Episode 186 - What You Focus on Expands

Episode 186 What You Focus on ExpandsThe Law of Perpetual Transmutation
If what you focus on expands let’s make damn sure we are focusing on things we want to expand. Do you want your waistline to expand? Do you want your bills to expand? Do you want your ornery neighbor to spend more time staring over your fence? Do you want the effects of COVID to have more power in your life?
Nah….let’s think about things we do want. 
What do you think of focusing on the things you CAN do and not the things you CAN’T do? What do you think about focusing on your strengths rather than your weaknesses? How much more fun and productive is that? What do you think about imagining your ideal life, in all aspects, and putting it out there to expand and come into being?
If I focus on my ability to throw a great party and giving people a space to connect in (a strength), rather than beating myself up over not being a great promoter personality (not a gift I possess)- well, one is productive and the other destructive. 
Let’s focus on things we want more of….because that’s how we get them.
In 1847 Thomas Edison was born. He was easily distracted in school and he didn’t get good grades. Kids teased him and teachers called him “dim.” He was from a poor family growing up, so he would find ways to make money to buy supplies for his “lab.” He started a newspaper in his teens, the Weekly Herald, and he knew how to focus. Thomas Edison was known as - The Wizard of Menlo Park, and his inventions where called “Edison’s Miracles.” He could boast of over 1000 inventions. The phonograph, the electric lamp, the telegraph improvements, telephone work, batteries, to name only a few. How did he do it? As I studied Thomas Edison’s biography I think “focus” could be the word to best describe him. He was obsessed with his work and would sometimes work 100 hours a week. He didn’t sleep much, and while I don’t advise this, he left his wife on his wedding day to run to his lab and forgot to come back because of his focus on a project. Thomas Edison created a life story that was rich in creation, rich in money - he was a millionaire at age 40 - and rich in accomplishment. Now, he may not have had the best personal relationships because he didn’t focus on those. But he had the life he had because of what he focused on, because he never let that focus on his lab or creations waiver, even when he had failed repeatedly. We all know his quote, “Results? I’ve got a lot of results. I know 50,000 things that won’t work.”
I share this as an easy example of focus. When we focus our time, our heart, our money, and our vision on a thing we can all move mountains. But it’s more than just hard work. Let’s talk about the Law of Perpetual Transmutation.
- Law of Perpetual TransmutationAs 2020 launched I proclaimed that it was a year where I would study the laws of the universe. I focused on and got around to only one - it was the first one in Leslie Householder’s book Hidden Treasures. Much of what I’ll talk about regarding this law, aside from my personal experiences, come from the things she teaches. I highly recommend her work.
What is the law of Perpetual Transmutation? In a nutshell, it simply means that everything is in the process of either coming into physical form or breaking down and going out of it. 
The premise behind this law is one of creation. We actively create with our thoughts all the time. The things we focus on with real intent, belief, and consistency start to manifest and show up in our lives.
There should be a big label stamped on our brains - a big red warning sign. “Dangerous if used in correctly.” Because this works regarding good and bad. 
Let’s do a quick exercise -
Look at your life right now. Whatever you have created - whatever you are dealing with - whatever you have, has been formed by your thoughts. You may not have brought all the circumstances into your life, but you have decided how to think about them and how...

Episode 186 What You Focus on Expands

The Law of Perpetual Transmutation

If what you focus on expands let’s make damn sure we are focusing on things we want to expand. Do you want your waistline to expand? Do you want your bills to expand? Do you want your ornery neighbor to spend more time staring over your fence? Do you want the effects of COVID to have more power in your life?

Nah….let’s think about things we do want. 

What do you think of focusing on the things you CAN do and not the things you CAN’T do? What do you think about focusing on your strengths rather than your weaknesses? How much more fun and productive is that? What do you think about imagining your ideal life, in all aspects, and putting it out there to expand and come into being?

If I focus on my ability to throw a great party and giving people a space to connect in (a strength), rather than beating myself up over not being a great promoter personality (not a gift I possess)- well, one is productive and the other destructive. 

Let’s focus on things we want more of….because that’s how we get them.

In 1847 Thomas Edison was born. He was easily distracted in school and he didn’t get good grades. Kids teased him and teachers called him “dim.” He was from a poor family growing up, so he would find ways to make money to buy supplies for his “lab.” He started a newspaper in his teens, the Weekly Herald, and he knew how to focus. Thomas Edison was known as - The Wizard of Menlo Park, and his inventions where called “Edison’s Miracles.” He could boast of over 1000 inventions. The phonograph, the electric lamp, the telegraph improvements, telephone work, batteries, to name only a few. How did he do it? As I studied Thomas Edison’s biography I think “focus” could be the word to best describe him. He was obsessed with his work and would sometimes work 100 hours a week. He didn’t sleep much, and while I don’t advise this, he left his wife on his wedding day to run to his lab and forgot to come back because of his focus on a project. Thomas Edison created a life story that was rich in creation, rich in money - he was a millionaire at age 40 - and rich in accomplishment. Now, he may not have had the best personal relationships because he didn’t focus on those. But he had the life he had because of what he focused on, because he never let that focus on his lab or creations waiver, even when he had failed repeatedly. We all know his quote, “Results? I’ve got a lot of results. I know 50,000 things that won’t work.”

I share this as an easy example of focus. When we focus our time, our heart, our money, and our vision on a thing we can all move mountains. But it’s more than just hard work. Let’s talk about the Law of Perpetual Transmutation.

As 2020 launched I proclaimed that it was a year where I would study the laws of the universe. I focused on and got around to only one - it was the first one in Leslie Householder’s book Hidden Treasures. Much of what I’ll talk about regarding this law, aside from my personal experiences, come from the things she teaches. I highly recommend her work.

What is the law of Perpetual Transmutation? In a nutshell, it simply means that everything is in the process of either coming into physical form or breaking down and going out of it. 

The premise behind this law is one of creation. We actively create with our thoughts all the time. The things we focus on with real intent, belief, and consistency start to manifest and show up in our lives.

There should be a big label stamped on our brains - a big red warning sign. “Dangerous if used in correctly.” Because this works regarding good and bad. 

Let’s do a quick exercise -

Look at your life right now. Whatever you have created - whatever you are dealing with - whatever you have, has been formed by your thoughts. You may not have brought all the circumstances into your life, but you have decided how to think about them and how much to let them bother or bolster you. If you look around and see lack and disappointment, let that be a sign that your thoughts get to shift to bring you something different. If you look around and feel gratitude, happiness with your relationships, contentment with the things you have, take full credit for that. You have created that also.

Let me share an example - If your relationships are lacking, take an internal audit of what you focus on in those relationships. If things are bad with a significant other are you focusing on what they do wrong, on what they don’t bring to the table, on what they do that bothers you, on how you feel they fall short? If you do, justified as you may feel, those will be the things you see.

Let’s pull in the car example - you know how it goes. The minute you buy a make and model of a certain car you will see them everywhere, where before you didn’t notice them nearly so much. If I buy a white Subaru I’m going to see white Subarus everywhere. My experience of them expands.

If I’m focusing, say on my child, and I’m frustrated because her grades aren’t as good as her brothers, well that is going to expand. It’s going to become something that is always on your mind, something that begins to define her, something that takes root as a deficiency. If I choose to focus on the classes she is getting the best grades in and praise her, that will expand. If I focus on her strengths, she’ll feel loved and seek to expand those.

Have you ever read the book, “As a Man Thinketh,” by James Allen? He died in 1912, it’s an older book, but a classic. 

Here is a quote from this small, easy read, 

“Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armory of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself. He also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace. By the right choice and true application of thought, man ascends to the Divine Perfection; by the abuse and wrong application of thought, he descends below the level of the beast. Between these two extremes are all the grades of character, and man is their maker and master.

Of all the beautiful truths pertaining to the soul which have been restored and brought to light in this age, none is more gladdening or fruitful of divine promise and confidence than this – that man is the master of thought, the molder of character, and maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny.

As a being of Power, Intelligence, and Love, and the lord of his own thoughts, man holds the key to every situation, and contains within himself that transforming and regenerative agency by which he may make himself what he wills.”

So - let’s get back to the law. The Law of Perpetual Transmutation says that everything is in the process of coming into physical form or going out of it. The power of our thoughts is what starts the formation of something - all things are created spiritually before they are created physically, and our thoughts begin the process of matter taking form into spiritual creation so it can manifest physically. Just think - everything had to be thought of before it could be created. 

All things are made of a thinking substance - intelligence, that begins to form as we call it forth. When we know how to tap into this law and use it, we start learning to create intentionally.

The power comes from three main things -

1. You have to be able to very clearly see the finished goal/project/result.

What does the problem look like solved?

2. You must be able to pull in emotion - because emotion is the power that imprints things in our subconscious and supercharges those thoughts. So…

What does the woman/man who has accomplished that feel like? Stay in that place and revel in those emotions.

3. Your faith or fear is the lever that sends the energy forward or backward. Picture something manifesting from the ether, taking form in front of you, and each time you truly believe it is coming the thing becomes more solid. Each time you doubt it moves backward, becomes less tangible, more ethereal.

When we feel fear remember the scripture, “Peace be Still. Be still and know that I am god.”

Another favorite… 

“For God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

Russel M. Neilsen, prophet of the Latter Day Saint church, said, “If you really want a certain blessing, you’d better find out what the laws are that govern that blessing and then work on becoming obedient to those laws.” 

For us, it comes back to trust in the law, faith in things we can’t see. Trust that the way will show up. Trust the process. It is important that you make the commitment to reach the goal, to see it done. It is important that you move forward with faith. 

