Strengths and Weakness Aren’t Always Obvious

It‘s important for everyone to recognize that what they see on the outside doesn’t always accurately reflect what’s going on inside. Strengths and weaknesses aren’t always apparent; when you make assumptions based on outward appearances or actions, you can often be mislead or come to inappropriate conclusions.

Sometimes a person appears to be physically strong and healthy when in reality, their body is quite frail.

In general, people who have a strong, healthy appearance are looked upon more favorably than those who appear sickly or weak. At the same time, there are certain expectations placed upon someone who seems physically fit.

What’s your reaction when you see a person who seems quite capable park their vehicle in a parking spot clearly marked for the handicapped?

Do you jump to the conclusion that they’re being dishonest and taking a spot that should go to someone who actually needs it? Do you think they’re abusing the system if they have the appropriate permits to use the space? What about people who have breathing issues like emphysema? Their handicap may not be evident on the outside, but they’re still handicapped.

On the other hand, there are people who may appear to be weak and are actually incredibly strong. When you assume that a person who’s small in stature or delicate in build is weak, you’re discounting the abilities of a huge percentage of the population.

Being physically strong doesn’t mean that you have to be built like a linebacker or have six-pack abs. Physical strength comes in all shapes and sizes -- just look at the variety of body types at the Olympic Games and think about it.

You might see proof that physical strength isn’t related to size in your own children or in their friends. Parents of children who are considered small for their age can still support their children’s desire to become athletes.

You might direct your children towards individual sports or sports that are more suited for their builds. Yet what if they have their sights on being basketball players or want to participate in other contact sports?

It might be scary for you when you imagine all the other kids dwarfing your son or daughter, but that doesn’t mean you should discourage their participation.

Listen to you Internal Guidance System (IGS) so you can know the best way to support your children. Encourage them to tap into their IGS to follow their dreams. Imagine if Russell Westbrook had allowed his height and lack of skill keep him from pursuing his dream of playing basketball. Once deemed “too short” to play ball, Westbrook grew and ultimately became a star in college ball and is now a megastar in the NBA.

There are strengths and weaknesses that aren’t physical either. These are also open to misinterpretation.

When a man cries for example, it’s often treated as a weakness. In reality, it takes great strength to be honest and open with one’s emotions. Being strong emotionally is often seen as a positive trait, but it can mean not being in touch with your feelings or lacking in empathy for others. That’s clearly not something you’d encourage in your children.

Albert Einstein is an excellent and well-known example of a person who apparently had a great academic weakness. He was considered a slow learner, failed numerous exams, and by many accounts, had a bad memory. This supposed “poor student” is now recognized as one of the most brilliant minds of the 20^th century.

Clearly, whether physical, emotional, or behavioral, strengths and weaknesses aren’t always easily identified. Often what you see on the outside isn’t at all consistent with the inner truth. You want others to get to know our children for who they really are inside. We can also teach your children to be open minded and not rush to judge someone by their external appearance. Everyone wins when they look inside and give people the time to grow into their abilities.

For more, please visit www.SharonBallantine.com.

LOA Basics: Appreciating is Not Settling

One of the basic teachings of the Law of Attraction (LOA) is that it’s important to have an appreciation for what you have. Sometimes people misinterpret this to mean that they’re settling for less. Therefore, it’s important to understand that appreciating what you have in your life now doesn’t restrict what you’ll have in the future.

It’s certainly understandable to feel like you’re settling if you believe that by expressing appreciation for your current life, you’re attracting more of the exact same circumstances in the future.

Fortunately, that’s not how the Law of Attraction works.

The confusion arises partly because the LOA works on energy and vibrations.

These are things that you can’t see and because of that, they can be a bit more challenging to explain and grasp.

Imagine a cowboy wants to rope a cow. He sets his eyes on his target, picks up his rope, and lassos the animal. Of course, the cowboy has had lots of time to practice roping, and he’s had his share of misses. Yet with practice, his skill grows and it’s easier for him to consistently throw out his rope and get what he wants.

