Can we really get what we want by thinking positive thoughts?

[Skippy]

I've read the view that if we continually think positively about what it is that we want in life, and continue to tell ourselves that we have it, or that we are going to get it soon, that eventually we will have it.

There's something that I really, really want (it's not a material object) and I've been thinking positive thoughts for some time, but it doesn't seem to be working. I don't seem to be any closer than before.

[malganis]

Have you watched The Secret? http://www.thesecretstory.com/Watch_The_Secret_(Orginal_Edition).html

The movie explains LOA very well. It's not just positive thoughts. There must be also emotions and inspired action. If you are having doubts or coming from a place of lack it wont manifest. Think, feel and act. Be grateful for it as you already have it. Also knowing why you want is important. Just ask yourself why.

Here you can learn a lot about LOA from Abraham-Hicks perspective.

http://marcyfrommaui.powerfulintentions.com/forum/lawofattraction/message-view/11694886

[Principle]

It's more then thinking! Like Malganis mentioned 'Think, feel, and act'.

[DH]

Also, If what you want violates the freewill of someone else, it likely won't manifest.

[Skippy]

The movie explains LOA very well. It's not just positive thoughts. There must be also emotions and inspired action.

There are definitely emotions involved, and I have taken some inspired action, but as far as I can see, it hasn't done anything.

I don't think what I want violates the free will of anything else. I just would like someone to become a friend of mine.

[Principle]

That does violate free will, you are trying to attract a person.
Wiether it be for love, or for friendship, or whatever the case may be.

This is not something you should be trying to manifest with cosmic energy,
I guarantee this attraction you seek is more likey to occur if you use your own energy.

Best wishes, and Good luck.

[Skippy]

I guarantee this attraction you seek is more likey to occur if you use your own energy.

Could you tell me exactly what you mean when you tell me I should use my own energy?

I really have no idea how to go about it.

[Principle]

Well, We all emnate energy, some of us attract women, some of us attract men,
As ugly as you may be, with Charisma and Charm you can attract anyone.

By using your own Energy, Try feeling more happy, or doing things that make you happy,
Feel confident, use your energy to become the man/woman that your not normally.

People around you will notice, and feel more of a attraction towards you.

[malganis]

This is an excerpt from Patricia Carrington's book The Next Step which just suits here.

Make Choices That Apply to YOU

This rule is important to because some people will choose to have others behave differently, as though they had rights over the lives of others which none of us have. They may make this mistake because:

(1) They want another person (or people) to act differently than they are acting or feel differently than they are feeling, as in:
"I choose to have Mary love me."
"I choose to have the people at work think I'm the best."
"I choose to have Kenneth understand me." etc.

(2) They want to bring harm to another person, as in:
"I choose to have (so and so) suffer the consequences of this (terrible act)"

(3) They want something good or healing for another person, as in:
"I choose to have Jane heal quickly from her illness."

People sometimes ask me why there should be any prohibition against choosing for others, especially when what one is choosing seems to be beneficial. It is by no means a cut and dried rule and there are grey areas, but in a moment I will suggest ways in which we can reach out and make Choices that are extremely helpful for others without being either controlling or manipulative.

I learned to respect this rule about not choosing the destinies of others from a course I took way back in the 1980's called DMA. I have adhered to the rule ever since because it makes intuitive sense to me. One explanation given to me for this rule was that it is unethical to interfere in the manner in which a person's life is unfolding because it may be doing so according to a pattern we cannot even guess at. Whether or not you believe this, it is clear that there is a manipulative element and sometimes even a touch of arrogance in the act of choosing for someone else how they should be or behave. It also bypasses the whole purpose of Choices, which is that they give us power to create what we want in our own lives.
There are, however, ways that Choices can be reworded so as to be non- manipulative in nature. For example, the first Choice given above might be changed to read:

"I choose to feel that Mary loves me."

Here the person is making a Choice about their own reaction to Mary, something quite within their jurisdiction.

I remember one time helping a woman formulate a Choice that had to do with her boss. She felt strongly that her boss did not appreciate the work she did for him and initially decided selected the Choice. "I choose to have my boss appreciate me."

I explained to her, however, that for the above reasons this was not an acceptable Choice (she could not choose a new behavior for her boss) and suggested she say instead,
"I choose to feel that my boss appreciates me."

She used this new Choice for one week and then reported back to me on its effects. During that week she had begun to notice small ways in which, in fact, she had felt that her boss did appreciate her, much to her own surprise. This must have changed the way she behaved toward her boss, because at the end of the week he had come up to her and, very uncharacteristically, had said, "Nice work Mary!" A vicious circle had been turned into a fortunate one!

[DH]

Good post Malganis.  It pretty much nails the free will business.

We may have good intentions to bless people, but sometimes people don't want our blessings. 

One time a group of us were praying for a woman to be healed of cancer.  We felt quite confident about it, because this group of intercessors had prayed for others with great success.  But we hadn't asked the woman for permission to pray for her healing, and when she found out about it, she said:  "Please stop it.  I have no doubt that your prayers will work, but I don't want them.  I want to die." 

What can you say?  We stopped, as did others who wanted her to be restored to health -- and she died in peace.
---------------------------------------

SKIPPY,

I think that what Principle is saying to you is right on, too.  You have to be yourself.  What you project to others will attract them or repell them or go unnoticed.  So be intentional about what you project.  The whole life and power of the Universe lives in you, and to the degree that you can get in touch with It and draw from It's in life, you will project that confidence and vitality to others.  There are any number of good books and teaching CD's that can help you learn how to do that, and a lot of them have been mentioned on this web site.

I've used this book to help others learn how to touch the power within:

http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Power-Within-You/dp/0875161790/ref=sr_1_1/103-3424127-6221461?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174884771&sr=8-1

Blessing to you on your journey,  DH