I would imagine that the things you don’t want are things that would make you feel miserable in some way. You don’t want to lose your job. You don’t want to lose your relationship. Or you hate being on your own and wish you had a “special someone.” The point is, there are reasons why you don’t want “it,” whatever “it” is.
The Law of Attraction says that like attracts like. What you think about, you bring about. Energy flows in the direction of your attention. Positive or negative, whether you want it or not, if you keep thinking about it, you will attract it to yourself.
But if you don’t want to believe in this law, look at it this way: If all you think about is what you don’t want, it’ll be harder for you to see opportunities for you to get what you do want. It’s that simple.
Imagine this: You’re really upset about something. You’re having a dreadful day. Maybe your relationship is in the toilet or your job is threatened. You’ve got all these worries on your mind. And you’re not very hungry, don’t really care about food but your fridge is empty and it’s getting a little skinny in the cupboards, too.
So you drag yourself off to the supermarket, get a trolley and aimlessly wander up and down the aisles. You’re thinking about the relationship problems and the question of whether or not to separate and what that might entail. You’re wondering if you could get another job but you doubt it in the current economy.
And there are you, not giving a rat’s @$$ about the shopping and you’re wandering up and down the aisles, not caring what you buy, staring at numerous tins and packets on the shelves but not really seeing them. Occasionally, you grab something familiar and chuck it in the trolley but your mind is only focused on what you don’t want and what you’re worried about.
You are not seeing all the opportunities for great meals that are right there in front of you. You’re not thinking of the simplest ones, let alone the ones that take a little more time and effort. You’re not seeing the possibilities that are fairly leaping off the shelves at you, because you’re so preoccupied with your worries, you can’t see anything else. So you grab a box of biscuits or a tin of soup, boring and uninspiring things that reflect your state of mind and your complete and utter lack of interest in food. They reflect how you feel about your life.
To make matters worse, not only do you bypass a million fantastic opportunities during your time in the supermarket, once you’re home, you discover that you still don’t have much to eat besides the minimal selection of boring and uninspiring things you chucked into the trolley because you couldn’t be bothered to open your eyes, look around and give your attention to the thousands of products that were right there in front of you.
It is the same with Life. If you’re only focusing on the things you do not want, and that do not make you happy, you will have no appetite or enthusiasm for the possibilities that are all around you and in fact, you won’t even see them. If you wish you had a better job but you don’t believe you could find one, you are not likely to see an opportunity for one, even if lands right in front of your feet. It’s like going through life wearing blinders. You will only see what you’re thinking about, and if you don’t believe you’ll see anything good, then you won’t see it, full stop.
It is essential to keep your eye on where you want to be and the more you do this, you will find the determination to keep focusing on it. When you do this, your intentions become sharper, stronger, and you will begin to see the opportunities that will help you get to where you want to be.
You want vegetables? So focus on them. Which vegetables? How do you want them? Soup? Stew? Salad? Stir-fried?
As you focus on them, you’ll begin to see the possibilities, ideas, a recipe you haven’t made in ages. Keep shoving away your worries, because worrying is just a prayer for the negatives. It wastes your time and energy; it accomplishes nothing, other than to derail you and keep you stuck. You won’t even be thinking about vegetables at all, much less thinking of ways to prepare them and what else you need for that recipe. Instead, you’ll be staring at a months-old tin of tasteless chicken soup with noodles so soggy they’ll fall apart when you look at them sideways.
Life will keep throwing stuff at you that you don’t want. It’s your job not to let it knock you off balance. It’s your job to steel yourself against the challenges by focusing on those “vegetables,” the countless opportunities that are right there just waiting to be noticed. If you keep thinking your life is boring and uninspiring, that’s exactly what it’ll be. It’s your job to make it interesting and inspiring. It’s also your right and your privilege – and it is well within your power, whatever your circumstances, because the one constant about life is “change.” It is inevitable. Some changes are within your control. With others, all you can control is how you respond to them.
Focus on what you want, and not on what you don’t want. Insist that you will have, be and do whatever it is your heart desires. In doing so, you’ll be open to spotting opportunities that can help you achieve your goals, just as you won’t see them when you’re not remotely receptive.
You’ve got the power to change your thoughts and keep your eye on the prize. Then watch for the opportunities that will help you win it.