VISUALIZE A PROSPEROUS FUTURE

HOW INVESTED ARE YOU IN YOUR GOAL?

2010-09-20T07:55:00.001-04:00

We can't reach our goals unless we make a true personal investment in them. This isn't just a financial investment but the question is, how invested are you in your goal? If you want to be healthy, how far are you willing to go to get healthy? If you have a picture of a future life, what are you going to invest daily to make that life come to fruition?

Why do some people seem to set a goal and reach it while others try a lifetime and make little progress? Study those that you know that always achieve their goals. You will probably notice a few things.

1. They don't let anything interfere with their daily commitment.
2. They get over inevitable hurdles
3. They are invested in reaching the endpoint
4. They keep going no matter what

There are always going to be set backs in life. We can't arrive at our goals unless we know what the destination is (so that we know when we arrive); and move relentlessly toward it. It has to be a meaningful goal that we truly want or we won't be invested in getting there.

email: visualprosperity@gmail.com
website: www.visualprosperity.com
phone/voicemail: 860 656 0203
Debbie Simon Prosperity Coaching
Glastonbury, CT 06033

PROSPERITY AND SELF RESPONSIBILITY

2010-09-08T06:55:00.000-04:00

If you are a spiritual seeker and like to always work on bettering yourself, then you might feel some level of conflict about having money and having things for yourself. I have had some very spiritual people come to me for help, only to learn that they are looking for a magician instead. Having prosperity in one's life requires a high level of self responsibility. It means going into the depths of ones being and looking at what is hidden there. It means taking 100% responsibility for all of your actions from looking at the food you eat to the way you spend your waking hours, minute by minute.

Taking responsibility for everything (and I mean everything) we put in our bodies means taking responsibility for our health, energy and well being. It's impossible to have a prosperous life without energy and a zest for life. The foods we eat and the drugs and alcohol that we put in our bodies will effect our mood, contribute to depression and illness. To live a prosperous life, one has to want wellness first and foremost.

Money is needed to live a responsibile life. If you are spiritual, yet you act irresponsibily with money, (such as, charging items that you can't afford to pay for right away), then you are going to run into trouble down the road. There are many things that are considered to be "ok" and acceptable in today's Western society, such as mortgages, home equity loans and now credit card debt is the norm. These things will weigh heavily on your consciousness and will take a toll on your health.

If you really want to rise up a spiritual ladder to a higher consciousness then think about your views on money. If you can't support yourself or the those who are your dependants then you need to take a look at your views on the importance of money in today's world.

Prosperity is an INSIDE job. It requires courage and fortitude. It requires going to the dusty corners in your soul and cleaning out the cobwebs and then doing the same in your outer life and wallet.

email: visualprosperity@gmail.com website: www.visualprosperity.com phone/voicemail: 860 656 0203 Debbie Simon Prosperity Coaching Glastonbury, CT 06033

THREE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE

2010-09-02T18:26:00.000-04:00

Prosperity, in its many different forms, is available to all. If you are ready for it and believe that you can receive more then try these three steps right now, today.

1. Think of something that you want. Write it down.
2. Close your eyes, and spend 10 minutes visualizing it. That means seeing yourself in a scene in which you have it, can see it, can touch it, feel it, hear it and/or be in its presence. If it's an object see yourself in it or using it. If it's something that involves people see yourself interacting with them.
3. Think of the essence of what this will give you and notice what it is that you are searching for and ask this question. "How can I create the essence of what I'm looking for right now?" And write down a few ideas.

See what happens next.

email: visualprosperity@gmail.com website: www.visualprosperity.com
phone/voicemail: 860 656 0203
Debbie Simon Prosperity Coaching
Glastonbury, CT 06033

CREATING A TRUE VISION

2010-08-31T21:43:00.001-04:00

People often get nervous when asked to create a vision. It doesn't have to be something far off and impossible. Our visions change with the details of our lives. Experiences in life happen that can throw us off course and we find ourselves in strange circumstances sometimes. Although those unpleasant circumstances are there to teach us the lessons we need to have, it's still ok to have a vision of where we want to go from here.

If someone is in a bad marriage they have two choices. Only they can decide what their vision is going to be. Either they stay and work at improving the marriage, or they leave. If they decide to leave and the decision feels correct, then their vision becomes a new and different kind of relationship than the one they are in now. The other vision is to see the marriage improving and becoming what they want it to be. Some things are out of their control. It's possible that the relationship they are envisioning could never happen with the person they're with.

Often people will think really small. They will be content with little and give all sorts of excuses for not wanting more. They will toss aside their God given gifts and will selfishly withhold themselves from the world. Being content with very little and with poverty is not spiritual. Expansion isn't just about becoming rich. It's about growing in consciousness and gaining a new perspective on one's life. Once that happens the outer reflects the inner and our present circumstances become too small. That's why, what we were content with a few years back just won't do anymore.

To practice creating your vision, start with one area of your life. You probably want to look at the one area that is bringing you the most conflict. What would your life look like if that conflict was resolved? Where would life take you after that? Practice this often and the picture will gel. Once you have the picture you can begin to work with it and move toward it at a rapid pace.

email: visualprosperity@gmail.com website: www.visualprosperity.com phone/voicemail: 860 656 0203 Debbie Simon Prosperity Coaching Glastonbury, CT 06033

LIMITLESS YOU

2010-08-29T18:48:00.000-04:00

I often go back to books that I read years ago to see what they have to offer me now. I read Creating Money by Sanaya Roman and Duane Parker in the early 1990s. I've picked it up a few times since but now I'm reading it page by page and am amazed at how timeless the information is. They talk about limitless possibilities and creating a larger picture of what your life can be than you have ever imagined before. I did a little exercise on my own. I realized that my highest goal is spiritual in nature. I imagined reaching the highest spiritual levels that I could imagine. It felt like I was in a wind tunnel. The energy, stamina and strength needed to keep my balance and to stand still while this wind tunnel went around and through me was beyond description.

Are your goals spiritual? All the other goals we have are ways to reach a higher level of consciousness. They can be physical goals, financial or relationship goals. These areas give us the opportunities to become greater spiritual beings. What exactly does the limitless you look like? Take a moment to imagine that.

email: visualprosperity@gmail.com website: www.visualprosperity.com phone/voicemail: 860 656 0203 Debbie Simon Prosperity Coaching Glastonbury, CT 06033

A REAL QUICK TECHNIQUE FOR THOSE WHO ARE SHORT ON TIME

2010-08-26T16:58:00.005-04:00

Ok, we are all short on time these days.What's a quick way to shift things from how they are going to a more prosperous viewpoint?

Breathe in more abundance and start to change the energy field around you with your breath. Each breath is a magnetic pull attracting all that you wish for. As you breath in with your eyes closed, see objects, faces or symbols that represent what you are trying to attract.

Each breath out clears the space by releasing the negative toxins. I imagine a broom sweeping out a dusty closet. Clear the closet so it's empty making room for the new to come in.

The breath in, is a magnet for the positive energy.

The breath out is releasing the old, dusty, stale air that you are done with. You're always letting go, it's a never ending process. We have to let go of "what is", in order to see change in our life. Let go of "it" with each sweep of the closet floor, and imagine that you are a magnet for positive change.

email: visualprosperity@gmail.com website: www.visualprosperity.com phone/voicemail: 860 656 0203 Debbie Simon Prosperity Coaching Glastonbury, CT 06033

RECEIVING MORE

2010-08-25T23:50:00.001-04:00

There is something that prevents you from receiving. Do you agree? Perhaps you have your receiving quota. It's different for everyone but you want to expand yours so you can receive more. Already, the guilt comes up around the fact that you would like to have more. Does that sound familiar? So what can you do about it? What can you do now? My mission is to help you to receive more prosperity in your life.

First you have to want it. Next you have to open to recieve it and then you have to remove the blocks that prevent you from letting it in.

Prosperity comes in many forms. It comes in disguises. Sometimes it's in the form of money. Sometimes love, friendship, opportunities, change, a new home, a new car, a new direction. If you want more of it, then you have to recognize it when it comes knocking on your door. Everyday, prosperity comes toward you based on what you ask for. You might want to learn about something and a lesson will come that you don't like, but it's really what you asked for.

Be grateful for all that shows up when it shows up. If your having some challenges right now, see it as prosperity knocking. Remove the shield and let it in.

email: visualprosperity@gmail.com website: www.visualprosperity.com phone/voicemail: 860 656 0203 Debbie Simon Prosperity Coaching Glastonbury, CT 06033

NEW DIRECTIONS

2010-08-23T22:38:00.002-04:00

This blog has been about different things over the years and recently I have not made too many additions to it. I still seem to have a steady flow of readers and I'm sorry that I haven't been writing consistently. I'm going to stay within one topic on this blog. The topic is "Creating Prosperity with Visualization".

I have noticed, since zeroing my work in on "just" prosperity, that people have strong, (and not always positive) reactions to this line of work. Prosperity triggers a lot of emotion in people. We all have issues around money and allowing ourselves to have what we want. The fact is that money is necessary for the basics in life. Money is necessary to have to support ourselves and to support those who truly need our help, like our kids. "A dollar bill", says Louise Haye, is just as spiritual as anything else (I don't remember the exact quote).

I will keep the focus in this blog on just that. Using visualizations to create prosperity. I notice that when I work with people something happens for them right away but then they get scared and they walk away. They abandon that part of themselves that felt entitled to have all that they desire. They convince themselves that they never really wanted it and that they didn't really receive anything in the session or the workshop. It seems to be part of the process.

It takes courage to do this work and to keep going back to basic principles that attract abundance to us. The natural tendency, I have observed time and again, is to talk ourselves out of having what we know we really want.

The hardest part is to not walk away from it. The hardest part is to identify those voices that keep telling us that this doesn't matter. Those voices override the healthier new habits we acquire every time. If we know that going in then we can be prepared when it happens. We can address those voices and say "I know what and who you are. You're the voices from the past that have always held me back. You are the voices that keep telling me that I'm not worthy of having it all. So now that I know who you are, I won't be tricked by you, yet again. I'm going to ignore you and I'm going to keep doing the work that is attracting all this good into my life".

NOT RECOGNIZING IT WHEN IT COMES

2010-06-21T22:50:00.002-04:00

So often we ask for something and it shows up quickly. But we think it's going to take a long time with a lot of hard work and struggle and we don't recognize that the gift we asked for was immediately given to us.

visualprosperity@gmail.com
website: www.visualprosperity.com
phone: 860 656 0203
office visits by appointment Glastonbury, CT 06033

FEAR OF PROSPERITY

2010-06-14T12:20:00.002-04:00

At the beginning I devoted my work in the 1990s, long before The Secret, to abundance/prosperity principles. People were intrigued. It was a new concept for most and the idea of a Law of Attraction was compelling.

Now these principles are more mainstream. People are more familiar in general with the ideas. Now that I am focusing my practice on one thing, helping people to live prosperous lives, I find that the first response is fear. There's an innate fear around the issue of prosperity.

First you need to define prosperity for yourself so it isn't so frightening. Prosperity can be about money but it is also about better relationships, making necessary changes, surviving a major life transition, a loss (of a loved one, a job or a home for example). Prosperity implies expansion. Expansion means you can't stand in one place anymore. You have to move from where you are standing in your beliefs and your reality. That is terrifying. Change often means letting go of something, and letting go means a loss of something. Maybe it's an aspect of yourself, an attachment or even a person or a job. The normal response to having something taken away from you is to grab onto it harder and not let go. Whatever or whoever is trying to take that away suddenly becomes the enemy. Loss always ends in gain. Always. Movement always implies progress. Expansion will always make you a better person and you will have more joy, more love in your life and maybe even more money!

email: debbiesimon@debbiesimon.org website:

www.visualprosperity.com

phone: 860 656 0203 office visits by appointment Glastonbury, CT 06033

THOUGHTS ARE THOUGHTS

2010-06-11T00:31:00.006-04:00

We have a thought. That thought creates energy that then attracts what we wanted to us. It makes its journey to us immediately. Then our blockers come up. What are blockers? Counter thoughts. Subconscious thoughts, beliefs that tell us that we don't deserve what we just asked for. Reasons why we really don't want it. Negative thoughts that act as blockers.

