The Power of Programming

One day each week I take some time to decompress. I plop down on the couch, turn on a relaxing YouTube video for background music, and I just think.

My thoughts tend to be rather random, but this week my eyes strayed around my living room. I looked at my home in amazement. In less than a year, this place has been completely transformed. I went from sleeping on the floor, using a tiny gifted television and a host of thrifted and gifted items to owning a brand new, large screen television, a new futon, and other items. With the exception of the coffee table that has been in my life since childhood, many items around me are new and have been purchased by me, for me.

I have a bedroom now. I not only have a bedroom, I have a beautiful canopy bed and other items that give me so much pleasure every single time I lay down to sleep at night. When I wake up, I take a moment to revel in how luxurious I feel.

I even own a brand new car. I could barely imagine owning a car a year ago today, much less a brand new one.

How did I do this? I asked myself in wonder as I looked around. How did I go from living on so little to the life I live today?

I realized that the changes in my life began after I gave myself permission to spend money on things that I enjoy. It wasn’t until I knew that my youngest daughter was moving out that I’d felt safe enough to actually spend money on me.

Why?

I journeyed back in time. When I was a child, my parents had more than enough money during my early years. It wasn’t until after my father lost his leg that we began to struggle financially. Before that, I didn’t even realize that money was a thing. We’d owned apartment buildings, a newer car; we’d even owned a farm in the country.

Had that been why I was so hesitant to spend money on myself?

While that seemed like part of the answer I realized that it wasn’t the entire story. After high school I’d taken a job, bought a newer vehicle, and while I wasn’t wealthy, I had enough money to buy the things I needed–if not everything that I wanted. I routinely treated myself to road trips, meals out, and even nice clothes back then.

To be honest, back when I was in high school and shortly after, I wouldn’t have been caught out in public wearing anything less but a nice shirt or blouse, quality pants (I preferred slacks), and ballet flats. That’s a big difference compared to just a year ago today.

But I became pregnant at the age of 19. I was unmarried, and to this day I can recall the tears as I spewed hate upon myself. I was a horrible person. I was a slut. I deserved not just to die, but for horrible things to happen to me because I was a horrible person.

My life began to spiral after that. People around me fed into my self-hate by telling me that the only future I could hope for was to be a “welfare mom.” No one would want to bother with “damaged goods.”

I was nothing and I did it all to myself.

Over the years I’ve rarely looked back at that time because it was too painful, but this time I persisted. I had went from living a comfortable (if not wealthy) life to painful, struggling poverty during the course of that pregnancy.

And I didn’t truly begin to pull myself out of that until shortly before my youngest turned 18.

Oh, I had good times over the years, but even when times were really good I felt guilt every time I treated myself to something nice, to the point where I didn’t treat myself at all unless I thought that treat would benefit us financially. I bought books because they could help me learn how to improve myself. I invested in computers because through computers I made our living.

I wouldn’t even purchase new underthings unless my current ones were completely worn out, and many times I would continue to make do until the items were totally useless.

I realized that during that time of emotional duress, that time when I spewed self-hate upon myself, that I had programmed my subconscious mind to believe that I didn’t deserve to have nicer things.

Perhaps that is why, when I would fill my house with things I loved, something would always happen that turned my life to shit.

I almost didn’t buy the car because of that programming. During the negotiations, I stepped outside to look at it, and I heard that whisper in my mind:

Who am I to even think of buying a brand-new car? There are much more sensible ways to spend your money! This is stupid, frivolous…go home before you do something stupid. This isn’t you.

But I knew that it was a logical choice. It was well within my budget and met every criteria for the purchase of a vehicle that the experts lay out. The cost (even with interest and that warranty plan included) was significantly less than my annual income. The payment I’d agreed to was beneath what even the experts agreed was acceptable. It had everything I’d ever hoped for in a vehicle down to the color and I knew that it would provide not only reliable transportation moving forward, but provide me an immense amount of pleasure as it did so.

The turning point wasn’t simply logic, however. The turning point was when I asked myself why not? Why not own a brand-new vehicle, if it met my needs and desires? Why not enjoy having the ability to drive to work in a car that gave me a feeling of pride? Didn’t I deserve to treat myself to something that was not only practical, but beautiful as well?

While I have no regrets about the life I have lived, I now wonder if I deliberately denied myself nice things because I had programmed myself to believe that I didn’t deserve them.

