Did you know there is a structure to luck? Or that you do actually make you own luck, and it's not by hard work?
There are several principles to lassoing luck, and one of them is to have a network, and cast your net wide.
Last week's column (scroll down 5 entries) did that -- without any intention on my part. Gina, a long-time acquaintance, answered my email with this:
"... I want to attend the Slow Food Nation conference at Fort Mason over Labor Day weekend. In my dreams, I want to stay in the Marina district in a small studio, ride my bike in to the event, hear some great music on the lawn at the concert, and fill myself with all kinds of ideas to bring people back to the conservation of green growing things for their soul.
"Booking that studio has been on my to do list. Booking that expensive hotel room....I just can't click on $180 per night. I know I need to get on with it or I'll miss the whole event. And then this idea came to me as I was reading your last newsletter about divinely inspired procrastination and was so amused.
"Would you happen to know anyone who would need house sitting/pet sitting in the San Fran area with safe parking? I'm the woman to do the job!"
Well, as it happens, I'm leaving this weekend for Mt. Shasta! So I got Gina as a house sitter (and although we had the cat feeding minimally covered, I had given up on someone watering the plants), and Gina got a free place to stay.
We both used our networks, and we both got lucky!
To learn how to be both luckier, happier and more successful, click here.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Comments on "Divinely Inspired Procrastination"
"I've put off many things, or begrudgingly gone thru with it, and discovered that:
1. The cost was less because I waited
2. A valuable person came along that was instrumental in the experience being wonderful
3. When I explored my dissatisfaction and went thru with it with resistance (but did it anyway from integrity), I realized
it wasn't fulfulling and I had made up all kinds of stories about it. (is that dysfunctional expectation-ism?)"
- posted by Gina
"Great stories. I've found this to be the case almost any time I have that problem.
Divine Order rocks!"
- posted by Annie
1. The cost was less because I waited
2. A valuable person came along that was instrumental in the experience being wonderful
3. When I explored my dissatisfaction and went thru with it with resistance (but did it anyway from integrity), I realized
it wasn't fulfulling and I had made up all kinds of stories about it. (is that dysfunctional expectation-ism?)"
- posted by Gina
"Great stories. I've found this to be the case almost any time I have that problem.
Divine Order rocks!"
- posted by Annie
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Life on Planet Earth
It's 6:30PM on Sunday evening. I'm lounging on my bed (with laptop, of course), a cat at my side. She purrs when I pet her, saying 'I love you' in cat, to my love for her.
Outside the open window, a breeze plays with the evergreen branches, and the slanting light sparkles. The whoosh of the breeze competes with the creak of the evergreens and bird calls for my attention.
I've been reading a good book ("Who We'll Be", by John Zogby), sipping a glass of 2-buck chuck. There is nowhere I have to be, nothing I have to do. I can just be.
So aside from wishing my body weighed a little less, life is damn near perfect. I am truly lucky to have a body on planet Earth. And if I ever complain, remind me about this evening, okay?
Outside the open window, a breeze plays with the evergreen branches, and the slanting light sparkles. The whoosh of the breeze competes with the creak of the evergreens and bird calls for my attention.
I've been reading a good book ("Who We'll Be", by John Zogby), sipping a glass of 2-buck chuck. There is nowhere I have to be, nothing I have to do. I can just be.
So aside from wishing my body weighed a little less, life is damn near perfect. I am truly lucky to have a body on planet Earth. And if I ever complain, remind me about this evening, okay?
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
For those of you who answered the questionnaire
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I learned a lot. I will be offering a psychic development class, taking your responses into account (details to come). And probably a month or two free as an intro.
Second, I learned about the limits of the software, and what NOT to do.
First, I learned that none of the responses were correlated with emails, so I have no idea who said what. Which is a good thing, if you think about it. But it means that I can't answer you personally. And to whomever wrote me saying that (s)he had written after the 7/27 Intuition Development Class -- I never got your email. Please write to me at hollis@888-4-hollis.com . (I've been finding that I don't get a fair number of emails. Don't know how that happens.)
Second, I learned that asking what time of day was preferable, without correlating that with time zone is pretty useless.
Third, that I forgot to ask about the day of the week!
But hey, what I got was waaay better than not asking at all.
Second, I learned about the limits of the software, and what NOT to do.
