Tag Archives: Goals

New Year…Now What? Effecting Total Transformation in 2016

Posted in Affirmations, Goals, Inspiration, Manifestation, New Year's Resolutions by
Image courtesy of 2015 2016 Inscription Written In The Wet Yellow Beach Sand Being, by Serge Bertasius Photography, from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net?

Image courtesy of 2015 2016 Inscription Written In The Wet Yellow Beach Sand Being, by Serge Bertasius Photography, from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Once again a new year is upon us. There’s the proverbial new year’s resolutions. The sincere promises to be better and stronger in the new year.

All the good intentions in the world will not bring one any closer to their new year’s desires, without some inner re-tooling and awareness.

New habits have to replace old ones. New thoughts have to be paved over old, non-serving ones. Patterns have to be reviewed and considered whether they need to come with on the 2016 journey, or be left behind in 2015.

In the creative process, there’s the affirmative thoughts/processes and there’s the action component.

May McCarthy of the awesome book The Path to Wealth (which I highly recommend) says “If people want to effect change, be healed of a disease, or attract something different they must ‘deny’ the condition or disease and follow it with a statement of what they want, called an ‘affirmation.'” She further points out “affirmations and denials are tools to support the change process. Using affirmations alone can bring you a long way on your journey toward your good. But adding denials, or a strong claim that anything that is not for your good is removed, is a powerful way to help eliminate negative beliefs, fears, or any other thoughts that arise and appear to be blocking your path.”

When you affirm what conditions you do want with affirmations, you are stamping the Universal energy. From that stamped desire, inspiration in the form of intuition will guide your next actions steps to take.

Your job is twofold – to affirm the “whats” in your life and to take inspired, action steps when you receive intuition to act. God works out the “hows” of getting your good to you. There’s no need to expend precious energy on how something will come about. If you are following your job tasks, the “how” will reveal itself.

I wish you blessings upon blessings in the new year and beyond. You do not have to believe in new year’s resolutions to effect real change in your life, but there’s no time like a new year to jumpstart your transformation. Remember – focus on the “what” and the “why” you want the “what” and God will tend to the “how.”

~Your Curator of All Things Inspirational, Kimberly Jo Cooley 

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Is My Visualization Projector Broken?

Posted in Goals, Inspiration, Manifestation by
Image courtesy of Empty Seat on Row In Theater With Movie Screen Stock Photo by kittijaroon, from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Image courtesy of Empty Seat on Row In Theater With Movie Screen Stock Photo by kittijaroon, from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

In a recent conversation with a friend, I asked, “I know you will manifest many things next year, but what are one or two things you deeply desire to manifest in 2016?” She expressed her desire for a good job and a loving relationship. We then started discussing how she could manifest a great job and an even greater love life. I suggested visualization and to act “as if” she already had what she wished to have. She then said her “visualization projector” was broken. “It stopped working a few months ago,” she complained. Whenever she attempted to visualize, nothing appeared in her mind to focus on – she was receiving a blank screen.

She asked if this was normal. I assured her that her visualization projector was not broken, rather, it was waiting for her to switch it back on and feed it with new images.

You can visualize anytime, anywhere. Oftentimes, we fall out of practice, but it is easy to get back on track. You can do the following:

  • Meditate: My seventeen year old son meditates almost everyday and he offered this suggestion to share with my friend on rebooting a visualizing mind. When we meditate, we allow space in our mind, clearing out needless cluttered thoughts, while making room for visions that serve us.
  • Imagine: My four year old inspired me to sit and imagine. She can play with almost anything for hours! Two forks become two people in her imaginative world. I advised my friend to imagine what it would feel like driving to her dream job, or sitting at her new work desk. She could imagine getting her paycheck and feeling a strong sense of satisfaction. She could even link her job image to her love image and envision herself driving home to her new husband. He’s prepared a lovely meal for her and and her son and he’s waiting to hear all about how her day went. Human beings were meant to imagine their whole lives, not just during childhood.
  • Draw or clip pictures: I suggested to my friend she can create a vision board or keep a folder of clipped magazine photos showing what she wants to bring forth into her existence. Whenever she needs to remember what to focus on, she can pull out her board or folder.
  • Journaling: Write, write, and write some more. Your written words on what you wish to manifest has magical power. Your thoughts become things when they are written down. From the written word, a transformation occurs and manifestation into the physical form takes place.

Visualization is a fun and easy way to feel what we want to have, before we actually have it in physical form. A manifesting practitioner knows visualization is a tool worth using on a frequent basis, if they wish to hasten their blessings. Are you visualizing the life of your dreams? If not, what are you waiting for?

