The Year of "I Love You"

It's already 2007! Whoo hoo! That time just keeps on a'marchin'.

Traditionally, the New Year is a great line of demarcation; a time to reflect upon our successes and failures, as well as to do some goal-setting for the upcoming year.

I'm full of resolve on New Years Day! I make my resolutions with a set jaw, and am fully prepared to see them through.

Unfortunately, I think I've successfully completed one resolution. In my whole life. Thankfully, that one was to stop smoking, and I've been tobacco free for over two years. Whew.

The idea of resolutions was wafting in and out of my mind right before New Years Eve 2006, when I heard a discussion about resolutions on the radio. That got me to thinking... The guests on the show were complaining about the futility and folly of making these pacts with yourself. Why do most resolutions fail to become permanent fixtures in people's lives? Why are they so freakin' difficult to implement?

I think I figured it out. So now I'm going to make 2007 the Year of "I Love You."

In some of my previous posts, I explored the idea that the energy contained in aligned beliefs, thoughts, and emotions is a powerful creative force in the physical world. In short, what you "think about, you bring about."

Gratefulness is also very important, and is closely related. In the Bible, this is apparent in many places. Here's one: I Thessalonians 5:18 says "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you..." This makes me believe that gratitiude is pretty important if we're instructed to hold it "in all circumstances." Not sometimes, or only when we're feeling satisfied with something in our life, but always--even when we're not satisfied with something in our life! Be grateful anyway!

When making resolutions, I realized that I was focusing on the thing I was not satisfied with in my life--the smoking, the extra weight, the mess in my office, my hurried schedule--and not the thing I wanted to create in my life.

I was focused on what I perceived as negative. And I certainly wasn't grateful. But knowing what you don't want is the first step toward knowing what you do want!

So... How does this translate into The Year of "I Love You"?

What I find is that, in order to create what you want, you have to be grateful for and love what you have right now.

Simply put, if you bring about what you think about, then thinking about things that make you feel grateful will bring about more things in your life that make you feel grateful. Being grateful forces an internal shift and opens the floodgates, so to speak, of creation.

If you have trouble seeing a really practical way to do this (who is grateful for that extra weight?), then think of it this way: the things you've created but want to change in your life are wonderful opportunities for you! Just imagine your sense of accomplishment and wonder at the power of creation when you manifest your desires!

So I'm doing this in the upcoming year: when I realize that I have a thought that is more about what I don't want than what I do want, I'm going to say "Thank you. I love you." to the situation or circumstance that spawned the thought.

An internal shift can happen just by thinking this. Try it right now: think of something in your life that makes you uncomfortable. Now, while focusing on this situation or circumstance, say, "Thank you. I love you." Can you feel the subtle difference? Just by thinking gratefulness and love, you emit gratefulness and love!

And that brings you more thankfulness and love. Cool!

So when you're working on your resolutions for the New Year, be sure to focus on (1) what you do want and (2) gratefulness and love.

The creative power of the Universe will consistently astound and amaze you as it has me. Do these two simple things, and futility and folly will be, gratefully, obstacles long since conquered.