“You do not belong to you. You belong to the universe.”
Buckminster Fuller

Every one is looking for their purpose. Must have a purpose! A story I often hear from motivational speakers is the story of Alice in Wonderland and Cheshire Cat. Alice stands at a crossroads and asks the cat which path she should take. He asks “Where are you going?” She says she doesn’t know. “Well then, it doesn’t really matter which path you take.”

People treat this story like it’s so profound, as if it’s evidence that you should know where you’re going. You MUST know where you’re going! Really?

I have a different take. It doesn’t really matter! It’s nice to know where you’re going. It’s far more pleasant to have a clear direction, but the odds are you’ll be getting lost along the way. Your life has its purpose, and this purpose expresses itself as you meander. The act of finding intermediary goals and getting into action will put you on the path of your larger purpose.

The only thing more painful than not knowing your life purpose is beating yourself up for not knowing your life purpose.

Even worse than that is to have personal development people telling you that you have to have a life purpose. Of course your life has purpose, whether you see it or not.

Let’s cut the crap.

Your primary job in life: be happy. Happiness is not for the faint of heart. I’m not talking an “I got a Kindle!” happiness (though I’ll take it if you got it). What is the quality of happiness that doesn’t depend on changing circumstances?

If you can learn to be happy, then you will be a model and a teacher for others to be happy. And they will be models and teachers for others to be happy. If we could all be Buddhas for happiness and fulfillment, abundance and prosperity, imagine the possibilities for the world. It doesn’t really matter if you get an MBA or paint flower pots. Where is your joy? What brings you your true abundance and prosperity? That is your purpose.

Goals and accomplishments are important. They give our lives direction, support us in our happiness. Like a finger that points to the moon but isn’t the moon itself, our goals point to something bigger: our desire to be fully realized, loved, valued, happy beings. The big cheese.

What do you desire? What would it take for you to be fully happy?

Notice what naysayer thoughts pop into your head when you think about getting your dreams fulfilled. We’ll call those thoughts your gremlins. Things to know about gremlins:

* Your gremlins show up when you care about something, so their presence can be a good clue that you’re on the right track.

* Gremlins represent a point of view, not THE TRUTH.

* If what they say doesn’t empower you, say “Thank you for sharing.” (Then give your gremlins a pat on the head and some apple juice and graham crackers–quiets them down. Sit him in a corner. Go back to your life. Repeat as necessary.)

Scary Gremlin Monster

Get back to what you love. Pursue goals. Pay attention to clues from the universe. That’s how you live on purpose. And tell those seminar leaders to fuck off.

“Gremlin-Taming® is a specific method developed by Rick Carson and
described in his seminal work, Taming Your Gremlin® © 1983 Richard D.
Carson. For more information on Gremlin-Taming, and professional
trainings in the Gremlin-Taming Method, contact The Gremlin Taming
Institute (www.tamingyourgremlin.com or 1-800-253-9269).”

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.
~ Alan Cohen

Would you like to create fast change? Here’s how: make space for what you want!

When life coaching clients are stuck and not manifesting abundance and prosperity, I have them take a look at what they’re tolerating in their lives. What do they put up with that drains their energy? Where are they settling?

We all have tolerations: those people, things, or habits that drain our energy, dim our life enjoyment. It could be a messy desk, or a critical relative, or not taking care of your health. We may have become so accustomed to certain tolerations that we feel that’s just the way life is. We don’t think we have a choice. We feel powerless, and that sense of powerlessness bleeds into other areas of our lives.

Every time you settle, you are telling the universe that “this is good enough,” and you are telling yourself, “I don’t deserve better.” If that’s your message, of course you’ll keep getting more of the same! When you’re life is full of settling, you aren’t leaving room for what you really want.

To help you identify where you may be settling, take a look at this life wheel below. Pick the wedges that represent areas of your life you find the least satisfying. What could you eliminate from each wedge to make more room?

Paying attention to what you are ready to eliminate is key. Maybe you’re ready for a big change. Don’t beat yourself up if you’re not. I recommend starting small. A little goes a long way. The smallest changes build your energy and confidence, and give you a platform for the next change.

Try giving old clothes away to Good Will. Or clearing your desk. Or spending less time with a critical friend. When you clear something up in one area of your life, you’ve created energetic space that will impact the rest of your life. My clients have won awards, received money out of the blue, attracted new business and found soul mates after they stopped settling in other areas of their lives. When in doubt, clean your house.