In a way, the Law of Attraction is like the rope. With practice, your skills at applying the LOA improve and you get what you want more consistently and easily. Unlike the rope, the Universe will deliver your quarry to you. You don’t have to pull the rope in to get it. Your job is merely to throw the rope where you want it.

The cowboy appreciates where he is before he ever picks up his rope. He may or may not be conscious of it in that precise moment, but on a regular basis, he expresses gratitude for his current situation.

He’s grateful for his horse and expresses that in both words and by caring for the steed. He’s grateful for good boots and a saddle that make getting his job done easier. The cowboy is even grateful for the weather, both rain and sunshine, knowing that both are needed for the grass to grow. The grass that feeds those cows he’ll one day lasso.

Your life in this very moment is a result of your thoughts, feelings, and actions you’ve taken in the past. You might even say it’s a result of the hours you practice with your “rope,” and the times you neglected your practice.

When you’re resentful of where you are today, you’re therefore trying to change the past. This is something that you can’t do. You can only change what you do right now. It’s precisely your current thoughts, feelings, and actions that will give you results in the future, whether your bid is successful or you come up empty.

When you express your appreciation for anything in your life, you’re raising your vibration or your rope. Just like the cowboy, you can’t get what you want without taking that first step. Appreciating his rope, horse, and saddle don’t preclude the cowboy from getting the cow; they enable it. It doesn’t mean he can’t get a faster horse or better saddle either -- his appreciation allows for more opportunities for things and experiences he will appreciate.

Think about what you have in your life right now to be thankful for. Speak words of appreciation for them. Show your gratitude with your deeds. Be grateful for what you have, aim for what you want, and be open to more opportunities in the future. The only settling you will find is the dust.

For more, please visit www.SharonBallantine.com.

Law of Attraction in Sickness and Health

Many people don’t believe that they can apply the Law of Attraction to their health. While it is easier to believe that you’re either healthy or not, you should know there are lots of things that you can do to improve your health. 

Of course, eating nutritious foods and getting exercise are healthy choices you can make that have a great impact on keeping your body strong.

However, you should also remember that your ability to affect your health goes far beyond what you do physically.

The first thing that you must recognize is that your current physical condition is merely a result of everything you’ve done in the past.

You can’t simply blink your eyes or snap your fingers and have an illness or extra pounds vanish.

If your current condition is a result of your past, then it stands to reason that today’s actions will affect what your body looks and feels like in the future.

When you study the Law of Attraction, you learn that it’s not only your actions that impact the world around you. It’s your thoughts and feelings that have the most profound impact. So if you want to change your physical appearance, whether it is to be stronger, healthier, to eliminate illness, or to lose excess fat, you have to change the energy that you send out into the universe through your thoughts and feelings.

Let’s be clear that this is not always easy. Most people have had many years of practice criticizing their bodies. You repeat the mantras of your various illnesses and woes. You tell everyone that you suffer from allergies, that you’re accident prone, or that you constantly get sick all winter long.

You complain that you aren’t strong enough or that your back hurts. If you have a serious disease, you might even explain your illness and symptoms to your family and friends.  You join with others who share your illness and form support groups and raise money to fight against this physical foe.

What the Law of Attraction teaches you is that in order to get what you want, you must focus your energy on what you want. If you want to be healthier, you must focus your energy on feeling healthier now. You must feel health inside yourself. You must visualize doing the same things as the healthy people who have the level of health you desire.

Once you can feel this inside and you’re focusing on this positive energy, then you’ll feel inspired to take the appropriate action to help yourself reach your health goals. The action may be as simple as getting off the couch and walking around the block instead of watching television.

You may be inspired to buy a pair of good walking shoes. Perhaps you’ll be guided to start simply by getting some fresh air and taking more breaks from your desk job. Maybe you’ll even be inspired to go to the local farmer’s market and buy some fresh produce for dinner.

What you will be inspired to do will be as unique as you are. Follow this inspiration. Don’t expect to see your results manifesting overnight, but do expect to continue to feel improved health. Spend as much time being hopeful and positive about your body and your health as you can. With this new attitude and by taking inspired action, you will manifest better health.