First, I learned that none of the responses were correlated with emails, so I have no idea who said what. Which is a good thing, if you think about it. But it means that I can't answer you personally. And to whomever wrote me saying that (s)he had written after the 7/27 Intuition Development Class -- I never got your email. Please write to me at hollis@888-4-hollis.com . (I've been finding that I don't get a fair number of emails. Don't know how that happens.)
Second, I learned that asking what time of day was preferable, without correlating that with time zone is pretty useless.
Third, that I forgot to ask about the day of the week!
But hey, what I got was waaay better than not asking at all.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
When I can't make myself do something...
... it usually doesn't need to be done.
A few months ago, I was planning a trip to a peace conference in Sydney. I wanted the trip to be self-supporting, and I have contacts there who could set me up to give workshops and readings, so it was really possible to make the trip pay for itself. But I just couldn't make myself make all the necessary arrangements to do that. I kept putting it off, and putting it off, and feeling guiltier than all get out. And then the conference was canceled!
A month ago, I was invited to speak at the first-ever Wellness Coordinators' Conference (65 people applied to speak, they accepted 15, so it was kind of an honor). It's a business development opportunity, not one where they're paying, not even paying expenses. (Okay, maybe I shouldn't do it at all, but appearances usually pay for themselves in follow on business.)
I couldn't make myself buy the air tickets to Phoenix. Just couldn't do it. Every day it was on my 'to do' list. Every day, I'd carefully work around that particular item. It didn't help that when my husband and I went to book tickets to the Midwest to see his Mom at Christmas, the tickets were literally 3 times what we'd paid a couple of years ago, and this was for red eye flights, with 2 stops, compared to day flights last time!
Finally, it occurred to me to call the conference organizer to ask if the conference was still on, before I booked the tickets. But I couldn't make myself do that, either! Every day, for 6 business days, it was on my 'to do' list. Every day, I'd carefully work around that particular item.
I just now called the conference organizer. He said, "It's a good thing you called -- we've decided to postpone the conference till March. And actually, we decided that this morning."
So procrastination, especially if you're not typically a procrastinator, can be a good thing!
(Think about this a bit. If you can't get yourself to do something, and can't come up with a reason why, maybe it doesn't need to be done.)
A few months ago, I was planning a trip to a peace conference in Sydney. I wanted the trip to be self-supporting, and I have contacts there who could set me up to give workshops and readings, so it was really possible to make the trip pay for itself. But I just couldn't make myself make all the necessary arrangements to do that. I kept putting it off, and putting it off, and feeling guiltier than all get out. And then the conference was canceled!
A month ago, I was invited to speak at the first-ever Wellness Coordinators' Conference (65 people applied to speak, they accepted 15, so it was kind of an honor). It's a business development opportunity, not one where they're paying, not even paying expenses. (Okay, maybe I shouldn't do it at all, but appearances usually pay for themselves in follow on business.)
I couldn't make myself buy the air tickets to Phoenix. Just couldn't do it. Every day it was on my 'to do' list. Every day, I'd carefully work around that particular item. It didn't help that when my husband and I went to book tickets to the Midwest to see his Mom at Christmas, the tickets were literally 3 times what we'd paid a couple of years ago, and this was for red eye flights, with 2 stops, compared to day flights last time!
Finally, it occurred to me to call the conference organizer to ask if the conference was still on, before I booked the tickets. But I couldn't make myself do that, either! Every day, for 6 business days, it was on my 'to do' list. Every day, I'd carefully work around that particular item.
I just now called the conference organizer. He said, "It's a good thing you called -- we've decided to postpone the conference till March. And actually, we decided that this morning."
So procrastination, especially if you're not typically a procrastinator, can be a good thing!
(Think about this a bit. If you can't get yourself to do something, and can't come up with a reason why, maybe it doesn't need to be done.)
The News Diet
A couple of weeks ago, my guides insisted I go on a 'news diet'. That is, I needed to avoid the news as much as possible, so that I could create what I choose in my life, and in my world, without allowing 'what is' to tyrannize my vision.
I've done that, with 2 results.
First, I'm much more peaceful. (You should try the news diet!)
