Christy’s Blog

I recently saw this commercial on tv about it being un-American to shop at Wal-Mart. It caught my attention. I am not a Wal-Mart shopper. I stopped shopping there over three years ago when I noticed Wal-Mart was putting large employers in my area out of business (Rubbermaid).

Then two years ago, on a talk radio program, I hear that Wal-Mart own 80% or 90% of a city in China. Wal-Mart was boasting about this but I found it disgusting at the time and still do.

So, I visit the web site that the advertisement showed.

www.wakeupwalmart.com

You can join the group to change Wal-Mart. They are not trying to put them out of business they just want to send a message that they need to change. They also have a blog where you can learn more.

I believe this web site is owned by the grocery union or some such animal so it has its agenda but I think Wal-Mart needs to change. I have five Wal-Marts within ten miles of my home and I think it is a bit much.

I picked up the The Secret by Rhonda Bryne yesterday. I am halfway through it and I am thoroughly enjoying it. The book is fairly easy to read, other than the text is broken up on each page with quotes and antidotes.

The “secret” is the Law of Attraction, which really is not a secret at all. It is the similar as the Power of Positive Thinking and Your Best Life Now except The Secret does not reference God so much directly. The book references “the Universe” as a replacement. I think it makes the book friendly for the masses.

I have read many books on this topic and though they have affected me this one really put a fire in my belly. I can not put my finger on why, other than I have been looking for a technique for changing my thinking and this book seems to provide it.

What is the technique? Visualizing what you want to accomplish in a very positive way. See your goals already complete. You already have arrived, now let it go and know it is done.

I think I get frustrated in the “how do I get there from here?” question and I do not move forward. I do not leave the problem to the “Universe” even though I am telling myself I am. The visualization really helps to let go of the problem and get past the “how to”.

I spent the morning on Amazon.com reading reviews of The Secret and often wanted to laugh out loud at the negative reviews. I do not understand the angry reviewers that say the book was only produced to make money. That “the secret” is not a new concept and does not deserve to be written about.

The first few pages of the book explain that this concept came from another book and that the author (Bryne) researched heavily back to ancient times the origins of “the secret”. I would call that an admission that it is not a new idea, wouldn’t you?

The positive reviews gushed about how the book changed their lives. Many reviewers said they have or will purchase multiple copies for gifts. Many review their book or cd a couple times per week to stay focused on being positive.

Any concept that evokes so much emotion obviously is doing it’s job. For those against it, maybe they are not ready to accept such positive thinking in their lives. It can be painful to completely change your way of thinking and if you are not ready you probably are not going to accept it.

The Law of Attraction is real. I think everyone has used it without knowing it. We take a test, set a goal, perform in athletics, arts, etc. and visualize completion. When I was a child my sisters and I would get so excited when our cousins would come to visit us. We would anticipate their arrival all day long. As the time neared for them to arrive we would stand at the window and visualize them driving up our long driveway until they finally arrived. Probably not the same as the Law of Attraction but it helped us pass the time that seemed to take forever. None the less visualizing is a positive tool.

What if we all used it everyday for everything we do? We visualize the people greeting us with happy faces all day long, at work, on the street, in the elevator, at the gym, so we smile in anticipation and we get a happy smiles back. We could visualize having the perfect day, everyday … You get my point.

A few years ago I used the Law of Attraction to get a new car and a new home. It worked. I declared that I would have a new car and new home before the end of the year. This seemed impossible at the time but I did not worry about that. I declared it and knew it would happen. I then visualized living in the home that I wanted. I prayed about and said, “If it is meant to be it will be.” There was nothing more I could do.

Within weeks of my declaration my beloved in-laws bought my husband and I a newer car. Within 8 months I moved into the home I visualized living in.

I do not own the home I visualized then and live in now but I am visualizing paying it off and owning it very soon. I will keep you updated on this.

I am looking forward to finishing the book in the next few days and probably reading it again. I am planning to share it with my family.

My niece is starting college this fall and I want her to keep the positive attitude that she has now. I think corporate America can suck our positive energy fast and it would be best to prepare her now. I think it will make a great graduation gift.

Feel free to share with me how the Law of Attraction has worked in your life without you even knowing you were using it. I am looking forward to some great stories.

I visited my local library over the weekend and picked up the book, You’ve Got to Read this Book by Jack Canfield and Gay Hendricks. The book consists of 55 individuals from different walks of life and their stories of the one book that changed their lives.

The stories are unique and inspiring as each individual is. I am not even halfway through the book yet and I have a list of a dozen or so books I want to check out. I am always looking for inspiration.

Of course, I am wondering what books have inspired others? If any one would like to share their favorite book or the book that changed your life feel free to comment.

I have been devouring books regularly for several years. About four years ago I was at a low point in my life and I turned to books. I would think of a word that I wanted to read about. Leadership, courage, inspiration to name a few. I would pop the word into the computer search at the library and read through the list.

I found many great books. From Norman Vincent Peale, to Og Mandino, to Rick Warren. I think it was an Og Mandino book (I think it was The Return of the Ragpicker) that I read that really picked me up four years ago. I had to go to court, I didn’t have much money and my parents were going through a really hard time. Og said when you are in a hard spot remember that the tide is at its lowest ebb before the tide turns. I realized what I was going through wouldn’t last forever, things would get better.

I picked up and knew I would make it through court. I could help my parents the best I could and the tide would rise again. Unfortunately, the tide went out again six months later when my dad was burned in a fire and died three weeks later.

I know that the previous low prepared me to get through my dad’s accident. It was not a breeze. It was hard, and still is, but I knew that I could survive and there would me better times ahead. I am learning to live in today, it is all you really have.

I recently read the inspiring story called The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. What an amazing story that takes place in several prison camps during World War II. Corrie, who was in her 50’s at the time, and her sister, several years older, had to find a reason to live through unbelievable living conditions. They not only inspired each other but they, with God’s help, helped many others. They believed that they could make a difference. They believed that God would help them. They looked at terrible conditions and found good things. When I am feeling down I think of Corrie Ten Boom

I am still searching books for inspiration. There are many fantastic books out there. What book changed your life? I would love to add them to my list of must reads.