I have found myself inspired to write on this topic on more than one occasion…. All of us, at some point in our lives have felt the desperate inner turmoil and confusion that comes from feeling that we have been “wronged” or betrayed in some way. You fight to understand what is wrong with a person to have done such a thing, or to be such a way. You wonder what may be wrong with you …. Have I deserved such treatment? Am I just completely naпve? I am too trusting. I have loved too deeply, and now I am paying for it. The list of inner chatter goes on and on as we try to make sense of our lives. Maybe the lack of forgiving per say is not your issue – maybe it’s that you have forgiven time and time again, only to continually set yourself up for victimization. Your sense of self -esteem, your sense of trust in yourself, your personal power has been chipped away – bit by bit. As you well know, the consequences of that inner turmoil run quite deep. On one end of the spectrum your life can become filled with resentment and anger. You may begin to withhold your true self from your family and friends – as a basic survival instinct, keeping yourself safe becomes a priority. On the other end of the spectrum- you may sense the undercurrent of hurt only arises at times – but none the less is like a rock under the carpet of your life…waiting to be tripped over and always unsettling. Forgiveness – whether it be forgiving yourself or others – is a major piece of the puzzle as we look at the elements necessary to create a prosperous and abundant life. It is too often over looked as one of the blocks to your success. Why? Because we think that our feelings are justified when a wrong has been done to you. When we are justified, nothing needs changing right? You SHOULD feel this way. Maybe, if you want to keep your level of abundance and prosperity exactly where it is at. Let me say that again… nothing needs changing and forgiveness doesn’t need to happen – IF you are happy with how you feel inside. Nothing needs changing IF you are pleased with the amount of personal and financial abundance you presently experience. Nothing needs changing IF you feel that you are completely free. What I want to make clear in this discussion is that, yes, you certainly are “justified” in feeling the way you do – always – whether we are talking about forgiveness or any other issue. Your feelings are always valid. They are always your experience. They are always right, and you have the right to choose how you will feel. You are at choice, and your choices work for you – they protect you. I am not here to tell you that your feelings are wrong. BUT it is important to acknowledge that you have the power to choose your feelings…and if they resonate in a way that is not alignment with your highest good – and what you want for your life…(abundance and prosperity on all levels) – then you get to choose something different! So, as it relates to your sense or experience of prosperity – forgiveness is a must. If you do not choose forgiveness, you may be choosing the lack of it, which translates into anger, resentment, fear, frustration, etc. These emotions are not in alignment with the energy and emotion of abundance…which is love. The consequences of that state mostly hurt you. Anger, inability to trust others, inappropriate setting of boundaries, perceived sense of righteousness, development of extreme or high expectations of self or others, inability to move toward intimacy, pain, hurt, anxiety, depression, and fear – again just to name a few. Simply put, all of these feelings are states negativity, which resonate with a scarcity consciousness. What I know to be true, is that our outer world is a direct reflection of our inner world. If you feel and live in a state of prosperity consciousness and love, your outer world will be an expression of many riches….not only financial, but your sense of peace and happiness, the state of your relationships, your health. If you live in scarcity consciousness, fear, and lack and negativity– that is what will manifest in your outer world. If you come from a place of prosperity consciousness, which is all about love, feeling good, bliss, appreciation, and connection to your higher self, you will begin to attract more prosperity that you ever thought possible. How can you be connected – truly connected – if you haven’t forgiven yourself for your mistakes, forgiven your friends and family for theirs? How has scarcity manifested in your own life? Can you identify areas in your life that lack forgiveness, or that carry the undercurrent of negativity and jam up your flow of prosperity? Here is the hard part. HOW do I forgive? Although each person is different – here is a basic recipe for forgiveness. And by that I mean true forgiveness – not the kind of forgiveness that you just pretend that you have forgiven! It’s a true shift. 8 Principles of Forgiving 1. Know that forgiveness is a choice, and even a skill. You weren’t born unforgiving and you shouldn’t beat yourself up about where you are in your ability to forgive at this point. Be good to yourself and honor where you are. 2. Start with a forgiveness inventory. Have you ever gone through the process of consciously forgiving? What worked for you? What didn’t? Ask yourself what you get out of keeping the pain, hurt or anger. Like it or not, there is a payoff. (safety, be right, etc!) 3. Become very clear about the fact that forgiveness is about moving from fear (scarcity consciousness) to love (prosperity consciousness). What do you think fear, anger and resentment can accomplish? (not much) What do you think love can accomplish? (anything!!) How does this resonate within you? What choice are you going to make about this? 4. Accept the fact that you can not change others – only yourself. Within that, accept that you can change yourself at any moments time. Its called a “shift”. Practice shifting into love and away from fear, resentment, and negativity. Note that when you practice or pretend it becomes easier in real life after awhile. 