12/1/11

What's Wrong with Wanting to Feel Good All the Time?

I just heard a great quote from Tom Ford, the famous fashion designer: "I'm not doing anything in my life anymore that's not fun." I love that! If that's what a wise man who has lived many successes has learned, it really validates my life philosophy which is mostly just that - I'm not going to do anything that isn't fun.  I don't see anything wrong with this philosophy. I don't know why so many people think there's something wrong with aspiring to feel great all the time. Obviously, things are not great & fun all the time, but that's fine. It doesn't mean you can't continue to aspire to feel good and have fun. Why do people feel guilty for wanting to do what feels good? I think it's because deep down inside, they don't feel they deserve it.

Feelings are your spirit's way of telling you yes, you're on the right track, or no, that's not right for you. So heed your feelings! If you don't have positive feelings, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT (something positive that is, not turning to a vice like alcohol or drugs). As I've said before, it's not normal and should not be acceptable to you to continuously feel blah or icky or anxiety or stress or anger, etc.... You might be lucky and know exactly what is making you feel not great (or at least have a pretty good idea). Or, you might need to do some deep introspection, some soul searching (meditation/prayer is also great) to figure out why you're feeling this way. Many times, the answer might be that you need to change what you're doing or where you're going in life. (Side note: I had this feeling and came to this conclusion when I decided I had to move to Nashville - it takes a lot of courage to trust and follow your instincts and make such a major life change but it's always worth it!!)

The more spiritually advanced (for lack of a better word) people I talk to, the more I hear the same story. They all were not on their right path and their bodies were telling them through stress, anxiety and/or other negative feelings or even through physical issues. Many of them did what many people do when they don't like feeling negative feelings all the time - they used alcohol, drugs, food, or other vices or compulsions to quiet those negative feelings. We've all seen what happens when you rely on negative vices to self-medicate. Eventually, your body will get the message (that you're not on the right track) across but it will be in a more severe way.

Some people need to hit rock bottom or for their lives to fall apart before they come to a spiritual awakening. That doesn't have to be you. Listen to your feelings (and intuition - that gut instinct).

People often ask, how do I know I'm on the right path? I think the answer is simple. Listen to your feelings. If it feels good, if it feels right, it probably is. If you used this decision-making technique, you'd make the best decisions all the time. The best decisions for you at that time, that is. Sometimes we need to make a decision that might show us the way NOT to go. We can't grow and learn if we don't make mistakes. Actually most successful businessmen (I mean highly successful, like Steve Jobs, Dale Carnege, Tom Ford, etc...) use this decision-making technique. Funny, I never read about it in the scholarly literature in grad school. People who don't realize or acknowledge the spirit's important role in business, science, politics, or anything for that matter, need to wake up.

I'd like to hear from anyone who does use this technique, or tries it. What was the outcome?

11/20/11

Does Love Really Conquer All?

I recently went to a Hay House conference. It was an amazing conference that has an unfortunate name,  I Can Do It.  The name reminds me of pathetic people who are clueless and who wallow in self pity and frequent the self-help section of the bookstore and never seem to actually want to help themselves, but are more content in complaining to others about their troubles and how the world and everyone is out to get them and how they're victims of this and that. Know anyone like that?

Anyway, the people who attended this conference were the opposite of that. But, I've encountered several students like that and I always say to them, I'm here to help you and I care about you but I can't help you if you don't want to help yourself. Contrary to popular belief - you are not entitled to anything. (I should clarify- you are entitled to feeling love and happiness all the time).  I find in most cases though, that it really stems from the problem that the person does not love themselves enough and/or feel they deserve the best life has to offer or deserve to be happy. It's interesting how this self-belief manifests itself. I've seen it in myself too. When I fear/worry that I won't get something done in time, I procrastinate because my ego wants to prove itself right. Because when I procrastinate, what happens? I, indeed, don't get it done in time and I validate my need for worrying. This crazy cycle illustrates how changing your thoughts, really does change your life... but I won't get into that right now. That could fill up several books (if you're interested, one good one about that is Wayne Dyer's Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life)

As of late, I have realized the power of love. I think it really can conquer anything. I have recently decided to try an experiment to test this theory. Every time I've encountered someone who annoys me or irritates me or treats me rudely or with disrespect (like a couple students I have this semester), I forgive myself for initially thinking bad thoughts about them and send as much love to them as I can. And you know what happens? It really is amazing! They change! I swear, they really change! I'll give you an example. I did this to a couple students in one class, and the next class, it was like they were different people! I was wondering where the old, negative, disrespectful, rude people were who for over a month acted like that. They were different after I sent love to them! I'm sure part of it was my perception of them changed too after I was focused on sending love instead of bad, negative thoughts, but a big part of it really was that they actually changed. Another student actually noticed it and commented to me about it after class.

So, so far, my experiment has proven to be true. Love might just be the answer to everything. I can honestly say that I do not have anyone in my life who I dislike or who annoys me right now. Not that I don't think I will encounter someone who makes me feel like this occasionally in the future, but when I do I will immediately send them love, they will no longer annoy me and I will no longer dislike them.

If you think this sounds hokey or too simplistic or too good to be true, why don't you do your own experiment. After all, you can't disprove something without testing it.

I noticed how much sending love to myself has changed me over the past year or so also. After attending Debbie Ford's workshop at the I Can Do It conference, I have learned to love ALL parts of myself, even the ones I didn't like because I thought they were not honorable or good, such as being blunt sometimes, or acting like a know-it-all, or being emotional, or being silly/goofy, or being boring, etc.... I learned that we all have many facets to ourselves/our personalities that really serve us well when we use them sometimes in certain circumstances when it's called for it. Debbie led us through a guided visualization that was life changing as it helped me really, truly love all parts of myself and feel comfortable being my authentic self. I no longer worry that I might not fit in with what's "proper/normal/acceptable" for whatever circle or position I'm in.

