Choosing a Good-Time Filter

Every week the dogs and I go hiking with my dear dad. His favorite trail (Mueller Park - shown here) has crazy bushes along the way that create nasty stickers for dogs. My ex won't even walk it. He says it's not worth the trouble of pulling out stickers from coats for several days.

Plus there's an abundance of deer and rabbits the dogs love to chase. And (I imagine) it'd be easy for them to get lost on this mountain.

So when Sadie or Joe launch an off-trail adventure, I'm not super encouraging of it. (That's my indirect way of saying I yell at them to get their butts back here.)

Last week Joe went off trail for quite a while. So long that I thought I lost him. There was a lot of hollering that day. I was unusually hot. He jeopardized our good time by risking getting lost?! What a Stinker with a capital S! (Indeed it was an s-word I used, but it might not have been "stinker.")

Anyway, as we're wrapping up this morning's hike, dad says, "I noticed Joe didn't get in any trouble today."

I realized he was right. There was no yelling, no hollering, no waiting. Joe was a very good boy today.

As I start to acknowledge agreement, dad says, "And it didn't seem like he did anything different."

Wait, what does he mean by THAT?

Of course Joe was different, because there wasn't any trouble or hollering or MIA dogs.

I think about it, and realize Joe did go on an off trail adventure today. He was gone for a while - twice even! But I didn't worry about him this time. I trusted he'd find his way back to us and all would be well. No yelling today.

Dad is not a master of subtlety. However, I realize today he is making a gentle point that we went on the same hike we always go on, this time there was no trouble. The difference was me.

Same Joe, same off trail adventures. No trouble.

Different Jeannette.

So the trick for a more enjoyable walk with the dogs doesn't have to do with dogs listening better. It has to do with ME and my CHOICES of how to be on this walk.

I can worry, or I can trust and enjoy. It's so much nicer for everyone when I trust and enjoy. I know this stuff - why aren't I practicing it more?!

Tonight I wonder where else I might spoil my potential good time by worrying instead of trusting and enjoying.

Well, I see it a lot more of it than I would have guessed. I thought I was the Good Time Queen! And now I see how I spoil my Friday night with Russ by fretting that he's not off the golf course till 8, which is too late for dinner, too late for a movie, too late for fun.

Uh huh.

I see that instead of being able to laugh at watching my ex and his dad try to re-trap nine feral bunnies (seriously, two Elmer Fudds lurking behind bushes with fishing nets and traps with carrots set on the trigger - classic humor!), I worry what fate might befall the bunnies if they're not relocated.

I see that I could have more purposefully enjoyed four kitties growing up in my house if I wasn't carrying the tendency to notice the absence of the two who didn't make it.

No change in situation. Just a change in my perception, my response, my vibration. Makes all the difference in the world.

Wow!! What ELSE can I change??

Okay, I'm liking this ... instead of being regretful about all the work that didn't get done this week, I could relax and know the important stuff got done and enjoy my accomplishments. Maybe even look forward to the next week, instead of feeling behind for it.

Instead of being annoyed with dad for pointing out that I'm the only good time spoiler on the hike, I could be grateful for seeing it myself now.

My perception. That's the difference.

The good time is always there. The only question is which filter am I using? Am I filtering for a good time, or filtering for a bad time? I'll find either one I look for. Universe is very accommodating that way.

Here's to a good time filter for all of us who desire it this (stateside Labor Day) weekend! Namaste.

My LOA Heroes

Wow - I just realized yesterday's Vibe Upgrade is post #111 for the blog! That has to be significant! Be sure to check it out before Wednesday (9/5) in case you're inspired for a personal Vibration Overhaul.

Today I'm passing along a super cool resource you might have missed if you haven't spent time in my sidebar. Ed Mills' LOA Carnival Blog is listed as one of my favorite turn ons, not only because Ed is a brilliantly unique writer on the topic of deliberate creation (not to mention super hot), but also because he consistently introduces me to wonderful new LOA resources.