I’ve come to believe that creating space is one of the fastest keys to attraction. Saying no to what no longer serves you will build your confidence and energy.

Sometimes when you make a big change, the universe will test you by sending you more of the same (same type of client, same type of job, same type of relationship) to see if you’re serious. For instance, as soon as I decided to be a life coach instead of an actress, I was offered half a dozen acting jobs for which I didn’t have to audition. I got to see how firm I was in my choice. Was I sure I didn’t want to be an actress? Yes! I only wanted to coach.

Hold out for what you really want. If you don’t already have a wish list of things you want to manifest, create one now. Then you’ll recognize the granting of your wishes when they appear.

thou shalt not hear, see, nor speak any negative vibrations

So there’s this movie that purports to share the biggest secret of the ages, carefully hidden until now, blah blah blah. Don’t get me wrong–this is an immensely uplifting, feel good movie. It has value. And it’s also full of crap. What exactly is their “secret”? It’s not like Think and Grow Rich or The Power of Positive Thinking, or The Law of Attraction have been kept hidden by some cabal of powerful business men. None of this is new, and none of it’s a secret. In fact these are the titles of immensely popular and influential books over the last century.

So what’s the secret?

Esther Hicks found hers and teaches through the voice of Abraham. Wayne Dyer found his and he teaches the Power of Intention. Byron Katie found hers and teaches The Work. I found mine, and I teach Financial Alchemy.

But even these aren’t the secret.

Cause you can do everything “right”–the mantras, the meditations, the visioning, the vibrations, the positive thinking–and not see a change in your circumstances. You’re still waiting for that abundance and prosperity you’ve been promised. Give yourself a break. You’re not doing it wrong. You’re not less worthy. There’s nothing wrong with your vision board. You’re just where you are. Right now. We all take a turn in that dark night of the soul.

“Be a light unto yourself,” the Buddha taught. Take all these teachings in, and take them all with a grain of salt. There’s an old Irish adage that says you have to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather is. Nobody else’s law is your law, not even the Law of Attraction.

I believe in a strong Tendency of Attraction. Don’t get me wrong–I’m all about attraction. I think about something and a few days later it shows up. But a law of attraction? Like always attracts like? Not really:

Twenty four years ago, I was in rapturous love for the first time. I was getting straight A’s and awards in high school. And I had just come home from my first trip to Europe. It was a very high vibration time. Until I was hit by a car, went into a coma, and came out with a serious brain injury that destroyed my life for a few years. I had to let go of everything I knew about spirituality at that time just to survive. In this instance, at least, like did not attract like.

While I may quibble with the Law of Attraction, I choose to believe in a Law of the Highest Good: everything happens for the highest good. Everything. You just have to survive it first.

So what really is “the secret”?

Sure, there’s more and more evidence of a connection between mind and matter. There’s a connection between you and the universe itself. “As above so below” is the first law of Alchemy. How you access and express those connections is unique to you. You have to find it yourself.

What you discover will probably look A LOT like what other people have been saying for the last 10,000 years, but it’s different when it comes from you.

Other stuff will look very different and may be even more important. It’s your contribution. In fact this may be what you’re here to teach so others can discover their own secret.

Every personal discovery changes history forever.

We all have to reinvent the wheel at some level for ourselves. I cannot presume to have your answers, only suggestions. The finger the teacher points at the moon is not the moon itself. That’s the only “law” there is.

Scary Gremlin Monster

It’s vacation season. Why not take a holiday from your “gremlin”?

You know that nasty inner critic that tells you that you’re not good enough? That gives you reasons you can’t have the success you want? That encourages you to procrastinate? That dismisses your accomplishments? Witholds abundance and prosperity?

That’s your gremlin. Welcome to Gremlin Day Care Services. Send your gremlins to us.

At Gremlin Day Care Services:

* Your gremlin will be housed in a supportive, like-minded community of fellow nay-sayers.

* Your gremlin will get to play favorite games like “Second Guessing” and “Burst the Bubble” without bothering you.

* When game time is over, gremlins will eat graham crackers and watch Dr. Phil.

Your gremlin has been working very hard, trying to keep you from moving forward. Give your gremlin a break, a little “me” time for your unhappy companion.

Of course if you want your gremlin back, all you have to do is shoot us an email with a physical description of your gremlin and his favorite key phrases. We have a lot of gremlins here, so please allow a little time for us to locate the one that belongs to you.

Service begins immediately.

Are you a money magnet?