Second, I've learned something:
When I 'look' at the future, I always 'see' that things will continue on, much as they've been going, with gradual shifts, rather than huge shocks (with the exception of weather-related ones). Now I understand why. It's because most people don't really follow the news in the (more or less obsessive) way I've been doing since the theft of the 2000 US Presidential election. That means they go along their usual way, assuming things will be the same, and so they continue to act the same, until something like the change in the price of gasoline intrudes. So things do stay more or less the same; change is generally gradual.
Belief creates reality -- expectation is a form of belief, so expectation creates reality. (Oh, right, the Law of Attraction, in mass form.)
I've done that, with 2 results.
First, I'm much more peaceful. (You should try the news diet!)
Second, I've learned something:
When I 'look' at the future, I always 'see' that things will continue on, much as they've been going, with gradual shifts, rather than huge shocks (with the exception of weather-related ones). Now I understand why. It's because most people don't really follow the news in the (more or less obsessive) way I've been doing since the theft of the 2000 US Presidential election. That means they go along their usual way, assuming things will be the same, and so they continue to act the same, until something like the change in the price of gasoline intrudes. So things do stay more or less the same; change is generally gradual.
Belief creates reality -- expectation is a form of belief, so expectation creates reality. (Oh, right, the Law of Attraction, in mass form.)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Surpassing Nature, Scientists Bend Light Backward - NYTimes.com
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
William Shakespeare
Surpassing Nature, Scientists Bend Light Backward - NYTimes.com
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
William Shakespeare
Surpassing Nature, Scientists Bend Light Backward - NYTimes.com
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Can you spare 30 seconds to help me out?
I really need your help
For years, people have been asking me for distance learning to support the development of their psychic/intuitive skills. I have wracked my brain for a way to do this -- and finally came up with a solution!
I'm thinking of offering an on-going twice monthly teleclass in intuition/psychic development. In one class per month you'd learn a new technique, or learn from someone with a different specialty (e.g. a medium or a pet psychic). The second class each month would be a group coaching call, where you could ask questions, be coached on technique, and share your 'wins'.
The calls would be recorded in a downloadable format, so that you could listen to a class you missed, or could listen to a particularly useful class multiple times.
You'd also have access to a private group forum for members, so that you can support each other -- intuition development is MUCH more fun, and much faster, with group support. I'd also answer questions applicable to all.
I really value your opinion -- it'll only take about 30 seconds -- so please, please click the link below:
http://app.icontact.com/icp/sub/survey/start?sid=2942&cid=267144
Thanks!
For years, people have been asking me for distance learning to support the development of their psychic/intuitive skills. I have wracked my brain for a way to do this -- and finally came up with a solution!
I'm thinking of offering an on-going twice monthly teleclass in intuition/psychic development. In one class per month you'd learn a new technique, or learn from someone with a different specialty (e.g. a medium or a pet psychic). The second class each month would be a group coaching call, where you could ask questions, be coached on technique, and share your 'wins'.
The calls would be recorded in a downloadable format, so that you could listen to a class you missed, or could listen to a particularly useful class multiple times.
You'd also have access to a private group forum for members, so that you can support each other -- intuition development is MUCH more fun, and much faster, with group support. I'd also answer questions applicable to all.
I really value your opinion -- it'll only take about 30 seconds -- so please, please click the link below:
http://app.icontact.com/icp/sub/survey/start?sid=2942&cid=267144
Thanks!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Psychic Cat Alarm
Sunday morning, I had to get up at 5:30 AM (don't ask). As my husband didn't, he wisely chose to sleep in another room, meaning that I was all alone, but with a cat. The window was wide open, and the other cat was outside.
I didn't set an alarm, as it's on his side of the bed, and set to a time he normally needs. I didn't want to change it, and as I get up early anyway (the internal alarm), I was a little concerned, but just figured I'd wake up.
At 5:30 AM exactly, both the indoor cat and the outdoor cat, who was sitting directly under my window, commenced caterwauling. (I just then realized where the term originated.) "Poor, poor pitiful me -- feed me", they cried, loudly and in stereo, despite having been fed less than 8 hours before.
I was amazed and grateful -- they'd awakened me right on time! Do you suppose they telepathically knew what I needed? Just asking...
I didn't set an alarm, as it's on his side of the bed, and set to a time he normally needs. I didn't want to change it, and as I get up early anyway (the internal alarm), I was a little concerned, but just figured I'd wake up.
