How can I stop the world from feeling like such a hard, lonely and unforgiving place to be, which basically is what causes my low moods?

This is an excellent question and one many of us ask often.  It’s hard to see the world as nurturing and supportive when our outer experience seems to deny that.

The truth is that the world is just the world. It is simply the environment we live in and is neutral.  It’s our spin on it that makes it appear cruel and unforgiving or nurturing and supportive.

For instance, I’ve been in grocery lines where some people were griping and complaining about how slow it was going, how rude everyone was and basically what a terrible experience they were having.  And in that same line was someone else smiling, talking with the people around them, reading magazines and having a grand time.  I actually heard one woman comment that she hoped the line slowed down a bit so she could finish reading an article :)

What a great example of contrast!  So if you are experiencing the world as cruel and forgiving, let me ask this:

What would you like instead of that?

If you want nurturing and supportive, make a decision to have that experience.  Then start looking for evidence to support that.  When something seems cruel and unforgiving, turn it over in your mind and see if from another point of view it actually could be nurturing and supportive.

You may make slow progress at first, especially if you’ve been living in a rotten world for a while, but it will be noticeable.  And over time the world will change until everything is happy and sunny and you wonder why you ever thought it was such a terrible place to live!

When these things happen it’s easy to want to just throw in the towel and give up hope.

But the truth is that even in the darkest of times there is always hope to be found – if you know where to look for it.

So where do you find this hope when you’re down in the depths of despair?

The first thing to do is remind yourself that no matter what is going on around you, you still have the power to choose what you want.  Notice I didn’t say you have the power to choose your circumstances.  Instead I said choose what you want.  In manifesting we choose what we want, put the request out, then let the Universe take care of the details.  It all begins with a choice though and you alone have absolute power over the choice you decide to make.

Along with choosing what you want, you must have a strong sense of conviction about your choice and refuse to settle for anything less.  This is what I sometimes call the no nonsense approach to manifesting because it doesn’t leave the Universe open to options.  Yes the Universe gets to decide how your thing is delivered but what you want is non-negotiable.  This may seem a bit harsh but when things are really desperate and you’re on the verge of giving up you don’t have time to play around.  So put your foot down and insist that you want what you want and aren’t going to settle for anything less.

Third, look for clues – even the smallest hints – that things are changing.  If it’s been raining non-stop for weeks then the smallest break in the clouds is cause for celebration.  In fact look for clues in everything you encounter.  Life isn’t about what is but how we perceive what is.  So decide to perceive what you see as leading you toward what you want.

If you find yourself wavering, it’s ok.  We all waver from time to time.  Simply allow the doubt to be there and remind yourself that it will pass and soon enough you’ll be back on track to getting what you want.

You can do this – you have only to decide :^)

So what’s going on with them?  Are they out to get you?  Do they have a personal vendetta against your success?

Or could it be that they really are supportive and you just can’t see it?

Everyone sees the world through their own lens. So when your lens differs from theirs, especially if it’s on the opposite end of the spectrum, it makes sense that the advice they give you will be very different from what you want to hear.

Once you realize this you’re in a much better position to handle their support – or lack of support – differently.  Instead of taking it as a personal attack, you can look at it more objectively.  Understand that they are speaking from their experience and what they believe to be true.

And also understand that even if they seem generally unsupportive, there could just be a few nuggets of truth underneath that cloud of negativity.  So take all points under consideration and thank them for their input.  Then take the best of what they offer and integrate it as sound advice, letting the rest go.

Finally, don’t waste your time and energy trying to convince anyone that your way is better.  Allow them to be who they are (just as you are who you are), take the support they offer and find better support elsewhere.  Do this and you will find your relationships with those unsupportive people start to improve – and as a bonus once the pressure is off they may actually become more supportive than they were previously.

The person who says it cannot be done should
not interrupt the person doing it.

Wow isn’t that true!

And yet so many people don’t even try because they simply don’t believe certain things are possible.

The truth is that many things that were once considered impossible are now part of our every day lives.  Think of how many people thought it was impossible to sail around the world or fly.  There was a time when no one had phones without cords (much less cell phones) and the idea of having a computer in your home was laughable.  And diseases that killed people just a hundred years ago have been all but eradicated.

So I ask again: How do you know it’s not possible?

How do you know that you can’t get a better job or start a business?

How do you know that you can’t lose weight or run in that marathon?

How do you know that you can’t find the love of your life and go sailing off into the sunset?

How do you know that you can’t ace that test or get on the honor role this year?

The correct answer is: You Don’t!

The fact is it could happen.  Thomas Edison didn’t know for sure that the light bulb would work.  Roger Bannister didn’t know he could run a mile in less than 4 minutes.  The people at NASA didn’t know for sure they could put a man on the moon.  But all these things happened.

So I invite you to take another look at those things you think are just impossible.  Maybe – just maybe – they’re possible after all :)