You get what you get and you don’t get upset. We’ve all heard that saying when we were kids. But how about if you could attract the things we focus on? That may just open a universe of opportunities and as we head into a new year, take inventory on not only what your goals are, but how you plan on achieving them with the help of the Law of Attraction!
WHAT IS THE LAW OF ATTRACTION?
There are 12 universal laws, with one of them being the Law of Attraction. The basic message of the Law of Attraction is like attracts like, and setting positive intentions can help you manifest your dreams and bring your goals into reality.
Lao Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher, once said: "Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny."
Essentially, all thoughts manifest whether it be materially, mentally, physically – you name it. So if you continue to engage in negative self-talk or judgement, you will continue to search and find situations that match those negative feelings. Everything that can be imagined if you plan to make it happen and equally important, work to make it happen. You have the capacity to change your mood and your future.
Ok ... SO HOW DOES IT WORK?
Imagine this: Life is a blank canvas and we’re the artists. Each stroke is a thought.
Aligning with the Law of Attraction comes down to three steps.
- Ask. Using the art example above, be creative. The only two questions you must ask yourself is:
- How do I want this piece of art to look like?
- How will I act to make it look like what I imagine?
- Believe. Figure out what you want and try to feel what it would be like once you have that which you imagine. Act to match your intent and believe that what you imagine will truly happen. For example, if your goal is to run a marathon, you repeat: "I am intending to run a marathon." What does that look like? What does it feel like? Imagine the situation from all angles.
- Receive. There will be clues around you that will serve as an answer. Maybe you meet someone who inspires you to take on a new career path, or perhaps you read an article that makes you tackle an issue from a different perspective. Trust that you are exactly where you need to be.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE LAW OF ATTRACTION
According to Neuroscientist Tara Swart, Ph.D., when your intention is set, it triggers your brain off on three neurological systems: selective filtering, selective attention, and value tagging.
- Selective filtering. These days, we have a constant stream of news that our brains filter in a short-term way. When it comes to long term goals, holding an intention prevents your brain from filtering out important information.
- Selective attention. When your brain is set on your intention, you may notice more opportunities and synchronicities that are aligned with what you want.
- Value tagging. Value tagging is the importance your brain assigns to every piece of information it is exposed to. Sometimes, humans have a tendency to tag negative parcels of information that it may perceive to be a threat. Priming the brain to look out for the good as well as the bad takes practice. "To force your brain to not always go down that negative pathway and to focus more on taking healthy risks," Swart says, you can start by practicing gratitude.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
Of course, positive thinking and belief alone won't make your dreams come true. You need to put in the work, too!
For example, if your goal is to get an "A" on a test, you still need to put in the studying and treat your mind right in the days leading up to the test. From there, layering on some positive mantras and visualizations can further reinforce your goal with the universe.
The Law of Attraction can work—but not necessarily overnight. Achieving your goals takes consistent work, practice, a dash of divine timing, but of course some factors will always be out of our control. Sending positivity your way as we head into a new year!
