Transforming Negativity

May 18, 2008

Dear Friends,

As I often mention, one of the primary keys for living life in the divine flow is maintaining a positive frame of mind. For many of us (perhaps most of us) that can be quite a challenge, because we have been conditioned for much of our lives to automatically doubt and distrust. Unfortunately, that negative mind-set makes us less open to divine direction, and so we often miss or dismiss the divine opportunities that the flow is attempting to present to us.

I wish there was a simple switch that I could flip that would instantly transform negativity into positivity—darkness into light. But I haven’t found that “light switch” yet. For me, transforming a thought based on fear into a thought based on faith is a process. And as I examine that process, I can see that there are several identifiable steps that I usually take.

Today, I offer you my personal process for regaining a positive attitude. If you are plagued by chronic worry and negativity, perhaps it is because you not taking one or more of the following steps:

1. I accept the fact that I am having a negative thought, and I don’t judge myself harshly for that. Judging myself just keeps me in that part of my mind—the ego—that thrives on fear and worry. Like I mentioned earlier, considering the way that many of us have been conditioned, a less-than-positive outlook on life is understandable.

2. I move into a more objective frame of mind by literally saying to myself, “Oh, I’m having a thought that (fill in the blank).” In other words, I don’t resist the thought, which just causes it to persist. Instead, I simply observe the thought without becoming attached to it.

3. In that more objective frame of mind, I am usually able to see the extreme, false, or unfounded nature of my thought, and easily discard it.

4. If the thought continues to remain with me because it still seems reasonable or likely, then I judge its reality based on my past experience. When I do that, I usually realize I have had a thought like this before, and what I feared did not actually happen . . . or it did not happen to the degree that I imagined. Often, in fact, my most fearful moments have set the stage for something really good to occur, instead.

5. Based on my experience, I then replace my negative thought with a more positive one. But more importantly, I affirm for myself what I know to be true in both my experience and in my heart: That I live in a beneficent Universe that is continually supporting me, protecting me, and guiding me to my highest good. I remind myself that I am constantly being offered celestial assistance, and I remember that my job is mainly to be open and receptive to divine direction.

6. Finally, I recognize that it is impossible for me to control every single aspect of life. So I simply return my attention to whatever is right in front of me at the moment—like driving the car or working in the yard—and I give thanks that while I am taking care of what is in my control, the Universe is handling everything else on my behalf.

All steps aside, there is only one thing you ever really need to remember, and that is this: “Everything can be a stepping stone to your highest good, if you are willing to look at it that way.” But if that is simply not enough to instantly “turn on the light” for you, then I hope the steps I have outlined above—like turning up a dimmer switch—will at least help you shed more and more light on any negative or worrisome thought you are currently struggling with.

Blessings!

Steven

© 2008 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow

Happy Day, Mother!

May 11, 2008

Happy Mother's Day, Friends!

Sunday, May 11th is the day we celebrate the women in our lives who conceived us, gave birth to us, and nurtured us as we began to establish our own individual identities in the world.

As I contemplate the beauty of motherhood on this special day, I can't help but notice the similarity between motherhood and manifesting.

What similarity, exactly?

Well, as I have mentioned many times before, you are an innately creative being. No matter how happy and fulfilled you are, you will always be conceiving of things you want to have, do, or be in your life. Through your words and your actions you will constantly be giving birth to your ideas—to your desires, goals, and dreams. And by giving them your love and attention, you will continually be in the process of nurturing your creations—of helping them to grow into full expression.

In other words, whether you are male or female, whether you have brought a child into this world or not, in many respects you are—at the core of your being—a mother . . . someone who is divinely designed to bring something new and beautiful into this world.

As you pay tribute to your mother (or mothers), and to all the mothers living in the world around you, I invite you to take a moment to also honor the mother living in the world within you.

Take a moment to celebrate that motherly part of you that is an open chamber for receiving divine ideas, and an open channel for bringing those beautiful ideas into the world, and giving them life.

