"Do, or do not. There is no 'try’."  Jedi Master Yoda - Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

There is also no “if” . . .

Recently I’ve discovered this very important fact.  “If” is an insidious little word, but the concept behind it kills.  It kills dreams, it kills inspiration, it kills confidence, it kills momentum, it kills enthusiasm.  Now as an Aber I realize there is no permanency to killing something, since there is no death or end.  So while “if” kills . . . it’s not a permanent situation.  It’s like the cartoons when we were children where Wile E. Coyote is smashed by his own anvil, and he just rises back up, dazed but not dead.  Whatever momentum, enthusiasm, inspiration we have that “if” kills can be regained, re-inspired, re-enthused, it can be re-energized again. 

However, I don’t know about you but I don’t want to go through my life that way, carefully creating and nurturing my momentum on something I want with all my heart and then letting two little letters eat away at it only to have to build it back up again.  Even if it gets easier each time, I don’t want to sabotage myself unconsciously anymore.  Those two little letters when put together create havoc creatively and I simply don’t want to give them that kind of power in my life.

The reason “if” seems so powerful is in its simplicity.  Thinking in terms of “if” something might happen undermines the power behind the momentum, enthusiasm, inspiration.  Attaching an “if” to a desire creates a false sense of security, like hedging my bets or allowing for “reality” I can’t control as opposed to simply believing in myself.

It’s very presence proves I’m not completely confident of being the creator in my life.  It is a signal that my faith in LOA and myself isn’t what it must be in order for me to allow my dreams to manifest.

I’m simply so used to thinking in terms of “if something happens”, or “if I can be perfect”, or “if only this . . . then . . .” that I don’t even realize I’m sabotaging myself from the start.  Some would say I’m sabotaging myself with semantics.  But I’ve come to realize “if” has been lurking quietly behind my newly developed and nurtured optimism. 

I’ve worked hard to change my old ingrained thought patterns to new positive ones about myself, my body and my life and yet I still tend to automatically think “if” my dreams come true.  Like thinking anything more than if, might jinx it or something. 

But I’m realizing now the difference between the words “IF” and “WHEN” hold the magical secret to creating.  It’s never a matter of if, it’s always, always simply a matter of when.  That is the kind of thinking necessary to allow big dreams to materialize.

Abe and the Bible, both say “Ask And It Is Given”, neither of them mention “if”.  There’s no hidden “if you’re good enough”, “if you do this or that”, or “if I feel like giving it to you”. 

No, it’s a simple message “Ask And It Is Given”,  “ASK and it IS given!”

There simply is no “if” in deliberate creation.  We can’t desire something with all our hearts while harboring an attitude of “if” and expect the results we want.  In fact iffing ourselves is resistance pure and simple.  It’s a way of looking at one of our precious dreams without the self-confidence it takes to allow the dream.  It’s not protection or security to allow an “if” it’s fear. 

Believing in my dream is so much more important than any action step I ever make towards the dream.  For example, I have got to believe that ultimately I can lose weight in order to lose weight.  Meaning no matter what plan I’m considering, I must believe it will work for me, that whatever I do my body will respond exactly as I want it to respond.  I must believe if I do X, Y and Z, then my body will slim itself.  It doesn’t even matter what X, Y and Z is . . . it could be eat only bananas; or adhere strictly to the latest expert diet plan; or hum the star spangled banner while eating coconut in the bathroom.  It doesn’t matter what it is, the only thing that matters is the absolute belief it will work for me.  And “if” has no place in that scenario. 

In thinking about this, I realized I never went on any diet with an absolute belief it would work, I always thought in “ifs”.  Now I realize my biggest if wasn’t even if I would lose the weight, it was IF I could keep it off.  That really explains the probably 1000 pounds, give or take, I’ve lost and gained over my life.  I suppose that’s one of the basic absurdities of dieting, that they to are all if/then situations.  If you do this . . . then this will happen . . .

“If you follow my exact instructions as written in my newest diet best seller, and I will guarantee you the results you desire.”  Sound familiar?  No wonder I always thought in terms of “if”.  How can anyone guarantee that something will work in my life . . . except me?

I’ve come to realize that I’ve never had an attitude of absolute belief about anything in my life, at least not until the last few years.  I was always plagued by “if” thinking, I just thought that was how everyone was, until Abraham taught me it was a choice I was making not a punishment or pattern of thought imposed upon me.    I never saw that not believing in myself and in my dreams was a choice I’ve been making over and over. 

And yet the most important thing about that realization is if not believing confidently is a choice, then believing confidently is also a choice.  Allowing “ifs” is a choice and never thinking in terms of “if” again is a choice too.  I get to choose!

Abe has also taught me it’s not in the doing, it’s in the believing, it’s in the loving, it’s in the joy of the experiencing, not the doing itself.  It’s not in the eating, it’s in the feelings behind the eating.

“You must love your body, and then lovingly give it the food. And when you love your body, and lovingly give it the food, it matters not what food you give it.”  Excerpted from an Abraham-Hicks workshop in Ashville, NC on October 29, 2000  (Abraham-hicks.com)
 
Not one “if” in that statement. . . thanks Abe!

Love and Holiday Blessings,
Tigerlily