Fear comes from uncertainty. When we are absolutely certain, whether of our worth or worthlessness, we are almost impervious to fear.

William Congreve

On average, we have approximately 70,000 thoughts per day. Each of those thoughts shapes the way we feel, act, and subsequently continue thinking throughout the day. The types of thoughts you have influence how you show up.

And the way you show up influences the way you interact with others and your environment.

Which then means you either open doors of opportunity for yourself, or you close them.

Thoughts are the basis for what many call the Law of Attraction (LOA). We think, therefore we are – because we magnetically pull these things into our lives. We’ve all heard of the Law of Attraction; we see in our mind’s eye what we want to create in our lives, feel the emotion associated with having that particular thing in our lives, and we set that intention free – asking the Universe to deliver in a way that our conscious awareness can’t.

If you’re well-versed in the LOA, you know that it’s not enough just to visualize what you want, you also need to have a clean space to feel the emotion – happiness, gratitude, joy, excitement, etc – thoroughly. The emotion you feel having the “thing” is what fuels the LOA.

However, what many people don’t realize is, there are three presuppositions (assumptions and requirements) that must be in place before you even get to step one.

(And also that things don’t just materialize. The LOA is not a genie granting wishes. You have to act upon the guidance and opportunities you receive post-visualization).

Presupposition: You Must Be Prepared…

in order for the Law of Attraction to work. Here are the three steps in order for you to follow to be prepared.

What I want is done on a vibrational level.

Abraham Hicks

First, be grounded.

What does it mean to be grounded? It means you have to know who you are at your core and essence. You have to know what you bring to a room, and what your values and principles are. If you were to ask your closest friends, family, and colleagues: what qualities do you think of when you think of me? What would those responses be? I know that, especially when I’m teaching, the qualities that are mentioned over and over again are: radiant, energetic, and passionate. I also know that no matter what happens in life, the things I strive for most, is love, abundance, and harmony. I want to share love – that vibrational frequency of feeling expansive – no matter who I’m with or what I’m doing. I want abundance in all things in life that make me feel alive: health, prosperity, laughter, joy. And when everything is in alignment to who I am at my core, I feel harmony in all things (no matter what’s happening outside of me). Ask those around you, what qualities do you bring to a room? Take stock of how you show up, and how you’d actually like to show up. Remind yourself over and over again who you are.

Second, you must be willing to receive.

This requires you to have a sense of security and comfort in what’s coming in. If you want a beautiful partner, but are afraid of what it takes to maintain that relationship, it doesn’t matter how hard you try to keep that visual in your mind’s eye. Your unconscious mind already knows you’re afraid of what it takes to have a beautiful wife. Maybe you’re not wealthy enough, you don’t have the looks, and you’re certainly not as charming as your next door neighbor. If you’re not willing to receive because you’re afraid and don’t have complete security and comfort in what will come in, your front door is shut. And unlike UPS, the Universe doesn’t leave a note to say you’ve missed your package. Sit down and write your responses to this question: what am I afraid might happen if I really received “x”? What changes do you have to make to be sure that you have security and comfort underneath it all?

Notice subtle changes.

Finally, you have to keep your eyes open. Changes will begin to happen in your life when you ask for something that you don’t yet already have. These changes, however, will be so subtle that you really have to look for them. You’ll notice your work colleague mention something you haven’t heard him say before. You’ll notice the barista at your coffee shop create different facial expressions to different customers. You’ll see certain things in your life light up – you’ll want to take a route different from your regular route to work. The Universe will highlight different things in your life to guide you to what you’ve asked for. But in order for you to notice, you have to look. Practice looking for ways that your day looks, sounds, and feels different. Follow your smile. Pursue what makes you curious.