Here's to the joy of motherhood!

And here's to the peace that comes from knowing that the whole universe is willing to help you with that wonderful and immensely fulfilling work.

Happy Day, Mother!

Steven

© 2008 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of, Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow

G.U.I.L.T.Y. or Guilty?

May 4, 2008

Dear Friends,

In the mid-nineties, I read and studied a book called A Course in Miracles. One of the points that this book makes repeatedly (as I understand it) is that whenever we are coming from ego—that is, whenever we are coming from a sense of self that is separated and isolated from the Divine—we feel guilt.

Guilt? At that time in my life, I definitely felt a certain sense of separation and isolation, but I couldn’t really relate to the deep and chronic feeling of guilt that the Course seemed to be referring to.

And then one day, something occurred to me. As I have said many times, the true you is not your body, your mind, or even your personality. The true you is spirit—an individual expression of the Divine that exists at the core of your being. And that spirit—that Higher Self—is evident whenever you express certain qualities . . . qualities such as love, trust, and understanding. Don’t you think that you feel guilty whenever you are not expressing those qualities, and may be expressing the exact opposite? Don’t you think you feel guilty when you are disconnected from your own divinity, and are not being true to your Self?

We may not have identified it, but I suspect that there is, indeed, a sense of guilt that is always present whenever we are not fully expressing our divine nature. It’s a subtle sense of guilt that we feel so consistently, we have probably become accustomed to it.

Today I would like to put a positive spin on this rather unpleasant topic of guilt, by transforming that very word itself into a beautiful reminder of the inherent goodness of your spirit. I have created an acronym for guilt that describes some of the wonderful qualities of your divine essence, and I present that acronym to you now in the form of a question:

Are you G.U.I.L.T.Y?

G is for Giving. And your spirit is here to give. Are you giving? Do you freely share your God-given gifts with others without demanding something in return?

U is for Understanding. And your spirit is always understanding. Are you understanding? Can you see that everyone is doing the best they can with the limited knowledge, skills, and history that they have?

I is for Inspired. Are you inspired? Are you willing to open your mind and open your heart to the divine insights and intuitive directions that come directly from your spirit . . . even if that divine guidance doesn’t seem to be “logical?”

L is for Loving. And your spirit loves unconditionally. Are you loving? Are you willing to look beyond appearances and beyond behavior to behold the inner perfection and inner beauty that reside within everyone?

T is for Trusting. Are you trusting? Are you willing to let go of control long enough to let the universe show you what it can do on your behalf? Are you willing to let your spirit guide you down a path that is different from what you planned on or expected?

Y is for Young at heart. Your spirit always approaches life with the innocence, enthusiasm, and wonder of a child. Are you young at heart? Can you enjoy this world as if it’s your own personal playground?

I ask you again, my friends: Are you G.U.I.L.T.Y?

I certainly hope so! Because the more Giving, Understanding, Inspired, Loving, Trusting, and Young at heart you are, the more you will be coming from spirit, instead of ego . . . and the more your life will be in the flow.

Steven

© 2008 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow

Your Frame of Mind and The Flow

April 20, 2008

Dear Friends,

As you practice living life in the divine flow, I want you to be aware of an unproductive way of thinking that is very easy to slip into.

It’s about your frame of mind as you prepare to take your next divinely directed step. Instead of maintaining a thought such as, “Here’s a door that has been divinely opened for me, and I will now go through that door,” you may start to think something more like, “This is what I must do if I want to accomplish my goal.”

Do you see the subtle difference? The first thought acknowledges the divine source of your next right step, and describes the role that you play as a simple follow-through. The second thought basically ignores the divine origin of the step, and puts the full burden of fulfilling your desire back on your shoulders. Once again, you begin to feel that the fulfillment of your desire is “all up to you,” and you begin to suffer under the burden of that false notion.