I've read about the importance of feeling this way about your self, but there's a difference between knowing, intellectually what I should/need to do and actually being able to do it spiritually and emotionally. Everyone has unresolved issues and negative emotions that we've stored from our entire lifetime that gets repressed into our subconscious (I'd like to talk to anyone who thinks they don't...I'm serious, email me:). With these things, I think it's impossible to reason them out of you. When Debbie had us do the guided visualization exercise, I felt emotions coming out of me that were so strong and I hadn't felt like that in a long time. After that, I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders and I felt more free, happier, and more loving toward myself than I'd ever felt.

I think people who try practicing the law of attraction get scared when they encounter a block that requires them to face and work through difficult, troublesome things, including things they don't like about themselves. This is challenging because the ego kicks in and gets defensive when you realize something (some behavior, belief, etc..) you don't like about yourself. But, this is not a reason to stop and give up because, in order to grow, we will undoubtedly face things that will be very difficult and unpleasant, but the reward is very worth it.

You are not growing if you're stagnant, regardless if you tell yourself that you're "content". We don't learn when everything goes our way all the time.

One last thing: in order for the whole experiment about sending love to everyone who annoys you to work, you need to be able to love yourself completely first. If you don't have love and compassion for yourself, how can you expect to give it to others? You can't give what you don't have. I'm sorry if this throws a monkey wrench in this whole thing for you. I know it means a lot of self work before you can reap the ultimate love benefits, but I promise you, it's worth it. I've been soul searching and practicing self-love and compassion for a while now, but Debbie's workshop was like the final straw for me to become truly full of it.;) Ha! I can just see my husband and family loving the opportunity to jump in and say, "she's full of it alright". Lol!

Why we need to concern ourselves with helping others

I'm glad I decided to keep this journal to see my thoughts as I grow in my spirituality and learn about how the universe works. I saw a previous post where I was trying to understand how the law of attraction worked and if it was necessary to have as part of your desire wanting to help others. Now, after immersing my self in studying and practicing this for a little while, I realize the answer to that and why. So, here it is as I understand it now...

The reason you need to worry about helping and sending love to others in addition to focusing on your own desires is because we're all connected and when you help and send love to someone else, you help and send love to yourself which helps you manifest your own desires.

That's it.

Thanks.
okay bye. ;)

It really is that simple. I'm finding that the more I seek answers to how the universe works, the answers I find are more simple than I realized.

We've all heard (and maybe even experienced ourselves if we cared enough to help ourselves become better, happier, more prosperous, etc...) that when you're feeling down, sad, depressed... you should help someone else because you will feel better yourself. It's not a new concept, this idea that what you give you get back and then some. However, I, being the kind of person who likes to know why and likes to analyze things, had to know how and why that happens. I'm happy to say that I've finally found an answer that makes the most sense to me.

This is particularly pertinent in the current state of the globe because now, more than ever, we need to stop fighting and killing one another and collaborate to figure out how to work together to help our collective selves. The earth (and humanity, and our economy, and our political system for that matter) can't sustain what we're doing to it and the way we're doing it. The ego has taken control in the (human) powers that be in these systems and that has led to corruption. You know what comes after something corrupts?  It crumbles.

I have so much to talk about. This is what happens when I wait to write only once a month. I'll have to start writing more frequently. So, you'll start to see much more of me whether you like it or not! Muwahahaha. (well, if you don't like it I suppose you can just not take the time to read my blog, but I hope you will.)

10/26/11

Inconsistencies in the Law of Attraction?

There seems to be a paradox in the law of attraction belief that you  control your life and how it unfolds because your thoughts create your reality. I think a lot of people misunderstand the law of attraction.  It doesn't mean you can have everything you want. I am sad to see people/books/media, such as the movie The Secret, give false, misleading information about what the law of attraction is really about. It is not some quick, easy thing that you use to start getting everything you want. The law of attraction is a simple concept, but following it can be very difficult and take a lot of work.

Here's how it works from my understanding. Your thoughts are telling the universe & God what you want and the universe will translate those thoughts into a reality that may be slightly (or majorly) different than what you imagined. I think the universe understands our feelings about what we want and not the specific details. The details don't matter anyway, as long as we achieve that feeling we want. For example, I imagine very vividly, the feeling I would feel performing to thousands of people in an arena. The amount of love in one space like that would be amazing and as long as I can be in a situation like that in the future, the details don't matter to me. I put out my desired feeling and give it up to the universe & God and trust that it/He will give me that or something better/bigger.

People frequently don't use the law of attraction correctly because of this point I think. People tend to think about all the details of a job/place/situation they desire and analyze the steps they think they need to take to get there. This is helpful, but the key is to think about what feeling you will feel being at that job/place/situation. If you can imagine what it will feel like for you, you're going to manifest it. If you tell yourself, it's such a lofty dream, I can't put myself in those shoes now and imagine what it would really feel like - then you're not going to manifest it.

If you feel you need to control how it happens, your ego is getting too involved. The ego is about control. The spirit is not. I talked a lot about this in a previous post I believe (and it was the topic of one of my radio shows). Here are a couple links if you're interested about learning more about the ego vs. spirit... http://www.lifecoachmary.com/issue36.htm and Eckhart Tolle's book A New Earth talks about this. Here's a video when Oprah did her online interview series with him... http://www.oprah.com/oprahsbookclub/Chapter-1-Oprah-and-Eckhart-Tolles-A-New-Earth-Webcast-Video

We have to give up control of the "how it's going to happen" because when we imagine how it's going to happen, we limit ourselves. Our imagination is limited. Why? It's usually influenced by our life experiences and perceptions of it and that can be limiting. We filter our perception through our own unique lens - our frame of reference which is affected by our past experience, thoughts of what we think we can achieve or what we think is possible based on what other people have achieved. The universe is way broader and expansive than we think and capable of giving us more than what we can imagine.