Imagine a karate block. Your arm goes up and stops whatever was coming at you. When we wish for something it flows toward us and then we block it. Or it shows up and we ignore it. If something comes easily we rationalize that it was "too easy". There must be a catch. When something is hard and complicated and fraught with tension, like a relationship or a job, it is familiar so we think it is meant to be when the opposite is true. That which is easy is meant to be.

It's important to know what those counter thoughts are so we can hear them when they come up and we can recognize them when they walk into the room. Stuffing them down, yelling at them, ignoring them and judging them isn't going to work. Recognize them for what they are. They are just thoughts! We learned them from our past and we don't have to keep thinking them. The more we become aware of our negative beliefs the more conscious we become of everyone else's.

That's why if you ask for opinions and thoughts from others...that is what you will get. Their negative beliefs! Negative belief systems give us choices. We can choose to follow them blindly or we can change our direction. That is the conscious part of creating our own reality.

Many of us have grown up with a belief system around aging. We believe certain things will happen with age because of what we've seen, read and heard. Why not challenge that by changing your behavior now? We know that certain actions, like eating organically, exercising and reducing stress will not only slow down the aging process but will give us many more years of good health as we age. It's merely a change in the way we think. If we keep holding a picture of ourselves as "old", then we will continue to move in that direction. Instead, hold a picture of yourself as "healthy" and see what changes start to occur.

debbiesimon@debbiesimon.org
www.visualprosperity.com
860 656 0203

LEARNING TO RECEIVE

2010-06-06T00:17:00.001-04:00

Are you a giver? Does a lot of your energy go out? It's wonderful to be thoughtful, giving and loving but enabling is something to be aware of. Enabling drains us and prevents the other person from growing at their pace in their own way. Giving endlessly to people who don't really want your help is not helping either person. Giving to those who are afraid to do for themselves is enabling.

Givers often have trouble receiving. When I talk to people about prosperity they clearly want it but they are also conflicted. There is a general belief that says "I can't have", or that receiving is bad. They are blocking the flow "in". Thoughts come up like "it's wrong for me to receive this" and whatever was about to come their way is deflected.

Take time out everyday to practice receiving. A positive flow in, can come in the form of money, love or energy. There are many imaginary techniques that can help us to learn to receive. Imagine whatever you would like, but a daily mental exercise will improve your ability to receive. Notice the little changes that start to happen. Look for new connections, unexpected business, gifts, experiences, etc. Make the connection between what you are practicing and what starts to happen in your world when you do.

How can you ever realize your dreams if you are uncomfortable receiving? Manifesting is all about receiving even if what you are manifesting will allow you to give to others in the end.

Giving yourself your dream and believing in your ability to achieve that is your gift to yourself. You deserve it! We all deserve to receive.

www.visualprosperity.com

MULTITASKING OR POOR TIME MANAGEMENT?

2010-06-01T00:59:00.002-04:00

I was going to write about people who multitask and how difficult it is to be in their presence, until I realized that I am one of them. I know someone who cannot live without her headset and as we are talking she will respond to calls from her cell phone. She never stops doing. It's hard to be with her because she is handling about 3 things at once all the time.

Then I realized that I had some serious multitasking issues as well and whenever I point the finger it's time to look in the mirror!

The main point I wanted to make is that multitasking really isn't efficient at all. It takes us back to our "to do" list and away from what is really important in life. When I find that things are starting to get out of control I stop. I stop and I go into a contemplation. Or I write a letter stating how overwhelmed I feel and I let it pour out until I've gotten to the root. Then I refocus and I remember what is the most important thing for me to do that day, because there is always one thing that reflects an area of my life that I want to develop or improve. When I "remember" I know what I need to do next, and the less important things can be put aside.

But when we are with each other, in the presence of our friends or even a stranger, we need to be present so that we can listen.

SPIRITUAL CONTENTMENT

2010-04-30T18:25:00.005-04:00

Reaching a level of spiritual contentment requires that we surrender to the events of our everyday life while feeling grateful for the gifts of all of our experiences. All the human emotions are equally important and denying the ones that we consider to be negative is not healthy.

Having unpleasant experiences in life makes us stronger spiritually. In each lifetime we become more evolved. The purpose of spiritual enlightenment is simply to become a better coworker with God.

Once we see beyond the small world of our physical body we can expand our thinking and awareness of all the planes of existence and all of the universes that are available to us to travel to. This lifetime and this world are so small in comparison to the greater picture

www.visualprosperity.com

THE PROCESS OF TRANSFORMATION

2010-04-18T10:57:00.006-04:00

The dictionary definition of Metamorphosis is:

1. Biology. a profound change in form from one stage to the next in the life history of an organism, as from the caterpillar to the pupa and from the pupa to the adult butterfly.Compare complete metamorphosis.

a complete change of form, structure, or substance, as transformation by magic or witchcraft.

any complete change in appearance, character, circumstances, etc.

a form resulting from any such change.

Synonyms

alteration
end dictionary definition.

The process that we go through can be as difficult and complex as the development of the fetus and the birth process itself.

Observe successful people. They often don't have any more talent for the thing they are doing than those in the same area who don't succeed. In fact, sometimes they have less.

What they do have is a strong desire to create their vision, goal or desire.They approach it like a science and they all follow these steps:

they work methodically and steadily on a daily basis no matter what.
they develop their craft from the smallest beginnings to the most advanced levels no matter how boring or mundane it may become.
they accept that frustration and disappointment are part of the process and they are not sidetracked by the rolling rocks that fall in the way
they never lose site of the finished product

That is why it is so important to pick something that you really want and can feel this motivated about. If you apply these steps to any one of your desires you will fully complete the cycle of metamorphosis.

It's so rare to find something that you can feel this passionate about, but when you do, don't throw it away midstream.

www.visualprosperity.com

ASKING PERMISSION AND GUILT

2010-03-18T16:34:00.002-04:00

Why do we feel that we need others to tell us that it is all right for us to do something good for ourselves? Why do we then feel guilty when we do it? Why does it take a cancer diagnosis for people to realize their value and to start treating themselves the way that they needed to always treat themselves? Why do we feel justified in denying ourselves? What's so great about deprivation? The good life is offered to each and everyone of us but we often refuse it as though it shows our strength or discipline to do without. As though having less makes us more worthy spiritually and it doesn't.

As your sense of self worth increases so do your surroundings.

www.visualprosperity.com

WHERE TO PUT YOUR ATTENTION

2010-03-09T14:03:00.003-05:00

We have a choice, focus on something that is good and positive or focus on the opposite. There are two scenarios. There's victim mode where we start to picture the worst case scenario. A little twinge in our body can make us feel like we're going to end up with a deadly disease, or it can be construed differently. When a little nudge tells you that something isn't right respond with self care.

Then there is the second scenario. This scenario is a visualization of the best possible future. Instead of seeing catastrophies, envision the outcomes that you want. Instead of focusing on what you are unhappy about, put your attention on something that makes you happy.

Keep your attention on self care. That includes what kinds of food you eat, what you choose to do with your time, preventing overwork, cutting back on commitments and reducing all that you do for others. Lighten your load. Get enough rest and most of all, set limits with others. The more you've been doing for others the more they will expect from you. The demands become greater and greater. Codependence doesn't allow others to learn their own lessons.

Create a vision that gives you a deep, warm feeling of contentment and happiness. Write it down, keep it simple and revise it daily. Notice how it begins to manifest in small ways.

www.visualprosperity.com

A Visualization to Get Balanced

2010-03-02T17:01:00.004-05:00

These days it seems that everyone is struggling to get back on track. We hear hard luck stories on the news or live those stories ourselves. It's hard to stay balanced right now.
In my ebook I teach how to do get into a state of relaxation in order to move into a visualization. I also teach "inner child" work through a story. You might want to check it out at www.visualprosperity.com/ebook

Loss of balance occurs when we aren't centered. Seems obvious but it can be subtle before we know that we are out of balance. Our bodies don't feel right, we aren't "ourselves".

For a quick technique to gain some balance begin by breathing deeply from head to toe a few times, either standing or sitting. Imagine that you are a glass and you're filling the glass with water. The water starts at your toes and fills your body with a warm glow.

If you're standing, close your eyes and lightly test your balance on each foot and then find your center. Pressing your hands into prayer position and holding them at the heart center can help with your balance. Now imagine a light rod going down through the top of your head and straigth through your body, perfectly centered. The rod shoots into the ground and holds you steady. You can't be pushed over. You can't be thrown off course. Practice this simple technique to regain your focus and to feel balanced. If you want to do it sitting down, close your eyes and picture yourself in that pose.

Become aware of your early warning signs. Catch these symptoms early so that you can respond to what your body needs. Becoming too tired, or too hungry or too deprived creates distress in your body, mind and soul. Distress leads to disease. Before your health is compromised, notice what is going on inside of you and any warning signs that you might get in your dreams as well or during contemplation/meditation.
Imagine two things. One is that the roots from the earth are coming up through the soles of your feet holding you steady on the earth. The other is that a heavenly energy is coming from above and through the top of your head. Keep practicing this while continually working on your alignment. Notice whether your abdomen is forced forward by a curved spine and then straighten it out. Make sure your weight is in the center of both feet and that you have your balance. If someone were to push you over, could they?

When you're ready place one or both hands onto your heart center which is in the middle of the chest. This is to find serenity and renew your inner connection. You will now be able to listen to your inner guidance. 1. Get centered 2. Get balanced 3. align your posture 4. visualize roots from the ground and an energy of healing and love coming through the top of your head.

Ask the question "what do I need to do next to become more balanced and prosperous?" Listen for the answer and when it comes, write it down.

www.visualprosperity.com

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

2010-02-01T17:01:00.002-05:00

I'm not a financial analyst and I can't help you with dealing with any financial fall out that you've experienced over the last two years. Some people have desperately turned to abundance principles to try and turn their lives around quickly. My take on this is that the problem goes much deeper on an individual basis. The scams seem to be getting worse rather than better. In some of the advertisements those in debt are being told that they can just forget their debts and start over as if it never happened. No one wants to give anything up in order to restore balance to their lives.

How can visualization and the abundance principles help us now? We can't gloss over the wound by covering it up with a band aide. The wounds are inside of us. The debts have been created by each of us because we believed that it was ok to buy our dreams in advance and pay for them later. That's what the media told us, that's what the credit card companies told us, but how we will reverse the damage is a very personal decision. Self responsibility requires that we admit when we have made a mistake and move on. Sometimes it requires selling a home or living without a car. It seems like everyone is learning how to cut back and live a no frills life. Some businesses are responding by lowering their prices.

This can be an opportunity for spiritual growth. Instead of looking to our bank accounts for healing we need to look within. Seeing the truth about ourselves is usually not attractive. There is always a darkness that has to be reckoned with. That hole and the vacuum were created from past wounds. We keep trying to fill them up with stuff. Think of the times in your life when you were happiest. Was it because of the money in the bank or something else? Did those times involve other people? Focus on one event that stands out from all the positive events in your life. Hold it out and look at it carefully. What were the components that made you happy? I am guessing that some hard work and steps were involved, There were other people sharing the joy. There was growth and even some pain perhaps. Take the time to write it down and really look at what it was that made you happy and successful. Then try to apply it to your life today knowing what you know now that you didn't know then.

PUTTING MYSELF INTO EVERYTHING I DO

2009-12-28T15:47:00.003-05:00

I am in the process of leaving a home I love very much. Selling my home was an unexpected event. Those curve balls do come in life just when we think we are in control we are reminded in a very blunt way, that we are not.

I remember the first night that I slept in this condo in August of 1998. My sons were 8 and 10 years old. I remember that night because I was thinking I had made a big mistake. I felt so out of place in what later would become my most cherished home). It was the first home that I bought without a spouse. I did it all on my own. I got an excellent price but the place needed a lot of work. For one thing, there were no lights installed and the only way to get light at night was to get some lamps. I didn't have enough lamps at first and the kitchen was a disaster. The elderly woman that sold the apartment to me had the original kitchen from 1957!