I was fortunate enough to be featured as one of those new resources in his most recent carnival, when he included my dog pee story. (Of all the things to be known for ... sheesh! Everyone else writes about love and light and possibility, and here I am talking about dog urine, toilet time, sick kitties, and ex's who don't follow through with their LOA experiments! Oh well, this blog is about LOA in the Real World!)

Anyway, I'm a regular fan of Aaron, Dean and Lyman (great guys - give them a read!), but it was in Ed's most recent carnival that I learned about Patricia. Her carnival contribution is the biggest key to successful manifesting - well, a successful LIFE for that matter - I've ever come across. It's big. And she says it well. Read it if you haven't already.

Now that you've got great reading material for the day, I'll sign off and intend to think of a more pleasant topic than urine and death to write about tomorrow.

Love & Miracles -
Jeannette

PS - I'd love to hear who YOUR LOA heroes are! Please post a comment with a link if you can. As my Dutch Oma would say, "dank u!"

Time for an Upgrade?

Okay, I overmanifested having a quiet free coach call this month. Last month we had a couple disruptions that I intended we overcome this time. Sheesh, was it quiet! Thanks Carla and Julia for piping up! (Amy might think I have an imaginary audience if you hadn't said something.)

Luckily I said hello to a handful of folks before I started the recording, I so I know we weren't talking to ourselves! It was only my second free call, so third time's a charm, right?

For those wanting to hear what Amy said about Carla's experience of setting intentions that never manifest, you can listen here. (There's also a link in the sidebar under archived calls.) Her emphatic response to Julia's question about practicing with small stuff was also not what you'll hear from all the LOA experts.

When you listen in, you'll also hear my true love for both these girls.

Together they perfectly reflect why I was inspired to conduct a Vibration Overhaul group course with Amy. For anyone who ever thought one on one work with me wasn't in the budget, this course offers you TWO fabulous coaches (Amy even knocks MY socks off!) for six weeks at a cost that's less than half of what I charge for one month of individual work.

And wait'll you see the line-up of who's joining! We've got some powerhouses on board for this course!

Find your feel good on it, and if it says "Yes!" - please sign up before the discount expires. ($227 until next week.) I'd rather not see late-comers paying almost $300, especially since I'm pretty sure it'll be full before then anyway.

As I'm off to potentially have my third sick foster kitty euthanized this afternoon, I have to say I've had much practice with deliberately managing emotions this last week. The result? I'm getting pretty good at this. On today's call I shared the thought that offered me relief as my second little guy was getting his goodbye shot.

Doesn't matter where they come from or how much sense it doesn't make to anyone else - when we reach for thoughts that offer relief, we are headed in the right direction and making serious upgrades to our vibe. Let's keep going in that direction and let the good stuff in!

Shoot, I might even be able to experience perpetual marital bliss if I keep this up.

Namaste, friends!

Conquering My Nemesis

Dog pee on the rug.

That was my old nemesis.

For reasons I won't elaborate on (to not attract more of it), one of my biggest challenges was learning to walk in the front room to check for wet spots from inappropriate canine elimination, while holding the expectation of "nice dry rug."

If the dogs had been left in quite a while, or there was a suspicious smell, or the cats were acting funny near a particular corner, or the rug looked wet for some reason, I used to march over exclaiming, "This better not be what I think it is!" I would hold thoughts of a damp smelly rug, with the only question being whether it was still warm or had been there a while.

That dog pee situation was a big charge for me. No surprise it happened often, huh?

Yeah, a lot. (My carpet cleaner used to be on speed dial, and I used to buy two rugs, with one on standby when it was time to call it quits on the first.) All those wet rug opportunities gave me plenty of practice at changing my thoughts as I conducted rug sweeps.

When I would walk to the suspicious corner I would catch myself expecting to blame somebody (usually the boyfriend who made us late getting home, or the ex-boyfriend who didn't come over to give them a break), and anticipating that familiar feeling of wet rug under hand or foot.

So I learned to test the rug while saying "Ah, nice dry rug." "What good dogs. Thanks for holding it, everyone! That's right, nice dry rug!"