The second thought also expresses a very limited idea—the idea that your destination cannot be reached unless you take this particular step. The truth is, if you fail to take that step—if you don’t go through that particular door—the universe will simply open another door for you further down the line.

There is a big difference between taking advantage of a current opportunity that has been divinely created for you, and having an attitude that you must do, have to do, or need to do something to achieve success.

That “have-to” kind of mind-set—though understandable—takes all the joy out of following divine guidance. And worse, it puts the kind of pressure on you that will quickly block your ability to stay attuned to the flow.

If you want to remain in the divine flow for any length of time, always keep in mind that the universe requires very little of you. Your main job is just to cooperate with what is being divinely orchestrated on your behalf. Remember that the realization of your dream is never solely up to you . . . nor do you always have to do everything perfectly.

Continued feelings of peace and ease, instead of tension and anxiety, will tell you that you are keeping your part of the process in its proper perspective.

Steven

© 2008 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow

Small Miracles, Part 3

April 13, 2008

Dear Friends,

For the last two weeks I have been writing about all the small miracles that occur in our lives—the kind of synchronistic events and happy coincidences that happen so frequently (if we are paying attention), we can’t help but sense a divine flow in our lives.

Well, I wasn’t planning to write a third message on this subject, but I received an interesting email from a reader last week that has inspired me to add one more facet to this unintentional three-part series.

This particular reader wrote to thank me for my messages on the subject of small miracles, and she said that she had just experienced a small miracle herself. As she described this “miracle,” however, it became apparent that she was talking about something that showed up in her life as a “challenge” . . . a situation that—as she put it—“threw her off.” That situation, however, gave her the chance to “take her life and spiritual practice to a new place.”

Which brings me to the point I want to make today: Although we usually associate miracles with circumstances that are obviously to our benefit, sometimes an unpleasant encounter or challenging situation can also be a divine gift in our lives—a blessing that gives us a much-needed opportunity to grow in wisdom, compassion, faith, courage . . . or to heal an emotional wound that may be ages old.

It doesn’t make any difference whether these challenges are in our lives directly by divine design, or whether they are simply the result of misguided freewill choices. The fact is, whenever we actively embrace each challenge as a miraculous opportunity to see where our blocks to loving are, or to discover where we may be limiting our lives through fear-based thoughts and actions, the learning or healing that occurs is always beneficial.

The next time a situation arises in your life that elicits pain or discomfort, remember to look for the gift. Be genuinely open to the learning lesson that is there for you, so you can grow from the experience.

Here’s to learning, healing, and growing by being grateful for all of life’s little miracles . . . including the ones that come to us as blessings in disguise.

Steven

© 2008 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow

Small Miracles, Part 2

April 6, 2008

Dear Friends,

Last week I wrote about all the small miracles that occur in our lives—the kind of synchronistic events and happy coincidences that seem so insignificant, we tend to easily forget them and begin to take our good fortune for granted.

But that raises a question. Can any miracle actually be “insignificant?” In other words, is there even such a thing as a “small” miracle?

Certainly, by direct comparison, one miracle can appear to be more significant than another. But if you look closely at how that larger miracle came to be, you will usually see that there were a number of smaller miracles that were involved in the manifestation process.

For instance, the wonderful home that Carol and I are now living in was not the one that we had originally agreed to rent. That deal fell through. But we then manifested a home that was better in several important ways. It had the Red Rock view we wanted, the storage we needed, and enough flowering bushes to satisfy Carol’s desire for a little “green” out here in the desert. It was a magnificent manifestation, and Carol and I love to tell the story of how it all came about.

When I sat down to write this message, however, I suddenly remembered that there is a part of the story that I have been leaving out. You see, when Carol and I were in Sedona looking for a home to rent, it was the first week of August, 2006. But we couldn’t really move here until three months later. Homes rent so readily in Sedona, the only way a house could be “held” for us, was if we went ahead and started paying rent immediately . . . and that was something we just didn’t want to do.