Little by little over the next 11 years, I fixed up rooms and sections of rooms. The apt went through many transformations as I went through mine. My boys grew up, they needed their own rooms and I found a way to create 3 bedrooms in my 2 bedroom apartment. My son became an excellent pianist and so there had to be a place for his grand piano.

The place became cozier and cozier. Ceiling fixtures were installed. Bathroom changes were made. The kitchen was renovated. I put love into every action that I took toward making my apartment a home for me and my sons.

Then one went to college and the other one moved out and before I knew it, my home was on the market, freshly painted and all those last minute touches that I had put off for so long, were completed. In fact, by the time I put it on the market, it didn't look like our home at all anymore. Instead it was a magazine version of someone else's life. Not mine.

After selling (in 3 weeks), in this market at a price that was better than ok, the days have dragged on until the closing. 3 months have passed. My apartment becomes emptier and emptier. Boxes are in storage, clothes, games, CDs and even some furniture have been given away. The floors are now bare.

I am moving into a temporary arrangement and most of my life is going into storage until the new chapter takes form. That could take months or it could take years. In the meantime, a friend of mine, exactly my age, also a single mother, was hit by a truck while riding her bike and died. I found out by googling her name. She hadn't returned my emails for months and that had never happened before in our 15 year friendship. A death like that reminds us that life is so precious and short. That a friend we thought we would see every Christmas (when she would visit NYC), could suddenly not be there anymore, leaving behind her daughter with whom she was so close. I knew what her dreams were. I knew what her plans were. I knew what her issues were. Had she known that it was going to end now, this way, I wonder what she would have done differently. I wish I could ask her that now.

So the point of all of this is, that as I wonder about the petty little things...like how am I going to cook in this temporary situation, or do the laundry and how am I going to even survive moving from my own home to a room in someone else's, I am reminded that someone once told me that "you are the lucky one, you get to take yourself with you". Those who are not in my life anymore don't get to have me in their life, but I do.

I breathed my love and my life into my home, my job and the upbringing of my children. Was it enough? I don't know, but I put every ounce of love that I had into all that I did. Even that, for some, is not enough. Now it's time to breathe that same love and life into myself. Does that sound selfish? Others have benefitted from what I haven't given to myself. To grow spiritually and to become a better person I have to now be that for myself.

ps. this is where I was led when I googled my friend
http://www.yogaspace-ct.com/sp/FrancoiseEsteve.htm

www.visualprosperity.com

WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF INNER WORLDS?

2009-09-22T17:05:00.003-04:00

The process of visualization takes you directly to the inner worlds. Beyond our physical life there are other planes of existence. Inner guides are available to lead us through these worlds and should be chosen carefully. A true guide will always act from the highest place and will always have your best interest at heart. Inner worlds are pathways to a higher consciousness. Why would we want to have a higher consciousness?

Viewing our life events from a different perspective, becoming more objective and less self centered is part of the process of growing spiritually. Being aware of those around us and having mutual respect even for those that you don't know, are some of the steps of spiritual maturity. Viewing every single person that we encounter as a valuable addition to the world is essential, because they are.

Many use visualizations to create. Being creative is a great thing. It is the essence of who we are and is one way we that can express ourselves. Sometimes we go after goals that in the end, don't make us happy at all.

People are looking for human connection. If you build an empire but can't relate to others and don't have meaningful relationships then your empire is a sham. Using visualization for the highest purposes and for the good of all without robbing another person of their experience is the best use of visualization. We need to focus on our own growth in visualizations and not to create a life for someone else that we want them to have. That might not be what they need or want for themselves.

Knowing when to let go is an essential ingredient for our own freedom. We can use visualizations and inner worlds to release the past, forgive, and move on. Anything that has been destroyed in life can always be rebuilt.

www.visualprosperity.com

DON'T STAY SMALL!

2009-09-18T10:27:00.004-04:00

There are times in life when we get all these signs that we need to let go of something or someone. Events occur and we know what the message is but we don't listen to it. Then there is a window of opportunity to let go and we let the opportunity pass us by. Then years later we look back with regrets.

People will do anything to hold onto what is. About 95% of the people I encounter in my work and in my personal life do this. The universe is just waiting to give them something bigger and better but they hold on for dear life to what they have for two reasons. 1. They are afraid of what might happen if they give it up and 2. They want to keep everything the same.

Holding on keeps us stuck. We may not like the messages we are getting but we have to listen or else we will pay dearly for not listening. An example is that many people in NYC hold onto their rent control apartments. They live in a substandard building tolerating many unpleasant things and their apartment is usually substandard as well but "it only costs me ____/month. I can't let it go!". They accumulate money and they could invest in real estate at the right time and move into a bigger space with more amenities and what do they say? "I don't need a nicer place and those silly amenities". Boom, the opportunity has just slipped by. A few years later the building falls apart some more or the landlord does this and that to make their life unpleasant so they will leave. They look back and say "all these years I could have lived in that great place I looked at and now it is worth double what I would have paid for it"

This is just a metaphor for so many other examples. Jobs that get stale but have the trappings of "great" benefits. A relationship that is so disconnected that you are basically two people living under the same roof with separate lives, and on and on the examples go.

The next time the window cracks open and you get a whiff of that fresh air, lift the window all the way up and step through it.

www.visualprosperity.com

PROSPERITY AND SERVICE

2009-09-16T00:34:00.003-04:00

I used to read prosperity books by Helen Ponder, Sanaya Roman, Shakti Gawain and titles like The Science of Getting Rich and The Tiger's Fang.

I think we are entering a new generation of prosperity work now. The world's needs have changed dramatically and people who have made spirituality a priority in their lives are looking for ways they can serve. Prosperity and service go hand in hand.

Some people give for the wrong reasons. They give because of what they hope they will get back. They give because of beliefs about what will happen to them when they die if they do a lot of good deeds in this life.

Giving needs to come from the right place. The heart. When we are moved to give or help another person, animal or plant, we experience an opening of the heart and love flows freely. When we are asked to do things that we don't want to do and we do it anyway, the chest tightens and we grin and bare it. That kind of giving often backfires. Giving for the wrong reasons or because of a desire to benefit in some way, is not the kind of service that is going to make you feel good.

Service and prosperity go hand in hand and are interdependant. You will know when you are giving for the right reasons by the way it feels in your heart. Concern, gestures of kindness and encouragement are often enough. The greatest gift you can give others is to listen. So often we stumble past someone who really needs to be heard. Not only friends and family but people who are asking for our assistance. Learn to listen with open ears and an open heart. Not foolishly so that you are misguided but trust your instincts about others.

www.visualprosperity.com

WHERE IS THAT PROSPEROUS FUTURE?

2009-09-14T22:29:00.002-04:00

Since the title of my blog for years now has been "visualize a prosperous future" you might be wondering "well where is that prosperity now???". We are all having these lessons together. Things are being taken away from us. Why? Our 401k's and home values have dropped. I had Lehman stocks and when they observed the one year mark of Lehman's collapse, I remembered how devastated I was to lose those stocks all together a year ago. Then I had more financial devastation than I could ever imagine after that. Each hit was trumped by a bigger hit.

I have a different definition of prosperity than looking at my networth. I have abundance in my life. I think we are having these experiences now because we've lost sight (as a nation and globally) of how much we really do have and how filled our lives are with "stuff". I walked around a mall the other day and I was noticing young teenagers being pulled in by the newest technological toy. A young female about 15 was with her parents and they decided to splurge and buy her some sort of new phone or ipod. They were all hugging and she loved her parents for that moment. Parents want to express their love and it often is given in the form of material gifts. Those gifts are quickly forgotten and tossed aside. Then the bills have to be paid for items that were unnecessary in the first place.

Until we can widdle down our lives to the most basic of needs and show that we can live on what we have rather than on what we dream of having, we will not regain our financial balance. This is a spiritual concept, not an economic one. Spiritually we are being forced to give up the excesses. Until we do, we are going to keep losing what we've got.

www.visualprosperity.com

A VISUALIZATION FOR THE FALL

2009-09-06T20:24:00.002-04:00

September is here and the months ahead will race by and before you know it, it will be the holidays. Visualizations help us to gain some control of how our time is spent and to create our destiny. There are so many factors that we can't control in life and there is always the unknown, but the thoughts we have are the seeds to outcomes.

Think about the next three months, September, October and November. Picture the activities that you want to enjoy, the people that you want to see and most of all, what do you want to come into your life? Try to use pictures rather than words. The words come after the pictures. Previously I wrote "write it down" but first you have to create a picture in order to do that. Then when you write, you describe what you have seen or maybe you want to draw it instead or use magazine photos to express your dreams. Regardless of what works best for you, the beginning stage is the thought. The thought leads to ideas and ideas lead to pictures. You can reject the ones you don't want.

Don't feel that writing it down commits you to anything. It is a way of "trying on" a lifestyle for yourself and to then see how it feels to be in it.

What do you feel is missing from your life now and what can you do over the next 3 months to change that? See the answers with visual pictures.

www.visualprosperity.com

WRITE IT DOWN!

2009-08-26T19:43:00.002-04:00

Once ideas, pictures, visualizations and stories are written down their manifestation can be expedited. Try turning your desired life into a story as if you were talking about someone else. Provide as many details as possible and be sure that you are happy with what you have created. If not, keep editting it until you are. This can be long or short. You might sit with it for awhile and realize that, that story really isn't what you want your life to be at all. You can learn a lot from this process. If you make this too complicated you won't follow up with it, so try to keep it simple but detailed. Add to it, subtract and rewrite every few days and then check back now and then to see how your life has changed. I wrote an ebook 3 years ago without thinking that I was writing about my own life. Now three years later that story in the book is manifesting for me. It can take a long time for things to align themselves so that you are ready for what you're asking for.

www.visualprosperity.com

INTEGRITY

2009-08-22T13:30:00.003-04:00

The hardest people to deal with in life are those who lack integrity. Maybe you or I have even done that a few times unintentionally. It's hard to climb the slippery slope of doing the right thing and being the kind of person we want to and hope to become. Those who act without integrity would justify their actions and say it isn't so. How do we know that we haven't done that ourselves at some point? We love to justify our actions while believing the other person is "bad". There are definitely people who do malicious things and hurt people all the time. They may never change and we can't control their actions, only our own.

When someone tries to bring you down because they think that somehow you owe them something and they do it in the most devious ways imaginable it is hard to know what to do to respond. Do we hold them accountable? Can we? If someone continuously acts irresponsibly can we teach them anything? I don't think so. They have to learn from their own experiences. How many times will they be knocked on their heads before they get the lesson? No one can say.

Sometimes the most goodhearted people get taken advantage of because of their kindness and their willingness to trust. It that happens enough to us our hearts close and we learn to protect ourselves better but at a high price. You might be on the losing end, but if you have done nothing wrong then you haven't really lost. The "winner" in this scenario has a long way to go on their growth journey.

www.visualprosperity.com

REFLECTIONS OF CHANGE

2009-08-18T17:57:00.002-04:00

As we work on ourselves and change our beliefs and thoughts and approaches to problems the outside starts to change to reflect our inner growth. For example, if you were presented 15 years ago with the challenges that you have today, how do you think you would have approached them then? If you had the problems today that you really had 15 years ago do you think that you would find better ways to problem solve?

The other day a friend and I parked in a beach parking lot. We were lucky to find a space right near the tunnel that led to the beach. When it was time to leave we followed the crowd through the tunnel and were faced with hundreds of parked cars. We both remembered the parking scenario differently. Either way, my car wasn't there. I kept looking at certain markers that didn't make sense. She was sure we had parked on the other side of the lot which was a long walk away. That, I was sure wasn't true. She was sure that I was wrong. We wandered for about an hour. Every other car was the same color and make as mine.

Finally we both seemed to come to the same conclusion at the same moment. What if there were more than one tunnel? Maybe this wasn't even the right parking lot! I looked around and it seemed like the entrance at both sides of the lot were identical. I was really worried, thinking maybe there were a number of lots that looked the same.