Maybe I don't really know or understand all of what the law of attraction teaches. There are so many people teaching about it but seemingly with their own perspective of what it means. I like to think that any limitations or inconsistencies people see in the law of attraction is just them not fully understanding it.

I'd love to hear your thoughts/comments!

10/11/11

Law of Attraction at Work

I love watching the law of attraction at work. The longer I trot along my path toward becoming a touring inspirational/motivational speaker and singer w/my band, the universe gives me the information I need at just the right time. It puts ideas into my head. This is one of the ways it works. I'm sure all of you have had a brilliant, life changing or career changing idea that popped into your head. What/who do you think put it there? I'm sure you thought you just concocted it using your brain power but most people don't realize that many (most?) of the ideas that pop into our heads is God  (or the universe) giving us guidance & tips.

So, I've been thinking lately about what it is that I'm going to be speaking about as I tour the country and where I will go and the idea came to me... I think I will hit the college circuit and speak to college students. Last night as I was watching Opera, I got the idea of what I will call my talk/lecture/whatever you want to call it. Life Class. I always thought colleges should have a class that actually prepared students for the real world, for life. Well, I will bring that class to the colleges and the students. I had such a hard time after I graduated undergrad and I went into a deep depression. If I can spare even a handful of young adults in every town from having such a hard time adjusting to the real world, life and figuring out who they are and what they want out of life, I will feel SO GOOD! I know I'm on the right track and path because this week my students are giving their speeches on an assignment I gave them that requires them to do some soul searching and figure out what has influenced them (their beliefs, values, behavior, perceptions) most in life. Those who really took the time to think about it have produced amazing results. I felt so much love and pride towards those students who uncovered amazing things about themselves and I could feel the passion they had talking about it. I think it was life changing for some of them and I can't tell you how amazing I feel to have been a part of that and to have helped them with it. 

I think that is the first step to taking control of your life through your thoughts. You have to first take an inventory of your thoughts via belief patterns. Once you've recognized them and figured out where they came from, you can make the conscious choice to continue following those belief patterns if they are serving you well, or to choose different belief patterns if the old ones are not serving you well. 

Many people (if not most of us) have belief patterns that are subconscious and have become a habit and they don't realize what they're thinking- what their thoughts are and what they're telling themselves every day. Considering that thoughts are so powerful and are THE thing that controls how our life unfolds, I think it's imperative that we start recognizing our thoughts and start taking control of them.

Many of our beliefs and thought patterns are taught to us by our parents, our culture and our society (including the most pervasive teacher of culture - the media).  They're ingrained into us and we don't even realize they're there. It's not easy (in fact, it can be very difficult), but I think everyone must take some time to analyze their thoughts, thought patterns and what their mind is telling themselves every day. 

So, in the words of a recent song I wrote... DO IT. DO IT TONIGHT! 
What are you waiting for. Start taking control of your thoughts and your life. Life doesn't just happen to you. You are not a passive being watching your life unfold. You are actually creating your life whether or not you're aware of it or not. Your thoughts create your life. Don't you want to know what those thoughts are and start using them to create exactly what you want in life? Become an active participant in your creation. It's much better, much more fun and much much more enjoyable! I promise!

Btw, I'm looking for your tips on how to stay content, happy, or even just sane and/or avoid boredom or burnout at a job you've been at for a long time for my radio show. Post your tips at: www.facebook.com/meganroxindieroxshow  and tune in every Sunday from 6-9pm on www.wvcp.net or if you're in the Nashville area, 88.5 fm.

9/16/11

Stress & Anxiety Are Not Normal

This week the universe hit me over the head with a 2x4. Every once in a long while, when I don't listen to what the universe is trying to tell me through my intuition it lets me know. In fact, I've recently heard that the universe will tell you what you need to change in your life to follow the path you desire in increasing degrees of severity. 


I recently heard a lecture from a woman, Ester Nicholson (an amazing inspirational speaker & singer who has a book out - www.esternicholson.com), who is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict and she described the different messages (and messengers) the universe sent her - ultimately ending in a near death experience. Many people aren't in tune with their spirit and are so enveloped in the power of their ego (the ego is very powerful), that they need to basically hit rock bottom before they recognize what the universe and their spirit is trying to tell them. I used to be like that but luckily, as I've become more attuned to my spirit (reiki has been the biggest help), I have learned to realize that stress, anxiety and depression are not normal and that is the way the universe and my spirit communicate with me. That is how my emotional issues manifest themselves. Emotional issues can manifest themselves in any way - including physical pain.


So, I'm was practically having an anxiety attack earlier in the week and my first reaction is still to think that it's caused by something external. I should know better by now after studying people like Wayne Dyer whose video clip I just showed my students. It's about my favorite phrase - When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. The video clip tells how nothing you feel is because of anything outside yourself - it's all internal emotions.


Even though I know better, I'm still a human that was raised under certain society "norms" that are contrary to the law of attraction and how the universe really works. So it still takes me a few days to realize that for me, stress and anxiety are the universe's way of trying to tell me something. When I did realize this, I went to a quiet place in my house where I could be alone (my bedroom) and meditate and ask the universe what is it?! 


I'm so thankful that I'm at a point in my spiritual and psychic development that I can clearly hear the answers. Here are all the amazing things it had to tell me...


My anxiety is not because of anything going on externally from me but because of my fear of confidently expressing my thoughts & ideas about the law of attraction, especially in my lyrics & singing.  I have an underlying fear that people won't believe me or won't like me because they don't agree with what I'm saying.  I see that in order for me to enjoy being a professional motivational speaker, & to be successful at it, I need to get over this fear and the universe is bringing it to my attention. 


