Day 22 - Before Your Very Eyes

"This world, after all our science and sciences, is still a miracle; wonderful, inscrutable, magical, and more to whosever will think of it."

Thomas Carlyle (1795 - 1881)

Writer and Historian

Seven years ago, when I first discovered The Secret and the magical power of gratitude, I made a list of all of my desires. It was a long list! At that time, there seemed to be no possible way my desires could come true. Nevertheless, I took my top ten desires and I carried them with me on a piece of paper every day. Whenever I had an opportunity, I would take out my list and read through it, giving as much gratitude for each desire as I could, as though I had received it. With my number one desire, the desire I wanted more than anything else, I kept it constantly in my mind, and I would say the magic words, thank you, for it multiple times in a day, and feel as if it had come true. One by one every desire on my list magically appeared before my very eyes. As I received my desires I would cross them off my list, and when I had new desires I would add them to my list.

One of my desires from my original long list was to travel to Bora Bora near Tahiti. After spending a beautiful week at the exact place in Bora Bora I had listed, another beautiful thing happened. I was flying to the mainland of Tahiti on my way home when the airplane stopped en route to pick up passengers. The flight had been empty, but it filled to the brim with native Tahitians, and suddenly laughter, smiling faces, and a happiness that was palpable surrounded me.

As I enjoyed the short flight with these beautiful people, it became crystal clear to me the reason why they wore so happy. They were grateful! They wore grateful to be alive, they were grateful to be on the airplane, they were grateful to be with each other, they were grateful for where they were going - they were grateful for everything! I could have stayed on that plane and traveled around the world with them, it felt so good to be with them. And then it struck me that I had just received my final desire; Bora Bora was the last desire on my original long list, and the reason I was on that plane was before my very eyes - gratitude!

I've shared this story as an inspiration for you, because no matter how big your desires seem to be, you can receive them through gratitude. Even more than that, gratitude will bring a joy and happiness for life that you've never felt before, and that is truly priceless.

From the time I began using gratitude and the law of attraction to the time I received my final desire on my original list was four years. To give you an idea of the enormousness of receiving all my desires in that amount of time, when I created my desire list, my company was two million dollars in debt, and I had two months before I would be forced to shut it down and would lose my home and everything I owned. The money I owed on my personal credit cards was a small fortune, and yet on my desire list was to own a big house overlooking the ocean, to travel to exotic places in the world, to have paid all my debts, to expand my company, to restore every relationship to the best it could be, improve the quality of my family's lives, to be one hundred percent healthy again, and have unlimited energy and excitement for life, along with the usual list of material things. And my number one desire, which seemed like an absolute impossibility to many of the people around me, was to bring joy to millions of people through my work.

The very first desire that I received was bringing joy to millions of people through my work. The rest of my desires magically followed, and one by one, as they appeared before my very eyes, I crossed them off my list.

So now it's your turn to use gratitude's magical power to make your desires appear before you very own eyes. At the start of the day, take your Top Ten Desire List that you created. Read through each sentence and desire on your list, and for one minute imagine or visualize that you have received your desire. Feel as much gratitude as you can, as if you have it now.

Carry your desire list with you today in your pocket. On at least two occasions in the day, take out your list, read through it, and feel as much gratitude for each one as you can, as though you've received it.

If you want your desires to come more quickly, I would highly recommend that you carry your desire list with you in your wallet or purse from this day forward, and whenever you have time, open it up, read through it, and feel as much gratitude as you can for each one. When your desires appear before your very own eyes, cross them off your list, and add more. And if you're like me, each time you cross a desire off your list you will be in tears of joy, because what seemed impossible was made possible through the magical power of gratitude.

Magic Practice Number 22

Before Your Very Eyes

1. Count Your Blessings: Make a list of ten blessings. Write why you're grateful. Reread the list, and at the end of each blessing say thank you thank you, thank you, and feel as grateful for that blessing as you can.

2. At the start of the day take your Top Ten Desire List that you created.

3. Read through each sentence and desire on your list, and for one minute imagine or visualize that you have received your desire. Feel as much gratitude as you can.

4. Carry your desire list with you today in your pocket. On at least two occasions in the day, take out your list, read through it, and feel as much gratitude as you can.

5. Just before you go to sleep tonight, hold your Magic Rock in one hand, and say the magic words, thank you, for the best thing that happened during the day.

Day 21 - Magnificent Outcomes

"You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink."

G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)

Writer

We all want good outcomes to everything we do. In giving thanks before he performed an action, the writer Gilbert Keith Chesterton used the magic of gratitude to guarantee the outcome he wanted.

You will have had times when you thought to yourself "I hope this goes well", or "I hope this turn out okay", or "I'm going to need a lot of luck." And all these thoughts are hoping for a good outcome to a situation. But life doesn't happen by chance or because of a stroke of luck. The laws of he Universe operate mathematically to the finest possible degree; that is something you can count on!