Well, as it turned out, we didn’t have to. Not only was the home that we manifested perfect for us in both form and function, it wasn’t even available for rent until the first of November—exactly when we wanted to move in. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect for all involved.

So, was that little synchronicity a “minor” miracle? Not in the scheme of things, no. It was a major component of the whole process. Which brings me back to the question I asked at the beginning of this week’s message: Is there even such as thing as a “small” miracle?

My answer is, of course, no. Generally speaking, every happy coincidence and every synchronistic event plays an important part in the flow of your good. And, like I wrote last week, if you want to experience the flow’s miracles more freely and more frequently, it is up to you to recognize the value of every miracle of every size, and be consciously grateful for each and every one.

Here’s to living life in the divine flow, and celebrating all the “little” miracles that have made such a “big” difference in our lives.

Steven

© 2008 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow

Small Miracles

March 30, 2008

Dear Friends,

A while back, I was speaking to a group of people about my personal discovery of the divine flow. I related numerous synchronistic events and happy coincidences that led me to conclude that the universe we live in is, indeed, “intelligent”—that it is aware of what we need and what we want, and that it is continually working on our behalf to help us fulfill those dreams, desires, and goals.

One gentleman in the group didn’t doubt that I had experienced many coincidences in my life, but he did question whether the conclusion I reached as a result of those coincidences was a justified conclusion. Specifically, he wanted to know if the coincidences I had experienced were “statistically significant.”

“Statistically significant.” I remembered that term from a business class I took in college. What this man was talking about was the fact that—below a certain numerical threshold—sheer chance alone could account for my experiences. And he was seeking some kind of statistical “proof” that I had experienced enough of these minor miracles to reasonably conclude that there was, as I determined, a divine intelligence behind them.

I’m not sure my answer satisfied him, but it was more than satisfactory to me: First of all, I told him that right after I published my book, I began to keep an official journal of my “divine flow experiences,” so I would have some additional stories to put in my next book. But I stopped keeping that journal after just three weeks. Why? Because I was getting writer’s cramp! There were just too many miracles to keep track of—far too many, it seems to me, to be explained by mere chance.

I then pointed out that when I faithfully practice the principles involved with living life in the divine flow, the number of synchronistic events and happy coincidences that I experience dramatically increases. But when I don’t “practice what I preach,” that number dramatically decreases. If these events were just occurring by chance, then my behavior wouldn’t affect things one way or the other.

Which brings me to the point I want to make today. (That’s right, I’m just now getting to it!)

I think I have made it very clear in my book, in my workshops, and in these weekly messages, that it is extremely easy for you to unconsciously block or limit the experience of the divine flow in your life. Obviously, when you live life forcefully or fearfully, you are going to experience the divine flow to a lesser degree, because you are actually interfering with the manifestation process itself.

But even if you are doing a pretty good job of recognizing and cooperating with the divine flow in your life, that experience can still be diminished if you don’t make a conscious effort to appreciate each and every little miracle that manifests in your life—even something as “seemingly” insignificant as the appearance of the perfect parking place.

Like everything in life, even the divine flow can be taken for granted. And the more you take it for granted, the more likely you are to easily forget many of the miracles that have happened in your life—especially the smaller ones. Even recent occurrences can quickly be forgotten.

If you really want to fully experience the divine flow in your life, I suggest that you always take a moment to stop what you are doing and be consciously grateful for every little miracle that occurs. Celebrate it! Revel in it! Only then will you begin to get an accurate sense of how miraculous this world of ours truly is.

Will the number of miracles that you notice be statistically significant—that is, enough for you to reasonably conclude that there must be a higher power working on your behalf? I certainly think so, yes. But I’ll leave that for you to decide.

What is much more important to me is this: The miracles that I now so freely and frequently experience are not just statistically significant, they are personally significant . . . for they have transformed my life from one of constant stress and struggle, to one of consistent peace and ease. And that, my friends—all statistics aside—is significant enough for me.

Steven

© 2008 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow