Saturday, February 26, 2011

TURN YOUR COMPLAINTS INTO GRATITUDES

Morning, Folks,

We had the SECRET class last night, and it was really good! We had 5 ladies in total, watched about 1/4 of the DVD and then did a worksheet identifying our COMPLAINTS and changing those into GRATITUDES. It was very enriching and we all left feeling uplifted. Come join us!

SECRET FRIDAYS AT ARNOLD'S WAY
Change your attitude...to change your life
FRIDAYS AT 7PM
319 W MAIN STREET
LANSALE PA 19446
215 361 0116

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CONCERNS ABOUT THE SECRET
One thing concerns me. You know how important it is sometimes to just get 'something' troubling off of your chest? When you just need to releave the burden of carrying something painful or troubling, to get it out, to talk to someone, to open up about something hurtful or worrying? The SECRET never acknowledges that need.

One time my brother wanted to open up to me. As soon as he started taking negatively i told him his attitude was bad, the conversation came to a dead halt, and he never opened up to me again. That wasn't exactly my desired outcome. I meant to help him, but he needed someone to listen to him, FIRST, and to acknowledge they heard him.

If you're working the SECRET, what do you do when someone opens up to you? Do you immediately find fault with them for their lousy attitude?? Or do you thank them and praise them for their ability to open up and acknowledge how they feel firstly, let them know how much you appreciate that they confided in you, and then, if they show interest in your viewpoint, ask if they wish to explore how you can work together on changing their attitude as a possible remedy to the situation?

Life is not problem free and there definitely is the possibility that a person could DENY troubling situations trying to THINK positively, instead of actually WORK THROUGHT THEM. That has ALWAYS been a concern about the SECRET. I think we'll discuss this next week. Holding in or REPRESSING negative emotions, feelings, etc... seems counter to general accepted teachings about MENTAL HEALTH. I think first you have to acknowledge feelings to even have to OPTION to change.

For instance, some people never allow themselves the opportunity to complain or talk about what's wrong. "How are you?" "Fine." They never acknowledge what's wrong, so nothing changes. Identifying COMPLAINTS is the first step. Learning to let go of the FOCUS on them is the second step.

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ANOTHER CONCERN REGARDING THE SECRET.
There IS a great difference between GRATITUDE for what IS, and AFFIRMATIONS for what we want - The SECRET DVD addresses both of these positive life-affirming LAW of ATTRACTION principles, but doesn't really delineate the difference. In presenting a class on the SECRET, I just want to acknowledge their individual aspects.

Last night in writing our gratitudes, many people instead wrote affirmations, which is totally cool, but i see a difference.

For instance, in filling myself with GRATITUDE for my HOME, I can tell myself, "I am so grateful to have a roof over my head, plenty of heat, to have so many rooms, 2 bathrooms and 2 kitchens. I am so lucky and so appreciative that my Cliff takes such good care of me with our home, paying for gas and electric and water and taxes and trash, and that things run as well as they do. I am grateful to have all of my basic needs met." That really DOES fill me with alot of gratitude.

On the other hand, as an AFFIRMATION for my most heart felt desires concerning my home, i can tell myself, "My beautiful home is RENOVATED magnificently with all NEW REFINISHED WALLS, ARTWORK, NEW WINDOWS, BEAUTIFULLY REFINISHED WOOD FLOORS, GORGEOUS THROW RUGS, STURDY and BEAUTIFUL and FUNCTIONAL FURNITURE, GRANITE KITCHEN COUNTER TOPS, NEW REFRIGERATORS and SINKS and PLENTY OF STORAGE in the kitchens and in every room, NEW WATER HEATERS, NEW SHOWERS and BATHS, NEW FLOORS in the BATHROOM, NEW VANITIES and SINKS, and EVERYTHING is ORGANIZED and ORDERLY. My home reflects my LOVE of cleanliness, orderliness and beauty. Beauty surrounds me wherever I go in my home. I freely invite FRIENDS and FAMILY to my home as I feel so PROUD to live in such a BEATUFIL and RENOVATED home. My home makes me so HAPPY!!!"

Both ways of thinking seem to be working the SECRET from what i can gather, but I think we need to see the distinction. We still need to be grateful for what we DO have. And the SECRET promises that the more we fill ourselves with GRATITUDE for what we DO have, the better we will FEEL about it, the happier we will be, the higher our vibrational level and the BETTER and BETTER will be attracted to us.

And as we work our AFFIRMATIONS, we keep in mind constantly what we WANT and DESIRE and our wishes will be granted! We will attract those things into our lives!

I must say, in feeling gratitude for what i DO have, it makes me want to take better care of it, and for that motivation to better my environment, I feel grateful, because I often have felt paralyzed and depressed about my home sitatuation, and thus, unable or unwilling to want to improve it.

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LIFE AS A RAW CHEF
Yesterday in my job as a RAW VEGAN CHEF at Arnold's Way Raw Vegetarian Cafe' and Education Center in Lansdale, PA, I made raw TOONA and a yummy curry pate'. The day before I made spicy chedder cheeze, also an herby dip with cilantro and parsley, and the most yummy dessert balls i called "BANGIN' BETTER THAN SEX BERRY BLISS BALLS," a scrumptious combo of raspberries, coconut, cashew, ginger and orange peel.

At work, i have been eating what i want instead of trying so hard to follow food combining, and things are surprisingly OKAY with my eating at work. Not out of control like things have been in the past. I generally eat when i'm hungry.

At home, we practice the food combining. And I go off less and less. This week has been much improved. Go figure!
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Here are some of the COMPLAINTS turned to GRATITUDE from my list at class last night:

COMPLAINT:
I am in debt and broke.

GRATITUDE:
I feel grateful for my job, for the money it provides, and feel so grateful to Cliff for all that he does and provides for me. I am grateful to my parents for their loving support and financial support.

I can add to that an AFFIRMATION or WISH.

AFFIRMATION:
I receive income abundantly from my jobs as an opera singer and raw chef. I receive large tips at Arnold's Way. I have well paying singing jobs and private cooking jobs steadily. I receive a large salary for singing professionally. My singing schedule is full. My bank account is over 50,000$, and I am financially secure today and for the future. I am debt-free and owe nothing to credit cards. We are financially comfortable to travel frequently and live our dream life, able to afford the best of the best. I receive income from my writing, which I so enjoy.

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COMPLAINT:
My feet hurt.

GRATITUDE:
Mobility is a gift I am blessed to have! I am so grateful that i can walk comfortably when others cannot, that i have feet and legs to balance myself and that i am so mobile, and that i can serve the public in my job as a raw chef.

AFFIRMATION:
My legs are strong. My feet feel refreshed and vibrant all day long. I am light and lean. I walk miles and miles and feel fit and free. I am physically fit! My size 18 clothing fit me. I look and feel marvelous and better than ever! I am an inspiration to all who meet me.

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COMPLAINT:
My throat is hoarse and I am scared that i will sing terribly on Sunday.

GRATITUDE:
I am so blessed to have been given such a gift for music and singing and communicating. I am blessed to have been given the opportunity to play such a great role as Lady Macbeth and to present Verdi's incredible opera to everyone in attendance. I am blessed to have such good flexibility with my voice, such a good range and so much expression. I am grateful to know the role as well as I do.

AFFIRMATION:
My voice is healed completely. With every breath i take, i send healing energy to my vocal cords and throat. I sing better than ever on Sunday. I sing with total control and comfort very high and very low and in between. My larynx is low. My support is perfectly balanced. I sing each note on the breath and it rings perfectly. My technique is rock solid. I am in total command. I remember all of my lines. I express myself with my music artistically and with different colors and expressions. I inhabit the role of Lady Macbeth wonderfully, and everyone in the audience is greatly moved by my performance.

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Thinking like this feels good. When my mind is on the positive...it is not on food. Food promises to numb the fear and serves to keep me in DENIAL.

Extra food excites me and gives pleasure. But LIFE is supposed to do that, isn't it?

Food overeaten or binged on offers negative consequences like weight gain, and a plethora of other downsides like reflux, swelling, indigestion, allergies, cravings, the list goes on and on. I don't really need that, for today.

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THE EFFORT OF NO EFFORT
Working the SECRET takes EFFORT, but it is well worth it. Soon, this way of thinking will come naturally.

When we think on a higher vibrational level, we attract more positives into our lives, effortlessly. We work hard on our attitude, gratitude and
affirming what we want....and the rest takes care of itself.

This last year with all of the stresses i endured, my mother's illness, Cliff losing his mother, the stress and FEAR of gaining and going off of raw, i really lost my way, and dove head first into food as the COMFORTER. That great distracton only made me fatter, more depressed and more discouraged. Me eating lots of non-nutritional food outside of sensible meals and gaining so much weight and being so discouraged about it only served to feed the ADDICTION TO NEGATIVITY. My vibrational level really PLUMMETED and I only attracted and wanted more and more of what i didn't want. The more I got stuck in complaining and making excuses, the worse things got.

I'm turning that around. The future feels bright!!!

xoxo michelle joy

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