For more, please visit www.SharonBallantine.com. 

Photography as a Metaphor for Manifesting Your Ideal Life

Photographers are visual artists. Using a camera, their brain, and their creative eye, they select a scene and take a photograph of that scene to share with the rest of the world. You can do that with your life as well, choosing what you want to show to the world and what you do not. 

Some people think that a photographer is merely documenting events or places.

That is only partially true.

The image may be true and accurate, but it never tells the entire story because a photograph is only part of the bigger picture.

What is outside the frame of the camera lens may be less interesting or it may actually be more interesting. You as the viewer may never know. The photographer tells a story, albeit an incomplete one, choosing what to relay to the viewer and what details to leave out.

Photographers often manipulate the images as well, so that even though they started off as an accurate representation of something, it may be no closer to the original truth than a dream by the time it is shown to the viewer. Whether the photographer was documenting an event or creating something completely original, the end result is always something uniquely their own.

You can take a cue from the photographer. You are in control over what others see and know of your life. You can tell a story that you want others to know and leave out details that you do not deem important or interesting. You can also embellish your story so it bears no resemblance to the facts of your life.

Some people might consider this lying and believe that not telling the absolute truth is wrong. Others will say they are making positive affirmations, declaring their desired life into existence, and that is a good thing.

Who is right?

To answer that question, you must check in with your feelings. How does the statement feel? How do you feel when you are being deceitful, attempting to fool someone for personal gain? How do you feel when someone purposely deceives you, tries to take advantage of you? That doesn’t feel good, does it? Does this statement feel like that?

On the other hand, how do you feel when someone tells you about their latest promotion at work or the wonderful person they met? Do you suspect they are not telling the entire truth, or do you feel their joy? Does the statement feel hope-filled, positive, or optimistic?

You can take any situation and decide how you are going to frame it and present it to the world, just like the photographer. If you want to land your dream job, which photographs would you show a prospective employer? Would you show them the images of work you are most proud of or the tasks you did that you felt bad about?

Showing your best to the world is not the same as being false, unless you feel like you are being false. Appreciate the beauty in the snapshots you display. Believe in them. Know the power of your thoughts and feelings to create your reality. Accept in your heart that you have a “photogenic” life and you will manifest the life of your dreams.

For more on using the Universal Law of Attraction, please visit www.SharonBallantine.com.

Shifting Our Thinking Creates Heaven on Earth

Many people think of Heaven as a reward for life here on Earth. Some even believe that in order to receive that reward, our life here must be difficult. What if you can actually have “Heaven on Earth”? 

When you are open to all the possibilities in life, then you are in a blissful state of mind.

That is what Heaven is, so surely you can consciously set out to achieve that goal.

The shortest, fastest pathway to bliss is to have fun.

Your self-talk plays an important role in whether or not you are going to experience fun.

When there is a task before you, how do you think and feel about it? Listen to how you describe what you are doing or going to do. Do you say to yourself and to others that you “have” to do this? Do you feel like the task is a heavy weight, bearing down on your shoulders?

It doesn’t feel very good when you think you have to do something. How much better does it feel when you get to do something?

Do you think fun is your treat for working hard or accomplishing an unpleasant task? Rather than reserving fun as a reward, how about shifting your thinking to make every task fun?

To shift your thinking about the tasks you must do, think about the things you enjoy doing. What are the activities that you refer to as “getting” to do? What about those activities makes them fun for you?

In order to manifest what you want in life, you need to be in a place of allowing. You are far from a state of allowing when you feel burdened and impressed upon. It all boils down to this: you want to be having fun with everything that you are doing.

Let go of the idea that “work” must be dull, boring, or difficult. Be open to the idea that it can be exciting, stimulating, interesting, and fun. Now, go back to the thought of the activities that you enjoy. What can you take from those activities and apply to make your “work” activities fun?

You can manifest Heaven on Earth by shifting your thinking. Make a conscious decision that whatever you are going to do, it is going to be fun.