5. Know that forgiveness is not about minimizing your pain or others actions, or staying in a situation that does not honor YOU, for example an abusive job or relationship that does heal or evolve. It’s about a conscious choice to let go – for you and your highest good, or the highest good of all. It’s the absence of resentment, anger, blame, and judgment. It’s the choice release and make choices that are in alignment with the peace and prosperity that you want to create. It’s about freeing yourself…and opening possibilities – whether it be in your finances, your relationships, or health. 6. Release it. Design a forgiveness ritual – one that feels good to you. Burn a candle. Write unsent letters. Vent in writing, and literally put your feelings on the page. You are in charge of how much you will let yourself spin and vent. Keep perspective here. Know that what you focus on grows, so don’t spend to much time on the negativity of it all then move forward in “lightness” and love. Choose a better thought – such as, I choose to release and forgive, I choose to put myself first, I choose to honor myself. If you think you have forgiven and you still feel resentment, then you have not forgiven. Ask yourself, am I willing to release this? When? (perhaps now?) Keep asking and keep releasing. 7. Know that you can not heal your own pain by refusing to forgive others. Honor yourself by starting to forgive and let go. It’s good for your body and soul. Carolyn Myss says, “Your biography becomes biology…” Come to understand that most of the time people are not out to intentionally hurt you – but it is usually about their own fears, issues, and pain when actions are taken and offenses made. You don’t need to hold onto their wrongdoings – or have it eventually become your own biology…ouch, not worth it! 8. See people for the perfect souls they are…souls that were created from the source of love and all that is. I ask you….would it be hard to forgive the source of all love, the love
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at we all are? Nope. If you choose to be in this soft space, forgiveness becomes much easier. Choosing forgiveness is the first step. You need not rush the process, for learning how to forgive and using that in your life is a key prosperity, peace, and spiritual growth. Peace, Lori Hamann

Many people want to know how to get more money. You may have seen the movie “The Secret” and followed the guidelines, but still find yourself wanting more. Did you do something wrong? Are you just not smart enough to “get it”? Not at all. You see, the movie “The Secret” was only a superficial introduction to the deeper things of the law of attraction. It’s not just thinking positive, visualizing houses, cars and money, and then all of a sudden having it all fall out of the sky. Not at all. The law of attraction goes deeper than your thoughts, your deepest wishes, and your intentions. It goes to that unconscious level of you that you didn’t know you had. You can catch a glimpse of this when you dream. We’ve all dreamt things that we would not ordinarily do in our every day life. That’s the part that the Universe, God, Superconsciousness or whatever you want to call it responds to. The key to manifesting more money in your life is to bring all of the different levels of YOU in harmony into one single focus. Now that is a little more complex then just saying affirmations or looking at pictures of fancy cars and houses. It’s about letting go of deep rooted thoughts such “the rich are getting richer”, “money is the root of all evil”, or that there is something noble or spiritual about being poor and struggling. Now at first you may think that you don’t believe any of that. Consciously, you may not, but deep down inside it may be a totally different story. That’s where meditation comes into play, and constantly asking yourself how you feel. Here’s a test to show you just how you feel about money. Can you imagine manifesting an extra $25 by the end of next Friday without having done anything strenous or difficult to get it? How does that feel? Now imagine manifesting an extra $10,000 by the next of next Friday without having done anything strenuous or difficult to get it. Do you feel a difference there? That is called inner resistance. You see most people have resistance to money. They don’t know it unconsciously until it’s brought to their attention. They associate one with the other. They think they have to work overtime to get extra money, or win the lottery, or struggle or steal to get that extra money. In truth, the possibilities are infinite, and they can happen where everyone involved can benefit. This is a mindset that is not easily attained just by reading this article. It is a daily practice of questioning yourself. You also have to make friends with money. Money is an energy, much like you and I. Everything in this Universe is made up of energy. Intelligent energy. Therefore, having a healthy love of money, will attract it to you. That is the basis of the law of attraction. What you show love to, will want to come to you more and more. If you are broke and short on money, be sure to always keep a few coins or a few dollar bills in a sack and during the day count it and hold it. Become thankful for that money and send love to it. It may sound strange to you, since in most parts of the world we are taught that if you are not struggling and if you’re wealthy, that you must be doing something wrong. That’s insane. You were meant to live abundantly. You deserve whatever it is that you want, simply because you want it.

