Riding the Universal Abundance Current

I like to think of my business - and my life when I'm not dealing with boys' sprained ankles - as flowing in the Universal Abundance Current. This current flows naturally and easily, full of abundance, success, and all good things, taking us to our harbor of a joyful business and joyful life.

But too often we find ourselves fighting against the current, paddling upstream, sure that if we just work hard enough and long enough that we'll get downstream.

It's a whole lot harder to paddle upstream than to just let yourself flow down the UAC. And why would you want to? If you can let the current take you where you want to go anyway, what’s the value of paddling so hard that your arms feel as if they’ll fall off just to get to the same place? And maybe by struggling so hard AGAINST the current, you wouldn’t actually get to your harbor, but take a lot of unnecessary side streams.

So how do you let yourself trust the UAC? The following four action steps will let you and your business dive into the UAC and flow downstream to your end goal. And then you can take those four action steps and apply them to something specific (a project, for example) or more global (your feelings around money).

1. Notice what's around you. What does the landscape look like? What are the landmarks? What is flowing in that UAC, and what is already fighting against it?

2. Visualize your end goal, that harbor. What is your destination on the UAC? Where will you be getting off?

3. "What if" your end goal. "What if I did _____?" "What if it were easy? What would that look like?" "What if my end goal were absolutely achievable?"

4. Imagine actions, progress, milestones, and riding to your end goal easily. Designing that marketing campaign? Easy. Flowing. Creating the sales page as one step to your end goal? Done. And done easily.

So all of these four steps might sound nice in theory, but how does they really work in your daily life? How do you really apply them when you have to sit down and tackle your to-do list on a Thursday morning?

Let's start with the example of a product launch. Even just that idea of a product launch may sound too big, and you might already feel overwhelmed. That's why the Universal Abundance Current is *crucial* in your business! It's too easy to get overwhelmed, and before you know it, you're already swimming upstream before you even take one stroke.

First, notice what's around you. What elements do you already have in place? The product itself, notes you've taken with marketing ideas, your team, the timeline.... Now, think of all the assets you have on your side (visualize them as part of your crew as you navigate your boat in the UAC). Take advantage of your assets - use them.

Next, think about what *aren't* assets. What are your challenges? What is getting in the way? Even just acknowledging these challenges will help bring them down from that "Omigosh! I can't possibly do this!" place to a "so how can I work with this challenge or get it resolved" place, which is a much easier place to work with.

Second, visualize your end goal. Your product launches on X date with sales and customer sign-ups. You are navigating your boat from where you are right now (and wherever you are right now is FINE - no judgment on that piece allowed!) to that end goal. That's the goal you're keeping in mind and flowing down toward.

Third, "What if" that end goal. "What if the product launch were easy?" "What if I lined up joint ventures to help me promote it?" "What if I put together an online AND an offline campaign?" "What if it were actually fun to put together this product launch and celebrate its completio
AND success?"

Finally, imagine actions, progress, milestones, and your end goal flowing easily. You've put together your product launch plan, so you know what those milestones are. (NOTE: your product launch plan is not simply "Launch product." :) That plan is made up of many action steps - all doable and all easily achieved.) Think of them as mini stops along your flowing down the UAC. You'll stop here, and here, and here, etc., until you get to your end goal.

The point is to not fight the current. Figure out where the flow is and let yourself be part of that flow. And let that boat sail right into your harbor.

If you would like to use this article in your newsletter or blog please feel free to do as long as you include our credit information: Written by Laura Howard West, Center for Joyful Business (www.joyfulbusiness.com). I would also appreciate it if you'd send us a copy for our media files.