Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction: 7 Essential Ingredients for Living a Prosperous Life (Chicken Soup for the Soul Series)

Introduction\ Did you know that the Law of Attraction works perfectly every time? It's a perfect match for wherever your focus is being held—whether knowingly or unknowingly. Focus on having a positive new attitude, and watch your mood lift and your actions match your desires. Think about your lousy day as you're drifting off to sleep at night, and your day may revisit you through your dreams, or your bad experiences could persist the next day, too.\ The Law of Attraction is universal and ultra-powerful. It is like a magnet that is always at work. Basically, the Law of Attraction states that 'like attracts like.' In other words, wherever your attention goes, energy flows, and you attract more of that into your life—whether it is wanted or unwanted. In order to achieve the things that are truly desired, a positive frame of mind must be present.\ Many begin practicing the Law of Attraction by making it a game—focusing on, or always finding a close parking space. When those things continuously show up (and they will), move on to bigger things. Just remember to keep it positive and keep your mind open to receive the things that are being requested.\ Simply recognize where you are, where you want to be, and how you want to feel once you get there. Look at the positive future and forget the present reality—especially if it is less than ideal.\ Like a conductor for a symphony, you can learn to orchestrate exactly what is desired for the ultimate life experience.\ It is possible to be all, have all, and live all that is desired. It is possible to create the perfect situation for you, as the stories in this book reflect—personal stories of ­people from all walks of life who have successfully used the Law of Attraction to overcome challenges, struggles, and adversity, and to make their dreams come true.\ The stories are organized within 7 Essential Ingredients for Mastering the Law of Attraction. They are intended to provide inspiration to you for achieving your own dreams, along with practical, concrete steps you can take right away to deliberately apply the Law of Attraction in your life.\ The Law of Attraction does not impose limitations or make you conform, so don't limit yourself with your thoughts and beliefs. Revel in the freedom to pursue whatever your heart desires and be conscious that the Law of Attraction is always at work. It's simply your job to make it work in your favor. Dream on and dream big!\ Essential Ingredient #1\ Here's how it works mind, all the breaks you need in life wait within your imagination. Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth.\ Napoleon Hill\ All the breaks you need in life wait within your imagination. Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth.\ Napoleon Hill\ Reprinted by permission of Off the Mark and Mark Parisi. ©1998 Mark Parisi.\ \ Life Lesson #1\ Let Your Passion Be Your Guide\ We do not know who we are until we see what we can do.\ Martha Grimes\ Letting In the Slim\ Believe in yourself, and you will be unstoppable.\ Emily Guay\ 'Whoa,' my friend said after seeing me for the first time in four months. 'You are never going to be able to take off the weight you've put on, not with being in menopause.'\ I cringed. I usually gain a few pounds each winter, but this year I was over and above. I was unhappy with myself and my body, and afraid she was right. At the same time, I was determined to get back to my 'normal' self, if possible.\ For decades, I had watched family and friends struggle with their weight, going up and down like yo-yos, so I was not about to diet. I didn't know what to do—until I heard an Abraham-Hicks tape. Abraham said, 'You cannot attract thin when you are feeling fat. Your work is to Let In the Slim.'\ Wow! What a fabulous idea, I thought. And, yes, I am definitely feeling fat. Right then and there I created a clear statement of what I wanted to attract. I choose to be the perfect weight and shape for my body by the end of three months. I now release any and all excess weight and Let In the Slim.\ I repeat this intention before each meal and yoga practice. I rehearse feeling slim, walking slim, standing slim, and dressing to perfection in clothes that make me feel beautiful. I feel what it is like to be my perfect weight and shape.\ I wake up at 5:30 am and go for a two-and-one-half-mile walk in Central Park. Each day, I walk a bit longer, enjoying the smell of magnolia, apple, and cherry trees. I bask in the intense colors and scents, the raucous birdsong, and the changing reflection of light dappling merrily on the lakes and reservoir—the burgeoning sights and sounds of an abundant spring. I feel abundant here, as if I am in the center of a Monet painting, marveling at the explosion of green and blue, of frosted pink, and the myriad shades of purple and yellow all blending together, yet separate and distinct. I feel joyful, full of life and love.\ I revel in the uninhibited, joyous antics of children—hearing their laughter, watching their intense focus on what is happening in the moment, while participating in their Letting In. I feel focused and abundant and happy on these walks. I feel good. I am Letting In the Slim. My fear is fading, and so are the feelings of fat.\ Subtle changes are taking place in my body and in my eating habits. I eat healthily, but I also continue to enjoy culinary pleasures like wine and gelato, albeit smaller portions, savoring every mouthful. I play with a suggestion from one of the British World War II ministries to the public on rationing: 'Butter your bread thinly and eat butter side down to the tongue for more flavor.' Eureka! It works with everything I eat. And, of course, I reiterate before and after each meal that I am Letting In the Slim.\ I want to have fun exercising so I create a ten-minute wake-up routine: abdominal exercises on the exercise ball, amped up with dance music. It is a blast and gets me feeling even better about myself and my trimmer body. I am now slimmer, trimmer, and healthier—I feel good. I am cooking!\ Last week, I had occasion to wear an outfit I could not get into months earlier; it is now loose, and I look fabulous in it. On the day I wore it, a good-looking Frenchman unabashedly flirted with me, telling me I was very beautiful, and I Let It In.\ Oh, yes, but there is more! There is so much more. Not only am I now Letting In the Slim, I am also Letting In more success and more money, new friends, and mentors to ease my way. An experiment that started as a fun way to lose weight has become a lifestyle, a pathway to joy and self-love as I allow myself to thrive and deliberately create the life I love. Letting In the Slim has opened the door to Letting In the Love.\ Patricia Daniels\ Take a moment to think about who you are and who you wish to become. See yourself one year from today. If you could have anything you want and no possible way to fail, what would it be? What do you most want for yourself? When you look back on this period of your life, what do you want to remember? What experiences do you wish to have? What accomplishments?\ Begin by getting a special journal or notebook, one that is beautiful and feels good to you. This will be your Prosperity Journal, which you will use as you read each story and go through the exercises in this book.\ ©2008. Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jeanna Gabellini, and Eva Gregory. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jeanna Gabellini, and Eva Gregory. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442.