~Your Curator of All Things Inspirational, Kimberly Jo Cooley 

Are Your Health Goals in Alignment with Your Values?

Posted in Fitness, Goals, Health, New Year's Resolutions, Weight loss by
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles, 2013, from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles, 2013, from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

I and many others are embarking on a health and wellbeing journey. It has not been easy, but it has already reaped rewards and it’s because my resolutions are in alignment with my values (finally!).

Weight Management: I am not particularly interested in calorie counting or counting pounds. In fact, I am not going to weigh myself until my biometric screening in June. Counting lost or gained pounds are counterproductive – especially when one is building muscle mass as they work out.

Others find solace in seeing lost pounds, whereas I find solace in feeling great, having tons of energy and sleeping well at night. I want overall wellbeing – few to no colds, a general sense of great health, and a knowing that my body is thriving.

There’s no right or wrong way to look at weight management. What’s most important is whether or not your weight management styles are in alignment with your true values.

Nutritious Diet: I value consuming lots of fruits and vegetables. My mother gifted me a NutriBullet for Christmas and I now I am cultishly juicing/extracting everyday. I’m hooked. Now I crave fruits and vegetables over chips and cookies. Juicing assists with my value of consuming a large amount of fruits, vegetables and nuts. I don’t beat myself up over having a meal at a diner or a dessert. I know I am in the land of the living and sometimes I want to indulge. I make all the conditions in my life to allow me to easily eat or drink when and what I want.

Moderation is key. Because I am on blood thinners, I can only consume a small amount of alcohol, so I save drinking for special occasions. I eat everything in moderation and never feel compelled to finish everything on my plate. I am a lifelong naturally slow eater, which I’m told is a good thing (a pain for my friends and family, but a good digestive/metabolic thing for me).

Exercise: I was the biggest gym rat ten years ago – going five to six times a week. Before that, I would rally up friends to take belly dancing classes with me. I do not have a gym membership presently, but I do have my beloved elliptical machine in my garage, some great 1980s ab workout videos and YouTube exercise How-tos. I also have my sneakers and long, suburban blocks to walk. There are several parks in walking distance that I can jog to. I may get a gym membership, but I have exercise at my fingertips right now, free of charge.

So many of us think we have to go to the gym and that there’s one way to fitness. Fortunately, there are many paths to great physical fitness that can be aligned to our personal values – not just what’s the latest fitness fad or what others are doing to stay fit.

Meditation: My relationship with meditation has strengthened over the last year. I carve out ten to fifteen minutes of my lunch break most work days to meditate. I book an empty conference room, turn down the lights, tune in to my YouTube meditation channels on my cellphone and I meditate. Sometimes, it feels like I’ve left my body, the building, the planet, only to become aware of reentry into my physical being when the music or chants stop. Meditation is what grounds us and at the same time releases us from the clutches of worry, anxiety, and earthly issues. I am most proud of myself for continuing to meditate on a regular basis, even at work.

Singing: I don’t sing for others, I sing for myself. I sing when I’m happy, when I’m sad, when I’m driving, and when I’m feeling silly or serious. Singing is a form of exercise and meditation for me, all mixed into one. After losing my breath during my pulmonary embolism episode, I value feeling good and breathing. I can breathe, damn it!

What makes us beautifully human is our ability to sing, dance and be merry. Love your body, this earthly vessel that carries you. When we forget to love ourselves, our body communicates to us what is needed to get back into alignment. Sometimes that communication is illness, injury, or depression.

When we start to recognize and honor our values, our goals naturally flow and align to and from them, effecting lasting, positive changes in our lives.

~Your Curator of All Things Abundant, Kimberly Jo Cooley

Wisdom in Procrastination

Posted in Goals, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Manifestation, New Thought, Spirituality by
Image, "Time To Run Smartphone Means Short On Time And Rushing," courtesy of Stuart Miles, from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Image, “Time To Run Smartphone Means Short On Time And Rushing,” courtesy of Stuart Miles, from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

New Year’s resolutions motivates, yet it also reminds us what we haven’t accomplished yet. The failed resolutions, the false starts, the promises to change. This is not a post on the pros and cons of setting resolutions. This post is about how there are times when procrastination is stalling out because maybe what you thought you wanted to manifest is not really what you want.

Procrastination got a bad rep.

Many of us blame ourselves and are our worse critics as to why we’re “lazy.” It probably has more to do with a goal not being in alignment with what it is you truly desire. The procrastination is trying to tell you to look at the resolution to see what about it appealed to you and be honest as to why it hasn’t happened yet. This inner dialogue will allow you to root out limiting beliefs that are getting in the way of your receiving, allow the aligned desires to manifest and most importantly, it will allow you to let go of what is not really for you (now or ever).