We left through the tunnel we had just come through and realized there was another one on the other side. As soon as we went through that tunnel, my car was right there. When I gave up the belief that I was right and was sure that she was wrong, the truth came to light. We were both wrong.

Life often presents challenges like this one. The tunnels and the lots were mirror images of each other. There was a clue that I kept ignoring. There was a stadium far in the distance that had actually been right in the parking lot where we parked. I kept thinking "why is it over there?". My mind wouldn't be logical because I was convinced that there was only one parking lot and one tunnel. It was unacceptable to receive the information that the stadium was no longer where it had been. This might seem really odd to you, but how often do we all do this? Months after the fact we look back and wonder why we didn't see something that was right in front of our noses. We are stubborn creatures by nature and we really like to be right and we never like to be wrong. Right and wrong are subjective and then there is always Truth.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

SEEKING PROSPERITY

2009-08-16T23:44:00.007-04:00

In these hard times everyone is looking for a way to turn things around for themselves. Many of us today have already learned about the principals that were presented in The Secret and we understand the Law of Attraction. I think we are not only trying to get our "checks in balance " (so to speak) but we are seeking something much greater and more important than money. Contentment is the most important place to arrive in life and it is a constant struggle to get to it and also to maintain it. You might have a fleeting moment where all is right with the world and months later you find yourself in a darker place. We walk in and out of rooms with different shades of light. Our happiness, we realize, has nothing to do with our external reality. It's something that comes from a place within and when we feel it or find it, suddenly we start to attract the good stuff so we feel even happier.

We have been going through some tough times lately and many of us try to make sense of it all. We can only be responsible for ourselves and digging ourselves out of whatever holes we have created. There's nothing wrong with reaching for the help of others as we dig ourselves out but it is our responsibility to turn our lives around and only we can do that. Wouldn't it be nice to hand the shovel to someone else and say, "I'll take a rest and you dig", and then sit back while they do all the work? If that were the case, we wouldn't learn the lessons we were meant to learn. It's like paying someone to take a test for you (and that is not as uncommon as you might think).

People can only get away with such things up to a point and then it starts to catch up with them. At some point we all have to pay the piper. The upside of this is that we begin to realize just how much control we do have over what we can achieve and what we can do to prevent our own ruin. There is always a destructive force that is working it's way into our hearts and we have to be strong and fight it every minute of everyday. We have to turn ourselves toward the light and make right choices as often as we can. Results come from right action. Prosperity comes when we clean up our act and make room for all the good that wants to come into our lives. Prosperity is merely a shift in consciousness.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visualization Expert

INNER PEACE AND CLARITY

2009-08-15T05:28:00.006-04:00

We can't really have inner peace without clarity and we can't gain clarity without coming from a peaceful place within ourselves. Some people are unable to create the time to sit in contemplation or to reflect on their lives and on their own behavior in situations. They live in a flurry of activity and create chaos and drama everywhere they go. Clarity comes from a process of going within and then taking actions toward the ideas that come to us during these periods of reflection. If we are unable to be quiet and still and look for our center and listen to our inner guidance, then we will never have peace or clarity.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com

PATIENCE

2009-07-13T12:39:00.003-04:00

Be patient. We cannot receive what we aren't ready to receive even though it's waiting for us. It will come around again when we're ready. Some things are manifested years after thought because we weren't able to handle it at the time

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

HOW DOES VISUALIZATION REALLY WORK?

2009-07-12T21:42:00.004-04:00

How Does Visualization Work?

Visualization goes beyond imagination. That is a hard concept for some to grasp. Suppose for a moment that we knew for a fact that when we "imagine" an inner healing center, we aren't just imagining it but we are actually visiting a place that exists on another plane of existence.

Imagine that some of the dreams that you have when you sleep are real. Perhaps you had a conversation with a friend in a dream, and the content was fuzzy but the location was clear. Lets suppose for now, that that conversation had really occurred on some level other than "here". What if your friend then told you that they had spoken with you in a dream and as you put the pieces together you found out that your dreams matched.

If certain places or themes keep showing up in your dreams, what do you think they are telling you? You might be the best interpreter of your own dreams. I have a recurring dream that I am riding a bicycle throughout the city and have forgotten to bring a lock. I arrive at places where I need to bring my bike inside so it won't be stolen. My interpretation of this is that I am being warned of leaving myself wide open and vulnerable. The dream crops up every now and then. Sometimes years will pass between the dreams but they come back when they are relevant to certain events that are going on right now.

If you continue with these concepts and take them a step further, think of how you could apply this to your own life in order to create a life that is better, more successful and more fulfilling. There is so much inner help available to us that we don't access. We hear stories of help coming at just the right moment and miraculous occurrences but unless you experience that first hand, you might continue to be skeptical. It doesn't matter if you believe any of this but it would be useful to proceed as though it were all true.

The inner guidance that we all have access to is a pot of gold. If you sit or lie still and ask for an answer to a question such as "what doctor should I go to for this medical problem?" Or "how do I deal with this issue my child is having?" Or, "how will I know when I find the home that I will like and be happy in and where is it?"

These are everyday, ordinary questions that all of us have in some form. Imagine now that you ask a question and then close your eyes and wait. Don't create the answer yourself but allow yourself to be led to it. Become familiar with your body's responses to correct answers. You have a "yes" and a "no" inside of you. We feel them in different ways. Sometimes it's impossible to describe but we know what a "gut feeling is" and how it feels in our bodies. After answers come or suggestions are made to check something out or ask a particular person for help, the rest is up to you. Nothing gets handed to us without at least some foot work on our part. We can look back at various outcomes in our life and say "I was led to that place or person or job".

Follow your intuition and inner guidance in order to go in the right direction. Going in the right direction is more satisfying than getting to the destination. One example is wondering what foods you can and cannot eat. This changes over our lifetime. The way you ate 10 years ago doesn't work for you anymore and you might want to know how you should be eating now. Listen inwardly and also integrate all of the information that you are getting outside. These two things combined will give you your answers. You might not follow them all the time, but you will probably make some improvements that will help your health and vitality.

Pictures are being shown to us all the time. Become more aware of them when they appear. Visualizations are the gifts from the inner worlds helping us to bring them out here into the open. Many buildings and paintings were created based on an image that was seen by the person unconsciously.

We want to make the unconscious, conscious. We want to become conscious beings instead of hiding from the truth. That takes a lot of courage. It means always walking against or ahead of the pack. It means not being a blind follower or taking everything at face value. It requires analyzing the facts and making decisions on your own, not the kinds of decisions everyone makes because everyone makes them. Being your own person is one of the hardest ways to exist in this world. Caring how others react to your ideas will slow you down. You have to know what's right for you and no one else can tell you without polluting their advice with their own perspectives on life.

You have a private world between the outer you and the inner you. No one else can go there. Use these techniques for good. Use them to help yourself and not to change the course of another person's life. Use them to get the answers to your problems. You will feel less despair and you won't ever get lost.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist

CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY

2009-07-08T23:13:00.004-04:00

Remember. No matter what is going on in your outer life you always have control over how you react to it. You can always choose to be happy in spite of everything. Make more healthy decisions each day and your life will continue to improve.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

ENJOYING THE JOURNEY EVERYDAY

2009-06-30T06:01:00.006-04:00

Sometimes there is a time lag between our vision and its manifestation. In fact, there is often a long time lag. We each move forward at our own pace. Some people are able to know their passion or goal immediately and carry out all the necessary steps right away in order to get there. They are focused, determined and won't allow any distractions or human conditions to get in the way. They aren't always the healthiest people either.

Lucky for those who can easily manifest and in some areas we are better than others, but there are also those things that come up in life that side track us and make us fall back a few yards. Injuries, family emergencies, important events of loved ones, etc. These are the things that force us to set down our goals and focus on something or someone else. Injuries make us stop right away unless we ignore them (in which case they will only get worse). They are telling us that we need to rest and have pushed ourselves to the point of injuring our bodies, or that we are rushing and over committed and therefore fall or trip. Illness also makes our whole world stop and our focus changes. If our illness creates pain then all we can think of is getting rid of it.

Life doesn't let us walk in straight lines, although I've known a few people who must always stay on track at the expense of everything else. They are the most rigid people of all and are often the most physically, mentally and spiritually unhealthy, too. They might appear to be outwardly successful but they aren't balanced. They tend to be lonely because people and relationships weren't a priority in their lives.

Life is a fluid process. Success isn't defined by reaching the goal. Success is finding joy and balance in the everyday process toward the goals. It's finding joy and happiness even when things are rotten and we can't move in the direction that we wanted. We need to redefine success and then we will all realize that we are quite successful at living life.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

BEING A VEHICLE

2009-06-29T03:18:00.004-04:00

When we offer ourselves as vehicles for the energy of "Spirit" to pass through us the flow and force can be so intense and powerful at times that anything is possible.

If more and more people were to do this and make a serious commitment to it allowing for purification/cleansing/the removal of toxins from their life and body, then anything in this world is possible.

Choosing the spiritual way for living is not the easy choice. Purification is often painful and unpleasant ... so is going to the dentist. If we understand why we're doing what we're doing and why what is happening is happening then it is a little easier to tolerate.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

THE ENDLESS SUPPLY OF ABUNDANCE

2009-06-18T15:03:00.003-04:00

I read something the other day about the "endless supply of abundance". It's kind of an irony. Abundance exists in abundance. It's true. It isn't just there for some and not others. It isn't there in a limited supply that is going to run out when some "take" it. Abundance is available if we can allow it in. It's merely a shift in perspecitive. In 2 seconds your perspective can change from one of lack to one of gain and prosperity. If you can see how prosperous your life is at this moment just as it is, you will then attract even more abundance into it.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

SPIRITUAL ABUNDANCE

2009-06-10T23:24:00.002-04:00

Ultimately the search for abundance is really about finding spiritual abundance. Spiritual abundance supersedes all other forms of abundance. Spirit by nature is an abundant source available to every living creature. It goes hand in hand with prosperity. Material wealth is one form of acquiring abundance. There are so many more ways to experience life if money is not a big motivator in your life. Being open to new experiences is a step toward a fuller life. The next time you catch yourself saying "no thanks", think about what life would be like if you always said yes to opportunities and invitations. We stop ourselves and we cheat ourselves of having the richest possible life out of fear of the unknown. Moving in the direction of our dreams is the fulfillment, not the dream itself. Stagnation is the beginning of the end and the start of disease.

Spirit is the highest level of consciousness available to us. Call It God, the King, whatever you want, but spirit is energy and a force greater than anything that we can envision. Spiritual abundance is a multitude of experiences that lead us to a greater awareness about life, truth and ourselves.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

VISUALIZE TO MANIFEST

2009-06-09T11:07:00.002-04:00

an article I wrote on ezinearticles.com

Visualize to Manifest
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Debbie_Simon]Debbie Simon

Visualization and guided imagery are very powerful tools that can change the patterns we're stuck in.

Visualizations use metaphors that translate into what we're trying to create. For instance, if you're feeling isolated and disconnected from the people you're close with you can imagine a simple metaphor like hundreds of strings coming out of the center of your chest (this is the heart center). The strings then attach you to the people that you are feeling distant from. You can even imagine those strings reaching toward people you don't know yet but would like to meet. The picture of you being connected to others by these strings is a metaphor. You might be surprised at how fast an image like this will work in your outer life. You can find a metaphor that works for you around a particular topic and then practice it often. When it starts to manifest you can try a different one or keep using it. When the images or scenarios that you imagine start to take on a life of their own, let them flow in the direction they're going in. These images are trying to show you something. Allow yourself to be led. If you don't like where it's going then stop it and recreate a different image. Notice what you feel when you do these visualizations.

Guided imagery usually involves a 3rd party. A trained professional talks the client through a scene or a story that has a series of steps. The purpose is to help the client heal around a particular issue or to decrease anxiety. Some clients don't want to be guided too much. If there is too much detail their own creative ability doesn't have a chance to express itself. The inner guidance that needs to come through has no room if the practitioner keeps talking and giving minute details. The practitioners needs only to lay the groundwork and then the participant will fill in the details.