If that is the case, are there others out there doing the same thing?

Have you ever looked at something you wanted and told yourself that you didn’t deserve it? Do you live with things around you that fail to make you happy yet you refuse to change them?

Has there ever been a point in your life where you hated yourself so much that perhaps you, too, have programmed your mind to believe that you only deserve to live so well, but no better?

If so, please share your stories in the comments below.

~#~

If you happen to find this post helpful, would you consider sharing it with a friend or on social media?  Thanks!


I’ve written a lot of books sharing my odd view of life in hopes of helping others. My most notorious book is titled The Shoestring Girl: How I Live on Practically Nothing and You Can Too, but The Minimalist Cleaning Method is pretty popular as well. You can find them at the following places:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Apple iBooks
Smashwords (non-DRM)

Thank you for your support!

Keeping Busy

It’s been a chaotic week. I’ve been focused on gratitude, so it ended up being a magical week with some fascinating things taking place.

Just as Katie and I were finishing a cup of coffee before we began the process of transferring her car into her name, Katie received a panicked call from her husband. The shippers had decided to change the pickup date for her car to that day and wanted to pick it up immediately.

Katie told her husband to cancel the shipment. It would leave them several days without a car, and she wasn’t having it.

“I’ll have it shipped after we get moved,” she told her husband. “Mom can use it in the meantime.”

To say I was startled would be an understatement! I’d been walking and hitching rides to work since her husband had arrived. While I’d looked at a few cars locally (and discussed acquiring an unused car (translation: it’s been parked for a while) from a family member) nothing had clicked, so I had spent these past few weeks telling myself that the perfect vehicle would come to me in the perfect way. Could this be it? I wondered silently.

This was how I ended up taking my daughter and son-in-law to the airport a few nights later. I was to have full use of the car until she got things sorted on her end for a return trip to retrieve it.

She texted me her first full day in California:

<Hey, mom. Would you like to buy the Green Bean? I’ll sell it to you for what I have in it.>

She took the money I transferred to her and bought an SUV that very same day.

I honestly believe that I attracted the situation. I like the car; it’s the only station wagon like it in the area. An older classic, it suits me perfectly well, and I enjoy the process of fixing up older cars. Even better, we both benefited from the situation. She got what she put into the car back and I acquired the transportation I desired for my personal game plan.

While I was sad to see my beloved Katie go, I decided to focus upon the empty bedroom she left behind. When I would arrive home after work, instead of dwelling upon her absence I painted.

Here is a short video of the progress I’ve made thus far:

I have to work in the morning so after tidying my house and doing laundry I kicked back with a book to enjoy the rest of my day. I’ll tinker on the room some more tomorrow.

Since I am starting a new era in my life I am considering making a change to how I blog as well. Instead of just writing, I’m thinking about posting some videos as well. What do you think? Would you like to watch me ramble on occasion?

~#~

If you happen to find this post helpful, would you consider sharing it with a friend or on social media?  Thanks!


I’ve written a lot of books sharing my odd view of life in hopes of helping others. My most notorious book is titled The Shoestring Girl: How I Live on Practically Nothing and You Can Too, but The Minimalist Cleaning Method is pretty popular as well. You can find them at the following places:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Apple iBooks
Smashwords (non-DRM)

Thank you for your support!

Mission Accomplished

When we walk away from something, we can gain the distance needed to see. When we walk away from something, we change our perspective in a way that reveals aspects that we’d previously been blinded to.

I’ve been aware of the theory for ages. I’ve rarely seen it work, however, so it’s just been a random bit of knowledge that I’d tucked away in a dark corner of my brain.

And this has been a stressful year. I reached the point where I had to step back, to walk away from almost everything just to maintain my sanity.

That decision allowed me to gain distance from a goal I’ve been tinkering on for close to 30 years…

…a goal that I’ve just discovered that I’ve accomplished.

I don’t know whether to shit or go blind. OMG…I did it. I really, truly did it.

I developed a self-sustaining, perpetually growing passive income. Not only have I managed to develop the Mother Lode of income sourcing, I’ve actually managed to accomplish something that I’d privately given up on.

I did it, folks. I’m free. I’m really, truly financially free.

We’ve shared this journey together for over a decade now. You have followed me through every single one of my zany adventures. You’ve stuck with me through the blood and the sweat and the tears and the countless mess ups I’ve made.