A dream goes through a gestational period, so if you are actively working towards a resolution, it may not be the season just yet for what you want to reveal itself in the physical form. If what you want is a true heart’s desire, then it will come to pass in its due time. Check out https://abundantlifeinitiative.com/2014/04/05/gestation-of-a-dream/, for more information on how to nurture your dream’s gestational process..

The Universe is smarter than many of us give It credit for. Sometimes there are delays simply because you’re not meant to resolve that resolution just yet. Some argue you have to always take action steps towards a goal, and for the most part, I agree with that. However, there are times when you just have to take pause. These pauses come because God knows better than we do. We can’t even explain why we’ve paused, but it probably felt the most safe to do and that’s okay.

Follow your own divine internal guidance system and when you’re called to pause, pause. But pause and assess why there is a pause – if it’s simply so you can take a step back, so be it. If the goal is meant for you to manifest it, the desire will grow and you will be moved to take action when you’re ready. There are times when you do have to push through a pause – but don’t push until you’ve assessed why you’ve stalled. Most importantly, don’t beat yourself up for stalling, because again, the wisdom is found in the procrastination.

How to make procrastination work for you:

  • Do incorporate regular research sessions about how to reach your goal, but don’t stay in the research phase forever.
  • Be honest with yourself as to why you haven’t accomplished your goal yet.
  • Take a step towards your goal – how did you feel taking that step? Were you surprised on how good or bad you felt about it? What information can you glean from taking those first baby steps towards your goal?
  • Meditate, pray, and sit in stillness during times of procrastination – what may look like procrastination on the outside is really covering a brewing for something richer and more in alignment with your Spirit.
  • Most importantly, do not beat yourself up over something not happening – give yourself a break.
  • Remember that procrastination is trying to tell you something about three things: whether you really want the resolution (and it’s not a cookie cutter goal that everyone claims to want), whether you should stop for now, or maybe you should push on through. Divine Guidance will move you in the right direction.

Some people really do work well under pressure – and at times, I am that kind of person. Consider exploring what it feels like to not to procrastinate and see if that feeling resonates with you more. Oftentimes, we just need routine and someone to hold us accountable (such as a life, business, or wellness/fitness coach, even a loved one) for staying on track.

Here are some Law of Attraction/New Thought Podcasts on the subject to get you inspired to trust your internal guidance system:

  • Summer McStravick’s Flowdreaming Podcast November 12, 2014 – Manifesting vs. Intuition: How They’re Alike And How They’re Different. Great podcast on the subject of knowing the difference and metaphysical dance between intuition and manifestation. A must listen-to.
  • Summer McStravick’s Flowdreaming Podcast December 16, 2015 – What Did I Make And Why Did I Make It. This is probably the most relevant podcast to today’s blog post. She discusses the natural ebb and flow of why some things get accomplished, while others don’t.
  • Summer McStravick’s Flowdreaming Podcast January 6, 2015 – Going Big In My Fertile Direction! This podcast will get you inspired to look at your dreams and trajectory in a new and motivating way.

~Your Curator of All Things Inspirational, Kimberly Jo Cooley 

10 Life Enriching Things To Do When It’s Cold Outside

Posted in Fitness, Goals, Inspiration, Spirituality by

 Merry Christmas Folks! I hope you are having a lovely time with friends and family, but be sure to take time out for yourself, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day through the holiday season. When you’re refreshed, you bring your whole self to the party! This blog post is a revisit from last December and I thought it was timely as many of us are taking time off for the holidays. Enjoy and Happy Holidays to you and yours!

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Courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net

Cold weather or tending to sick, sleeping children definitely keeps many of us in doors. When we find ourselves bound to the house, whether to stay warm or to care for ourselves or others, we can use the time productively. Here’s a list of ten life enriching things to do while stuck in doors.

