal time to forgive yourself and others for past mistakes and create a new vision of your life. As you clarify that vision, keep your attention on it, take action and BELIEVE wholeheartedly it can be yours, you CAN create it in your life. One last note: for many people, jumping from their current circumstances to something ten steps up is not believable. So many people find that setting a vision that’s one step up from their current circumstance works better. If you currently make $30,000 and it’s your dream to make $3 million, this may not be believable to you just yet. So set a more realistic vision that stretches you. Perhaps doubling your income in 2008 would be realistic, or even increasing it by 15%. Because if you don’t believe it can happen for you, you will block it from coming into your life. So choose goals that are a stretch, but believable for you. Then, once you’ve achieved that goal, set a new goal that stretches you. Because achieving that goal WILL expand your belief in what you can accomplish.

Follow your bliss,

Elizabeth Grant

I’ve had several people find me on the Internet who want to talk about working with me as a personal growth advisor. But having watched The Secret, they seem to see the law of attraction as a magic pill of sorts.

Let’s get something straight: Getting the law of attraction to work in your favor requires some backwork. I was doing that backwork for several years before I started attracting things on the caliber of Jack Canfield’s stories in The Secret. But almost as soon as I began to shift my perspective way back then, I began to attract things here and there. (And I had never heard of the law of attraction, by the way.)  A book served as my spiritual guide on that journey, as well as a mentor that I am still honored to have in my life (yet we never discussed the law of attraction either). The book was The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.

I’ve talked about this before, but the most important thing for you to do right now to begin to attract more of what you want is to surrender to “what is” in your life. For most people, this is a radical change, as we spend most of our time trying to live by design. In fact, most people expend most of their energy trying to swim upstream — to force their life to unfold in a certain way, or to force someone else to act a certain way. This forcing of your life will be the greatest detriment to your happiness you could ever imagine. It will negate virtually everything you are desiring from entering your world.

The other thing I learned, over the course of several years, was to have absolute faith in yourself, your idea and the universe (or God, or universal energy, or whatever term you prefer). Faith is just another element of surrender. You have to let go entirely of “how” you will get to the end result you want.

And it goes without saying that daily meditation was a major component in my transformation.

Let’s get back to the first paragraph of this blog post. I really don’t understand why they included “health” as a segment in a law of attraction DVD. The law of attraction is about attracting external things based on your state of mind and your thoughts. The power of the mind to make you sick or perform self-healing is really another topic entirely, isn’t it? It’s been seven months since I watched The Secret for the first time, and I really find it more and more offensive that this was included as time goes on. I don’t doubt whatsoever that the mind can and does control the body, nor do I doubt that Morris Goodman and Cathy Goodman self-healed, but what does this have to do with the law of attraction?

I think I have mentioned this before, but The Secret also focused WAY to much on materialism. Did they think they would need the lure of money order to rope in the American audience? We are in a spiritual revolution. We want to live authentically, not chase BMWs. And the segment of our population that’s chasing BMWs isn’t the least bit interested in watching the DVD anyway! Do you think the George Bushes of the world are going to watch a hokey movie about new age/old wisdom principles? About quantum physics? Let me set you straight just in case you were roped in by all the talk about money. Chasing wealth will never make you happy, even if you acquire a billion dollars. You become truly wealthy (including monetary wealth) by living authentically. It’s the passion behind your actions that brings you abundance. It’s the happiness you feel, the raising of your vibrational level. Wealth is fine (as long as you don’t let it define you, or become attached to it). Enjoy the finer things in life! Drive that BMW! Just make sure that when you do, you’re not feeding your ego. Then you have defeated the purpose.

As I said, the law of attraction isn’t a magic pill. And if you’re approaching your life the way most people do, you can expect it to take 6-12 months to completely change the way you think and live, which is the only way to begin to attract whatever you desire. I’m talking if you have the proper guidance/support. Once you do, your life really will become magical. But unlearning your bad habits will take great conviction and a moment-to-moment awaresness. The great thing is that in that time, you will begin to attract things here and there. It took me about four years to make my transformation, but even during that transitional time, I was already attracting things — obvious, big things. The way I would describe it is this: It was clear to me within a very short period of time that my life started working for me, not against me.

The wonderful thing about the work I’m doing is getting to see my clients speed up that transformation process exponentially. It’s a lot easier when you have someone teaching you the backwork, and looking at your life from the outside in, from an unbiased perspective.

Follow your bliss!

Elizabeth Grant