So I feel that I owe it to you to tell you that I finally made it.

I don’t have to worry about needing to acquire a public job during the Covid crisis. Given that 97% of Covid deaths here in Kentucky are people that are my age and older, I’ve been terrified at the thought that I may have to expose myself to that danger just to earn enough money to survive.

I’m free. OMG I’m free.

Do me a favor. Keep this to yourself. I’m telling you this out of obligation because you’ve been there with me for all of these years, but I don’t know if I’m ready for this to get out yet. I need to process this. I’ve spent the bulk of my adult life pursuing this dream, and to finally realize that I’ve accomplished it is a bit much for me to handle at the moment.

I need to think.

The Magic of Dreaming

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The alarm clock blares, signaling another day of drudgery. You hit the snooze for as long as you dare, dreading the oncoming day until you finally jump up, catch a shower, and race to work.

You punch in at the time clock only to be greeted by your boss who has a litany of complaints and a hundred things they need you to accomplish ASAP, only to return home so brain dead that the only thing you want to do is scarf down the stale chips in your pantry and crash on the couch.

It never seems to end, does it?

Day by day, you barely have enough energy to survive, much less focus on escaping.

But you know what?

They may have enslaved your body but they can’t stop you from dreaming.

When you collapse into bed each night, imagine that you are laying down in the bed of your dreams. Use the good sheets if you have them and keep them scrupulously clean. Inhale the sweet scent of your pillow and relax because right now, at this moment, you are not a slave. You are free, and you are stretched out in your new life.

Imagine looking around at the tidy bedroom of the life you want. See yourself padding to the kitchen for a glass of milk or a midnight snack. Live your future life each night as you fall asleep.

Wake up a bit earlier each morning, turn on some classical music (classical makes one think of wealth), sit down, and think.

What can you do, right now, that will allow you to live your dream?

Write down the ideas that result from your brainstorming. In time, one of the ideas will click but for now just think.

Take a day off and just relax. Turn off the alarm clock. Cancel your appointments. Turn off the phone and ignore social media. Listen to the music that makes you feel wealthy and walk through your home. Pretend that you’ve made it; you’ve already achieved the life of your dreams.

Does your dream home contain empty take-out boxes scattered all over creation?

If not, then fix it.

Tidy the home of your future while you live in the home of your now.

Once you’re done with your quick clean-up, treat yourself to a long soak in the tub or an indulgent shower. Dress in your nicest comfy clothes and settle into your favorite spot.

For now, at this moment, you are wealthy. You’ve achieved your dream. You don’t have to go to the job. You’ve got food in your belly, clothes on your back, and your time is your own.

How will you spend it?

Perhaps wealthy you would like to research one of the ideas from your earlier brainstorming session? If so, then read a book or watch some videos on the subject. Whatever it is that you see wealthy you doing in a moment of peaceful down-time at home, do it the best that you can.

When you go to bed that night, know that you have lived the life of your dreams for a day. Savor the fact that, despite your current circumstances, they didn’t stop you from resting your body and opening your mind.

It sounds insane but it works. Taking the time to imagine the life you want to lead, to live in it now, where you currently are, will work wonders not only for your mood but for your future progress. It allows you to escape the ruts that you’ve fallen into, clear your head, and take those first tiny steps towards your dreams.

That was how I started down my path. At first, I took long soaks in the tub to hide from the misery of my life. Next, I started cleaning my home while my husband was away, pretending that I was free from my unhappy marriage and getting my life sorted.

In time I dreamed of a life where I could raise my kids without having to work in a public job. I started brainstorming ways to make it happen.

Since I loved to write and help people, I imagined a life where I could sit at home and raise my children in peace while I typed at my computer. I didn’t know how I would make that happen; I simply pretended that I was doing just that whenever I sat down to write a journal entry or whatnot.

Before I knew what hit me I had a successful website and a number of books published. Those books produced enough royalties for me to stop working entirely.

I started it all by dreaming.

I Have a Confession to Make

I had forgotten about those early days when all I could do was dream. I didn’t even realize until recently that those dreams were the first steps I took to create my reality. If not for dreaming about the life I wanted to lead, living it the best I was able in the moments I could, I would have never been inspired to start this website or write my first book.

Now that my kids are grown it is time for another dream. I’m living it now as I write this.

