Creating Abundance 101

There was a time in my life when I had no money. I was just out on my own, working in downtow
Washington, DC, and living in Arlington, VA, and I didn't have bus money, so I had to walk to work. It was about 3 miles (each way).

I remember what that was like.

Then later in my life, when my daughter was born, her father and I made a decision that I would stay home with her to raise her. And oh, how I loved being home with my baby! But oh, wow, did we ever take a huge cut in our income - over 50% at that time. Suddenly, I didn't have money to put gas in my car at times. It was really tough. And I worried about it and complained to my friends about not having any money.

Interestingly, on a deep level, I could feel that I was doing something I shouldn't be doing. (Complaining, that is.) But I didn't have the mental understanding of how powerful my complaining was in creating my experience.

One day, when my daughter was about 2, I came across an author by the name of Florence Scovel Shinn. Her book, "Your Word is Your Wand", transformed my life. She introduced me to the idea of affirmations, and how powerful our language is in creating our experiences.

Wow.

I began to see how much I complained, how much I worried, how much I whined about money.

Double wow.

I decided I would put ol' Flo to the test. I decided I would post affirmations around the house, focusing on what I wanted to create. I went into my closet and decided I wanted nicer, better clothes. So, I wrote an affirmation on a 3"x5" card and posted it in my closet. The affirmation went something like this: "I am now clothed in the beauty and glory of God."

Every day, when I went into my closet, I saw that affirmation. Within a very short time (just a couple of months), I had gotten a whole bunch of new clothes. My mother gave me some (a gift certificate from Land's End, which I loved), and I found some clothes on sale at a department store. Someone else gave me some. Soon, I discovered that I was clothed in the beauty and glory of God!

I was sold. My love affair with affirmations began there and hasn't stopped yet.

Why? Because our language is powerful. Because our focus is incredible. Because our emotions and our attention to things can and do create our reality.

Where are you creating your life to be the way you want it to be? And where are you creating your life to be the way you do not want it to be?

It is essential for you to speak powerfully if you are to create powerfully. And it is essential that you become congruent (or aligned) with that which you intend to create.

Here's how you do this:

* You become congruent with what you want by clearing out the inner conversations and beliefs that say you cannot have what you want.

* You become congruent by keeping your word -- to yourself, and to others. Integrity is essential if you wish to become a conscious, powerful co-creator.

* You become congruent by maintaining an inner state of peacefulness -- by not creating drama with those who share your life.

* You become congruent by holding the vision (i.e., energy or belief) of what you want longer than you hold it for what you do not want.

* You become congruent by speaking positively to yourself and to others, by being optimistic instead of pessimistic.

* You become congruent by being compassionate and generous in your thoughts toward yourself and toward others.

* You become congruent by holding the light for yourself and others, by believing in yourself and others, even when it is difficult to do so.

Each of us wants to create lives filled with love, abundance, and joy. And each of us deserves to have our lives be filled with love, abundance, and joy.

By practicing these skills, you will create your life to be just what you desire.

Oh, yeah! Wow!

Your Action Steps:

1. Start today by speaking your vision into being.

2. Hold your thoughts on what you want, not what you do not want.

3. Be your word.

4. Honor your commitments.

5. Speak positively to others.

6. Give yourself (and others) a break.

7. Choose kindness and generosity.

And watch your life transform!