At 5:30 AM exactly, both the indoor cat and the outdoor cat, who was sitting directly under my window, commenced caterwauling. (I just then realized where the term originated.) "Poor, poor pitiful me -- feed me", they cried, loudly and in stereo, despite having been fed less than 8 hours before.
I was amazed and grateful -- they'd awakened me right on time! Do you suppose they telepathically knew what I needed? Just asking...
Thursday, August 07, 2008
My Brilliant Beast
Okay, slightly off topic, but I just had to share.
One of my cats, Beast, is a beautiful, regal tuxedo cat, and is probably the largest house cat you've ever seen, with the possible exception of some Maine coons. He is a huge chow hound, plus he eats whatever he can catch. The vet insists that I keep him on a diet, and so Beast is always hungry, always begging, and has learned how to really work Kosta, my husband (who is admittedly a soft touch) for food, even when I've already fed him. But the schedule is that Beast is fed twice a day, once when I get up in the morning (anywhere from 4:30 to 6:30 AM) and at 6PM, and Beast knows this.
Today, Kosta and I had an appointment out of the house in the late afternoon, and so were leaving at 4:00. As we left, we locked up the house, which includes closing the back door, which is basically left open (except for the screen door) all summer, whenever I'm home. Beast was lounging out on the back deck, and when he heard us, he came running for the door Kosta held open for him.
"He thinks he's gonna get fed," said Kosta as Beast trotted through the door.
I replied, "He's not gonna," as I locked a nearby window.
And Beast literally made a U turn and trotted back out the still open door!
Is there any doubt in your mind that Beast understands human language?
One of my cats, Beast, is a beautiful, regal tuxedo cat, and is probably the largest house cat you've ever seen, with the possible exception of some Maine coons. He is a huge chow hound, plus he eats whatever he can catch. The vet insists that I keep him on a diet, and so Beast is always hungry, always begging, and has learned how to really work Kosta, my husband (who is admittedly a soft touch) for food, even when I've already fed him. But the schedule is that Beast is fed twice a day, once when I get up in the morning (anywhere from 4:30 to 6:30 AM) and at 6PM, and Beast knows this.
Today, Kosta and I had an appointment out of the house in the late afternoon, and so were leaving at 4:00. As we left, we locked up the house, which includes closing the back door, which is basically left open (except for the screen door) all summer, whenever I'm home. Beast was lounging out on the back deck, and when he heard us, he came running for the door Kosta held open for him.
"He thinks he's gonna get fed," said Kosta as Beast trotted through the door.
I replied, "He's not gonna," as I locked a nearby window.
And Beast literally made a U turn and trotted back out the still open door!
Is there any doubt in your mind that Beast understands human language?
What to do to create ease and flow in your life
When I was a kid, and I didn't want to do something that really needed to be done, like homework, my Dad would say, "That's why they call it work." The implication, of course, was that if it was easy, and/or I wanted to do it, then it wasn't work, and somehow, wasn't worthwhile.
Think about that. The societal programming probably runs about as deep for you as it does for me. Do you really appreciate that which comes easily to you? The ease with which you read a map or cook a meal? Or do you value more the things (or skills) for which you have struggled? Do you ever say, "That was too easy!", as if the ease with which something happened depreciates its value -- down to practically nothing? (Instead, try saying, 'that was just easy enough!' Feels better, doesn't it?)
On the other hand, perhaps you say that you choose to have ease and flow in your life. And you know about the Law of Attraction -- focus on what you want, sensualize it really well (visualize, hear, feel, smell and taste it in your imagination), and it... will... just... come to you. So if, say, you sensualize your work going easily and just flowing, then it should begin to do just that. How often does that actually happen for you? if you're like I used to be, not too often.
Do you get the contradiction here? On one hand, you value that which is difficult, and on the other, you say you prefer ease and flow. And of course, things move in fits and starts, flowing now, then stuck, then flowing, then stuck again.
I truly believe that 'you create your reality according to your beliefs', especially those beliefs of which you are unaware. So if you have a deeply held belief that 'hard work is good', the ease and flow... won't flow easily.
Simply being aware of the deeply held belief does begin to loosen it. You might try a new affirmation, something like, 'I prefer that my life flows easily', or perhaps 'my life flows easily'. Then be attentive to all the 'stuff' that comes up around it, and deal with it (and call me if I can help with this -- helping people change their beliefs is among my favorite things, and can usually be done very quickly).
