Does Negativity Have Power?

February 6, 2011

Dear Friends,

Countless books and articles have been written about a principle called the “Law of Attraction,” and the power we seem to have to “attract” into our lives whatever it is we give energy to. The authors of those books and articles usually caution us to avoid negative thinking, and warn us to avoid dwelling on that which we do not want . . . and for a very good reason. It is commonly believed that negative thoughts have just as much power as positive thoughts. So, if we continually focus on negative outcomes instead of positive ones, then that is exactly what we will attract into our lives . . . even though those outcomes are not something that we desire.

I don’t dispute the fact that undesirable outcomes can manifest when we continually harbor negative thoughts. But I do wonder if negativity has the power to attract something into our lives in the exact same way positivity does. The reason I question that belief is for one simple reason. It just doesn’t fit my own experience of life.

You see, for many, many years I was a very negative person—constantly fearful and worried, and always expecting the worst to happen. Occasionally, yes, my fears would come true to one extent or another. More often than not, though, something good would happen instead! Even when I acted in ways that were obviously self-destructive, I was often miraculously saved from any real harm.

So, as I began to read more and more about the Law of Attraction, I began to wonder about a few things, such as:

Why doesn’t my chronic negativity always have the negative effects it should according to the Law of Attraction?

Why—in spite of my negative thoughts and feelings—do good things often happen instead?

Why, in my experience, does negativity seem much weaker than positivity? Is it some kind of lesser power?

Through a process of contemplation, meditation, and what I consider to be nothing less than divine inspiration, this—in part—is the conclusion I reached:

Negativity is not the power to create negatively. It is simply
a self-induced reduction in the power to create positively.

Allow me to briefly explain:

I believe there is tremendous power in positivity. When you think positive thoughts, feel positive feelings, and foster positive and loving intentions, you do—literally—attract into your life the people, events, and circumstances that lead you to the effortless fulfillment of your heart’s desires.

What’s more, it is relatively easy for you to recognize and cooperate with what you are attracting into your life, because positivity keeps you open and receptive to G.O.D.—the Guidance Of the Divine. You are more insightful, more inspired, and more intuitive . . . and you make much wiser choices as a result.

When you consistently entertain negative thoughts, you experience something quite different.

Surprisingly, even when you are in a negative state of mind, you still attract into your life the people, events, and circumstances that can be highly beneficial to you. Why? Because this intelligent universe of ours knows what lies beneath your negativity. It knows what you really want. It knows what you really need. And, because of its beneficent nature, it continues to work on your behalf to help you manifest those desires—in spite of your negative mindset!

However—and here’s the crux of this week’s message—negativity makes it extremely difficult for you to recognize and cooperate with what the universe is orchestrating for you!

When you harbor negative thoughts and feelings, you severely restrict your ability to be open and receptive to divine guidance. It is harder to see what the divine signs are trying to show you. It is harder to hear what your intuition is trying to tell you. And thus, you are much more likely to make unwise choices—choices based solely on your own limited knowledge and biased perceptions.

When doubt and dread rule your head, you are bound to have some undesirable experiences in life. But it is not because you literally “attracted” those experiences to you through some kind of magnetic power. For the most part, those experiences are simply the natural consequence of going through life without the advantage of divine direction—of moving through life unguided or misguided.

As I illustrate this concept in my book:

“It’s like trying to make your way across an unfamiliar room in the middle of the night. Without a guiding light, it’s almost impossible to avoid bumping into something. But you did not attract that something to you. You simply ran into it because you couldn’t see it in the darkness. You did not attract a collision. You were simply more susceptible to a collision as the natural result of your blindness.”

Friends, are you stumbling around in the night, blindly bumping into things you don’t want or like? Do you want to regain your power to create what you do want in life? Then turn on the light! It is the light that illuminates your path by illuminating your mind. It is the Light of the Divine that resides deep within your own heart. And all it takes for you to turn on that helpful, beneficent, guiding light is just a little bit of positivity.

Steven

P.S. It’s important to note that making decisions without the benefit of divine guidance is not the only reason unwanted challenges appear in your life. Other factors can also be involved. Chief among them is the possibility that—on an unconscious level—you may be choosing to experience a particular challenge. I invite you to review the article I wrote on that subject last April. Just click here.

Share

© 2011 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com