What do you dream?

An Experiment in Luxury

It is amazing how quickly things can work out when you create an intention. Shortly after challenging myself to reverse the Diderot Effect in my personal life a friend came over to visit. Her granddaughter was moving in with her; did I happen to have any old children’s movies that I would consider selling on the cheap?

I pulled out my binders to examine my DVD collection. My Katie had been quite fond of Barbie movies and the like; I had built up quite the collection over her childhood. She selected several of them along with an assortment of other movies that she thought she would enjoy personally and we sat down to negotiate.

She left with a tidy stack of movies fifty dollars later.

I was fifty dollars richer; what should I do with the money? I thought about investing it but then remembered my challenge. I’d just written about how I would like to find some way to treat myself that wouldn’t hurt my budget; in a stroke of sheer luck, I now had fifty dollars that hadn’t been accounted for.

What could I buy for fifty dollars that I would never allow myself to normally purchase? Was there something that I wanted that wasn’t functionally necessary but that I dreamed of owning just the same?

I drew a blank. I’d become so conditioned to living cheap that I could not think of a single thing so I took the question to my daughter.

“What about that guestbook you’ve been admiring at Biancke’s for years?” she suggested. “Every time we go in there you flip through the pages and drool over it; I can’t count how many times I’ve heard you say that it would make the perfect journal.”

An image of the book immediately popped in my head. A large, well-bound book, it features numbered, lined pages that I had admired for decades. The restaurant had encouraged guests to sign in on every visit since I was a teenager and they had used the exact same style for as long as I could remember.

I had even asked where they bought their replacements once. I’d priced it and immediately choked at the cost.

It was far too much to spend on the luxury of journaling.

But now? Now I wanted something completely decadent. I wanted to allow myself a luxury so outrageous that it bordered on ridiculous.

And I wanted to do it on a fifty dollar budget.

Convinced that I’d never be able to afford it, I allowed the kid to persuade me to walk down to the restaurant for a closer examination. I was certain that it was out of my league but what would it hurt to look? If anything, I would find that book above my station and treat myself to a Moleskine.

I’ve never allowed myself to indulge in a Moleskine.

We braved the curious looks from the workers as we examined the heavy tome. Armed with the brand and model, we headed home to price one.

Ouch! Just as I anticipated, the book was almost $100.

“Maybe I should buy a cheap washer instead,” I suggested as I went to close out the tab.

“You’re always doing that!” Katie snapped. “You’ve wanted that thing for years–don’t tell me you haven’t! Buy something nice for yourself for a change! You’ve bitched about how thin the paper was in composition notebooks for ages. You’ve bitched about how you dislike journaling on the computer and now you’ve got fifty bucks that you can use to fix the problem. Let’s see what we can find!”

She shoved me out of the chair and hijacked the computer. Flipping over to the purchasing options, she discovered that Amazon had some for sale minus their original packaging.

The price was $53 after tax.

I allowed myself to buy that book. I can’t believe I did it, to be honest. I allowed myself to purchase something completely decadent and amazingly expensive, simply because I wanted it.

But oh my, it is absolutely beautiful.

It is beautiful. It is decadent. It is a completely selfish luxury. It is 512 pages of journaling bliss and I can’t believe the fact that it is actually mine.

It is the first real extravagance I’ve allowed myself for longer than I can remember.

I’ll have to conserve the pages. It cost too much to treat it lightly but in exchange, every time I use it I will be reminded of the fact that it’s okay to have nice things if you can afford them. It’s okay to treat myself on occasion.

It’s okay to want to improve my life.


Have you ever treated yourself to a completely ridiculous luxury? Please share your stories in the comments below. I need to christen this journal before I lose my nerve and send it back.

Focus

We are attracting all of the time whether we know it or not.  All of our feelings good and bad are causing more of those same feelings and experiences to come to us.

When we have a horrible day, we focus on how horrible it is.  We passionately detest the type of day we are having yet that very emotion of disgust and hate is attracting more of those same negative experiences that we want to get rid of.

The only way to change what we are attracting is to change our focus.

Stop.  Just stop for a moment.

Take a deep breath and slowly let it out.

Get a grip on those feelings that are spiraling out of control.

Go to a peaceful spot—hide in a bathroom stall if that is what it takes—and calm down.