There wasn't a single time I expected dry rug that I was met with disappointment.

It's been a while since I've dealt with that.

Today I met my nemesis again.

My ex asked me to check on his dogs while he was out of town for a day and a half. Morning check-in revealed his mastiff foster escaped his kennel. And the house showed it. That guy wreaked HAVOC! I won't even describe the destruction I witnessed. Whew. It was bad.

Dining room chairs chewed up, couches on their backs, cushions missing, blankets in the kitchen, poopy paw prints everywhere, trails of urine in the hallway.

All right, I lied. That pretty much describes it. The poor cats looked like they were in shell shock.

My first thought was, "I'm not cleaning this up."

My second thought confirmed the first one. I didn't have time to, even if I wanted to. Which I definitely didn't.

My next thought was "I can't leave these guys here." It was a hazard zone! I only had 20 minutes before my next client session, so I loaded everyone in the car and took them to my house.

Notice what happened? Reactivation of my nemesis vibe, and lots of "good" reason to worry about what would happen at my place.

After all, I'm on the phone with each client for over an hour, and I had two sessions in a row. No time for supervising; seven dogs (his four and my three) were left to their own devices for a good three hours.

After my last session I walked out of the office to survey. Yeah, to survey damage. That's what I was expecting. What did they get into? What could be fixed? What was ruined?

I caught that familiar feeling. "Hey, I'm looking for trouble."

Maybe I should look for confirmation of what good dogs I have instead?

Looks like they rustled the garbage, but didn't remove anything. Cool. Cats look okay. Plants upright. Good. Couch cushions in place. Fabulous. Next the rug.

I immediately thought of "wet rug." That's what I didn't want. What did I want? Nice dry rug. I made a barefoot sweep across the rug, while repeating to self "nice dry rug." Sure enough, dry rug! Yay! My nemesis defeated! I truly have conquered my (former) biggest manifesting challenge!

That's when I noticed the slobber. On the chair, the couch, blanket, stereo, my favorite buddha statue. Lots of slobber.

Well, at least slobber doesn't smell.

No One Wants to Win the Lottery

This weekend my sweetie participated in two events at his employer's Corporate Games. As regular readers know, my boyfriend likes to win - not just play, not just compete - he wants to be #1.

His experience reminded me of the question people often ask in terms of how law of attraction works when people want the same thing but only one can win. Like a lottery, a job or even a girl.

If each competitor wants to win and they're each vibrating "win," how could everyone get what they want?

This could be a long post, but I'm shooting for short & sweet.

Whoever is in closest vibrational alignment to winning will do so. But just because you're competing to win doesn't necessarily mean you're vibrating "win." Your energy could be "want to win" or "wish I could win" or "what if I don't win" or "hope I don't lose" or even just "do my best."

Vibrating "win" with clarity and confidence is easier said than done. And truly, Universe is pretty creative in delivering to us exactly what we're vibrating, as Russ experienced.

Before I continue, though, let me say it's important to drill down to what we really want. It isn't usually as simple as "win."

Example: I don't think anyone truly wants to win the lottery. I suspect what they really want is a higher quality of life, to be free from financial worries, support loved ones better, etc. And sometimes that happens as a lottery winner; sometimes it doesn't. Getting clear on what you genuinely desire is crucial to achieving it.

Someone who thinks he wants to "win over" a particular person probably isn't seeing things clearly either. What he really wants is more likely the feelings he thinks being in relationship with that person would give him.

We often miss the real target.

Back to my sweetie's story: for these corporate games there were many competitors who wanted to take home the gold, Russ included.

When he came home Saturday with a gold medal for bowling, he was pleased but nonchalant. Turns out what he really wanted was TWO gold medals. Especially the one for golf, where the competition was steep. That would mean more to him.

He just phoned to report that he also won the gold in the golf competition. Was he satisfied with his two gold medals now? Not remotely.

Turns out there was a three way tie on the golf course. Instead of conducting a playoff, they awarded gold medals to all three four-person teams. So 11 other guys are carrying around the same gold medal my sweetie is. He felt a little ripped off.