The task may be one of your own choosing, something you have been directed to do by a boss, teacher, or family member. It could be a significant task or something quite mundane. Regardless of the source or scope of the task, choose to have fun.

For more, visit SharonBallantine.com.

Using the Law of Attraction to ‘Attract’ a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep is something we all need. Some of us need a solid eight hours while others get by fantastically on much less. Teenagers are notorious for needing lots of sleep.  

No matter how many hours your body seems to need, we all need this “downtime” to rest and repair our bodies and our minds. 

We don’t always get the rest we need for a variety of reasons and missing out on sleep can be detrimental to our mood and our health.

So if you find yourself struggling with insomnia, take heart: you can apply the Law of Attraction to get that much-needed night’s sleep.

One of the most common threads behind people who do not sleep well is the belief that they do not sleep well. They even tell all their friends about their difficulty sleeping. That is the Law of Attraction at work, but not in a way that benefits your health.

Have you ever watched someone sleep? Perhaps a partner, a child, or even the family dog? If you have, you will have noticed that their energy is different. You can visually see when your loved one is dreaming. This is what scientists call the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) phase of sleep and this is when our mind does most of its restorative work.

Even if you sleep all day long, constant interruption during the REM stage of sleep will leave you feeling the exact opposite of rested and refreshed.

There are other stages of sleep that are also important for our health, but REM is the easiest for us to see without sophisticated equipment. With that equipment, scientists have shown that our brain wave patterns change during the various stages of sleep and are significantly different from when we are awake.

In order to get the relaxation and rejuvenation that we need from sleep, we have to get into a vibrational level that is similar to the sleeping brain wave patterns.

There are some devices that you can buy to help you achieve these brain patterns, but meditation is one of the best tools available to you. Focusing on your breath may be enough to settle your brain down and send you down the path to sleep. If your brain is still chattering away, adding a meditation tape can often be enough to distract the chatter.

Beyond meditation, it is important to apply the Law of Attraction to getting a good night’s sleep. Many sleep experts will tell you that you must go to sleep at the same time every night, or that you must not watch television, or you must (or must not) do x, y, z.

Instead of focusing on a list of things you must get just right, shifting your attitude and vibration is the answer.  Hold the intention that you will sleep well. Feel appreciation for all the things that went well that day. Talk to yourself in a loving, grateful, and appreciative way.

If you find your mind drifting to things you didn’t get done, tell your subconscious to remind you of the task in the morning, after your restful night’s sleep.

Visualize yourself sleeping soundly. Feel your body relaxing. Tell yourself how good a sleeper you are, that you sleep well and awake refreshed. Be grateful for your warm bed. Remember the positive people and moments in your day.

As we achieve our attitude of gratitude, our body and mind will relax with the pleasant thoughts. As you relax, your body and mind are already beginning to get the rest and relaxation they need to heal and for you to feel rested and refreshed--even before you drift off to sleep.

With practice, you will be able to achieve this rested state more quickly. One day soon, you may suddenly realize that you are sleeping well every night and you can’t remember the last time that you struggled to fall asleep.

Is There Scientific Evidence Supporting the Law of Attraction?

The Law of Attraction has been a popular, yet controversial, topic in modern times. It was recently made universally popular by the movie, The Secret. The idea is far from being new, however. It has been around for countless years, rising and falling in popularity. 

The big question is that whether or not there is scientific evidence supporting the Law of Attraction, but there are a few key points of interest:

Mirror Neurons

The first piece of scientific evidence supporting the law was found in the form of mirror neurons.

These were first found in primates. Scientists have found a set of these neutrons recently in humans as well.

Mirror neurons are located within the brain and help you mentally simulate all of the things you are watching.

This enables you to feel as though you are doing the task yourself instead of merely observing. The same is true when someone watches you. Other people's mirror neurons will “mirror” your actions.

The Amygdala

When someone is shown a picture of a face depicting fear, an almond- shaped portion of the brain lights up. This area is called the amygdala. The initial experiment where the amygdala was found went further as well -- scientists noted that even when the image of a fearful person was hidden in a much larger image, the amygdalae of the viewers still lit up in a similar manner.