Most people consider “achieving wealth” as a mystery. It is thought that the management of money requires a particular talent that most of us feel was left out of our genetic make-up! We believe that it takes a certain type of person; an expert in number-crunching, or someone who has some special gift of financial insight to understand how to tackle the money mission. This intrigue, or fear, does little to boost the confidence of one who really does want to understand, and participate, in the wealth puzzle. Are you aware that (statistically) the average person retires with a net worth of approximately $40,000 (home equity not included)? That is after having worked about 40-something years! Not a lot to brag about considering how many long, hard hours were toiled to achieve a yearly average of roughly $1,000 (about $80 a month)! If that $1000 a year had been put to work in a wealth building program, such as real estate mortgage notes, the amount of money in the “nest egg” would be alarmingly different! Just imagine not having to worry about money; your financial independence is not just a dream it’s now an attainable reality! It’s never too late to turn the tide, regardless of how hopeless things appear to be for you right now. Assemble the pieces of the money puzzle. Recognize, and maximize opportunities when they arise. SET A GOAL! Write them down, and keep them realistic. ESTABLISH A GAME PLAN! Consider a wealth building program that you feel comfortable with. DEVELOP MOTIVATION, DISCIPLINE, AND PATIENCE! Focus, Dedication, Desire and Perseverance. OVERCOME YOUR FEARS AND HESITATIONS! Those not making mistakes are the ones not doing anything. ABOVE ALL BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! It’s time to take ACTION! “Your” Money Matters by Carl Hampton From the Author of “From Credit Despair To Credit Millionaire.”

Each and everyone of us have the tendency to suffer from depression, but we all have different levels of tolerance to handle it. One person’s ability to handle and fight depression may not be the same as yours or mine. Now the question is, why do some people never even have to complain in having to fight depression at all, at the same time, manage to enjoy a happy and stress free life? Although you and I just like everybody else out there hate depression, we must admit that it is a normal part of being human. However, anything that goes beyond what is normal is definitely not healthy and thus have to be stopped immediately before it causes any permanent damage. While other people immediately resort to doctors’ advice and drug prescriptions, there are certainly better ways you could handle or fight depression in a much wiser and natural method. The tips I am about to share with you below are no magic formulas, just very natural and wise methods, but they are definitely real and proven solutions that some people constantly apply to keep them on guard from emotional challenges such as worry, fear, stress, anxiety, and all other factors alike that would eventually lead to depression if not properly dealt with from the very start. 1) There is no better way to have a much pleasant and calm personality than having a healthy and matured spiritual being. This is no secret. Ever wonder why do religious or spiritual leaders seemed to always be calm, steady and healthy? You do not have to be really religious and all that, but the main point here is that your spiritual maturity will reflect in your physical being. So, do find ways to improve your spiritual life. Join religious groups or be part of some similar communities that will help you grow spiritually. 2) Always keep a positive attitude. Now this is another no secret kind of thing. In fact, there has not been any motivational book or talk that would not mention this very common piece of advice. The only obvious question that people may always associate with this solution is, “how do you keep up with an always positive attitude?”. A very precise answer to this is, “do not entertain negative thoughts and emotions”. Try to practice this attitude as hard as you can on a daily basis, even if you fail most of the time, until you eventually adopt that positive attitude and then it becomes natural to you already. 3) Never lose hope. Losing hope is a grave mistake you could ever put yourself into. When you lose hope over anything at all, it destroys your system and begin to cloud your mind which eventually leads to depression. Now with this one, if you followed tip #1 then I am sure you are no stranger with the word faith. Go learn about this powerful word, cause if you have faith, you will discover that nothing in this world is ever hopeless. Believe that this world was created out of love and so things will always turn out to be good. Plant that in your heart and really do believe it.

Is it really worth it to buy retirement planning software? Many people want to know the answer to this question. In today’s day and age many people are not reaching their retirement goals, simply from a lack of planning, especially at a younger age. By simply starting to invest your money a young age, you can achieve great wealth upon retirement. Retirement planning software will help you get there. Of course, the question still remains: is it really necessary to buy retirement planning software? There are many free retirement planning software programs offered on the Internet today, which makes this makes this a valid question. The honest reality is this: you can generally obtain all the information needed with free retirement planning software. Generally speaking, paid retirement planning software isn’t really necessary; all you really need, in fact, is start a Microsoft Word document keep track of your income and expenses they are. Microsoft excel also is a valid way to track expenses. Remember the most important part of your retirement planning is to simply keep track of your income and expenses. This is really all you need to do when tracking your money. As long as you’re raking in more money than you are giving out, you are doing fine. You can set up your income and expense tracking in the form of a balance sheet, income statement etc. As long as you’re keeping track of this in some way, that’s the most important part. Unfortunate, countless people do a lousy job of keeping track of their finances, and therefore wonder why they haven’t achieved enough money to retire on when they reach the end of their career. Remember this: the most important part in your retirement planning process is to simply have a plan for what you want to achieve upon retiring. Unfortunately, most people never bother to do this seemingly obvious step. Once you know this, figure out how money you’ll need to achieve those goals, and invest in the most appropriate investment to help you get there. Follow these important tips, and it’s not even necessary to buy retirement planning software. Either way, you will achieve your retirement planning goals.