Not at all what he imagined having two gold medals would feel like.

What he really wanted was probably something more like acknowledgement that he's the best. I'm sure if he'd walked away with the gold by default because no one else showed up or were disqualified due to violation of stupid rules, he wouldn't have been satisfied.

Aren't we funny?!

Last night I watched a portion of the girls gymnastic national competition trials on tv. One competitor wanted to defend her title as champion; another just wanted to make the national team; another was quite pleased at evidence she was the national favorite; another wanted to do her best and make her parents proud, another young one wanted to gain experience for future high level competitions.

It was easy to see how each of them could get what they wanted, and still not be the "winner."

In fact, the girl who scored the highest was talked about as being very relaxed, having a good time and clearly enjoying her performances. Not a surprise, huh?

My point: 1) it's worth getting clear about what you really want and vibrating that, and 2) don't underestimate the Universe's ability to deliver on it. Apparently they make extra gold medals just in case. :)

Vibrational Recovery

How many disappointing web designers does it take for me to realize that it's ME and not them that's challenged?

(Big sigh.)

Well, there was the Seattle designer who used a template that couldn't do what I wanted to do. Rather than say so, she just stopped responding to me. Then there was the nice Park City guy, who had amazing technical expertise but no time for the little fish in his big pond. Then my local girl, after a couple of months together, seemed to lose interest in web work. At least mine. My marketing guy is dying to redo my site (which he hates), but I'm afraid he'll follow all the "rules" and lose "me" in the process.

So I guess it's taken a couple go-rounds before I realized that until I clean up MY vibe, I'll continue to have less than satisfactory experiences with web designers. I see that hiring another service provider before I upgrade my vibration will be a waste of time and only lead to a repeat experience.

Today I posted to The Good News yahoo group that I was manifesting a perfect new web person. I imagined people might email me with referrals. I imagined having to explain that I couldn't work with just ANYONE; it had to be someone I felt REALLY good about, because I have this vibrational handicap about web designers.

And I realized that I perpetuate my "handicap" by talking about it.

I needed to find a new way to think about my situation. So in that moment I chose new language to give me a new perspective and new vibration as to what's up. Here's what I came up with: I'm in "Vibrational Recovery."

(That's my Marine Corps Vibrational Recovery team pictured above. Heavy duty, huh?)

I'm now expecting wonderful service from web designers. I know I deserve it, and so does my web site. I know my past experiences might not have been what I'd preferred, but my future ones surely will be. I'm finding my way towards the feeling of elation (Marines are breaking the trail for me!) at having a perfect partner on board, who has wonderful ideas, a passion for their work, plenty of time for me, lovely rates, and why not some marketing expertise?! He/she gets what I'm about and works wonderfully with me. Maybe they even have a partner or staff, so their vacations still allow for consistent service to their perfect clients.

No more need to explain the past, or lay out "what is." I'm in Vibrational Recovery. Those past experiences are old news. What I'm up to now is bigger and better and more satisfying. It's a lovely turn of events, if I don't say so myself.

As I speak (type) it, so shall it be.

Anyone else in recovery? (Or know a good web person? lol)

Hope for the Ex

My ex-fiance and good friend just phoned to ask why he's such a powerful manifestor of negative things, but not positive ones.

(There's a belief worth turning around. But we'll get to that later.)

Rob's story is interesting, and probably not uncommon. So I've challenged him to change it, and thinking some of us might be inspired to join him.

He told about driving a customer's car down the highway (he does custom remodel work on priceless classics), noticed a big work truck ahead of him, and started thinking, "You know, the last thing I need is a rock chip. I should probably change ... " and BAM! Before he was even done thinking the thought to change lanes, the windshield took a hit, leaving a lovely chip.

When he gets to the shop, he thinks, "I should call Todd to arrange for that repair today. But what if Todd's out? Thursday's his day off. Today's Tuesday. But what if he's not in?" Sure enough, Todd's out, even though it's not his regular day off.