This proves that when other people feel fear, you will feel fear as well. Another person's emotions prompt you to feel the same emotions.

The Power of Intention

The most conclusive piece of evidence supporting the Law of Attraction is the findings that show that the areas of the brain involved in both intention and action are intricately linked.

Studies have shown that when someone focuses strongly on an intention, the action centers of their brain also fire up. This has conclusively proven that strong focus on a given hope or thought can help you to actively strive towards it.

Is there scientific evidence supporting the Law of Attraction? The answer is a definite yes. The brain is literally equipped to further your goals through powerful intention. Those mirror neurons give you the ability to carry out tasks based solely on seeing someone else do them. The very ideals of the Law of Attraction are based strongly in scientific law. 

Utilizing the Law of Attraction in Three Simple Steps

Thought is much more powerful than people assume and it can determine the entire makeup of your life. It is important to know that no outside forces may determine your thoughts. They are innately your own. By harnessing their power, you can benefit from the Law of Attraction.

How can you do this? By following these three simple steps:

Step One: Practice Visualization

In order for your dreams to become a reality, you must practice visualization.

Allow yourself to imagine your dreams as they are.

According to the Law of Attraction, this makes your dreams become reality; so, the next time you daydream, go with it.

Daydreaming can actually be beneficial in that it is literally the act of visualizing your dreams.

Step Two: Think Positively

Positive thoughts will attract positive outcomes. Let's say that you want to receive a promotion that is up for grabs at work.

First, visualize yourself receiving the promotion in your mind. After you do that, you must think positively about the situation. Think that you will get the promotion and chances are high that you will receive it. Don't allow yourself to think negatively. This can actually cost you the position. Negative thoughts can attract negative outcomes, just like positive thoughts can attract positive outcomes.

Step Three: Truly Believe

It isn't enough to visualize or think positively if you don't truly believe in the power of the Universe. You must wholly believe your positive thoughts are going to be actualized. Otherwise, you will not benefit from the Law of Attraction. Your thoughts cannot be falsely positive. And you can’t fake it! You must honestly believe with every ounce of your being that what you want will come to you. It gets easier to believe as your life experience shows this to be true and you see things starting to happen for you.

Follow these three simple steps to harness the power contained within the Law of Attraction. Simply visualize, think positively, and truly believe. You will see what a major impact these simple practices can have on your life. You will be able to improve your life in ways you have never imagined. 

Physical Well-Being and the Law of Attraction

“Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you.” - Mary Lou Retton

Research has discovered the power of positive thought. The power of the Universal Law of Attraction so aptly summarized in the quote by Olympics Gold Medal Winner Mary Lou Retton, is a true aid to managing stress and optimizing your physical well being . 

It should come as no surprise that positive thoughts can help us get and stay healthy.

Empirical research has found that there are many positive health benefits associated with positive thinking and optimistic attitudes.

The Mayo Clinic found that positive thinking is linked to a wide range of health benefits including:

• Better psychological health 
• Increased sense of well-being 
• Lower depressions rates
• Reduced stress
• Longer life span
• Better stress management and coping skills
• Lower risks of cardiovascular disease-related death
• Increased resistance to the common cold

In a study of 1,550 older adults, the results showed that positive thinking also reduced frailty in the geriatric population.

How can you help yourself to think positive thoughts?  One of the first steps to take is to learn to pay attention to your own self-talk. When you do this, do you encourage and find the things you like best about yourself? Or are you self-sabotaging and focusing on everything you dislike about yourself?  Begin intentionally focusing on good things, good words and good feelings about who you are.

Affirmations can be a useful tool to begin shifting your focus from negative thoughts and self-talk to positive thoughts and self-talk. Write several positive statements about yourself or about your life. Keep it simple. Maybe you love your hair or you love your ability to help other people.  Once you begin looking for positive things about yourself, you will start to discover more and more things you like.

Keep an affirmations journal where you can write down your positive thoughts.  If you are having difficulty coming up with something positive to say to yourself, read through your journal and reflect on all the positive things you have already written and focus on one of those entries for the day.