We are connected by energy to others and to experiences. We can live on a separate continent from a person and still be connected. We can be estranged from or divorced from a person and still be very much connected inwardly. Distance knows no boundaries. Visualizations make us more aware of the connection that already exists.

Think of your own metaphors for what you're trying to create and put them into practice.

Debbie Simon, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, NY State Licensed Psychotherapist and Life Coach. Specializing in visualization/manifestation; 20 years experience; seasoned, skilled and intuitive. http://www.visualprosperity.com

and daily blog http://www.visualprosperity.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debbie_Simon http://EzineArticles.com/?Visualize-to-Manifest&id=1065340

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

PLUGGING INTO A HIGH VIBRATION

2009-06-08T15:55:00.002-04:00

People tell me that the blogs that I write that they like the best offer a visualization. With that in mind, I will try to stay with visualizations that enhance prosperity. Whatever prosperity means to you; you can have it and visualizations will help you get there.

I like to keep visualizations general and focused on a theme instead of specific images of what you want. I believe that anyone who goes through at least five sessions with me will notice major positive changes in their lives. The key to a powerful visualization is where you plug in. What is the vibration that you are plugging into? Are you able to do this yourself or can you benefit from a facilitator?

If you can imagine the highest possible energy in the universe, that is the place to begin. Just practice plugging into what you imagine to be the highest vibration possible. Do this for 7 days in a row and see what happens.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

WHAT WE ALL WANT

2009-05-07T06:00:00.003-04:00

I can't really speak for others but generally when I write I think about what people want to hear versus what I want to say. The two have nothing in common. I think that readers want to know how to reverse the current down trend for themselves. If they are feeling impoverished, they want to feel prosperous instead. The problem is not a shortage of techniques to use to change your current state, but sometimes we have to go through something in order to grow and get the lesson. Herein the conflict lies.

If a group of people get together and practice a prosperity visualization, I am certain that they will all experience some immediate increase in their life. If you don't believe that, try it out with 3 other people. Receiving more is wonderful and I'm all for it. But if the lesson is missed, if the point is not gotten, then you are only putting a band aid on the real problem. Focus on expansion and prosperity and do it in a group, and increase will come.

Here's an analogy for what we are going through today. A person is on a diet and beginning to lose weight and eat healthy. Then they go on a vacation and throw caution to the wind. They want to indulge because when else will they get the chance to try such interesting foods? After 7 days their clothes are tight, they return home and feel awful. This is what most people call a vacation.

They try to get back into the pattern they were following before the trip, but they can't. They beat themselves up for falling off the wagon and start eating out of anger at themselves. Another 5 pounds is gained. Eventually, maybe...they get back into the groove and are back on track after many months and they now have more weight to lose than before the first diet started.

Dieting is always a good analogy for money concerns.

As we all beg and bargain with God to return our abundant state of being, maybe we need to stay in this experience and figure out why we are having it. Some permanent changes are needed in our thinking and our behavior. Our excuses need to disappear. We need to gain a sense of responsibility for the suffering of others. When people start to come out of their cocoons and look to the people to the left and those to the right of them (and I don't mean politically) things will start to improve. A lack of concern for others is much worse than the swine flu.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

JIGSAW PUZZLE

2009-05-06T08:14:00.001-04:00

Life is like a jigsaw puzzle. The joy isn't in finishing the puzzle, it's in finding which pieces fit together and watching the picture emerge

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

REALLY SIMPLE TO DO

2009-05-06T06:16:00.002-04:00

Imagine a bucket of dirty water is being emptied out. That is what we are doing now in this financial crisis, emptying our buckets. Then the water runs freely and place the bucket under the faucet and fill it up with clear, clean water. That's the process of purification.

Notice any changes as you practice this.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

TRUTH AND PROSPERITY

2009-05-05T07:34:00.003-04:00

In today's economic crisis we need to ask ourselves the question "what is true prosperity?". I know that half the readers just stopped reading. Those who have stayed are not looking for the quick fix and the get rich now and the dream your biggest dream ever schemes. I have had my share of those, too. This is for those who seek spiritual truth, not material enormity.

There is so much available to us spiritually. It's there for the taking and only a small percentage of people are open to that or seek that. "Spirituality" means a variety of things to people but whatever it means to you - that is the correct definition. That's the problem. We try to define another person's spirituality. Spiritual Freedom is allowing others to believe whatever they want to believe.

How many children are raised in homes where they don't agree with their parent's belief, or the opposite, they don't question those beliefs and just follow along without ever asking themselves "What is my truth? What do I believe?". My two sons have both gone 360 degrees away from my beliefs, but I would never force them to follow a path that doesn't resonate with them. My path is not their path. I've always given them that kind of space. This has allowed them to become themselves rather than who I would want them to be. As long as they have faith and a belief in God or some concept of what that means, I'm happy. As long as they treat others with respect and also practice self love and self care, I'm happy.

Life doles out many problems and difficulties. Faith provides the answers for why these things happen. When your Faith stops doing that, it's time to look elsewhere. There are paths that provide the answers. There are principals to live by and not only feel good about ourselves and our contributions to life, but also get along with those who have different beliefs.

The truth about prosperity is that Truth IS Prosperity

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

VISUALIZATION FOR PROSPERITY

2009-05-05T04:00:00.000-04:00

REPRINT OF OCT 11 2008

Prosperity is really nothing more than receiving. Receiving love, money, health, good things and of course, love. For various reasons we all have certain walls that protect us from the hurts in the past. These walls prevent us from receiving our "good". Any visualization that knocks down walls will allow a more positive flow. The question is, are you ready to receive more? Many are comfortable with giving but fall short on the receiving end. This leaves us in a state of depletion most of the time. First allow yourself to receive by making a statement such as "I deserve to receive", then simply, picture yourself surrounded by a bubble. The size of the bubble expands and expands and it goes from being impenetrable to being porous. Finally, as it expands past your ability to see it, it finally bursts and allows a flood of positive energy, love, money and healing to flow over you. If you are not used to receiving this can really throw things off balance. Be aware of your reluctance to receive and go slowly. Learn to let a little bit in and then a little bit more.
Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

GAINING CLARITY

2009-04-30T06:00:00.004-04:00

How do we obtain our goals if we don't first assess where we are now and have a CLEAR picture of where we are going in order to get to there. The most difficult part for most people is being honest about where they are (ie, getting on a scale before starting a diet) and knowing exactly where it is that they want to end up. How often have you changed your vision in your lifetime. Think of the times that you were very clear about what you wanted and the steps that took you there. Clarity is the key.

How can we gain clarity about our vision when we haven't even started to take the first essential steps toward exploring the possibilities? Clarity is the result of a process. Someone at lunch the other day said "I have always wanted to go to Tibet. It's my life dream to go to Tibet". So I said
"then set up the trip and go". But he went blank and looked at me as if I was speaking a different language. Maybe he doesn't really want to go, I don't know.

Some people are clear about their goals, but the majority aren't. It's more common than not for people to approach coaching, workshops or therapy with a vague notion of what they want. What people often say is that they seek "Clarity". Achieving it will be a relief. Connecting to our true vision will give us a feeling of "ahhhhhhhh that's it"! But we might have to take several steps to get there.

We might have a sense of what our vision is but
(1) it gets muddled with what we think it should be and
(2) We talk ourselves out of it.

We use our children, spouse, job, obligations and parents as an excuse for not going for it. We convince ourselves that we can't have our dream and we opt to come up with another plan that isn't really what we want but "will do". Then life becomes mediocre, we don't like what we're doing and we feel frustrated and angry at the people who we perceive as holding us back.

Pursuing possibilities is exhilarating and makes us feel like we are moving in the right direction. It can also create fear at the same time. Sitting with both excitement and fear is a good thing to get used to. As I become clearer about my own vision I realize that I have been moving in that direction all along and didn't even realize it. Feeling worthy of your dream is the first and most important step toward attaining it.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

FREEDOM

2009-04-21T18:10:00.002-04:00

What kind of freedom do you seek? Is it freedom from mortgage payments and other bills? Is it the freedom from a structured work day or a boss or a corporation? What would freedom feel like? What happens to your body when you think about being "free" whatever that means to you?

Imagine that you are a caged bird. You share the cage with many other birds. It is too small and crowded and you can't do what you do naturally...fly. You never had a chance to fly because you were born in this cage.

Imagine that the cage door opens and none of the other birds dare exit the cage. You are bold and courageous so you poke your beak out first, then you stand on the ledge of the door. You look around and your wings want to fly but you aren't conscious of that. Your little bird body takes flight and you are in it. You fly around this house that you have lived in for years but never saw. The window opens and you cautiously approach it. Again, you take tiny steps on the window perch. Fresh air is something new to you. So you breathe it in for the first time.

Then you fly.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

A BETTER LIFE

2009-04-14T09:49:00.002-04:00

In order for our lives to improve we have to go through periods of chaotic reorganization. When this happens it is a sign that we have grown and can't tolerate the old way of being. Our world becomes like a cage that we've outgrown. We break through it's barriers and we explode into a bigger world. The process is painful and treacherous. If you want a better life you have to take all that comes with getting there.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

PARADOX

2009-04-13T15:53:00.000-04:00

Sometimes a visualization is so powerful that it will send your life into a tailspin. You might not even connect what's happening with the visualization because it might appear to be the opposite of what you asked for or were trying to create. Getting the opposite is a good sign. It is the beginning of clearning the space, dropping the old and making room for the new, better situation.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

YIELD TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC

2009-03-24T06:00:00.007-04:00

I have noticed lately that many young people haven't been taught what my generation learned. That is, when walking on a sidewalk that is narrow and there is only room for one, to let the other person pass. Especially if that person is older than you, the elder goes first.

In the West Village there are some very narrow streets and I am shocked at how young students in their 20s come barreling down the pavement hardly noticing or caring that I am there too. We both are faced with the same dilemma. Who will step aside? Only they don't feel there is a dilemma. Clearly, they deserve to go first in their own eyes. They simply strut by as though the other person is not worthy of their attention or consideration. If you don't get knocked over in the process of their oblivion, you are lucky.

I heard someone say that "yielding is a sign of spiritual maturity". Knowing when to yield and step back when the other person is ignorant of those around them can be a survival mechanism. There are some primitive people in NYC who don't value another person's life. I don't care if they don't value their own but I want them to at least see me as a human being that deserves a little respect. They only see their own quest and feel that it is the most important factor in their lives. I've noticed this especially in young women and I wonder, "what did their parents(especially their mothers) teach them?". Kids usually imitate what their parents do, so who are their parents and what have they been telling their daughters? What kind of messages are being conveyed?

Passivity is allowing yourself to be stepped on and over. It's allowing yourself to be abused without putting up a fight or defending yourself. Assertiveness, is taking action and looking out for yourself but not at another person's expense. Most people don't have a clue about how to work in a group or how to be supportive and caring toward others.

A family is a type of group, too. When everyone is in competition with each other and love is not the primary factor, or some members of the family are incapable of love, then a very ugly and unhealthy group dynamic forms. A group is only as strong as its members.

A community or a city is also only as strong as its members' capacity to care for each other. Something critical has been lost in these empty, ambitious young women who come barreling down the sidewalk without any concern for other human beings and especially those who are older than themselves.

The next time you find yourself face to face with someone on the sidewalk think about your reaction and your behavior. Do you yield? Are you passive? Are you assertive or are you down right selfish?

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

HAVING

2009-03-03T10:34:00.003-05:00

As many readers know, it's those deep rooted, unnecessary beliefs that we have that prevent us from having the best that life has to offer. In most cases if our parents felt unentitled then, no matter what they might have said to us, we also internalize this belief.

For those who struggle with this, I am struggling right along with you. I know that there are many techniques that will move you from point A to point B but that one core belief "I'm not entitled to this" or "I don't deserve to have what other people have" will prevent us from breaking through that wall that divides what we want from what we have.