Rob asks if he had fleeting thoughts of a million dollars spilling through the streets, would it suddenly appear?

I suggested he try it sometime. After he laughed, I asked if he has as strong a belief in free money in the streets as he does rock chips and bad timing for repairs.

Admittedly, and he's not alone in this, it's sometimes easier to believe in bad things than it is in really good things.

The good news is he/we can change that. Belief is just a strong thought. And we can change our thoughts. We humans are pretty cool that way.

So Rob's going to try it. He's going to practice thinking good thoughts and see how quickly they manifest. I ask him to report back.

Before he hangs up, he tells me how he's really good at reading people, too. He can tell in advance what they're going to do. He might think he's psychic. I think he doesn't yet realize the powerful effect his thoughts have on others.

For example, he says when his son comes over he knows it's to ask for money, rather than lend a hand around the house. He can tell when the neighborhood homeless guy is going to drop by his shop asking for a loan. He's got lots of examples of how he predicts people's behavior.

Is he predicting? Or creating? (And what if they were the same?)

I suggest he practice his good thoughts on people, too. I told him people live up to and down to our expectations all day long, and suggest he practice holding new expectations.

I got a funny feeling his world is about to get brighter. : )

Time Well Spent

"Why didn't I think of that?" That was my immediate thought after a delightful new client shared with me her strategy for incorporating self love every day.

She does it on the toilet.

Ha!

That's right - for those couple minutes she's sitting down every day, she uses her time productively. She thinks good thoughts about herself. Congratulates herself on accomplishments. Thanks herself for being her. In general, she lavishes doting attention on herself. For three minutes.

Badda bing, badda boom. Fits in her self-love every day; in fact, a couple of times.

Don't you love it?!

Now, I'm not normally a fan of multi-tasking, but some things naturally lend themselves to a higher use of our time.

So I'm now inspired to use my toilet time in a better way. I think I might remind my body what we're up to. I might remind her that we're thriving, getting younger, feeling better, more energy, more fit, more fabulous - every day.

I might congratulate my toe nails on a job well done. I might comment on those two beautiful elbows - how no matter how neglected they are, they keep doing their job so well every day! I might remind hips and butt that we're keeping things nice and firm. And I might congratulate all systems on a job well done.

Huh. Toilet time.

Just when I thought life couldn't get any better!! lol

PS - thanks, dearfriend, for letting me share your self-love strategy with my readers! We're going to create a whole new appreciation for potty breaks!

Lost and Found

I don't do this as often as you would think a business owner would, but this morning I happened to listen to voice mails and there was one from the Po-lice. (We say POH leese, not puh leese, extra emphasis on the first syllable so you sound really .. mm .. white trash, redneck whatever. I live in a neighborhood - that I love, by the way - where that's the norm.)

Anyway, it was a message about a missing 8 year old boy last seen just two blocks from my house yesterday. The whole neighborhood - at least everyone who listened to voice mails - was put on alert to bring him home safely.

It inspired some strange vibes in me.

First I was appreciating the swift and I think potentially effective action on the police's part. (Okay, when we talk about police in terms of finding missing children, we leave the emphasis on the second syllable: so "puh LEESE." Lots of respect and appreciation there.)

Second, I was wondering if his family was in turmoil or involved. As often turns out to be the case.

Third, I thought of him by himself. Was he really abducted and feeling alone? Or did his uncle just decide he was due for a vacation from mom? Who knows? But if he wasn't with someone who cares about him and he felt alone - ah, that thought is just heart wrenching for me. Especially because the voice mail gave a detailed description of him, so you kind of feel like he's yours by the time you're done hearing it. It's making me tear up just to go back to this vibe.

And then I wondered about the wisdom of those alerts. If they inspire these awful feelings in the whole neighborhood, is that helping? Well, obviously we know it wouldn't be. Let me do some work on this vibe.

Maybe the whole neighborhood doesn't feel awful. I think because this was particularly close to home it hit a little harder. So there was that for me, but maybe I'm unusual in that respect. I'm sure he's passed my house, because I live on a school street. He's practically mine. I probably let him pet my dogs. All right that's not helping.