Change your focus and you will change your experience. Concentrate on one thing that makes you feel good. Grab that feeling and hold on to it like the lifeline it really is.

Keep your focus on the good.  Place blinders on your mental vision blocking out the bad things and remind yourself of how wonderful it is to experience whatever it is that makes you happy!

Stop looking at the negative in your life.  It won’t go away so long as you stay focused on it. Change your focus, and change your world.

What do you have to lose?

Gratitude List

When you wake up every morning and sit down with your daily cup of coffee or tea, relax and start the day with a gratitude list.

Use a pen and paper to write down every single thing you are happy and grateful for. Don’t leave anything out—write everything down that comes to mind.

This may seem hard at first or even foolish, but don’t give up. Make this a part of your daily routine.

What this exercise does is change your point of attraction for the day. Instead of focusing on waking up to go to work and dreading that commute you will be focusing on the good things you are thankful for. This will change your focus—and thus what you attract.

A typical Gratitude List may look like this:

  • I am so happy and grateful for the sun shining so pretty today.
  • I am so happy and grateful that it is payday today.
  • I am so happy and grateful that the kids are getting ready for school so quickly this morning.
  • I am so happy and grateful to know that I am loved.

Yours will be different depending upon your individual situation. The trick is to list everything that you are grateful for that morning regardless of how minute the item may seem.

Start out your days with a Gratitude List and watch your life start changing for the better!

Relationship Epiphany

It has just occurred to me that perhaps I am resisting the happy relationship I could be having.

I talk about being lonely, and make plans for spending the rest of my life alone, yet part of me wonders if I really want to be alone.

I want happiness.  I am going to stop and ask for a lead for happiness….

If that happiness is to come from being in a relationship, then the perfect relationship will materialize.

If that happiness is to result from being single then I will have a sign given to me concerning the issue.

Regardless, I need to stop making plans to be alone, for I may be attracting loneliness into my life…

If you ever get the opportunity, read the books by Florence Scovel Shinn.  She has three wonderful books on the Law of Attraction.  You can read them here.

I’m going back to my book.  Florence is speaking clearly to me tonight.

Peace!

What Do You REALLY Want?

I adore the Law of Attraction. I have used it to attract many things. However, one thing has stumped me for a bit.

Back when I first started working with the Secret I put the request forward that I wanted to have enough money to be a stay-at-home mother for at least a while until my daughter was older.

Next thing you know, I’ve got a job working at home.

Great! But I wanted financial security, and I had a hunch to start playing the lottery. So I started playing.

I focused on that, and nothing happened.

Hmmm….

As things became frustrating in my work at home job, I unwittingly put the request forward to not have to work, to just be a mom at home.

Next thing I know, I’m unemployed.

I had asked for other things, like the home I am living in that to my amazement waltzed into my life, as well as other things.

But I had that hunch about the lottery, and I kept focusing on it, instead of the original request; to have enough financial security to just be a stay at home mom for a time until my daughter was older…

Amazingly, I have won a couple of small prizes from the Powerball. Once I put out the intention that I would win by the end of a certain month, and on the very last drawing of the month I won but not the jackpot.

I love this life. I want to continue. I adore being able to keep the home clean and relax in the bathtub listening to Dvorak breathing in the relaxing lavender scents…

I am doing something wrong. I think it is a matter of focus, for perhaps I am focusing on the hunch instead of the original request…

So now I am going to follow the hunch, but work more on the original request. Gratitude about how I am living my life today, and a desire to continue living my life just this exact way, with plenty of money to go around.

I am still going to follow my hunch, but I’m not going to worry about it so much. It is only a hunch, not the original request.

After several months of misplaced focus, it will definitely be an adjustment, but that’s okay.

Sometimes you have to evaluate your requests and make sure you are asking for what you REALLY want.

I need to do that..

Today.

Another Book

These past several weeks have found me wandering the aisles at the local bookstores, yet finding nothing of interest.

Yesterday I went to Office Depot to have a book rebound, and went next door to the bookshop to just wander about.

At first I thought about buying a novel, but something inside urged me to set it aside and keep looking.

Look I did, but I was not sure what for. Over the racks I browsed after setting my initial choice aside, following a feeling.

A book caught my eye I had wanted to examine. I picked it up, leafed through it thinking perhaps this is what I was to see? It wasn’t the one, so I placed it back on the shelf.