A pilot doesn't hope that the laws of physics will keep working during his flight, because he knows the laws of physics will never fail. You don't go into your day and hope that the law of gravity will keep you on the ground so you don't float off into space. You know there's no chance at play, and gravity's law will never fail.

If you want Magnificent Outcomes to everything you do, then you have to use the law that governs outcomes - the law of attraction. That means you have to use your thoughts and feelings to attract Magnificent Outcomes to you, and being grateful for Magnificent Outcomes is one of the simplest ways to do it.

The Magnificent Outcomes practice is being grateful before you do something you want to go well. You could be grateful for the magnificent outcome to the work meeting, job interview, or exam, the magnificent outcome to the sports fame, phone call, catch-up with a friend, or seeing your mother-in-law. You could be grateful for the magnificent outcome to your exercise routine, your pet's vet appointment, or your medical or dental checkup. You could be grateful for the magnificent outcome when an electrician, plumber, or any tradesperson is addressing a problem in your home, the magnificent outcome to a family outing, conversation with your child about the behavior, or heart to heart with your partner. You could be grateful for the magnificent outcome to a purchase you will be making, such as a birthday gift, engagement ring, or wedding dress, or the magnificent outcome to choosing a new cell phone, new carpet, drapes, or renovation company. You could be grateful for the magnificent outcome for a reservation at a restaurant, or great seats for a concert, the magnificent outcome to your daily mail, your daily e-mails, or your tax refund for the year.

If it helps you to believe in the magical power of gratitude to create Magnificent Outcomes, you can wave your fingers through the air and imagine you're sprinkling magic dust over the event you want to turn out magnificently!

Another time to use gratitude for Magnificent Outcomes is when something unexpected happens during your day. When something unexpected happens, very often we can jump to conclusions and immediately think there's something wrong. For example, you arrive at work and are told that the boss wants to see you right away. The problem with jumping into conclusions and thinking there's something wrong is that the law of attraction says what you think and feel you will attract to you. So instead of jumping to conclusions and thinking you might be in trouble, take the opportunity to make the magic happen by being grateful for a magnificent outcome.

If you miss your bus or train on your way to work, or miss a flight, or are unexpectedly delayed, instead of thinking, "This is bad", be grateful for the magnificent outcome so that you put the magic into motion to receive a magnificent outcome.

If you're a parent and you're asked to attend an unexpected meeting at school about your child, instead of thinking there's a problem, be grateful for the magnificent outcome. If you receive an unexpected phone call, email, or letter, and the thought flashes into your mind, "I wonder what's wrong", immediately be grateful for the magnificent outcome, before you pick up the call, or open the email or letter.

Most of the time you will see and experience the magnificent outcome you asked for, and occasionally you won't even know how you benefited from an unexpected even. But when you ask for a magnificent outcome and feel sincerely grateful for it, you are using the mathematical law of attraction, and you must receive a magnificent outcome back, somewhere, at some time. Guaranteed!

Whenever you find yourself thinking there's chance at play with something in your life, or thinking you have no control over something, or when you find yourself hoping something will turn out well, remember that there's no chance for the law of attraction - you will get what you're thinking and feeling. Gratitude helps protect you from attracting what you don't want - bad outcomes - and it ensures you get what you do want - Magnificent Outcomes!

When you are grateful for Magnificent Outcomes, you are using Universal law, and changing hopes and chance into faith and certainty. When gratitude becomes your way of life, you automatically go into everything you do with gratitude, knowing that the magic of gratitude will produce a magnificent outcome.

The more you practice Magnificent Outcomes, and make it a daily habit, the more Magnificent Outcomes you will attract into your life. Less and less you will find yourself in situations that you don't want to be in. You won't find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. And no matter what happens in your day, you will know with absolute certainty that the outcome will be magnificent.

At the beginning of today, choose three separate situations where you would like Magnificent Outcomes. You can choose three things that are important to you in your life currently, such as a job interview coming up, an application for a loan, an exam, or a doctor's appointment. You can also start by selecting three things that are normally humdrum activities or you, because when the magic happens to those humdrum activities you will be really convinced that you attracted the magnificent outcome! For example, you could choose your drive to work, doing the ironing, going to the bank or post office, picking up the kids, paying the bills, or collecting the mail.

Make a written list of three situations you've chosen for Magnificent Outcomes. Use gratitude's magical power, and as you write each one imagine that you're writing about each one after it has happened:

Thank you for the magnificent outcome to __________ !

For the second step of this magical practice, you are going to choose three unexpected things that arise today and use the magical power of gratitude for their Magnificent Outcomes as well. You could do this practice before you take three phone calls, or before you open three emails or three letters in the mail, before you do an unexpected errand, or anything else unexpected that comes up in the day. This part of the practice is not so much about what unexpected events you choose as it is about you practicing gratitude for Magnificent Outcomes on the little unexpected things. Each time an unexpected event arises, close your eyes briefly if you can, and mentally say and feel the magic words:

Thank you for the magnificent outcome to ___________ !