Search online for affirmation or buy a book of affirmations. As you read them, notice which ones really feel good when you read them. Think about why they feel good. Do they fit you now or do they feel good because the affirmation is something you really want to be a part of your life in the future?

No matter what, affirmations can help you stay in a place of happiness. They may help you become healthy if you aren’t, or stay healthy because you will be lifting your mood. You will be allowing your body to heal and work optimally to protect you from disease.

The Universal Law of Attraction and Dreaming

According to the law of attraction, what we attract from the universe is whatever we are emitting as a vibration by how we are feeling. Our dreams and visions use symbols and literal images to provide us one more way to understand those things we are focusing on. 

What about premonitions?  Not everything we see in dreams or premonitions feel good or positive. Some are frightening or scary.

Our subconscious mind is connected to the universal energy source.

We continually learn ways of translating the information we receive from this universal energy source so that we can understand, apply and use it.

However, when we receive this type of information energy and knowledge, we filter it with our own fears and ideas about what it means.

When we rely on our internal guidance system, we choose things that feel good. When we try to interpret our dreams or visions, we need to filter the information through love. When we filter information based on fear, we are focusing on the negative elements of the dream, giving energy to the very things we do not want.

Sometimes negative dreams help us recognize that we are actually thinking about the lack of something rather than focusing on the things we really want. When we filter information through love, our dreams and visions give us encouragement and peace.

It often strengthens relationships with others.  Choose to interpret your dreams and visions in the most positive, life-giving way so that they feel good to you.

Here are some tips for how to use your dreams to create the reality you want for your life.

1. Start a Dream Journal. Record all you can remember about each dream you have, especially regarding the things you want. Note how the dream made you feel.
   
   If thinking about what you want in the dream feels good, then the chances are high that you are focusing on your true wants and desires. If your dream feels bad and causes you concern, you should follow your IGS.
   
   Take it as a sign that you may be focusing on the wrong things or the lack of something, rather than what you truly want.


2. Be grateful for the guidance you receive from your dreams. Welcome the knowledge you gain from interpreting your dream through love.
 
3. Ask for a happy dream about what you desire as you are preparing to sleep. Do this every night. It often helps to stimulate a helpful dream, or a dream that provides guidance.


4. Take what you learn from recording and analyzing your dreams to create the reality you want. Focus on the feelings your dreams produce in you and use those feelings to help you focus in on what you really want.

Love Thyself: The Universal Law of Attraction

The law of attraction is based on positive thoughts and intentions but it is difficult, if not impossible to find or manifest the things you really want if you do not love and respect yourself because negative emotion will be present.  Learning to accept yourself as you are and to be grateful for who you are the first steps towards taking control of your thoughts and finding the positives in everything.

 

How can we learn to love ourselves unconditionally?  The first step is to be grateful for who you are right now. 

Being grateful for who you are is the start to being able to accept your strengths and weaknesses and see them as part of the completely wonderful, lovable person you are. 

The next step is to recognize that happiness does not come from anyone or anything outside of you because you know and accept that you are already a successful, happy person.  No one can take away your happiness or the love you have for yourself. This frees you from worry, doubt and fear because no matter what happens, at the end of each day you love yourself unconditionally. 

When you get to the point of being able to love yourself, your relationships will begin to transform. You will not need to be in a relationship to find love because you already have all you need within yourself. Instead, you will begin giving away love to people without needing or expecting anything in return. 

Conflicts will fade away because you have the confidence to not only accept yourself but to accept your partner and friends for who they are.  You begin to manifest the type of relationships you have always wanted.

When you love yourself, it is easier to find the positive in others and in situations. It will help you stay focused on the positive outcomes you want for your life and you will find gratitude easier to practice as well.  It will be easier to spend more time reflecting, meditating, and visualizing because you are already in a happy place. 

Consider doing nice things that you would do for others for yourself.  Treat yourself with the same love and respect you show to others.  Daily affirmations are another good way to remind yourself of everything you love about who you are and those things that you accept about yourself.  Learning to love yourself is the foundation for finding true happiness, joy and peace.