Then I saw it. Jammed between scores of books on the exact same subject. The Book.

I had seen this book previously yet passed it by, but this time I knew I had to take it home.

It is the Idiot’s Guide to the Law of Attraction. Why I was not attracted to it in the past I cannot say, for I have held it in my hands and returned it to the shelf several times without a feeling at all concerning it, but yesterday I knew I had to purchase the volume.

Since bringing it home last night – I wish I could explain. I have been reading it, digesting it. It contains what I need to increase my knowledge of the Law of Attraction, of this Secret.

I have good feelings about this.

Life is about to become even more magical than it already is…

I love this life!

The perfect person

I have put in the hands of Attraction that I would like to meet the person who is the one for me. Within days my ex-boyfriend came back in my life, and has been coming over quite regularly. This was quite surprising.

While I do not know if he is the one that is meant for me, I do know that if he is not he will fade away and I will not feel loss from the absence. That is good, regardless of the ending.

While I watch this surprising development, I have decided to work on being more minimalistic, in order to promote more peace and tranquility in my life. The happier and more peaceful my home life is, the more I can work toward attracting more peace and tranquility.

As such, the kitchen is on its way, and I am thinning out the living room once again. Some would say that I don’t have enough stuff, but I still feel that I have too much, for it is a burden to clean and arrange, much less move should I decide to relocate again.

Also, if I’m to attract the perfect person in my life, I have to make room for him, don’t I?

Following a hunch

When you become closer to the Universal Mind, sometimes you get hints, or hunches that guide you in interesting ways…

Like the hunch to move to a house that didn’t really suit us.. but across the street moved a lady who had a mobile home for sale that did – a mobile home whose layout is strangely similar to the one I placed on my vision board then removed some time ago. A mobile home which I now own free and clear!

I have learned the hard way not to ignore hunches for whatever reason, so when I got the hunch that we needed a water filter for the new place I followed it and got a Pur water pitcher for us…

Since the purchase we have all been drinking glass upon glass of water. Even the guinea pig is drinking more water.

I began to research a bit on the benefits of water drinking, and found an interesting link. Apparently the Japanese have a certain method of drinking water on an empty stomach that is supposed to cure a lot of ills. With The Secret we don’t need such things, but it was an interesting read. The link is no longer active, unfortunately, so I’m unable to share it.

Perhaps the Law of Attraction has guided me to a desire for drinking more healthy water in order to bring about the healthier body I desire. Regardless, I’m playing my hunch and keeping some water nearby for whenever I want a quick drink.

Recommended Reading

For those who are truly interested in learning more about the Secret, this Law of Attraction, I have discovered a whole treasure chest of information, all contained in one single book.

You won’t find this book in the self-help section; you won’t even find it in the new age section. Instead, I stumbled upon this gem in the financial section of my local bookstore.

It is called The Prosperity Bible, and it contains nineteen of the best books to read if you are learning about the Law of Attraction. Actually, I stumbled upon one book that wasn’t listed in the table of contents, so perhaps 20 is a more accurate number.

In this book, you will find some well known gems, like Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles, The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel, plus many others.

Within this book is a great treatise called The Game of Life and How to Play it by Florence Scovel Shinn – if you are any at all curious about the Law of Attraction, the Secret – you really need to read this book. I have actually copied parts of this book to display around my home to better memorize them!

It is hardback, and mine came boxed. Beg, borrow or buy a copy of this book – you won’t regret it!

Law of Attraction Strikes Again

Yesterday I took the dog for a walk to the Riverfront.

We had a wonderful time, and I planned to go to PetSmart and grab some things before heading home, but when we got back to the van, I noticed the back drivers side tire was very low.

Normally stuff like that would annoy me, but I had a feeling it was for the best, telling myself there is a reason that we are supposed to go straight home to air the tire.

On the way home, I decide to instead stop at a gas station and air up the low tire instead of going home and hunting for the air pump. There were two gas stations ahead.

I had never stopped at either station in the past, so I had no preference. Logic would have indicated I stop at the first station to air the tire as soon as possible, but for some reason I went on to the second station.

As I pulled in I saw the air pump. When I pulled in beside it, I realized something surprising, IT WAS ALREADY RUNNING. I hopped out and started airing the tire. Just as I finished, the pump clicked off.