Let’s bring in a few scriptures that back-up this law…

James 1:6 - Ask in faith nothing wavering.

Matthew 21:22 And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. 

Enos 1:15 - Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith believing that ye shall receive, in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it. 

Now let’s talk personal experience. Since I’ve worked on understanding this law better this year, of course I need to have tried it out. Here are a couple success stories:

This year my son moved out and I turned his room into my office. I wanted to be thoughtful about placing only the minimum of what I needed, and the exact right stuff in the office because I didn’t want clutter or unsightly spaces with funky energy to throw off my work. I had everything finished but I still needed a couch or a chair to the space across from my desk. Should I buy it or should I try to manifest it? I went shopping, I got ideas, I waited to see what may turn up. I had pictured it, numerous times. I did have intent. But still I waited, just in case it might appear. Well, it did…..I found a couch. More accurately, a friend who knew I was looking for a coach texted from the storage facility where she worked and said, someone just cleaned out their unit and left a perfect brown leather couch for the taking. “If you don’t want it,” she threatened, “I’m totally taking it.” It turned out to be perfect for that little spot beneath my office window. It was exactly the right height, the right length, and the right color. Thank you, angels and fun universal law.

I also think I manifested my first podcast editor. I was in a coaching group and we had set an intention for finding someone to pick up the slack in the areas I did not have competent skills. I imagined and prayed and the next day I was walking my dog when I ran into some beloved neighbors I hadn’t seen and talked to in some time, only to find out that he was the camera man for the BYU TV series StoryTrek, he was steeped in story, and he knew how to edit audio. This kicked off a partnership that I will forever be grateful for.

And finally - 1. I set a big goal this past year as I was testing the law. It was a big financial goal. I’m not comfortable going into all the details around it, but here are some things I noticed. First, I followed all the steps of seeing it, feeling it, being grateful for it.

I didn’t know how it would happen, but I put the wheels in motion….and as Leslie Householder says, “Stay Calm and see what happens.”

As the year unfolded I took every work opportunity that came to me. I serviced more real estate clients in 2020 than I had in my previous 13 years as a Realtor. I got more professional writing jobs at higher pay rates than I’d ever been paid before. I said daily gratitudes, I worked hard, really hard.

Here’s what I noticed. The first time, I think it was about June, that I put down a major chunk of change toward this goal. My willingness to put my skin in the game toward my goal escalated what the universe was bringing to me. I find this fascinating. I have no additional thoughts on it, just an observation that came up during my test of the law. We have to be behind our own dreams and willing to do our part.

Another thing I noticed, unexpected things came up - not that they should have been unexpected, but in my case I hadn’t thought it all through. As I had calculated the amounts needed I had been looking at flat sums. I also needed to figure in taxes and tithing and keeping a base line, etc. etc. But I think this is par for all courses. There will always be unexpected aspects of what we manifest and we have to be open to how things will twist and turn along the way.

So…. In a nutshell. I’ve watched things large and small expand as I focus. Try it.

As I close out this episode let’s go over the steps of manifesting through the universal law of transmutation - Now, remember universal laws are laws. The law of gravity works whether you believe it will or not. It does what it does. So do all the other laws. The Law of Perpetual Transmutation will always work - things will either come into being or go out of being, according to your faith. 

Let’s review and I encourage you to do your own tests, if you’re interested.

Step 1: Get a clear vision of what you want. Trust your instincts. Go all the way through the vision of what it feels like to have it done. Feel real gratitude for it.

Step 2: Present it for approval, adjustment and direction to your higher power. The voice of inspiration will come only after you have a clear picture of what you seek and after you allow gratitude - true gratitude for what you received in enjoying that success. Just check in.

Step 3: Adjust as inspired. What can I do? What do I need to leave to the universe?

Step 4: Acknowledge the successful completion for with God as your partner all things are possible. Nourish the seed with belief and gratitude and all you need will come. - Do you notice how belief and gratitude are a part of every step?

Step 5: Move forward each day. Stay in Belief. Our thoughts are powerful - they do things. Our thoughts do more than we realize. If you can picture what you want, and believe it’s on its way, by God’s law it must come. Keep discarding fear and nurturing belief. Keep that focus!

In conclusion I’ll end with a Tony Robbins quote: “Your life is determined by what you focus on.”

Truth is truth. 

Your challenge for this week is to think of something, large or small, that you’d really like to have in your life, and then apply the steps we talked about. Start small first, if you want.

Here’s a quick ad: In January we launched the platform for group leaders to bring their groups to Love Your Story for the 21-Challenges. If you’re a leader who believes in self-improvement for your team, group or downline, and you need to create better connection with your people, let me help you - we are set up and ready to book your 21 days to connection and improved life performance. Go to www.loveyourstorypodcast.com for more information.

See you in two weeks.