So often we settle for less than what we know we deserve to have. Then we are frustrated and unhappy. The first step toward healing this wound is to acknowledge that it is there without judgment. Very often we got these messages at a young age and they simply don't serve us in any kind of constructive way. How can you allow yourself to have what you really want without acknowledging that there is a part of you that doesn't believe you deserve it?

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE EARTH

2009-03-02T15:38:00.004-05:00

I find that the hardest part of moving from the life we have today to the life that we want to have is 1. knowing where we are going and 2. knowing how we are going to get there.

I have found that generalized visualizations are very powerful. I often have given visualizations that include bridges here in this blog. Once again I am going to suggest you try something similar to that.

There is a building across the street from me, a federal court. There was a small, plain building there for many years. Rather than tear it down, they built a very tall, modern federal building next to it and then attached the two with one of those high bridges that you see between two buildings. I think that's a great image for what many of us are trying to create. First write down the vision of what your life will look like. Do it in the form of a story. Start with where you are and all the things that are going to happen and where you will end up. Now you have your "today" picture and your "go to" picture. Now connect them by doing a quiet meditation for about 20 minutes. Imagine where you are and where you are going in the form of the two buildings. Connect them with a bridge and see yourself crossing the bridge with the guidance that you will need to get to the other side.

This is an example of how the journey is more important than the destination.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

INNER WORLDS

2009-02-11T05:42:00.002-05:00

Many think that inner worlds are just places that our imagination create. Actually, the inner worlds are real worlds and are the first place to go in order to create something new and different for ourselves.

Psychotherapy has its limitations because it only focuses on one life. The reality is that we have passed through many lives and we evolve more fully with each one. Much of our suffering today relates to things that happened in other lives.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

A VISUALIZATION FOR TURNING A BAD SITUATION AROUND

2009-01-31T10:08:00.002-05:00

Some things are not meant to be and no matter how hard you try to make them work, they won't. You get as much as you can from the situation and then you move on. Here is a visualization for when you feel that you are in a deep hole and can't get out. It's important to practice self love during such a time and no matter what landed you down in that hole, you need to love yourself to get out.

One technique for getting into a relaxed state to do the visualization is to close your eyes while seated or lying down and breath slowly for awhile. Then count. Breathe in and as you breathe out count to yourself "one", then again, breathing out and saying "two". Do this all the way up to the number ten. By ten your breath should be calm and slow.

Imagine that you are in the situation where you are today and you are sitting in a chair under a dome of white light. The light keeps you warm and protected. It propels you with the energy to deal with this situation. You are lifted up and out of the situation that is causing you so much grief.

See the next place that you would like to go to. Imagine that you can float from where you are today to the new situation that will be healthier for you. Allow the chair to gently land in this new situation. Feel how different the atmosphere is there and how much better you feel being placed there.

Practice this daily and notice the little changes that occur along the way.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS

2009-01-27T06:16:00.005-05:00

Unfortunately, the process of moving forward with our lives and rising to a new level, involves releasing and leaving behind, people, places and things. I don't know what is harder, leaving the people or the places and things.

It takes courage, "stick with-it-ness", and determination to keep moving forward while those people, places and things cry for us to come back. We will even hold ourselves back in order to avoid the pain of moving forward. Then we do the 2 steps forward-one step back cha cha. I am an expert at that. It is a way of moving forward but it is a very painful and belaboring way to proceed.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

2009-01-27T04:00:00.001-05:00

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

A BOOK RECOMMENDATION

2009-01-26T11:34:00.000-05:00

Yes, it has been awhile, but here I am.

Last January I read Debbie Ford's book on creating Your Best Year Yet. It's an excellent book but I didn't really follow the steps or the worksheet and within weeks its important lessons were forgotten. I proceeded to have an awful year.

Now I have returned to her book and I am seeing it with brand new eyes. If I hadn't had the experiences of last year I wouldn't be in a place where I could fully appreciate the words on the pages. It's like I never read it before and I certainly missed a lot of the primary points. One thing that she says that I love is that we have to stay in reality 100% of the time. That's a challenge. She talks about fantasy goals vs. real goals that can and will be achieved. She talks about how we often reach our goals but still are not satisfied. Happiness comes today or it doesn't come at all. That is always a challenge to create. Read the book. You'll be glad you did.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

2009-01-26T06:43:00.000-05:00

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Visual Guide

AN EASY VISUALIZATION

2009-01-07T23:27:00.002-05:00

Pretend you stand before a time machine. The dials point to whatever year you want to go to. Start at your date of birth and move the dial slowly to the pinnacle years in your life all the way up to today. Then move it forward a year or two. You can walk through the tunnel-like machine and arrive at your life in 20... You can come out, change the dial and go back in with ease. If you believe in future lives, you can take this as far as you want

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

GETTING OUT ANY WHICH WAY

2009-01-06T21:14:00.003-05:00

A new year, new lessons. We know logically that there is nothing different about Jan 1st and May 1st but somehow, Jan 1st is when we start planning for the next 365 days. I face this coming year with some challenges that I'm not looking forward to dealing with. Then I realize that throughout my life I have faced challenges that felt impossible. I often found a way out but not the best way out. It's so easy in hindsight to see how we could have solved these problems with different solutions because our consciousness changes with time. It's only from the higher consciousness that we can see better solutions. What I do realize though, is that it's better to take "a" way out rather than wait for the best possible solution. It often won't come at all. The way we solve problems today is actually the best that we can do today. It's the best idea that we can come up with given our current circumstances and awareness. Others might think it's easy to solve our problems but it really never is easy. If it was, they wouldn't be problems. Finding "a" way out is the best way out.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

Nurturing Our Spirit

2009-01-04T19:59:00.002-05:00

This year, my main focus is to nurture my spirit. What does that really mean? I mean what is a spirit anyway? We all kind of know what I'm talking about but can anyone define it? I know how to nurture my spirit and you know what nurtures your spirit, but how often do we make that a priority?

I know that when the spirit dies the body follows. I experienced that years ago and found renewal through various healing modalities. My "spirit" emerged and I remembered who I was. Who I had been; the part that was lost.

For 2009, there is only one thing that I want. I will focus on polishing, purifying and renewing my spirit.

ENJOY WHILE YOU CAN

2008-12-20T15:45:00.001-05:00

Sometimes we need to put all of our troubles and concerns aside and just enjoy the holidays in anyway we can. The less money we spend the more we will enjoy it.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE.

I will return on January 5th to this blog

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

LOOKING BACK

2008-12-17T17:45:00.002-05:00

It's the end of the year and a great time to review how far we've come (or not). I've given a visualization with a bridge before, symbolizing transitions, and a mountain peak to look one way at the past and the other at the future, while standing in the present.

In order to review 2008 try this. Before going to sleep when you are lying flat and are relaxed, take some breaths and concentrate on your "heart center" (the middle of your chest). When you feel centered imagine you are flipping a wall calendar slowly. Look at January 2008, flip it to February, March and so on. Take a lot of time with each month. Even count each day, for example "January first, January second..." and so on. Do this in a fluid way so that you can skip around and return to months when you need to (like, "oh yeah, I forgot, back in March I..."). It's a fun exercise and might make you feel better about the year and remember some successes that you may have forgotten.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

LOOKING AHEAD

2008-12-12T17:42:00.001-05:00

I guess there is no point in trying to figure out how we got into a mess, but rather to decide how we are going to get out of it.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

THOSE JOYOUS HOLIDAYS

2008-12-11T19:49:00.004-05:00

"The" holidays... year after year, there are many similarities and it's also a way to measure our growth or lack of growth. We can always remember something about last year at this time. Personally, I was in a different place than I am now. Was it a better or worse place? Just different, that's all.

Our feelings about the holidays depend on the religion we grew up and our spiritual beliefs today. It also depends on whether family holidays were good things or nightmares. Those who experienced the nightmares as children will know exactly what I mean. Not everyone has happy memories.

I've always noticed how people will drop their disciplines at this time of year, and this is exactly when the opposite should happen. There's more food, sweets and alcohol available now, and if you are someone who is trying to avoid those things or keep them to a minimum, it's a challenging time. I always think about where I want to be in January and that keeps me in tow during December. What are we really craving? Why are we filling ourselves up with everything but what it is we really want at this time of year?

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

CHOICES

2008-12-10T22:47:00.002-05:00

Every decision we make today really does create our tomorrows. If we can just change the percentages so that we are making better decisions than we have in the past, then we are already creating a different future than we would have if we kept making the same decisions.

That goes for what foods we eat, the people we choose to allow in our lives and what they bring into our lives as a result, certain behaviors like smoking, medications, drugs and finally exercise. I'm sure there are many other examples but those seem to me to be the most common. These are things that we do have control over.

Some people get nervous at the prospect of "controlling" their future and have mixed feelings about taking that control. Of course there are always going to be so many things that are completely out of our control, but we can impact our lives by making better choices. If we keep making bad choices then it is wise to do some introspective work with a therapist or through some sort of personal growth modality, to understand why we do that to ourselves.

Some people suffer needlessly because they think they are supposed to suffer through life.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

WHAT'S NEXT

2008-12-09T08:52:00.002-05:00

Now that the prosperity principles, law of attraction and the secret have become so trendy, what's the next step? Many of us were into these things in the 1980s and 90s. When things like this become mainstream it means that the consciousness is higher than it was then. So where are we all moving to after this? You can put your comments here, if you want.

I think that we are looking for answers and fulfillment. Many think that wealth is going to give them that. Materiality will only take you so far. If wealth equaled happiness then all the celebrities would be happy people.

I think we are all seeking connection, acceptance and understanding. There's nothing worse than trying to explain your dilemma to someone who doesn't get it at all.

So again, I ask you, the reader, what comes next in your opinion?

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

WHEN THE CLOUDS CLEAR

2008-12-08T18:12:00.002-05:00

A visualization that will help us move past these tough times and back into the sunlight.

Imagine that you are walking through a storm during the day. Even though it's daytime it's dark outside and it's raining and windy and people's umbrellas are breaking and blowing away. Notice every detail of the exercise. Then suddenly the rain stops, the wind dies down and the sun starts to burn off the clouds. Now everything around you looks different. It's sunny and bright outside, no more clouds, no more rain.

If you doubt the power that a visualization like this one can have, try it and see what happens

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

A VISUALIZATION TO CREATE CHANGE

2008-11-28T19:32:00.002-05:00

Begin the visualization with relaxation techniques that will put you in the right frame of mind to do the visualization, this includes deep breathing and keeping your eyes closed.

See pictures of your life as it is today. Include every facet that you can think of, do a scan of the different parts of your life and notice what pictures come up, then slowly begin to change the pictures to the way you want them to look rather than the way they actually do look. This can work with your body image, relationships and most goals.

For more information on how to visualize see my ebook intro which teaches you how at www.visualprosperity.com/ebook.

Also, How To Visualize

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

A TWIST ON GRATITUDE

2008-11-24T11:41:00.001-05:00

So here we are, going into the week of Thanksgiving in America. Of course we reflect on what we are grateful for and no matter where we are in our lives, we can always think of something, like, "I'm breathing, I have my sight, I have my legs" and stuff like that. Those are the years when things are really at an all time low.

But one of the tricks of the trade is to be grateful for what hasn't come into our lives yet and to feel the gratitude as though it has. So have fun, make a list of all that you want to be grateful for but don't actually have yet and let yourself fill with that great feeling that comes with gratitude.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

HARD TIMES

2008-11-21T23:39:00.002-05:00

Times are hard right now. A visualization can really change the energy and turn things around. A simple one to try is this. Imagine a waterfall in a tropical paradise. Stand under it and allow the water to stream over your head and body. Imagine that the water is the life force and as it seeps in, your energy is increasing, your magnetism is increasing and your ability to receive increases.
When you feel energized you can stop. You can return to this stream of life anytime that you need to. When you're in that state of mind you can see more clearly, make better choices and enjoy life more.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

TRUTH

2008-11-20T17:18:00.001-05:00

In any given situation there is my version of what happened, your version of what happened and then there is the truth. The truth is something that people find hard to take. The truth makes people angry. The truth is something that we all are moving toward.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

2008 IS ALMOST OVER

2008-11-07T17:23:00.003-05:00

The end of the year is not far away. It's a good time to reflect on the past year and look forward to the coming one. On December 14th I'm offering a 3 hour workshop to do just that. Sometimes it is helpful to set time aside to do the reflecting or you will never do it. Committing to this workshop is committing to making the time for yourself to look back and forward.
see events

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

CROSSING THE DIVIDE

2008-11-06T07:28:00.004-05:00

Crossing from one peak to another is not easy. The bridge is long and treacherous. One feels danger every step of the way. No matter how far we've come there is always somewhere else to go. Giving up is impossible. Giving up leaves you in that in between place between the past and the future. Either we move backwards or forwards or we stay in one place. Those are our options.