I stared at the machine in astonishment. It was one of those pay machines, you put in 75 cents and get three minutes of air. Nothing special about it at all.

If one were to calculate the odds of happening upon a row of gas stations, picking just the right one that just happened to have just enough time left on the machine to air up a low tire, I do believe they would be quite astronomical. To answer the inevitably question: no I saw no one at the air machine before or as I pulled in.

There can be only one word for it: Attraction.

Somehow I attracted just the correct set of events to get the tire aired up as simply and quickly as possible.

There are times when I really want to write stuff like this off as coincidence, but frankly it happens too often for me to do so. I wish I knew how to calculate odds on what happened yesterday, I would love to know what the odds are against something like that happening.

I love this life. I don’t understand why so many want to leave it. There is an incredible power out there, just waiting for people to learn about and use, and most don’t know it exists.

Life has become an adventure again. Each day I can barely contain my excitement, wondering what new thing is going to happen.

I wish I could tell others about this, but I don’t think my family and friends would believe it.

I believe however, and that is all that matters.

The “Secret,” – The Law of Attraction – it works!

I attracted a lawnmower today.

Manifested it with a simple thought.

I was tired of looking at the lawn getting taller and taller, so instead of begging my daughter to do it like she is supposed to I grabbed the reel mower and went to do it myself..

As I started pushing, the thought occurred to me of how nice it would be to just use a gasoline mower to get it over with…..

And a lady walks up. Out of the blue, she insists that I use her gasoline mower to mow my lawn.

Not realizing the significance I hesitate, saying I don’t have any gasoline right now and she says “so what? I have plenty! Come get this mower!”

Then it hit me. The law of Attraction. I had attracted that mower to me with that brief thought. Without another protest, I borrowed her mower and thanked her profusely. I plan to fill my little gasoline can in gratitude for their generosity.

So far I have used the Law of Attraction to manifest some clothes and shoes for my daughter, some help moving to my previous place, some extra money, a job I could work at home, this mobile home we purchased, and now the use of a gasoline mower.

I think I manifested something else, but didn’t recognize it when I saw it, so the opportunity passed. It was just too much at once!

I think I’m starting to get the hang of this! p

moving update

We got to look at our new place yesterday. It is in good shape considering it’s age (36 years old) but of course needs a bit of work. First on the list is to get the roof sealed up good, as there is no knowing when it was last done!

My daughter’s bedroom is very small, so will have to be very creative on space usage in there. Both of us have huge closets, however – and her room has a built-in dresser as well. There is an alcove beside my closet where I plan to place my computer desk – a pulled curtain will keep it out of sight when I’m not working.

The carpet in the living room is bright red, so if we keep the couch and loveseat I will definitely have to cover them to coordinate with the floor. Figure I can go with solid black covers. If I cannot find any ready made a couple of solid black sheets will do nicely. Black with red, and solid white curtains – very modern. The walls are paneled, and the paneling is old but will have to do. Thought about painting, but may just clean it well instead.

There is a bar between the living room and kitchen. A couple of stools and we can take our meals there in a casual manner. There are plenty of cabinets and a pantry even, so there is plenty of storage space.

When we start moving in I will take some photographs of the interior. The current resident is still living there and so did not want to be rude and take photos yet.

Got two more little goldfish for our tank. They actually have a lot of black on them. Katie bought them both for a quarter at the pet store. Our first resident seems happier now that it has company.

Need to get some boxes, but fortunately we weren’t really unpacked from moving here! A friend asked if we planned to move again in the future, and I told her yes, when we had enough money for a piece of land. She just laughed.

I am just thankful that this came true. I had placed the request for a two bedroom mobile home on the vision board, and like everything else I place there it arrived. I love my vision board! Who would have thought that the mobile home would have sought us out? Waiting for my next request now!

Do Vision Boards Work?

Just a thought before I go to sleep.

Several months ago I read a book called The Secret.  In that book and movie, it talked about having a vision board and putting on that board, things that you really desire.  

Well, we got a corkboard and put a few things up.  One of the things we put up was the schematic for a two-bedroom mobile home.  I wanted a small trailer we could call our own that I could afford.

After a while I ripped the schematic off of the board and tossed it aside as nonsense.  

Today in my life now there is a two-bedroom trailer, mine for a price I would be stupid to refuse.

Is this coincidence, of the power of the Secret utilized in the Vision board?