At the same time, I'm experiencing anxiety because I'm a sensitive person and am sensing and absorbing my students' stress at being afraid of public speaking & of failing. Isn't that ironic that in figuring out how to help them, I'm learning how to help myself for the exact same thing. They tell me the main reason they're afraid of public speaking is they're afraid of what people will think of them. I also don't like the thought that not all of my students will like me. All of this teaches me 2 things: 1, that I need to learn to block others negative energy and not absorb others stress, fear or other negative emotion and 2, know that not everyone will like what I have to say or agree with me and learn to be ok with that. I need to speak my mind with confidence & conviction.

Finally, I also realized I have fear that I can't handle this big workload. I realize now that when I'm a successful public speaker & singer, I'm going to be even busier than this. So, in order for me to enjoy being a professional motivational speaker, & to be successful at it, I need to be able handle a busy schedule and getting through this semester will give me the confidence to know that I can.

I was thinking, why are all these fears surfacing all at once? It's a little much for a person to handle at once, isn't it? Then I remembered several psychic friend's telling me they see my dream taking off soon, so I guess I need to be prepared soon. A year ago I sensed it was a big undertaking I was dreaming of & venturing into and this is what happens when you tell the universe "I'm ready, I can handle it, bring it on". Be careful what you wish for. The way the universe works is it is impartial - it brings you exactly what you think about - good or bad. 



Luckily, this is all good and I'm very thankful that I've been shown these fears that I need to get over and the lessons that I need to learn. It's all going to take me closer to realizing my dream and as it gets closer, I'm getting more and more excited and more in love with my life, myself, those around me and the universe! Woo hooo!!!!!!!

9/4/11

The Universe Works in Mysterious Ways

After church this morning, I had an "ah ha!"/ lightbulb moment. You know when all of a sudden it's like a lightbulb goes on above your head like in cartoons and you have such clarity about something. I realized that what I was doing for a living right now (teaching communication & public speaking as an adjunct at various area community colleges) was not something that I was just doing to pay the bills and was getting in the way of what I really wanted - it is exactly what the universe has given me in order to help me on my desired path. I didn't realize this before now because it seemed like a strange, crazy way to get what I want. No one that I know of or could imagine would ever get to where I want by route of the path that I seem to be taking.

I love when the universe shows me that it's got my back and it's working for me. I need that confidence once in a while to keep my analytical mind with remnants from the society in which I grew up that was overly practical and didn't encourage imagination and taught you need to choose a path that is logical and has stable income, etc...  I've realized long ago that this kind of thinking limits people from actually getting what they want. They worry so much about the logistics of how something can be done and needing to know everything there is to know about it instead of just taking steps to start inquiring about how to get started and then actually DOING it and trusting that you'll get the guidance you need for next steps along the way. (this is a whole other topic worthy of a book-length blog for another day)

What IS it already?

So, you're probably wondering what is this crazy, unique route the universe has led me on. My desire is to travel around teaching, motivating and inspiring others to follow the law of attraction to get what they want and to achieve ultimate happiness/satisfaction in life and also incorporating my love for singing. I always knew I liked teaching and discovered almost 10 years ago that it was teaching at the college level that I really liked. This is why I went to grad school because it's required to teach at the college level. I didn't realize then that mostly the only teaching jobs that are open for someone with a masters degree in communication are teaching public speaking. This class is a common core requirement of most associates and bachelors degrees. So, when I first started teaching college for a living this past spring, I was happy to take whatever I could get. I kept thinking though that teaching public speaking was not related to what I really wanted to do and that maybe this was just giving me teaching experience. I really know nothing about public speaking. Don't tell my boss or my students! ;) (Actually most communication grads don't study public speaking in grad school but have to teach it).  I took one class in it 15 years ago while in undergrad. I had to learn what to teach from reading the textbook that was given to me and the handy teachers guide.

An aside: Talk about taking a leap - agreeing to teach a class you know nothing about. I knew that this was part of my path and had faith that I would learn what I needed to learn to teach it. Just like anything in life, there were tools given to me to help me along the way. Thank God for the teachers instructional guide! ha ;)

Herein lies the irony. In order for me to be a successful public speaker, I need to learn how to be one. They always say you learn more by teaching someone else about it. Who would have thought I would learn how to be a good public speaker by teaching others how to be one! The universe is much more savvy and mysterious than I give it credit for. I may be the only public speaker to have learned my skill this way.

It is true. I am learning more and more about public speaking the more I teach it. The more I see public speakers, the more I connect the concepts, theories and applications that are in the textbook to real life. This is an important step in progressing on my path: watching people doing what I want to do. Lucky for me, I found a place where I can witness a good public speaker in action every week. Every Sunday in fact. I refuse to go to a church where the speaker - or pastor/minister/priest, whatever you call yours - does not actually inspire, touch and motivate me to better my life.  However, it's also a great learning tool to watch someone doing something poorly so you can pick out what it is that's not effective about what they're doing and learn not to do that.

Interestingly, going through this learning process myself, has also taught me HOW I learn which in turn makes me a better teacher! I will apply these learning concepts in my classroom and when I'm touring around as a public speaker teaching others.

You see how the universe will give you what you desire in ways you may never imagine? Don't doubt its mysteriousness. Know that everyone's path is unique and therefore you can't compare yourself to others. Even if someone is working towards something similar to you, their path and progress will probably be completely different than yours. The way others have been successful at something doesn't mean that has to be the way you will achieve success at it. Think outside the box.


Trust the universe and the strange, unique path it sends you on as long as you keep using the law of attraction.

8/5/11

Be Flexible, Be Humble and Be Compassionate

I had a recent experience that makes me trust that God & the universe will provide and pick you up when things get tough. Just when I felt at my lowest and completely defeated and was ready to give up, someone came along literally picked up the pieces that I could no longer juggle myself.

When you're following your dream, things will not always go smoothly, even when the law of attraction is working. I know I've said this before, but when I say it ain't easy, I mean that in all extremes. So, when times get tough and you get burned out or ready to give up, go talk to someone you know can help you and pick you back up. You won't have a hard time finding such a person if you followed my advice in one of my previous blogs about surrounding yourself with positive, supportive people.