Upcoming Event

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

TESTING, TESTING...1,2,3

2008-10-31T10:42:00.003-04:00

Life is always testing us. It's testing us right now. If we don't pass the test it just gives it to us again. It repeats the test over and over until we pass. There is no such thing as an "incomplete" or an "F" in the world of the universe. The universe is very tolerant. It waits for us to "get it". Then it moves us to the next level.

We develop tools along the way for dealing with these tests so no time is wasted and no situation is fruitless. We are so focused on reaching goals, or a number or an endpoint that we measure our progress in increments that really don't mean anything. Even if we are slow in moving forward and outwardly our lives don't reflect much success, we are still progressing at a regular pace, at our pace. Maybe when the same test is repeated over and over again, we actually get it even more than the person who races through each test and moves forward rapidly.

Coaching for radical transformations

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

HEALING THE INADEQUATE SELF

2008-10-29T00:01:00.000-04:00

Often we are driven by the belief that something is lacking in us. Our outer lives will reflect all the efforts that we make to perfect our inadequacies. Instead, realize that we are born complete. Everything that we are is enough. Overcompensating for what we think we should be is unhealthy and weakens the immune system. If you were to look in the mirror and say to yourself "I am perfect just as I am", what would your response be? Probably something negative like "oh sure" or "yea right".

Work on this daily. Use it as a mantra and see what starts to happen.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

BEHIND THE DARKNESS

2008-10-21T17:13:00.003-04:00

Behind every situation we are in, there is a spiritual lesson. That's why certain things happen to us even though we don't particularly want to experience them. There are reasons why we are going through what we are going through. Sometimes we never find out why, or years down the road we realize "oh that's why I had to go through that". Rapid changes can be unsettling but they might be a sign of rapid growth, too.

I like to imagine that all the good things that have been wanting to come to me have been accumulating and soon, (very soon), the wall will come down and those things, people, and events will come flooding toward me. The same goes for you.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

REASONS

2008-10-20T14:56:00.003-04:00

There are reasons why certain things that we want don't come our way. The work I do isn't just about picturing a house and then getting the house or writing down the qualities of the person you want to find to be your mate and then attracting them.

Manifesting and keeping what you manifest are actually more complex than that. I know that many who teach about the Law of Attraction would dispute this, but they probably would agree that we are our own worst enemies.

When we prevent ourselves from having what it is that we really want in life we need to look at that problem closely. Sometimes it requires psychotherapy for us to break through the blocks that keep our desires from us. Coaching alone is often not enough. Some people are great at manifesting but they avoid looking deeper into their issues. Maybe, everything that you desire is really a desire to a hole that can't be filled with your goals. How many times have you achieved a goal only to realize that it didn't give you what you had hoped it would.

Success is an art form and it can be learned. We have to be focused and clear on what we want in order to succeed. Sometimes deciding what that is, is the hardest part of the process. Other issues get in the way, and sometimes those issues can only be addressed in psychotherapy. In an ideal world we would all have a coach and a psychotherapist for support. Sometimes due to financial concerns we have to make a choice between one or the other. Many who are coached hide behind their goals and don't want to look at their deeper issues with a therapist.

It's important to look deep below the surface in order to attain true happiness. Inner peace is a worthy goal. Making inner peace and/or spiritual growth your primary goal can put you on the right path and you will find yourself on the path that you are meant to be on without having to put much effort into it.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

DARKNESS TO LIGHT

2008-10-16T19:22:00.004-04:00

It seems that there is no way around going through some dark places in order to improve our lives. You can call it "burning karma" or "the dark night of soul", but whatever it is, it is hard, rough, unpleasant and requires a lot of strength and will. Of course there are always those that will hide their heads in the sand and sometimes I really envy them. I wish I could, but it always catches up with us when we do. Some hiding might even be healthy. Sometimes I know that I just want to take a break from all this journeying and try and just enjoy life in spite of what's going on.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

NETWORTH VS SELF WORTH

2008-10-14T09:16:00.001-04:00

If we base our feelings about ourselves on the condition of the stock market we get caught up in the rise and fall and our worth becomes linked directly to our networth of the moment. It's hard not to value ourselves based on these numbers but our value goes so much deeper than that.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

PROSPERITY NOW

2008-10-13T18:23:00.002-04:00

How do you instantly change from feeling poor to acknowledging your wealth? Take a look in your closets. Depending on what is there, it is pretty typical for us in this country to have closets overflowing with items that we no longer need or use. There are even those purchases staring us in the face that we never wore! Maybe you're not like that and you make good use of everything you buy and you only buy what you need when you need it. Either way, the way to make room for prosperity is to clear your space. Gratitude is always a good place to start. When we feel broke or poor we keep telling ourselves that we are broke. Nothing could be more damaging. Begin to tell yourself that you are really quite abundant, your life is abundant (and it is). Make lists of all the things that show that you do have a prosperous life after all. Appreciate it now and you will surely have more tomorrow.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

NOW WHAT?

2008-10-12T18:14:00.002-04:00

Cycles are a part of life. There are the good times and there are the hard times. When the world around you is in chaos as we are experiencing right now, it's important to stay focused on your own life and remain positive about the future. How many times have you been in this place where you thought that things wouldn't turn around, and they always did, didn't they? Try to remain steady on this rocky boat and don't get caught up in the media frenzy. Watching the news is not always a good idea when the negative is being emphasized so emphatically. Imagine a prosperous future and even though that sounds overly simplified, it is possible for your entire life to change and improve.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

A VISUALIZATION TO INCREASE PROSPERITY

2008-10-11T21:42:00.003-04:00

Prosperity is really nothing more than receiving. Receiving love, money, health, good things and of course, love. For various reasons we all have certain walls that protect us from the hurts in the past. These walls prevent us from receiving our "good". Any visualization that knocks down walls will allow a more positive flow. The question is, are you ready to receive more? Many are comfortable with giving but fall short on the receiving end. This leaves us in a state of depletion most of the time. First allow yourself to receive by making a statement such as "I deserve to receive", then simply, picture yourself surrounded by a bubble. The size of the bubble expands and expands and it goes from being impenetrable to being porous. Finally, as it expands past your ability to see it, it finally bursts and allows a flood of positive energy, love, money and healing to flow over you. If you are not used to receiving this can really throw things off balance. Be aware of your reluctance to receive and go slowly. Learn to let a little bit in and then a little bit more.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

SELF RESPONSIBILITY

2008-10-10T10:23:00.002-04:00

I know that I might lose some readers by writing this but I don't care. Wake up America and take a good look in the mirror. The government is not the reason we are in the mess we are in. What has your behavior been for the last 10 years? Have you been financially responsible? Have you paid cash up front for everything? Have you never spent money that you didn't have to spend? I am willing to admit that I have not been perfect in this area. I could have done better. I plan to do better in the future. It's time that we all start learning how to live within our means. This financial crisis was in the making for years and years. It is so funny how people love to scream and yell at just about anyone in order to avoid taking any responsibility for their actions. The first step toward healing is to take a good look at your own financial behaviors and stop looking at "others" and what "they do".

When I was a dancer the teachers always said "don't look at your neighbor and how high their leg can go or how wide their turn-out is. Just work with your own body and its limitations and build from where you are". The same goes for our financial muscle. It's time to start from scratch and build it up again. No one deserves devastation or disaster but unfortunately that's what it takes sometimes to wake us up and force us to change our behaviors.

Like I said, mine is not a popular view, and many will ignore what I'm saying, but we have to look at cause and effect if we want to improve our lives.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

LOSS AND CHANGE

2008-10-09T00:01:00.000-04:00

If you are someone who likes to keep things as they are and does everything in your power to avoid change, then your life will always stay very small. The unfortunate side of growth and prosperity is loss. To move forward we have to let go of what is.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

STAYING TOO LONG

2008-10-08T00:01:00.000-04:00

Why do we stay in situations that we know aren't good for us? One reason is to keep the status qou. Another reason is fear of the unknown. Most of all we lack the confidence in ourself and "the universe" to provide us with what we need when the time is right. Trust allows us to leave situations that we want to leave. If you think over your entire life, didn't things have a way of working out before? They will again.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com

THE NEXT STEP

2008-10-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

I went to summer boot camp in 2007 and what I learned was to look at the destination only once, then start taking one step at a time toward it. If you keep looking up, it becomes overwhelming; but if you look only at your next step, it is very doable and before you know it, you are at the top. I cannot believe what I was able to accomplish in those demanding physical exercises.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

JEALOUSY

2008-10-06T00:01:00.000-04:00

I have noticed lately, the people that I feel jealous of and the people who are jealous of what I have (ostensibly). Jealousy will show us what it is we want, if we pay attention to it. All "negative" emotions in life have a purpose. Think about what kind of person stirs up those ugly feelings of jealousy inside of you. If you say "I never feel jealous of anyone", then you aren't being completely honest. People make assumptions about each other, usually we are wrong, but we think we can size up a person instantly. People often make all sorts of assumptions about me, based on...Then they might take it to the next level and resent who they think I am. Then the nasty and unwarranted comments coming flying out of their mouth. These are people who have never met me, never spoken to me and never will for the most part. I also am guilty of looking at a photo or a person on the subway and thinking "they have it so great". If they have it so great, then think about what it is they seem to have that is missing from your life. BINGO, that is what you really want.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

GROWTH, PROSPERITY AND THE FEAR OF CHANGE

2008-10-05T00:01:00.001-04:00

There is a problem with aspiring to greater heights. Your life is going to change. Your friends are going to change, you might even decide to let go of some people that are in your life now. Whatever your life looks like today, it will look different when you begin working toward your goals. Are you courageous enough to allow yourself to grow and prosper?

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

I also recommend Pam at www.designsbydunmire.blogspot.com

WHO ARE YOU?

2008-10-04T00:01:00.000-04:00

If our self esteem and view of ourself is based on what others tell us we are, then we aren't going to like ourselves very much. It's important to know who you are and who you aren't so when a person projects or distorts their image of you, you can tell yourself that it isn't true. Sometimes people will hit a chord when they say something, but it doesn't mean that what they say is true. If it's hurtful and negative it is usually more about them than about you.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

SATISFACTION

2008-10-03T04:49:00.002-04:00

The first step toward a more fulfilling life is to admit that you are dissatisfied. So often we try to convince ourselves that what is, is good enough, when it's not. If you can't admit it to another person, at least admit to yourself that you aren't happy. How can we be more satisfied if we don't even admit that we're not?

