What "The Secret" Is Really About

Note: Listen to this song as you read along.

Your house is in foreclosure, your spouse is cold, finances are crumbling, and debt is skyrocketing. What do you do? You think to yourself, It's OK. I'm the richest man in the universe. I'm so happy.

That's not how it works. That's crazy.

Positive attraction and the whole motivation of "The Secret" and all its follower books is to Focus on what's good in your life. Can you walk? Great! You must have lucked out because roughly one million Americans are limited to a wheelchair. Can you see? Fantastic! You're not one of the 1.3 million blind Americans, and you should be grateful for that little tidbit of extra grace that somehow landed in your lap. This isn't a guilt trip, it's a reality check. 

There's a difference between being unconsciously and consciously grateful. Be the latter. 

It's not about transforming your life through ridiculous and unconnected thought. It's about positive, focused energy (yes, energy) and emphasis on good things.

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things"

Sound familiar? (Philippians 4:8)

You've heard some of these before and you'll continue to hear them moving forward:

• Be solution-oriented instead of problem-oriented

• Don't allow negativity to touch your ears

• Know the difference between times when people are looking to vent and when they actually need a solution, and nurture both

• Get in the habit of turning a complaint around and making the complainer see the truth (instead of just nodding "yaa, you're riiight, mhmm"

• Give more hugs (you'd be surprised what a mood-lifter this is--even in a heated debate)

• Be open-minded. Not everything is bullshit even if a lot of things are.

See this picture-post and poem on Flickr: Seeing the world through blindness. Warmed my heart.

Lots of love to my Auntie May who, without her own eyes, has made the world beautiful in mine.