You can't do this magical practice too much, because the more you practice it, the more Magnificent Outcomes you will have in your life as a matter of course. But practicing it today will get you into the idea of it, and in the future, if you ever find yourself in a situation where you're hoping for a good outcome or thinking you need luck, you will immediately turn to the magical power of gratitude, and make Magnificent Outcomes a certainty in your life!

Magic Practice Number 21

Magnificent Outcomes

1. Count Your Blessings: Make a list of ten blessings. Write why you're grateful. Reread your list, and at the end of each blessing say thank you, thank you, thank you, and feel as grateful for that blessing as you can.

2. At the beginning of the day, choose three things or situations that are important to you where you want Magnificent Outcomes.

3. List your three things, and write each one as though you are writing after it has happened: Thank you for the magnificent outcome to ________ !

4. As you go through your day, choose three unexpected events that come up in your day where you can be grateful for a magnificent outcome. Each time, close your eyes and mentally say and feel: Thank you for the magnificent outcome to ______ !

5. Just before you go to sleep tonight, hold your Magic Rock in one hand, and say the magic words, thank you, for the best thing that happened during the day.

Day 20 - Heart Magic

"Gratitude is the memory of the heart."

Jean-Baptiste Massieu (1743-1818)

French Revolution Activist

You might have figured out by now that with any magical practice of gratitude the aim is always to feel is as much as you can. This is because when you increase the feeling of gratitude on the inside, the things you have to be grateful for in the outside world increases too.

Eventually, after practicing gratitude for a long period of time, you will automatically feel it deeply in your heart. However, today's magical practice will collapse the time it would normally take for you to reach that level.

The Heart Magic practice is designed to powerfully increase the depths that you feel gratitude, by focusing your mind on the area of your heart as you say and feel the magical words, thank you. Scientific research has shown that by focusing on your heart as you feel gratitude, the rhythm of your heart immediately becomes much more even and harmonious, resulting in major improvements to your immune system and health. That gives you an idea of the power of Heart Magic. It takes a little practice the first time you try it, but it is worth the effort. After a few times you will get it, and each time you practice it your feeling of gratitude will increase exponentially.

To practice Heart Magic, focus your mind and your attention on the area around your heart. It doesn't matter if you focus on the inside or the outside of your body. Close your eyes, because it will make it easier, and while keeping your mind focused on your heart, mentally say the magic words, thank you. Once you've practiced it a few times, you won't need to close your eyes anymore, but as a general rule, you will feel more gratitude when you close your eyes.

There are several things you can do to help you get Heart Magic down really quickly. You can put your right hand on the area around your heart to keep your mind focused there while you say the magic words, thank you. Or you can imagine that the magic words, thank you, are coming out of your heart rather than your mind as you say them.

As part of today's magical practice, take your Top Ten Desire List and practice Heart Magic on each desire. Read each desire in your mind or out loud, and when you get to the end of reading each one, close your eyes, focus your mind on the area around your heart, keep your mind on your heart area, and say the magic words again, thank you, slowly. Again, you can use the tips I've given above if it helps you. After you have finished Heart Magic on each of your desires, you will have not only increased the depth of gratitude you are able to reach, you will also have dramatically increased your gratitude for your top desires.

You can continue to practice Heart Magic on your desires regularly if you want to speed up the receiving of them, or you can use Heart Magic any time you say the magic words, thank you. Even just using Heart Magic a couple of times a day will have a big effect on your happiness and on the magic in your life.

Once you have practiced Heart Magic a few times you will feel a huge increase in the depth of your feeling, and with gratitude it's all about the depth of the feeling, because the deeper the feeling the greater the abundance you will receive. The initial physical signs that you've increased the depth of your feeling could be that you get a tingling feeling around your heart, or feel a wave of joy rush through your body. Your eyes may fill with tears, or you may get goose bumps. But without exception, you will begin to feel depth of peace and happiness you've never felt before!

Magical Practice Number 20

Heart Magic

1. Count Your Blessings: Make a list of ten blessings. Write why you're grateful. Reread your list, and at the end of each blessing say thank you, thank you, thank you, and feel as grateful for that blessing as you can.

2. Focus your mind and your attention on the area around your heart.

3. Close your eyes, and while keeping your mind focused on your heart, mentally say the magic words, thank you.

4. Take your Top Ten Desire List and practice Heart Magic by reading each desire, then closing your eyes, focusing your mind on the area around your heart, and slowly saying thank you, again.

5. Just before you go to sleep tonight, hold your Magic Rock in one hand, and say the magic words, thank you, for the best thing that happened during the day.