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I love to read all kinds of books, which is a relatively new thing for me as I didn’t read a single book in high school (unless you count cliff notes as being a book…which I did at that time!).  However, I tend to gravitate towards non-fiction books.  Having two small children and being addicted to t.v., Facebook, and the internet, in general, I don’t have too much extra time to read so when I do I almost always go for something that’s going to open my mind!  If you’re ever out looking for me in a B&N it’s a pretty safe bet to say I’ll be in the self-improvement section…or at the Starbucks!

So, here’s a list of books that I’m absolutely wild about!  I’ve read these books at least 2 times each, and some of them even more.  Like I said, they’re books that will open your mind so reading them over and over again you tend to get a better understanding and you pick up on things that you may have missed the first time.

A Return to Love – Marianne Williamson

A New Earth – Eckhart Tolle

The Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle

The Law of Attraction – Ester & Jerry Hicks

The Traveler’s Gift – Andy Andrews

The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz

Eat, Pray, Love – Elizabeth Gilbert

Working with the Law – Raymond Holliwell

I was going to try to put these in order of most favorite, but that’s impossible to do!  They’re all really great, must have books.  Most of these authors have written multiple books and they’re great as well.

I would love to hear your suggestions to, so feel free to leave a comment and list your favs!

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Think about this scenario for a moment…every month your bills are due, and every month you’re worried about not having enough money to pay them.  In your mind there’s constant worry.  Every time you buy something (lunch, gas, or a cup of coffee) there’s anxiety as you hand over the money.  You’re in a constant state of feeling lack.  This feels horrible, right?

Now, think about this…every month your bills are due and every time you write a check, pay online, or use your debit card you feel gratitude for having the money to spend.  You reflect back on what you’re paying for and have great appreciation for whatever it is (how great is it to have electricity, food, & water?).  You know there’s always a flow of money coming in and money going out.  You have a feeling of abundance and you know deep within that you’ll always have whatever it is you need at that moment.  This feels good, right?

You can always choose to feel good.  It takes no more energy to feel the second scenario as it does to feel the first one.  In fact, I would think the first scenario would take a lot more energy, and it’s such a draining energy at that.  The second scenario may take more discipline, but I would way rather be disciplined than have that negative, stressful, draining energy.

I think back to my younger years right after high school (sounds funny for me to say that as I still think of myself as young!).  I had a roommate who would always worry about how we were going to pay rent.  She had a hard time sleeping, and I know now it was because she worried so much!  Sometimes she would ask me if I’m worried about it and my answer to her was always no.  This would freak her out!  How could I not be worried??  One day I turned to her and asked her if we’ve ever gone without paying our rent.  Her answer was “no”.  I told her this is why I’m not worried.  We’ve never gone without paying our rent.  We always ended up getting the money (we both waited tables at the time).  I remember telling her that I had never gone without, so I just wasn’t worried.  I knew I would get the money somehow.  I didn’t always know how I was going to have enough, but I always did and that’s all that mattered.

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE YOUR LIFE HOWEVER YOU WANT IT!  When we begin to understand that it’s all in our mind, we then realize we can live our life however we want.  We can live in stress, worry & anxiety or we can live in freedom from those things.

My husband always tells me “it’s sunny and 70 in Katland”!  He jokes with me about it, but I seriously take it as a great compliment (thanks, Honey!).  It’s your choice.  Do you want to live where it’s sunny & 70, or dreary & 48?  Do you want to live in constant fear of lack or in continual abundance?

There’s really nothing to worry about!  If you can keep your eye on what you want, if you can keep your mind in the light rather than the darkness, and truly believe that all is good then I promise you you’ll always have what you need (if not more)!

It’s all just a perspective!  You choose how you want to perceive something.  I’m choosing sunny & 70!!

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Okay, so here’s the Volvo story!

A couple of years ago I learned about the book, The Secret.  I read it – loved it!  Watched the DVD – loved it!  Read it again – loved it!  So I decided to see if this “secret” really works.  It all made sense to me, even though at first it may seem silly, or on the surface could even seem absurd.  I mean you can just think about what you want and get it?  Yeah right!!  For some reason though, I really connected with the idea and the more I studied it (“it” being the Law of Attraction) the more it made sense.

There’s a part in the book where Mike Dooley talks about visualization, and how you should take a look at your hands and really study them, and then imagine your hands wrapped around the steering wheel of your brand new car.  So, I began to do this.  I found a picture of the car I wanted and posted it on a bulletin board.  Then it was really interesting because I would notice that car on the streets everywhere.  I started talking to my son about this car.  When we’d see a Volvo XC90 on the streets, I would say “look Max, that’s our next car”.  He was about a year old or less when I would talk to him about this car, so it was nice because he didn’t ask me why, when, or how!!

Now at the time I was visualizing this new car, the car I was driving was fairly new…maybe a year and a half old, and I actually loved that car.  I was truly grateful for it.  It was a 4-Runner and loaded out, so I didn’t need a car at all!  But like we all do, we’re always wanting something better (that’s a whole other blog!!).  So, I was always grateful for what I had but I also made it a point to be grateful for my new Volvo (which I knew would be my next car).  I had no idea how I was going to get this car, but that didn’t matter.

I really BELIEVED this Volvo would be my next car.  I had no idea how we were going to afford it and I already had an almost brand new car, but I didn’t care about all that.  All I knew was that my next car would be that Volvo.

About a month or two after I started this process of gratitude, visualization, and truly believing, I got a call from my husband, Ben.  It went something like this -

Ben: Hey Honey, How would you like to go out of town this weekend in a new car?  (I was headed to Austin)

Me: WHAT?

Ben: You want one of those Volvo SUV’s, right?

Me: WHAT?  Are you serious?  Don’t B.S. me!

Ben: What are you doing right now?  Can you come up to the dealership and switch out the cars and car seat?

Me:  WHAT?  Are you there now?  I’m on my way!

When I arrive at the dealership I hug & kiss my husband, cry, talk to the sales guy about the bells & whistles, cry some more, switch out the car seats, and drive off.  As I’m driving out of the lot I notice the radio is tuned into some random station that I’ve never listened to or even heard of.  The radio hosts were talking about The Secret!  I about lost it.  I can’t describe in words how I was feeling, but it was something of excitement, freaked out, and in awe.  I stopped the car to take a few deep breaths and gain my composure.  HOLY SH*%!!

This works…this really works!!

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