Remember that book I mentioned I was reading called E-Squared by Pam Grout? Well if you don’t or you’re new here, go ahead and click that link above and check out that post before continuing to read this. In that post I mentioned an experiment that you’re told to conduct in the book (using some coat hangers and a straw). Technically, the entire book is full of energy experiments – 9 to be exact.
I also mentioned I’m not going to go ahead and spill the beans on the bulk of the reading or experiments, but having just completed the last one I really wanted to share it since it’s pretty simple compared to the rest and truly makes a major impact on your life.
I know that’s a loaded statement to make and I never take the words I type lightly so when I say it, you can count on me really meaning it. The experiment is titled The Fish and Loaves Principle. I don’t want to reveal all the juicy details (as I highly suggest you go buy the book) but I do want to make a suggestion that you try this experiment and well, the other one I discussed here.
The chapter is a long one and I don’t want you to have to do a lot of heavy reading – so case in point, the chapter teaches you that the saying “life sucks and then you die” is far from the truth. Now, you might read that sentence and think to yourself, “I don’t really think life sucks – it is hard at times though.” True, but sometimes it takes big words to make a big impact – so here we go.
We, as individuals have everything we need already inside of us. However, despite us being rich and abundant and well-equipped for all situations, we still sit and worry and doubt. When Jesus prayed to multiply the fish and loaves, Pam Grout explains in her book, he did not WORRY about how it might happen. He put all his thoughts into “one laser-like formation,” Pam says. He KNEW that abundance and plenty were his “divine right.”
It’s normal, almost TOO normal for people to have negative thinking patterns. Pam makes a great point saying that we, as a society complain too much. We repeat the mantra over and over “there’s not enough.” From the time we wake up (I didn’t get enough sleep) to the time you’re getting ready (I don’t have enough time to get dressed) to your job (I don’t make enough money). We teach ourselves that there’s never enough. We spend the bulk of our time worrying and complaining and we exude all our energy into doing that, that we fail to realize that there’s a “remote possibility that there might be enough – for everyone,” Pam explains.
Pam provides a lot of insightful examples of how this principle holds true for you, me, her and everyone on Earth. But what if we were to “affirm” something different. What if we paid attention to all the wonderful things we have going on day-to-day instead of “worrying,” “doubting,” and “questioning.” What if we started to recognize that we are well-equipped and everything we need is already there, we just need to pay attention to those “blessings” that we see as invisible or left unnoted.
Here’s the experiment:
Get a journal ready – you’re going to need it for the next 48 hours. You are going to list kindnesses for the next two days of your life. Here’s an example of something you might write, “The lady at the store opened the door for me, smiled and said ‘Hello’.” or “I woke up this morning.” or “My boss answered my email graciously even though I was kind of rude.”
Whatever ‘goodness’ happens, you will write it down. The question Pam wants you to answer in conducting this experiment is “Is my focus on the negative keeping me from seeing reality?” Basically, if you change your outlook on the world and make an effort to look for good things everywhere, it will show up in abundance.
Experiment:
1. Write down today’s date and time.
2. Start listing all the good things that happened to you today.
3. Continue experiment for 48 hours.
4. At the end of the experiment count the number of good things you wrote down and then note how you feel, what you’re thinking and has your energy and attitude changed towards the world – your world and/or life in general? Mine did 100%. If you actively seek goodness with a “vengeance” you will be genuinely surprised at what you find and how it makes you feel. Try it, what’s the worst that could happen – you might smile a little more?!