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

KEEP YOUR ATTENTION IN THE RIGHT PLACE

2008-10-02T00:01:00.003-04:00

It is more important than ever for us to take charge of our thoughts now. If we allow the panic and sensational messages from the media penetrate our "being" then we are going to go into panic mode. It's not that what is on TV is not true, instead, it draws our attention and energy to the most negative aspects of life. The one thing we can control is what we choose to focus on and where we want to put our energy. We waste so much time doing things that don't help up produce a more prosperous life for ourselves. Choose now to put your attention on the most positive aspects of your life. The very act of thinking about receiving starts to bring positive things to us. Everytime I pick up a book on prosperity, and just read a few lines, I start to get unexpected checks in the mail. If you don't believe that, try it yourself. There are many visualizations that you can use as well that will magnetize money, love, health and all other kinds of prosperity.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

FILLING A VOID

2008-10-01T00:01:00.000-04:00

When we are content with very little, we get very little. When we ask for more, of anything, we get more. It's great to be grateful for all that we have. If we aren't, we won't get more, and if we do, we won't appreciate it. For some people, all the "things" in the world and all the money aren't going to fill that void that they are trying desperately to fill. When someone is driven into a frenzy to reach a goal or attain certain heights, there is often something underneath that. What we don't get in love and emotional support, we try to replace with just about anything else. The place to start is with that dark emptiness inside. Many don't even know they have it because they have put layers and layers of bandages over it. They hide it from themselves and it is so deep and hidden that they didn't even know it was there. People who externally appear to be doing great and are busy, active and frantically filling their lives with appointments and social engagements are often the ones with the greatest emptiness inside. They just can't seem to fulfill that need for connection. Instead of window dressing the outside, which has it's advantages, too, it's important to attend also, to what is going on in your heart. There has to be the time and space for reflection. Often, people who have the biggest problem can't tolerate a minute of peace and quiet. Most of us fall in the middle somewhere.

How can you travel into your heart once you've created a quiet and peaceful space? When I tell people to "go within" or to "look inside" there are many who don't know how to do that. There is a lot of fear surrounding this.

If you would like to learn the techniques for this, call me and set up an appointment for a phone session. The cost will be based on the amount of time of the session(s) and your commitment to it

24 hour voicemail - 212 875 4866

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com

LEARNING HOW TO VISUALIZE

2008-09-30T00:01:00.000-04:00

The article most frequently read of all of my articles on Ezine Articles is called "How to Visualize". The second most read is "The First Steps Toward Visualization".

Many people are afraid to do these techniques because they are unsure of what they are "supposed to" be seeing or experiencing. Some are fortunate and can go right into the exercises and see images, experience settings and sights and sounds. People who attend my workshops and struggle with these things, usually give up and feel they just don't have what it takes. I am assuming that because so many people go right to the two articles above, there is definitely an interest in this topic. If these techniques don't come naturally for you, don't give up. It is a practice. Some people are more visual than others but everyone has some form of seeing what they conceptualize. Sometimes they are getting pictures but aren't aware that they are until they identify what is happening. Many report getting certain feelings in their body during a visualization exercise. We want to reprogram the cells in our entire being. That changes our energy field.

RICH KID/POOR KID

2008-09-29T05:00:00.000-04:00

There are rich children who grow up in families that give them very little love and there are poor children who grow up surrounded by loving and nurturing adults. Without the unconditional love of a parent a child cannot reach their potential without working through the pain and wounds of their childhood. A child needs to be loved and accepted regardless of their grades in school or their performance. If they are non-performers they still need to be loved. Most of us grew up in an age when this wasn't the thinking and we have to undo the damage of the past. Our parents didn't know what we know now. Some are better at parenting than others. We all come from vastly different backgrounds even if we are neighbors exposed to many of the same conditions. What goes on in a family or a surrogate family contributes to the health and development of that child.

Imagine a world of children who are loved for who they are and are considered to be fine as they are from a very young age. Imagine children who are allowed to express their talents and not live out the dreams their parent's couldn't live. Imagine a world of happy, healthy children who then grow up to be high functioning adults who have so much time, energy and capacity to give and contribute because as children they received all that they needed.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
Debbie Simon is a NY State Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Coach

I also recommend Pam at www.designsbydunmire.blogspot.com

A FEAR BASED REALITY

2008-09-28T06:00:00.001-04:00

Our outer life will reflect our level of fear. If we approach every decision and every action with fear, and allow fear to stop us, then we are going to have a small life. If instead we try many different things and are constantly moving outside of our comfort zone, then our life will expand. If fear controls your life, instead of you controlling it, then it's time to deal with fear in a new way.

Most of us were taught from a very young age to follow the pack. Some people question things more than others. Some ask, why do I have to go to school, then college, then work, marry, have kids and retire? More and more people are challenging these beliefs. There are so many "givens" that we buy into. It takes a lot of courage and independence to walk the other way and to try things differently.

Fear is a natural part of the process of becoming an individual. We are unique beings that weren't really designed for the lifestyles that we live. That's what leads to, not only addiction, but also to overeating, using alcohol and pills to help us get through the work week, as well as exhaustion and many autoimmune diseases.

If you find yourself questioning how you live your life, don't stop the process. It's the beginning of an exploration that will take you very far. Don't turn to friends for validation, because you won't get it. They will tell you the things they were told, and the things that they have bought into, even though you see the pitfalls. Being yourself can be a very isolating experience because it means being different than what everyone has decided is the norm.

To live a fuller and more meaningful life we need to start questioning our definition of truth. Doing this can upset the equilibrium of our lives. That's why so many run from it. If you are a "truth seeker" be prepared for some rocky times ahead. Being true to yourself can sometimes mean taking actions that others won't agree with or like. Sometimes it can even seem selfish to those around us. If you are worried about a person's judgment of you then you better not enter into this.

The first step toward change is to evaluate what already exists. Look for one area in your life that stands out as needing attention immediately. Begin to formulate the new shape that it will take. Either form a picture in your mind, or a feeling in your body (or both).

Life is meaningless without the meaningful relationships that enhance it. It's important to be true to yourself and also stay connected to the human race. That requires a balancing act. What holds many of us back from pursuing our dreams is the fear of loss. Changing, growing and expanding often means losing people, things and lifestyles that we were unhappy living with. Letting go is never easy. Sometimes it is just the imaginary fear of loss. We might loss something or someone if we pursue this thing. Give a lot of thought to the things that you want to create in your life and ask yourself why you are going in that direction. Is it your heart or someone else's that is driving you?

PROSPERITY CONSCIOUSNESS

2008-09-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

Are you aware of your own way of thinking about money and prosperity? In the world of the law of attraction and prosperity/abundance principles the terms Prosperity Consciousness and Poverty Consciousness are thrown around a lot. It's important to learn to identify when you are acting from a poverty consciousness and to turn that around and to begin to change the way you think about your life, your future and what is and isn't possible. People vary quite a bit in this respect. You probably know people on both ends of the spectrum.

To learn more about these concepts see upcoming events at www.visaulprosperity.com/events

LEARNING TO RECEIVE

2008-09-26T05:48:00.000-04:00

Sometimes we stay in situations that are not good for us. We stay with people or in jobs that undervalue us and although the other people involved may have good intentions, they might be so limited in what they can give that we receive little from the relationship or situation. We find ourselves "putting out" much more than we are "getting back".

Our cells were programmed over time to receive a certain amount and everyone is different in this regard. Resentment builds over a lifetime of experiences and we can find that there is unwanted anger and bitterness inside of ourselves. We don't know how to forgive, forget and let go We read books and attend seminars in order to "work on ourselves", but still we find ourselves in these awful situations regardless of our efforts.

There are visualizations that you can do to expand your capacity to receive. As you do these on a daily basis you will begin to attract a much healthier type of person, job, or whatever you are seeking, into your life. That is really what the Law of Attraction is about.

One exercise to try is to hold onto the person that you are trying to let go of. Imagine you are holding on tight (the opposite of what you keep trying to force yourself to do). Feel the connection between the two of you and imagine an inner dialogue going on as you are hugging the person or situation. Hold on for dear life (because that is what we do). That constant pressure to release and move on doesn't help us to overcome what we are working through. Allow yourself to stay. You'll be surprised at the results.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com

I recommend Pam's art at www.designsbydunmire.blogspot.com

GETTING THROUGH THE HARD TIMES

2008-09-25T05:48:00.005-04:00

The economy in the US is in very bad shape as most people know. It's hard sometimes to think about prosperity when you are rapidly losing money! It's hard to think of anything positive during these times. It's important to keep the focus on what you are going to do to get out of this hole rather than focus on what you have lost. The old expression "you win some, you lose some" is timeless. There will always be cycles of abundance and then hard times will hit. There is no one that is immune from difficulties in life, even those that have more money than we can imagine having. My goal is to help people expand their lives, become more prosperous and to feel that they have abundance rather than scarcity in their lives. Sometimes it just takes a mere shift of perspective to "feel" you life in a different way. Perceptions create reality. If you can change your perception of what is happening then your whole outer world starts to improve.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com
www.lowermanhattanpsychotherapy.com

Debbie Simon, LCSW is a licensed NY State Clinical Psychotherapist

BEING AUTHENTIC

2008-09-24T10:00:00.003-04:00

Whenever we pretend to be someone that we are not, people can either see through the act or they sense that we are not being authentic. I grew up in an extremely affluent area but my father had a low paying government job. I began to form a distorted opinion about where I fit in this world. It was the only world I knew at that time. I had no exposure to what was outside, other than driving through neighborhoods.

I left home at a young age, and experienced poverty because I had no idea how to make it on my own. I found myself homeless in NYC at the age of 19. That experience then shaped a new reality for me.

I found my way back to college and went on to graduate school. After becoming a masters level social worker in 1986, I was exposed to a whole group of clients that I had never worked with personally before. The clients grew up on welfare and had parents on disability (SSI). When the children hit 18 they applied for SSI. It's just how things were in that community and for the people I worked with and came to know, love and respect. Incarceration, domestic violence, HIV, mental illness, heroin addiction and child and sex abuse were the norm among my clients. I began to see their issues in a very different light. I learned to see them as strong human beings tackling impossible odds, instead of needy, dependent people, as the world often does. The experiences they were exposed to in terms of abuse, trauma, and deprivation opened my eyes to a whole new reality that so many people grow up in. Of course these issues are known across all socio-economic and cultural lines, but for this group...they seemed to have more than their fair share.

If a plant is never nurtured and doesn't have soil to grow in, it will shrink and die or live marginally. There is always that rare plant that grows under any conditions. For some people, life is a horror from a very young age.

The point is, we often feel shame as a result of our childhood experiences and that makes us want to pretend that we are someone other than who we are. Once we can see our past for what it was and what it wasn't we can gain more respect for ourselves for having survived what we endured. We can also have more compassion for others who have gone through something different or something that seems worse.

Lack, deprivation, starvation, and poverty are ideas that are instilled in us from birth, even if our families have money and wealth. We have to heal the wounds and recover in order to move to a higher level of existence. Money, health, quality food and love are all forms of energy that we receive. Those who never learned to receive because of they only knew lack and deprivation in the past have a difficult time in their adult lives unless they seek professional help and take measures toward healing on every level.

We are all enough when we are born. We are "enough" throughout our lives in spite of our experiences. We are perfect beings just as we are and the experiences that we are having today are exactly the ones that we are supposed to be having.

Letting go of the hurt and pain of the past is a long process. It takes courage and fortitude to stay on a path of healing. There needs to be a spiritual connection between you and something that you believe to be greater in order to have faith. Few people are able to face their demons and experience the pain necessary to heal. If you are one of the courageous few, you are fortunate. If you know people who lack this courage to face themselves then have compassion for them. Don't judge anyone. We never know exactly what they have gone through in their lives.

HOW WE MEASURE SUCCESS

2008-09-23T07:52:00.000-04:00

How we measure our successes can make or break us. Sometimes we are doing all the right things but the results aren't showing up. For instance, the one many can relate to, weight loss. If you are changing your diet dramatically and sticking to a new exercise routine for weeks and weeks and the scale barely budges, have you been successful? The answer is yes. You made some major lifestyle changes that will pay off in the long run both on the scale and in your health. There is nothing more discouraging, however, than to do all the things that are necessary and not to see visible results either on the scale or even when taking your measurements. Without that visible positive feedback, it's more likely that you will eventually want to give up. That's why we change our measurement of success. Rather than "how many pounds did I lose?", we ask "what are the significant changes I've made?". We often choose criteria for success that will disappoint us, like how much money did we make, what have we accumulated in our lifetime, and so on. If your value is based on your networth, for example, then you can only have value when you are pleased with your networth. If you are looking for ways to measure your own success start with the efforts that you have made rather than the results of those efforts.

Learn more at www.visualprosperity.com