But maybe everyone else - or at least someone else - hears it and responds differently.

When I imagined a different response others might have, it was easier for me to shift my feelings. I got to the absolute strength and power of community pulling together. And the enormous appreciation of technology that makes it easier than ever to put thousands of eyes on the street looking for our MIA friend.

And then I imagined the news clip I might catch (although I don't watch news) of his mom holding him, with grateful tears in her eyes, recounting how scared she was but how happy she is he's home safe and sound now. And maybe a sheepish grandpa in the background who was sure he told someone they were going to the park for the day.

Community! Technology! PuhLICE instead of POHlice! There's good stuff here. Even in a missing child alert.

Lots of love to you, Moses. You can do it; you're the best there is. They don't let just ANYONE sign up for big jobs like this. Only the strong ones get to play these parts. And you're doing a great job. Feel the love, Friend.

PS - this is the last time I'll post about anything missing. Nothing but joyful found posts from here on out. In fact, let's activate that now. I FOUND a perfect home for my old stove and fridge. (Or they found me actually.) I found Joe's tag for his collar. I found a perfect partner in Amy Grant. Elizabeth Smart found her way home. The utility guy just found his way safely through my yard with no dogs waking up to greet him. Lots of people find things and people they love every day. Shoot - my inbox is FULL of stories from clients finding their passion and joy and heart's desires! Yay!! Things are found every day. Including our compassion, our connection, our love for each other and our spirits. Every day! Love is found every day.

"Rules" of Action

Yesterday a friend said, "Thank you for reminding me that I make up the rules!" I laughed as I recognized I'm not a big fan of rules, and that my favorite thing to do is break them. But I can also get on board with each of us making our own up. That feels right.

Which may be why I get so riled up when I hear LOA experts telling us what the rules are.

I've got some nerve to question one of the country's strongest LOA authorities on how to best practice deliberate creation. But honestly, if I hear one more person say my furniture will get repo'd because I sat on my butt instead of taking action, I'm going to lose my cool.

This is ridiculous!!

Back to the beginning: Blogger Mark says he's having his first experience with LOA. Good for him! John Assaraf, one of my favorite guys in the Secret, posts a comment encouraging him to visualize a clear outcome and reminds him that action is of course also required.

I was crushed! Not John, too!

Here's the deal, or at least the way I see it. (And I'm willing to be wrong on this.) But my opinion is that action isn't what creates our success. We don't create with our hands. We didn't come here for the action journey! We are Visionaries, not Actionaries. (I'm basing that on info from Abe, which feels true to me.)

I mean, how many times has something finally gone your way when you gave up the action? It's happened a LOT for me. Some of my favorite miracles came after I stopped the action. And the success, when it finally revealed itself, often didn't have anything to do with the prior actions I'd taken to make it happen!

I could fill this post with examples.

Action serves us best if it helps get our vibration lined up with what we want.

And that's about it.

"Success won't come knocking on your door if all you do is sit home thinking about it." Oh yeah? Says WHO? I've got this Universal Manager working for me. It does everything. I just do what feels good. And sometimes that's sitting on my butt.

My girlfriend experienced Mr. Right knocking on her door. She didn't do anything. Other than schedule an in-home massage one day. Everyone (besides me) had told her, "You gotta get out. You gotta put yourself out there. You have to start dating. Get on Match. You've got to make some effort!"

Well, she'd done all that and more, and it was a big fat bust. For over a YEAR! (And this girl was HOT - with all capital letters. No reason she shouldn't have been an active dater.)

She finally gave up thinking that anything good would happen for her in Utah.

And she scheduled a massage.

He came knocking on her door. The guy who swept her off her feet and had her thinking twice about what Utah had to offer after all.

I hear some of you guys ... "Well that was her action, Jeannette. Scheduling a massage."

That's my point! That WAS her action! A glorified "sit on your butt" action!

Taking a nap! Or a shower! Going to the movie; going for a walk; playing with the kitties!

