Owls and Orchids

Happiness

“If you always attach positive emotions to the things you want, and never attach negative emotions to the things you don’t, then that which you desire most will invariably come your way.”
― Matt D. Miller

There are times when, no matter how hard we try we feel that nothing we do is going right. Everything seems hard and we don’t know how to get things back on track again. We feel as though we are going round in circles and can’t find a way to get off the merry-go-round. The last thing we can believe is that abundance is all around us.

It’s so frustrating when things feel like this. Unfortunately the more energy we put into these thoughts the more of those kinds of events seem to occur around us. Abundance seems to be anywhere but around us.

image from harmonyinspirations.com.au

• You’ve been feeling tired and lethargic and decided to have just a few extra minutes in bed to get the day off to a good start. Instead you drop off into a sound sleep, wake up half an hour later and now you’re running around madly because it looks as though you will be late for work.  
• Frantically rushing around you forego breakfast to make up time and as you finally dash out the front door you trip, catching your jacket on a nail you didn’t see and tear a huge hole in it. Now you have to go back and change your outfit which means you will be late after all and it’s going to cost you a repair bill to get your jacket fixed.
• Finally on your way to work you have a dream run with no traffic hold ups. You start to think you are going to get there on time after all when you turn the corner and… there are road works ahead and the lollipop facing you says “STOP”.
• Instead of a long delay the lollipop is turned around almost immediately and you get through the road works.
• There is one car park ahead but a car suddenly cuts in front of you and it looks as though that parking space, which would have seen you arrive at work on time, is gone. Your sigh of despondency turns to a cry of joy as the car in front keeps going and you drive into the parking space.
• In through the front foyer and you are going to make it if you catch the next lift. As the thought crosses your mind you see inside the lift. It is crammed full of people. There will be no way you can get into that lift. As your shoulders start to slump three people suddenly get out of the lift and you quickly get in.
• You are working on the fifteenth floor and as you look at the panel you see almost every button for each floor is lit. Can anything else go wrong? The doors slowly close and the lift just sits there for what seems an age before climbing to the next floor. This happens all the way up.
• Thoroughly chagrined you finally arrive on your floor and start to make your way out only to see your boss walk out of the lift just behind you.
• You are waiting to be chipped for being late when he says, ”Damned lifts, it’s impossible to get in on time is it? Drop by my office later, I have your bonus cheque on my desk”

At each step of your journey you have met with delays and unfortunate accidents. Each one seems to be the one which is going to ruin your day and possibly get you in hot water with your boss. It couldn’t have been a worse start to the day, could it? Now the day has started so badly the rest of the day will only get worse, right? It’s so bad how can abundance be anywhere near you?

Grateful for everything

• You managed to get an extra half an hour of sleep which means you won’t feel tired all day. Yes you had to rush a little to catch up but you did and were going out the door on time.
•  Oh, but then you ripped your jacket. Then you remember that you chose that jacket because you thought it might rain and you really don’t like it much at all, so it wouldn’t have bothered you if it had gotten wet. You will get it mended but it’s really not such a disaster.
• You could have been delayed for ages at the road works but the lollipop guy turned his sign around almost the second you stopped and you got through in no time at all.
• You would have had to drive around the block if the parking spot had been taken but instead you drove straight in.
•  If those people hadn’t left the lift you would have had to catch the next one, but you didn’t have to.
• Stopping at every floor you cannot get to your office in time, but as you leave the lift your boss is behind you.
• He has been stuck waiting as well as you, and even better he has a bonus cheque on his desk waiting for you.

image from onajourneybacktoherwings.blogspot.com

In the first scenario everything which could have gone wrong, did, and it would have made you late for work and probably seen your boss, at the very least, upset with you. Your focus was on the negative which might have happened.

However, each time something happened, the worst case scenario didn’t follow. Instead something positive happened. At the end of the journey to work, which saw one positive thing after another happen, you found out you had a bonus waiting for you as well. You found that abundance had been surrounding you all the time.

image from http://www.ont-hypnosis-centre.com

Abundance comes in many forms, not always money, although that is nice too. Abundance is something positive which makes your life easier, better or nicer. It may even mean it is something which can be shared with someone else. It may also be something which might seem negative but is a blessing in disguise. (Take for example a car accident. It could have been disastrous, serious injuries, but whilst your car is damaged you just have a few bumps and bruises, that too is abundance).

If all the negative aspects were the only ones you gave thought to, you would have had an awful day. However, if you consider all the positive things which helped you, then, you are going to be grateful for all the blessings you have received.

image from http://www.snigdhakrishna.com

 “As long as we remain vigilant at building our internal abundance—an abundance of integrity, an abundance of forgiveness, an abundance of service, an abundance of love—then external lack is bound to be temporary.”
― Marianne Williamson, Everyday Grace: Having Hope, Finding Forgiveness And Making Miracles

Abundance and Blessings to all.

Susan x

© Susan Jamieson 2013