Rome wasn't built in a day and certainly wasn't built by one person. It takes a team to move a mountain, so don't be afraid to seek help. Especially if, like me, your dream involves something as big as moving a mountain. When you follow your heart, there's no room for ego, so get over yourself and get help. If you really want something, you just need a little pick-me-up. Sometimes literally someone to pick you up and carry you for a little while - carry you back on your path. I've forgotten about it for a long time until just now but what comes to mind is that Footprints poem.

Also, easier said than done, is don't get discouraged when it's taking longer than you'd like to achieve what you want. If you're planting your "seed", your dream, out there into the universe, according to the law, it has to respond but it takes some time to grow anything from the time you plant it in the ground. I think it's helpful to plant some small things that don't take as long to grow in addition to your main, big dream. That way, you can see when the law of attraction starts to work and it keeps you going. Also, if you surround yourself with positive people and continue doing things you love you'll have fun along the way and before you know it, you will have realized your dream.

Maybe the road to success isn't bumpy for everyone. I think it's bumpier for some than others. It just depends on how well you're listening to your inner voice - that guidance from the universe. Some of us have to learn our lessons the hard way. I'll admit, I've learned a few hard lessons in my life. When you encounter a bump, it's an opportunity (I like to think of it as a sign) to take a step back and analyze what your thought patterns have been and what you're doing. I think I'll create my own equation that can predict the severity of difficulty you'll have in life. The harder your head, the harder the lessons you'll have to learn.

So, my words of wisdom for the day: don't be stubborn, be flexible, be humble and be compassionate (for yourself and others) and you won't get yourself into too much trouble.

What is success?

If money ensures happiness, why do I see so many miserable millionaires? It's true, I've known a couple personally. It's strange to me that some people become so successful at something that their soul isn't happy with. It seems to contradict the law of attraction because from what I've been told and what I've experienced, you have to have your whole heart and soul into something to manifest it. Maybe we have to define what success is. I like to celebrate success at all levels.

Just something to contemplate.

7/8/11

I've Started a Radio Show

I started a radio show to help give local Nashville (and outside) indie musicians a chance to share their music with the world (or at least the dozen people who listen to my show ;).
My other purpose is to have another outlet to teach others about the law of attraction/law of the universe. I have one lesson/message each week in-between the music and LOVE to hear others stories of how the Law has worked for them or some other positive/inspiring story, and I would LOVE to share people's stories with the world. Imagine a radio show like Delilah, but focused on the Law and other positive/inspiring stories only (not to mention better MUSIC! ;).  Who says positive, spiritual people can't ROCK?!

It's every Sunday from 6-9pm (CST) on 88.5 fm in the Nashville area or streaming live online at www.WVCP.net.

I'd love to have you send me a message if you want to share anything on air. Send me a message through my Facebook page: Megan Rox's Indie Rox Show.

Oxy Moron - Simple yet Difficult?

I have several things I want to share, so I am posting twice today. This thought I have is short & sweet yet very powerful.

I am amazed at how simple the law of the universe/law of attraction is yet how difficult it can be to utilize. Once in a while, I think about how simple it is...

I was talking to some people the other day and someone was stressing about not having enough money to make the big out-of-state move that was planned for the end of the week. They recounted how in another big move, they were stressed leading up to it but ended up getting enough money in the end in random ways to be able to move, and I thought, "isn't it interesting that things can be so hectic and stressful when you don't know what the future holds and you have doubts and question whether it will work out and start worrying about 'what if it doesn't' but when you look back, it always ends up working out in the end?"

It makes me think that we could all save ourselves a lot of headache, heartache, stress and anxiety if we just realized it will all work out in the end. If we had faith that this time would be no different than the last hundred times when things just worked themselves out in the end and stopped worrying in the interim, we'd save ourselves a lot of stress.  Who would consciously choose the most difficult road to get to where you're going when you could take the easy way? Stressing and worrying just makes things more difficult on yourself (not to mention actually kills you - http://healthandsurvival.com/2008/01/30/stress-kills/).

It's interesting that it seems to be human nature (or maybe societal conditioning?) that people spend a lot of time thinking about what they would do for plan B. What they would do if their ideal situation/desire/dream didn't pan out? Why would you spend more time & energy thinking about what you would do if it didn't pan out than you would thinking about what you will do when it does pan out?

I've heard all sorts of excuses from people who think this way as to why it's the proper, realistic, mature, appropriate, blah, blah, blah, thing to do. Some say they need to mentally prepare themselves for the possible let-down, the possible failure. Doesn't that scream fear of failure or rejection? If you didn't have that fear, you wouldn't feel the need to prepare yourself for the realization of that fear? What happens to people who don't have fear? They never fail in their minds. They just figure out ways that won't work to achieve their dream. And, ultimately, isn't that how we all succeed in doing something anyway? Figuring out what not to do, so we know what TO do. That's how kids learn and you don't see them getting bent out of shape when they try something for the first time and fail. They just get back up and try it again a different way until they figure it out.

There's More Than One Way to Skin a Cat
For those whose excuse is that they need to make sure they can make a living in case their plan/dream doesn't pan out. Well, I say they need to figure out a new way to make a living that can be done at the same time as their plan/dream if it takes longer to manifest than they plan. Why do people tend to think of things in black or white; tend to have dichotomous thinking? Try thinking outside the box. Why couldn't you try a different way to make a living than you currently do? A different slant on your current job? Another possible source of income? If you think, "if I can't do it exactly the way I want or envision, then I don't want it at all", you're being closed-minded (and stubborn?). Who says you know exactly the best way to do something? There's more than one way to skin a cat (sorry cat lovers, shall I say, skin a rat instead?).  If you were an expert at what you endeavor to do, you'd already be doing it and successful at it. Think of yourself as a child trying something new for the first time. You might have to go at it a different way. Many people give up when something doesn't work out the way they try it or envision it the first time. Seems pretty limiting and self-defeating, doesn't it? What would happen if children thought this way? They would never learn to walk and Hoverround would be a booming business.