Acknowledgments     ixIntroduction     xiiiHere's How It WorksLet Your Passion Be Your Guide     3Letting In the Slim   Patricia Daniels     4What You Think and What You Feel Are Always a Match     13Take Advantage of Opportunities   Ruben Gonzalez     14Releasing the "How" So the Dream Can Unfold     23Friends in France   Sonia Choquette     24The Power of Your State of Mind     31Allow, and Prosperity Follows   Eva Gregory     32The Power of Intention, Not Attachment     40What Is Your Brown Rice?   Kristy Iris     41Defining MomentsYou're Never Stuck!     49From Rags to Faith and, Finally, to Riches!   Idelisa Cintron     50Breakthroughs Don't Have to Be Hard     57Kisses for Mr. Castle   Terri Elders, LCSW     58Where You Currently Stand Is Perfect     67The Day I Ran Out of Money   Amy Scott Grant     68You Are Always at Choice     78A Gradual Awakening   Allison Sodha     79Call In Your Team     85From a Bomb Shelter to the Beach House   Jim Bunch     86Transforming ThoughtsDon't Take It Personally     97Attracting Harmony in Your Life   Randy Gage     98Where Thought Goes, Energy Flows     106I Love My Hair   Catherine Ripley Greene, D.C.     107Seeing the Glass Half-Full     117The Healing Power of Intention   Kathleen Carroll     118Letting Go to Let It Flow     121There Is Enough Money for Everyone   Carol Tuttle     122Empower Yourself for Success     131Until You Value Yourself ... Don't Expect Anyone Else To   Dr. John F. Demartini     132Inspired ActionsFirst Things First     141The Journey of the Wanderin' Berrys   Licia Berry     142The Time Is Now     149Free Hugs   Christine Brooks     150Stop, Look, and Listen     158Prosperity Starts at the Kitchen Table   Jan Stringer     159Relax Awhile and Allow     165Goofing Off to Get Ahead   Jeannette Maw     166Trust "The" Voice     173How Two Dozen Eggs Hatched My Real-Estate Career   Holleay Parcker     174Baby Steps Lead to AvalanchesThe Power of a Single Step     185A Poor Village Boy's Journey to the American Dream   Rene Godefroy     186The Power of Being 100 Percent Responsible     196Success in the Face of Adversity   Charles Marcus     197Pay It Forward and Create Miracles     204Dave's Legacy: The Miracle of Giving   Barb Gau, MSW, LCSW     205How to Make Fear Your Ally     211Somebody Give Me a Hand   Jeanna Gabellini     212Close Your Eyes and Dream     218Flash of Inspiration   Jillian Coleman Wheeler     219Your Full PotentialLive Life Fully     229Radical Sabbatical   Betty Healey, M.Ed.     230One Giant Leap for the Life You Love     237It's Never Too Late to Pursue Your Destiny   Patrick Snow     238If You Want It, You Can Have It     244Transforming Thoughts   Wanda Peyton     245You've Got It All     253List for It   Hayley Foster     254Your Wealth Depends on You     263Shake That Money Tree   Jan Henrikson     264Acts of FaithThe Secret to Making It B-I-G     273What Is the Best Use of a Life Given This Much Good Fortune?   Dave Ellis     274Givers Always Gain     282The Greatest Money-Making Secret in History   Joe Vitale     283Your Intuition Knows     292The Valentine's Day Cruise   Maureen O'Shaughnessy     293Putting Actions to Your Intentions     299My Dream House   Noelle Nelson     300Inner Guidance Is Always with You     308A Leap of Faith!   Sharon Wilson     309A Final Word     317More Chicken Soup?     318Supporting Others     319Who Is Jack Canfield?     321Who Is Mark Victor Hansen?     322Who Is Jeanna Gabellini?     323Who Is Eva Gregory?     324Contributors     325Permissions (continued)     329