THESE are strong actions. These are the types of things that get us into allowing. That get us to open our door to the Universe, so all the magic and miracles that Universe has lined up for us can come in.

I don't often find myself touting Michael Losier's work, but I have to say after typing up this post last night, and reading his article on the topic of action today, I was proud of how he addressed it. Much more on target than we hear from many others, whom I refuse to name because I'm in love with at least one of them.

You know how I could get a sale to close back in the corporate world that I was having trouble with? By going for a bus ride in the middle of the day. Or sneaking out for a matinee. That's when good things happened. When I RELAXED. When I gave up my stupid action journey of follow up calls to decision makers, and overcoming objections, and coming up with new incentives, etc. etc.

When we're so busy doing this and that, we're often not in a vibrational place to let the good stuff in.

Let's get clear about what action can and cannot do for us.

My success doesn't happen because of the action I took. It happens because of the energy I flow.

And MAYBE the energy I flow happens because of the action I took - but don't mistake that action for being the "cause" of the success! It was my ENERGY. My VIBRATION.

And I don't have to have BOTH. I get the energy right, and I'm golden. I've proven it, and my clients have proven it, too many times to doubt it.

I'm not saying everyone sit home and never do anything again.

I AM saying don't think that action is required for you to get what you want. It simply isn't.

UNLESS, you think it is. And then that's when action serves you.

I hope I'm making sense. This is a big topic, so I'm sure I'll be addressing it again. Your thoughts, comments and questions are invited (and appreciated).

Fighting for Peace?

We crack me up. That was my thought, after I caught myself in a tirade directed toward Sadie, who saves her most ferocious bark for nice neighbors walking their dogs down our street every evening.

Peacefully engaged in Bruce Lipton's "Biology of Belief," I jumped two feet off the couch when Sadie launched a barrade of barks at the front door.

"All right, that's ENOUGH!" I shouted. "There is no barking here! That is NOT what we do!! There will be PEACE in this house, young lady!"

Even as I adopted as ferocious a bark as hers, attempting to enforce peace in our night, I laughed at my ridiculous self.

It reminded me of a friend who had just recounted how he told his (apparently ex) girlfriend that she shouldn't try to find happiness outside of her. (In this case, in the arms of an ex-boyfriend.) He wanted to lecture her on how happiness could only come from within, and she would continually struggle if she didn't learn this.

His words were right on, and yet the reason he phoned was because he was upset she'd reunited with another man. He was lost, and knew his happiness would return when she understood her mistake and returned to him. How could he make her understand?

It took him a minute to see how he was doing the same thing she was: looking for happiness outside of himself. (We all know it's an inside job, right? But how often do we forget to practice it!)

I suggested the best way to teach her this valuable lesson was by embodying it. Set the example. Show her what it looks like by living it.

As I'm laughing at myself for thinking my shouting will quiet Sadie's, and thinking of my friend who lectures his girlfriend to stop seeking happiness outside herself so he can get her back and regain HIS happiness, I think how easily we fall into the routines that we "know" better about.

Yesterday in the parking lot two young boys argued about pushing the shopping cart when dad boomed out, "Strike TWO!" The older one pleaded, "But daaaad ... " Dad admonished elder son for whining, which is when mom stepped in and said something that made dad whine back to wife, "But I already told him once!" in the same tone he just reprimanded son for using.

How funny are we? We think we'll return to peace with noise; or find happiness by controlling another; or teach our children to be different than the example we set ...

We get what we vibrate. So for me, that leaves my work to make peace with Sadie's barking, and maybe sprinkle on top a couple visions of how I'd like her to be. Lynn did it with her dogs; I'm sure I can do it with mine. It starts with releasing my resistance to what is, and finding my way to peace.

In fact, I'll start with the accompanying photo for this post. I started to look for a barking dog, but peaceful dog is probably a better start. : )

Manifesting Missing Kitty

Before I left town last week, a law of attraction savvy friend asked if I'd send good intentions for her missing cat.