Ok, so again, I think I'm going to share a short thought and I end up rambling on. I'm just so passionate about the law of the universe and about trying to get people to realize it and believe in it and try it. :)

When You're Feeling Stress & Anxiety...

I'd like to share with you a technique that I've found effective for relieving negative emotions.

When you're feeling stress, anxiety, frustration, anger, or any negative emotion, it doesn't feel good, does it? We all have the power to control our emotions and thoughts. Ironically, it's simple but not always easy, and also very worth it because who wouldn't want to be able to stop feeling crappy and start feeling good?

I've found love to be the most powerful emotion that can take away my negative emotions.  The other week I was feeling stress, anxiety and self doubt about my future. After a few hours of feeling self pity and generally feeling crappy, I thought to myself, this is silly, if I know I have the power to change my thoughts (see Wayne Dyer's book, Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life), why don't I try to get rid of this crappy feeling because it doesn't feel good. So, I laid down in my bed (because it's the only quiet, peaceful room in my house), and said to the universe, I don't want to feel like this anymore so I now release all feelings of self doubt and any other negative emotions. I had to concentrate on visualizing these emotions leaving me and also ask for (and visualize) love from the universe, any helpful/healing spirits/angels out there, and of course, God. You have to have a very open mind and heart for this. I asked for a hug and to feel lots of love and visualized God giving me a big bear hug and could actually imagine what it feels like when someone who loves you gives you a great big hug. And, you know what? I actually felt it. It was the most warm, safe, secure, loving feeling and I felt love washing over me. I no longer felt any negative emotions. I felt nothing but love and basked in that awesome feeling for a while. I did not go back to feeling self doubt or self pity after that. In fact, I was more renewed and inspired than ever and felt like I had a new love for life and people. I couldn't believe how simple it was to get this amazing feeling! I highly recommend everyone try it, especially if you find yourself feeling crappy.

You can also do it with a specific loved one, dead or alive. I've done it before with my grandma who passed away about 5 years ago. For some reason, I feel a stronger spiritual connection with those who have passed. Anyway, it's great because when you really open yourself and your mind and concentrate and visualize them giving you a hug, you can really feel it! Try it sometime if you're really missing a loved one who has passed. What do you have to lose? Nothing. What do you have to gain? Feeling great.

If anyone has tried this (or something like it) and would like to share your experience/benefits, I'd love to hear it.

I have a radio show on Sunday evenings from 6-9pm (CST) on 88.5 fm in the Nashville area or www.WVCP.net streaming live online. If you'd like to share your similar experiences on this stuff or even just a comment, I'd love to hear it. Feel free to post on my Facebook page or call in during my radio show. I love to share others inspiring stories on my show!

5/29/11

Every Decision is a Good One

I've discovered (well, really just come to accept) that every decision really is a good one. I've come to have complete trust in the universe that it will give me whatever is best for me. In that newfound trust, I feel like a giant weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I no longer have to fret, stress and analyze (ad nauseum) when I have to make decisions. I know that any decision I make will bring me closer to my goal whether it will show me what I don't like or want or whether it will open my eyes to a new path to my goal that I hadn't previously seen or thought or known about.

Knowing that the universe really will take the seed of desire you plant and run with it to your best interest/highest good, is a very comforting feeling. No longer do I feel the need to control & analyze or worry about every step of my life. I can't tell you how big of an impact this has had on my life - how much of a relief it is to not worry about everything.  I used to be prone to worrying or over-analyzing every step of my goals. I would set goals and set up the steps I thought I had to take to reach my goals and if one of the steps didn't pan out, I would stress & worry that I wouldn't reach my goal.  Needless to say, my life is so much more enjoyable now that I don't feel the need to control every little step on my path.

I know the universe knows what's best for me even better than I do, when I give it my ultimate desire - when I plant that seed. There are endless possibilities/ways to reach any goal and I am not aware of all of them. The universe is aware though and will tell you. How does it tell you? Through your intuition. You know when you get a feeling you should do something or contact someone, etc...? This is your intuition. You should always listen to your intuition. Having trouble hearing your intuition or distinguishing it from your mental chatter? Meditate. This is the best way to quiet your mind and get the information the universe is trying to give you.

I'm just enjoying watching what the universe will unfold for me to help me reach my desires. I continue to try to stay open minded for doors opening or new paths unfolding that might not seem related to my desires/goals. I also continue to try to keep listening to my intuition and keep my mind clear to hear information the universe gives me. And, I continue to keep my ultimate desire in mind.  It's exciting to watch my unique path unfold.

This is definitely not the easy way out. It is very challenging to have the belief in something greater than you and trust it will give you what's best for you. It's very challenging to give up control of the small stuff.  You will also be shown issues/blocks you've had for a long time probably that will prevent you from achieving your desires. It's not easy to confront, accept and work through these long-standing issues (e.g. emotional scars, bad habits, beliefs that no longer serve you).  I've had subconscious emotional issues that have surfaced in the last couple years and for one of them, I cried for a week straight. Once I worked through that however, I felt like a giant weight was lifted off my shoulders and was able to get more clarity about my desires.

I have a problem with a some of the law of attraction authors, books, movies, etc... (like "the secret") that say it's so easy. I feel that's misleading. It's great in that it probably attracts people to want to learn more about it and give it a try. However, it doesn't prepare people for when they are faced with difficult issues they need to work through in order to be able to utilize the law.  I've seen many people give it a try and when they realize how difficult it can be, they give up.

I'm here to tell you that it is not easy BUT it's very worth it!

5/7/11

Don't Ask Yourself What the World Needs...

Don't ask yourself what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive because what the world needs is people coming alive.
I love this quote the minister of our church said the other week. It makes me second guess my thoughts in my last post.