1. Create an acknowledgement/gratitude journal. This type of journal is different than one to capture all your thoughts and emotions from day to day (although I think that’s a good reason to journal too). This journal is simply to acknowledge the specific things you did in a day and what you are grateful for. In time, you will have a collection of acknowledgements about your life and will have physical evidence of all that you do and receive.
2. Create a Manifestation journal. This is different from an acknowledgement/gratitude journal because it is a chronicle of the things you wish to bring into your life in the near and far future. It will feel amazing to see the things you scribed in your manifestation journal come to fruition in your acknowledgement/gratitude journal. Some things I have manifested was my daughter, my degree, my vehicle, and a better job, just to name a few.
3. Create a Vision Statement for your life. A paragraph detailing your vision for yourself is an awesome way to culminate all that you want represented in your life. It is a great reference to look at each day in your cubicle wall or on your bathroom mirror. Companies have vision statements, why not the little peoples too?
4. Create/work on your vision board. I have a well loved, ratty vision board that essentially has everything I wanted to manifest come about and now need to make time to create a new one. A vision board is great for the visual folks who need to see images to conjure up good feelings of what they want to have or continue to have in their lives. I grabbed images from the internet, magazines and even fortune cookie notes. It is a fun project to do with the kids, too.
5. Surf the web with purpose. Surfing the web sometimes gets a bad wrap as a time zap. I personally feel we are gaining information to store for later when we are perusing the net. Now that I am blogging, every opportunity to surf is a possibility for a new subject to write about. When you’re surfing the net, think about something from your manifestation journal you want to do a little more research about. Perhaps it’s a trip to Brazil. Or, an article on the history of tithing. Whatever it is, surf with a purpose to make the computer time count.
6. Guided meditation. I am a huge fan of guided meditation because it helps to guide the mind and body into a quiet state. Guided meditation reduces stress and for those of us who are spiritual, it brings us closer to our Higher Self or God. Here is a link to UCLA Health’s website with free quick, guided mediation MP3s http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22. If you’ve never meditated, having a guide to help you quiet your thoughts is super helpful. Don’t feel like you have to start out doing 30 minute sessions – start with five minutes and work your way up.
7. Listen to Podcasts. Just as I’m a journal junkie, I am also a little strung out on Podcasts. I listen to spiritual leaders and life coaches for daily inspiration. Some podcasts to check out: Everyday Attraction with Rae Zander; Think, Believe and Manifest Show with Constance Arnold; Receive Your Life with Janice Campbell; The Matt and Phil Show; Flowdreaming with Summer McStravick. For the creative writers, check out Writers on Writing.
8. Exercise. Get some second hand yoga or fitness videos, dance, or if you have room in your family room, get a small bike or elliptical machine and work up a sweat while you watch television. Whatever you do, get moving. Obviously, if you have a sick child or you’re sick yourself, this is not really a feasible option, so that’s why it’s towards the bottom of the list.
9. Daydream. Now, this is something you can do while your child sleeps or if you’re bedridden. Allow your mind to wonder. It feels so delicious to dip into a daydream, and almost a letdown when it’s interrupted. Here is how Wikipedia defines daydreaming: Daydreaming is a short-term detachment from one’s immediate surroundings, during which a person’s contact with reality is blurred and partially substituted by a visionary fantasy, especially one of happy, pleasant thoughts, hopes or ambitions, imagined as coming to pass, and experienced while awake. Your mind needs a break, why not daydream?
10. Sleep. This will be a given if you’re sick. Even if there’s no sickness in your house, a nap or a night’s rest is what your mind and body needs to recharge. For many of us, sleep is a depleted commodity and naps are great for storing a little day’s energy. On days when I’ve had a hard time or had to leave work early, I go straight to my couch and take a nap. I usually wake up feeling a lot better about a situation or I may even dream up a solution to a problem. Sleep is medicine.

What are some ways you pass the time on cold or rainy days? And, what are some ways you enrich your life for free?

~Your Curator of All Things Spiritual and Inspirational, Kimberly Jo Cooley

Law of Attraction at Work: Musu’s Season of Manifesting a New Job

Posted in Goals, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Manifestation, New Thought, Prosperity, Work Life, Working with AbundantLifeInitiative by

The blog, Abundant Life Initiative was on brief hiatus, but I was still initiating an abundant life – more on that in future blogs. I’m back and I have brought along some friends who are initiating their own abundant lives.

Today, Musa Bangura shares a personal story on manifesting a new job – Law of Attraction in theory into practice. Check out Musu’s own blog at New3Creation Writing – http://new3creationservices.wordpress.com/, New3Creation Wellness – http://new3creation.blogspot.com/ and Twitter: @new3Creation. Thank you very much Musu for your contribution to AbundantLifeInitiative.

My Experience with the Law of Attraction

March 10th, the day I made a decision. It was another turn in this journey of life. I was tired and frustrated with my present situation as far as my career went. It felt like I was stuck beneath a glass ceiling where I could see the greener pastures but just couldn’t breakthrough to get through to them. My upbringing taught me the principles of Christianity and how I had to pray and have faith for anything I wanted. Well, life has taught me it doesn’t exactly work that way. The concept of praying and waiting was wrong and there was more to it than that. I remembered a previous conversation I had with someone about the Law of Attraction and decided to look it up and research it. The concept of creative power and placement in the universe just struck me and I decided to try it for myself. I had reached a point when I was determined to make changes, especially if it meant going beyond my comfort zone.