That one always gets me. Well, pretty much anything to do with our companion animals. Sick cats, missing dogs, unwanted bunnies. Years of animal rescue have contributed to my (old) vibration of sadness and hopelessness when it comes to our furry friends. I've worked purposely to leave that vibe behind, but it's always there waiting for me when the opportunity arises to activate it again.

I told my friend I would send good thoughts for her and cat. Then I thought about how hard it must be for her to lose her cat. That's a scary time, not knowing what's happened; retracing the events wondering if you're responsible.

That's pretty much what I vibrated: sympathy, compassion, lost cat.

Not "reunion with cat."

Can you feel the difference?

I wasn't aware of it at the time.

But I became so, when I came home from my week in the Bahamas and discovered my cat was missing. Big surprise, huh? (not)

Yeah, that's how this works. We get what we vibrate.

So - as my cat sitter tells me he hasn't seen Elsa in five days, and he's worried some evil fate befell her, I feel my worry vibe grow.

I'll spare you (cat owners) the details of my anxiety so you don't go there vibrationally, but this is a good story of how LOA works when we remember to work it. Here's how it played out:

Early evening she still hasn't shown up, so I step out on the porch to call her. I bring tuna with me, but she's a no show. I optimistically try to imagine all the fun she might be up to. Maybe she's on a big adventure. Maybe someone found her and they're lavishing her with love.

But I don't really believe she's on a fun adventure. My thoughts easily slip to, "What was she doing outside?? How did she get out here? How well does she know this neighborhood?" I know she wouldn't go far. If she were here, she could hear me. Is she trapped? Hurt? Confiscated by animal control? Will AVID have her information properly recorded, so the shelter could contact me?

I continue this routine throughout the rest of the night, as my thoughts wander back to missing kitty. I pace the yard, calling her name over and over. I feel guilty for not being a better cat guardian, and worry she might think I left her. I knew I shouldn't have left town.

Okay, that's enough looking. You're doing no good with those thoughts. Go to bed!

I try imagining she'll appear in her own sweet time. That's a nice thought, but it quickly digresses to, "Will I see her dead body in the street tomorrow morning? And what is she eating? Is she finding water?"

Go to sleep, Jeannette! This isn't helping!

Before I go to bed I remember to run a quick errand. Driving home, I finally get to a good vibe. I recognize I've been carrying worry, and I know that can only keep her lost. I imagine my friend's lost cat, and what she should do to let her cat come home.

She should FEEL her home now.

Oh, HELLO! That's how that works. I remember now! Sheesh, Jeannette!! Feel Elsa home now.

Feel the relief of seeing her safe and sound on the back porch, waiting patiently to come back in the house. See how nonchalantly she flips her tail on the porch, as if nothing out of the ordinary has transpired at all. It's not a big deal at all to find her safe and sound, because you knew all along she was just fine.

She just didn't like your cat sitter. No big deal. She laid low. She's ready for some tuna now. She's safe and sound. Relief. There she is, safe and sound.

Yes, I can feel that vibe now. I've got it. I've got a good grasp of it. It feels good.

I'm home free now.

Having gotten solidly to "relaxing" about it, I finish up the night routine and head to bed. Once there, I hear a dog scratching on the door. Probably Koda wanting out. I get up, open the door to let him out, and see an empty tuna can that I may as well run out to the recycling bin. On my way to the trash in the dark, guess who I spy lounging on top of the old scratch post?

That's right. Sweet, nonchalant Elsa. Flipping her tail to let me know I'm disturbing her peaceful night's rest.

Hello, Sweetie. A couple pets confirm she's a-okay. Ready for her nightly sleep. Must have been a big day.

She lets me bring her in without protest. Too bad you missed out on tuna, young lady.

And before I drift off to sleep, I remember to thank Universe for bringing my cat home safely. Gratitude. Relief. Relaxing.

Wow, what a nice vibe combo.

It's hard for Universe to match us up with a reunion while we vibrate worry. I know it's even harder to vibrate relief while someone's missing. But - we know how this works. That's how we let it in. Vibrate it first, then it happens.

Someone remind me that next time Elsa goes on a big adventure. : )