By the way, I will probably find new, different, and sometimes even contradicting information from one post to the next because this blog is more of a journal than facts. I try to give advice based on what I believe at the time is the best information I have but it is subject to change. You get to be on this journey with me as I learn & discover the law of the universe/law of attraction and hopefully it will be helpful to you along the way.

I previously thought that in order for you to be able to manifest something, it had to necessarily be beneficial to others also. Some people believe this and when they told me that, it seemed logical at the time. However, as I'm learning more and more about the universal law in the weekly class I'm taking at my church (part of the International Centers for Spiritual Living "religion"), I see that this is not a rule you have to adhere to in order for your desires to manifest.

Each person is unique and has unique talents and abilities. If each person followed their instincts and did what excited them, not what others or society said they should be doing, the world would be full of love and inspiration and therefore it would be a better world for everyone. So, an effect of your doing this, will end up helping others anyway.

Free to Follow the Beat of My Own Drummer
This would be a perfect mantra (or bumper sticker) for me.  In order to utilize the universal law, people need to trust that the universe will open doors and bring necessary others and opportunities to you to help you continue to follow doing what you love. This trust is hard to keep especially when your instincts & heart seem to be calling you to follow the beat of a different drummer.

You will be surprised at how amazing this works when you follow what feels right for you.  The hard part seems to be figuring out what is right for you. As I go along and try to follow the law of attraction/law of the universe, I seem to keep coming back to this same question because new choices always come up and I find myself re-evaluating what is right for me to help me make the right decision for me at the time.  For instance, currently, I'm feeling some resistance when I try to use the law to get a tenure-track, FT teaching position at the college I'm currently adjuncting at that I love. I do love teaching and like the cultural and people at the school but I'm having occasional doubts. I don't know if the doubts are due to fear that I won't get the job because I don't have much teaching experience or due to my instincts telling me it's not quite right for me. It's very difficult to distinguish and a mentor at church recommended I meditate about it to see what, deep down, at my core, I feel about it. Your spirit & body is the best guide (as long as you're in good mental & physical health - this is a whole other discussion I've been thinking about that I'll have to do another post on).  Overall, I think you should follow what feels good to you. I've found that when in doubt, I should meditate to get clarity on what feels good to me.

Another thing that seems to get in the way of following the law is impatience and doubt when it doesn't happen for you in your short timeline.  I like the following analogy to help with this. Desires are like flowers or plants - you plant the seed in the universe and have to keep believing in it to "water" it. It takes time to grow. And, just like when a seedling often encounters some resistance as it breaks through the ground's surface, you might encounter resistance as you continue to follow through with your ultimate desire. Very timely to this concept, I just saw a documentary about Martin Luther King, Jr. I didn't know just how much resistance he encountered throughout his lifetime, but he continued pushing what he believed in.  I think resistance doesn't always come in the form of external resistance from others or society, but also frequently comes from internal forms such as fear, doubt and the many other negative emotions we feel at times. The thing to remember is that these are normal and not a reason to pull up your seedling and give up.  I usually feel a lot of anxiety when I succomb to these emotions and this impatience. It's easy to try to relieve your anxiety in unhealthy ways (overeating, shopping, drinking or doing drugs). If you want any chance at successfully using the law of attraction, you CANNOT relieve your uncomfortable-ness this way! The best way I've found to relieve these negative emotions is to meditate. There are some great (free) guided meditation podcasts in itunes.

Another good solution is to find company in others who support you and have similar perspectives/mentalities and/or are doing similar things.  Seeking out a person(s) or venue specifically for support - those who are able to help you is also very important.

If anyone has any comments, even if you'd like to debate or discuss contrary information, I'd love to hear it. Hearing all perspectives and opinions is helpful to me on my learning journey, so
feel free to post a comment!

3/22/11

When the Student is Ready, the Teacher Will Appear

Have you ever heard the phrase, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear? I had but it had been a long time ago until I read it in the first Conversations With God book recently. I believe it's true but with the rate of change that has been exponentially growing over the last few decades and the global consciousness & paradigm shift and evolution revolution that is due in 2012, I wonder if change is happening to people who aren't sure if they're ready. Of course, are we ever really ready for major change?

I find a passage I recently read in a Science of Mind periodical, Creative Thought, pertinent to this topic and thought provoking and inspiring.  It's titled stepping into newness. It relates the life of a toddler, just learning to walk and learning something new every minute to an adult faced with and going through change. It's funny because a toddler doesn't seem to mind the discomfort that comes from having to learn so many new things at once. They don't get frustrated and give up when they misjudge a step and fall and they don't hesitate because they're worried about failing or worried what people will think of them if they fall or worry that people will belittle them because they can't run, jump or talk. People have much more patience for children learning new things than they do for themselves learning new things - especially if it's due to change that you have no control over and are forced to learn something you haven't done before. Forced change can be things like losing a job, foreclosing on or losing your house, or divorce. These types of major life change are especially difficult to step back and try to take a different perspective and realize it might be that your path needed to change and the universe made it happen for you.

When we encounter change, whether it's entering into a new paradigm, adopting a new protocol, embodying a new idea,  embarking on a new course, or even unpleasant forced changes like those I listed above - there is a period of discomfort and fear that stops many people from embracing that change and realize it's going to be beneficial in the long run.  Change is an opportunity to grow and become more effective. Many people's fear of making a mistake hinders or even prevents them from allowing this to happen. We simply can't stand still - change is inevitable.

The only difference between a toddler and us is that we have an expectation around who we are or who we believe others should perceive us to be. One thing I've learned lately is that the ego is very powerful. The ego's fear of failure, making a mistake or embarrassment, can prevent us from growing. I think if we recognize that it is just that, the ego, and we can separate ourselves from our egos in order to allow positive change to happen, we can have an easier time of it. The other thing that happens when we separate ourselves from our ego is our spirit's and God's voice becomes more clear. In my experience, as long as I listen to and trust my spirit's and God's voice and wisdom, everything will end up for the best.