So on this day in March, I grabbed a notebook and pen to make a list (I’m a list person). But I didn’t simply write down what I wished. I wrote down what was going to happen. You see, I realized that it was going to take more than wishing…I had to tap into a place of knowing. I will explain. I wanted/needed a better job ASAP. I was working hard and doing my best to stand out and hopefully get recognized for it, but that didn’t get me anywhere. I had been looking for a promotion for years, but it felt like I was going around in circles, just getting minimal pay raises on an annual basis. I had been on interviews and impressed recruiters, but there was always someone who would beat me at the very end of the process. So I was at a point where I would no longer wish, because I knew what I wanted, which was to be promoted. I had worked for it, I knew my worth and I knew what was supposed to happen for me. That’s what rejection and disappointment did to me – they didn’t consume me. They had indeed built me up. Now I was at a point where I could write down “I have my promotion” on the top of my list. Once I saw it on paper, I began to ingrain it in my mind to the point where I would visualize myself sitting in a new office at a new job. I did it every day as I continued to apply and go on interviews. Then in the second week of April, I got a phone call for an interview. I jumped at the opportunity to go for it, with the excitement of finally getting the job offer I wanted. The interview went well and it would’ve been a move up for me, but I wasn’t fully satisfied. The salary was definitely more, but not the actual increase I envisioned. I continued to envision – seeing myself in the job that I actually wanted.

May 15th – there was another job interview lined up for me. By this time, my mindset had started to change. There was a new sense of confidence because I was taking time out of each day to see myself in the new place of promotion. It became easier to block out the negativity I was facing in my present situation. I knew what I wanted to experience and I was preparing myself just for that. The interview went well but I still had some inner battles to fight. This job was ideal; the pay, exposure and office set up were everything I was looking for. Yes, they were impressed with my experience and knowledge, but would they hire me? I had to consistently fight the self-doubt and fear and remind myself of where I was headed. This was the hardest part, what I like to call “the in-between” where you’re in the middle of the beginning and end point of a goal you’re reaching.

May 23rd – I received a phone call for a job offer. I was excited, but not thrilled because it wasn’t the job I was actually aiming for. It was the job with the lower pay. I hadn’t heard from the actual job that I wanted but was determined to land that one. So even though I accepted the job offer, my thoughts were still towards the position I actually wanted. I hadn’t heard back from them but I still continued to meditate on where I was headed. As far as I was concerned, I was in my actual promotion. As the next couple of weeks passed, the company that gave me the job offer was ready to give me a start date. I wasn’t ready to give them one. I kept stalling them and was very slow to return their calls. At some point, I finally called them and declined the offer even though I hadn’t heard back from the preferred job yet. Simply put, I wanted that second job and would not rest until I heard back from them.

June 4th – I received a phone call that confirmed everything for me. I was offered a job at the company that had everything on my wish list. I was elated that it finally happened, especially since I knew I had worked towards it. The Law of Attraction definitely came into play and worked for me. This experience gave me a new sense of myself and capabilities. I learned a beautiful feature of my mind that I wasn’t aware of before and it felt great.

So why did it work? Why did the job finally come through for me? There were several things going on as I used the Law of Attraction to make things work:

  • I wrote it down. Writing is powerful in many ways. Writing down a particular goal can put it in motion because you’re seeing it on paper which puts your mind to work.
  • I was aware of what I was creating. A lot of the times we want things, but aren’t aware of what’s involved with what we want. With this promotion, I knew there were higher standards and more responsibilities so I had to prepare myself for that. Now that it’s here the transition has been smooth and successful.
  • With meditation, I connected with the creation and made it a part of my mind and soul. I did this every day, sometimes twice a day especially before I went to bed. I wanted that vision to be the last thing on my mind before going to sleep.
  • I welcomed the fear. Yes, I didn’t fight the fear because I learned that it was normal. Fear is just like any other emotion and there’s nothing wrong with experiencing it. I just made sure I didn’t feed it and let it control me or my situation.

If you’re looking to apply the Law of Attraction to an area of your life, be sure to have an awareness of yourself and clearly define what you want. I could’ve settled for the first job, but it wasn’t what I saw while meditation. I made the goal very clear and didn’t settle for anything else. The same can happen for you – or even better.

~Musu Bangura, introduction by Kimberly Jo Cooley