I have come to realize that most people – myself included sometimes – generally go through their days from beginning to end with no real plan, focus, or intention. They usually know the basics of what’s going to happen: wake up, groggily get ready for the day in terms of hygiene and breakfast, dress themselves in something appropriate, and head out the door for work or school.
Then, when they get to their destination, it’s usually same-old same-old. They see the same people, do the same kinds of tasks they did yesterday, think the same thoughts, feel the same feelings – sometimes just waiting until they can go home and do more same-old same-old, such as changing into more comfy clothes, throwing a meal together, exchanging some words with their partners and families, and then turning on the TV until they go to bed and try to fall asleep – only to awaken the next day to virtually the same routines.
Many people basically sleepwalk through their lives, and wonder why time is either flying by or dragging along – or a combination of both.
But life doesn’t have to be that way, and neither do you. There’s another way to do things and other tools that can assist you to live your best life.
About a year ago, I was reintroduced to the Law of Attraction. I say ‘reintroduced’ because the first time I heard about it, I was in very early recovery from addiction and just trying to keep my head above water. Although the teachings resonated with me, I didn’t pay it much attention at that time in my life. But now, things are very different for me – I recently celebrated 32 years clean and sober, and my life is amazing compared to what it was like when I was in active addiction. I understand now how things can radically change for the better for people who are in recovery – and especially for those of us who are using this Law to our own advantage.
The Law of Attraction is similar to the Law of Gravity. We all know about gravity, and we recognize that we are powerless over it – even while some people try very hard to oppose it in a variety of ways. Gravity has a mind of its own, and there’s really no way we can change it. The Law of Gravity basically tells us that what goes up, must also come down. If I hold something in my hand – let’s say a pen – and I decide that when I let go of that pen I want it to stay up in the air, as soon as I open my hand that pen will drop to the floor. And there isn’t anything I, or any of us, can do about that.
The Law of Attraction is quite similar. Its message to us is “That which is liken to itself is drawn” – or in simpler terms, like attracts like, whether we want that or not. And because, like gravity, it is a Universal Law, it will be true whether we accept it or believe it or we don’t. I like knowing that, because it makes my choice easier – I choose to accept the truth of this and live my life in accordance to it.
And, as the poet Robert Frost so simply said, that has made all the difference.
How the Law of Attraction Responds to Our Thinking
The easiest way to understand and practice the Law of Attraction is through our thoughts. When we begin to care about how we feel inside and can make the very important connection between our thoughts and our emotions, we then have access to an inner guidance that ultimately leads us through our lives. We can live with intention, or we can go through our lives feeling pretty disconnected from ourselves.
The irony, of course, is that when we feel disconnected we usually aren’t aware of that – exactly because we are in the midst of the disconnect. The essence of what we’re thinking about – positive or negative – will be reflected back to us in some way – that’s just how it is.
If we don’t like how we’re feeling inside, all we have to do is focus on something that makes us feel better. Understanding and using the Law of Attraction intentionally can bring us back to ourselves.
Just as with many other aspects of our lives, practicing the teachings of the Law of Attraction is really very simple – but not always easy.
As many of us know, one of the most extreme ways to become disconnected is through addiction. Most people hold on tightly to their addictive behaviours because they think that indulging in them will make them feel better. Ultimately, most of us do whatever we’re doing because we think – and hope – it will make us feel better. We are just trying to escape from a reality we don’t prefer – and we think that getting high or drunk or feeling some other kind of adrenaline rush on a continual basis will prevent us from having to actually face the reality that life has become an ongoing disappointment. This is a horrible, hopeless way to live, and yet far more common than most people realize.
I know, because for many years that is exactly how I lived.
When we finally understand that like really does attract like, we can begin to see what we’ve created in our lives. This is a hard concept for some to understand, as it takes away the very tempting concept of blame. Yes, it’s true that many of us have been through very hard times – I know I have and I know that many of you who are reading this have as well. And although I don’t pretend to understand the scientific explanation of either gravity or the Law of Attraction, what I do know is that the time came when I had to stop blaming and holding other people accountable for the hurt they had created in my life. Yes, the abuse was real, and yes it came from outside myself – I didn’t intentionally seek out people who would hurt me. But when I began to understand that like attracts like, I knew that I too had a part to play in what happened to me.
And even though I could do absolutely nothing to change my past – it happened – I understood that I wasn’t living in that past anymore. I began to care more about my present and future, looking forward instead of backward, and I started using the Law of Attraction as a discipline that could give me the life I truly wanted.
It didn’t take long for me to see results. I began to feel very different inside, much more positive. This glass-half-empty gal started to see that glass as even more than half-full. So many things have changed for me – my physical health has improved, my work with clients has become more creative and successful, I have relationships with people who actually matter to me. And even on days when I felt those familiar states of depression, sadness, or isolation, I knew I could do something about it – I actually did have some control over that. Thankfully, it didn’t involve my having to get high or drunk! All I had to do was focus my thoughts on something else that felt better – and then my emotional state would also change for the better.
Addiction is horrific, in any modality. In some cases – more now than ever – addiction is ruining lives and actually killing large numbers of people. Using substances and behaviours to take us away from unpleasant realities is only one way to live our lives, and it’s a choice that so many people make just to ‘get away from it all.’ But addiction can’t be the long-term answer, because eventually (and often much sooner than later) it takes over our lives and then we find ourselves in a far worse place than just simply not liking our reality.
You May Say I’m a Dreamer…
I’m aware that what I’m suggesting here will resonate with some people, while others might think I’ve lost my mind. All I can do is share my experience, strength and hope in the best way I know how.
There is a way to come out of the struggle and the suffering of addiction – and changing the way you think will definitely help.
If you’re in active addiction or perhaps in early recovery and you’re reading this, then you’re looking for answers. I know this method can work. It isn’t magic – it’s a discipline, because most of us (especially those of us who have chosen addiction) have been thinking negatively all of our lives. That won’t change overnight, but if you stay with it and really give it your best, then you will experience the same kinds of results that thousands of people already have. I wish I’d practiced this way of being long ago – my life could have been much different far earlier. But instead of focusing on that, I’m really appreciative of knowing and understanding this Law now.
Maybe you won’t have to wait as long as I did. And since you really have nothing to lose – isn’t it worth a shot?
If you’re looking for a new perspective on life, just start reading about the Law of Attraction, or listen to some recordings on YouTube. Do your best to keep an open mind, as some of the teachings may at first be a little difficult to wrap your head around. But if they resonate for you – if they begin to help you make sense of the confusion and negativity you’ve been feeling, perhaps for a long time – then read and listen some more. If you want to change how you see life, just focus on how you feel inside. Use your emotions as your guide to become happier and to have the life you actually want, addiction-free.
A much more enjoyable time is waiting for you. I invite you to dream along with me – that’s the best way to begin!