It's easier said than done to let go of your ego. I, personally, am prone to over-analyzing things. When my analysis of what my spirit/God is telling me (through my gut instinct and what my heart tells me - let me know if you want me to write a separate blog about recognizing the "voice" of your spirit and God) doesn't seem to make sense or seem to be feasible based on my rationale and what I think is possible, I used to dismiss or ignore that voice. I blocked positive change from occurring and blocked myself from moving to the next step on my ideal path or from jumping to a higher level. My mental analysis of it probably told me that it wasn't possible or would be too difficult to accomplish. The discomfort of trying it would be undesirable.

To quote Creative Thought (May 2009):
    Every positive change - every jump to a higher level of energy and awareness - involves a rite of passage. Each time, to ascend to a higher rung on the ladder of personal evolution, we must go through a period of discomfort, of initiation. I have never found an exception.

I think this quote also applies to the greater, global evolution shift that is occurring and is supposed to "happen" in 2012.

To tie this idea back to today's topic, you should go for what you feel is right for you and what you desire, but know that it won't be easy. My parents used to say (when I was complaining about how difficult college was at times) nothing good comes easy. But it helps to remember one of my favorite quotes - If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. If you're facing change, you must be ready for it or it wouldn't have come to you. Trust this and trust that God, the teacher, will lead the way.

3/12/11

New finding in "the catch"

I have been continuing to ask the universe and pray about this "catch" I've discovered in the law of attraction and ....... get ready for it......
I've found the answer!

I found the answer in a class at this new church I started attending (that doesn't believe in hell btw - hallelujah). It takes the class through the first Conversations with God book. It's a great beginning book to read btw, if you're wanting to start learning about the new thought philosophy (of which the law of attraction is a part).  Anyway, here is the answer...

You can't manifest something unless you feel in every cell of your body and heart that it's something you really believe you can have or do.

This sounds simple and it is, yet at the same time it's very complicated. I think your spirit/soul has to agree with the desire that your ego creates and this often doesn't happen and when it doesn't happen, you don't get that 100% sure feeling that whatever it is is meant for you.

The key here is ego. The ego is very powerful and gets in the way of life paths and manifestations all the time. In fact, I've just recently had a major life shift when I released my ego's part in my ultimate manifestation. I should change the title of this blog now because I have changed my ultimate life goal that I want to manifest. I realized it was my ego that was holding on to the dream of wanting to become a rock star like Madonna or Lady Gaga and that I really didn't feel in my heart that was the exact path for me. It was a difficult decision to let go of this dream that I've had for such a long time now, but I feel it was getting in the way of me realizing my ideal, unique path and life goal. It took a strong faith in God and the universe to let go and believe that if I follow my heart and not my ego, things will end up even better than I could have imagined with my former rockstar dream.

I realized that what really fulfills me and makes me feel blissful is helping people achieve their dreams and be happier in their lives in general. I feel it is my calling and path in life to do this on a mass level (e.g., not just helping one or two people every day but helping hundreds if not thousands). I still love singing very much and am not leaving that out of the mix. I believe there is a way to combine my love for singing and helping people. This is my unique path that I am now using the law of attraction for. I have never felt more connected with anything like I have this desire and I feel with 100% confidence and with every cell of my body that I can and will do it.

I believe that we unconsciously put unnecessary limits on our desires. We have to stop thinking that there's something wrong with wanting the best or most or biggest success. The ocean of abundance has plenty to go around for everyone. It's not like if we take more than our share, someone else won't get as much. I like what the minister at my church says you should do when you ask for something.  Say what it is you desire but follow that up with "or something better". I think many times, the universe gives us what we want, but it doesn't happen in quite the same way we imagined it or doesn't follow a typical/ traditional path. We need to have faith that we will get what we want (if we follow the "catch law" I've explained above), and be open to it manifesting in different, unique ways.

An example of not following the "catch law"...

A couple years ago when I was first learning about and trying out the law of attraction, I tried using it to manifest a job I interviewed for. I followed everything it said to do and think but did not end up getting the job. I was telling myself that I really wanted this job and all the reasons it would be perfect for me and that I was totally capable of doing a good job, but I now realize that telling yourself you really want something can fool you into believing it but I look back and see that my heart wasn't completely in it. I thought it was at the time because I kept telling myself it was just so the law of attraction would work. You can fool your mind and ego, but you can't fool the universe. If your spirit isn't in accordance with your desire, you simply will not be able to manifest it. This is a good thing though. If I would have gotten that job, it might have distracted me from or prolonged my necessary soul searching period that helped me figure out the job and path that WAS in accordance with my spirit.

1/15/11

The "Catch" of the Law of Attraction

When I tell many people about the law of attraction, they look like they are humoring me but have disbelief. They are probably thinking, this is too good to be true - there must be a catch. Well, I have discovered the "catch", if you want to call it that, to the law of attraction. You can't expect to manifest anything/everything you want. I think many people, authors, books, etc, on the law of attraction are misleading because many of them say you can manifest anything you want. I have found that this is not true. There are conditions. However, it's probably in your best interest ultimately that you can't just get whatever you want whenever you want it. I have had many fleeting desires in my life (who hasn't) and not all of them would have been best for me at the time or ever for that matter if they were to manifest.

Ester Hicks/Abraham say you have to hold yourself in a vibrational pattern that matches the vibration of your desire for it to manifest. This is a very difficult concept to understand (at least for me). This is actually a key component to the law of attraction that I think many people misunderstand and is what causes many people from believing the whole thing even works at all.

The details of this concept are what I'm currently trying to learn more about and understand. Just when I think I understand, I talk to people (who are also believers in metaphysics and the law of attraction) who make me realize I'm not so sure I understand. The thing that I find difficult to understand is how your "sacred contract" and the desires that you're trying to manifest relate to or affect each other.  If your desires conflict with your sacred contract, are you still able to manifest them?