This is what I've done, and it's making a huge difference in my life and work. I probably am doing about as much, but I'm not stressing about what isn't getting done. I'm enjoying life much more, and business has actually improved.
Now just relax... breathe... and enjoy being in the flow...
Think about that. The societal programming probably runs about as deep for you as it does for me. Do you really appreciate that which comes easily to you? The ease with which you read a map or cook a meal? Or do you value more the things (or skills) for which you have struggled? Do you ever say, "That was too easy!", as if the ease with which something happened depreciates its value -- down to practically nothing? (Instead, try saying, 'that was just easy enough!' Feels better, doesn't it?)
On the other hand, perhaps you say that you choose to have ease and flow in your life. And you know about the Law of Attraction -- focus on what you want, sensualize it really well (visualize, hear, feel, smell and taste it in your imagination), and it... will... just... come to you. So if, say, you sensualize your work going easily and just flowing, then it should begin to do just that. How often does that actually happen for you? if you're like I used to be, not too often.
Do you get the contradiction here? On one hand, you value that which is difficult, and on the other, you say you prefer ease and flow. And of course, things move in fits and starts, flowing now, then stuck, then flowing, then stuck again.
I truly believe that 'you create your reality according to your beliefs', especially those beliefs of which you are unaware. So if you have a deeply held belief that 'hard work is good', the ease and flow... won't flow easily.
Simply being aware of the deeply held belief does begin to loosen it. You might try a new affirmation, something like, 'I prefer that my life flows easily', or perhaps 'my life flows easily'. Then be attentive to all the 'stuff' that comes up around it, and deal with it (and call me if I can help with this -- helping people change their beliefs is among my favorite things, and can usually be done very quickly).
This is what I've done, and it's making a huge difference in my life and work. I probably am doing about as much, but I'm not stressing about what isn't getting done. I'm enjoying life much more, and business has actually improved.
Now just relax... breathe... and enjoy being in the flow...
One reader's experience with Flickr divination
"
Originally, he wrote:
"I have been wanting to know what to do about my job and future employment so I put in Job and employment and got things like wow I got it and my job sucks and various things that indicated I shouldn’t be working and to the right an advertisement from the Greek National tourist organization advertising of all things Greece. [His ancestry is Greek - Ed.]
Ironically enough I would like my future to be financially secure to live life leisurely. Seems the above indicates that’s what I should be doing too.
I put in “when” and the first picture I was of a fortune from a fortune cookie that said “when you are doing the right thing”. I believe I am doing the right things so I did not ask further on that.
So then I put in where is the money coming from and it gave me a variety of things not all relevant to money but 2 indicated the name of one of my guardian angels who has sent me good things before. SOOOO cool.
Then, of course me be the patient person I am, (NOT), I typed in when is the money coming and one of the pictures has a note next to it that said day 214 Which is the julian date for August 1st and further down a picture of a graduation tassel highlighting the year 2008."
I did wonder if 'day 214' was 214 days from when he did the divination...
Today I received the following email:
"Oh well. I am still here and not lying on the beautiful beaches of Greece. August 1st did not bring me a fortune. I may go back and ask what is the right thing now."
Originally, he wrote:
"I have been wanting to know what to do about my job and future employment so I put in Job and employment and got things like wow I got it and my job sucks and various things that indicated I shouldn’t be working and to the right an advertisement from the Greek National tourist organization advertising of all things Greece. [His ancestry is Greek - Ed.]
Ironically enough I would like my future to be financially secure to live life leisurely. Seems the above indicates that’s what I should be doing too.
I put in “when” and the first picture I was of a fortune from a fortune cookie that said “when you are doing the right thing”. I believe I am doing the right things so I did not ask further on that.
So then I put in where is the money coming from and it gave me a variety of things not all relevant to money but 2 indicated the name of one of my guardian angels who has sent me good things before. SOOOO cool.
Then, of course me be the patient person I am, (NOT), I typed in when is the money coming and one of the pictures has a note next to it that said day 214 Which is the julian date for August 1st and further down a picture of a graduation tassel highlighting the year 2008."
I did wonder if 'day 214' was 214 days from when he did the divination...
Today I received the following email:
"Oh well. I am still here and not lying on the beautiful beaches of Greece. August 1st did not bring me a fortune. I may go back and ask what is the right thing now."
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