Law of Attraction in Action: Clear Intentions

This is my fourteenth post in my Monday series on the Law of Attraction, inspired by watching Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life, the movie, expanded version. I feel very strongly about helping you understand how to take control of the power you have and run with it. I get so many goodies since learning how to mobilize the Law of Attraction in my favor. I am so mad for the new MacBook Pro I got last week! That wouldn’t have happened without the Law of Attraction’s support.

When I talk about using the Law of Attraction, I emphasize being clear in your intentions. Today I want to elaborate on what that means. There are so many catchwords in today’s inspirations. It took me a while to understand how to use the concepts of the Law of Attraction for my highest good. Now I do!

The Law of Attraction takes your intentions literally. It doesn’t interpret to figure out what you really want. So be as clear as possible in how you word your intentions.

Just yesterday I got an email that a musician sent to his mailing list. I know he’s very spiritual and was surprised that his message sounded negative. A radio station that had supported him had new management, and they’d stopped playing his music. He expressed concern that something he’d already taped for them wouldn’t air. If it did, it could greatly help his career. He ended by asking everyone to email the station to ask them to play his music. He sounded worried.

I wrote back suggesting he be more careful about how he phrased those kind of messages. He sounded like he didn’t expect to get the station’s support anymore, which the Law of Attraction would support. He was surprised that it had come across that way, since he did still feel faithful. I know him and believe he feels that way. But the Universe doesn’t look beyond the literal message. The Law of Attraction brings you what you put out.

Your choice of words can determine what you receive.

As a writer, I’m very conscious about how they can make a big difference in how your message is perceived. Clear intentions are specific and direct. Most people don’t have them. It takes thought and care to create the most powerful mindset to attract what you want. You might think you’re being clear, and then wonder why you got something else.

“I will” is more definite than “I hope to.” The first attracts what you will do. The second keeps you hopeful.

Be clear about what you want. Don’t just pray for a job—be specific about how you’d intend to use your skills. Or write down details of what kind of work would make you happy. If you’re not sure exactly what you want, whether it’s a job, romantic partner, new location, etc., ask for what’s best for your highest good. Often the hardest part of getting what you want is figuring out what exactly that is. Ask for help with that too! Pay attention to how your thoughts affect what you receive. It’s important to hone your desires and add as many details as you can.

Write down your intention and see if you’ve made yourself very clear.

A perfect example of the importance of being specific is a couple I know named Kevin and Kimberly. Kimberly moved from Rochester, NY to New York City. In her prayers, her intention was to marry a man from Rochester. When she met Kevin in church, they knew they were meant to be together. Kimberly laughed when she said she believes her Lord has a sense of humor. She got what she asked for—Kevin was from Rochester. But she wasn’t specific – he was from Rochester, MN! Seventeen years later she’s glad she left that part to God. They have a wonderful marriage and kids so it all worked out.

If you’d prefer to get EXACTLY what you want, express it ALL!

* If you don’t want the job offer you want come to you from a city you absolutely don’t want to live in, intend to get the job where you want to live.

* If you don’t want to meet a romantic partner who drinks too much, doesn’t want kids when you do, works the opposite hours as you, or any other incompatibility that matters to you, spell out what you do want.

* If you don’t want to get an opportunity that isn’t conducive to your schedule, or to find the perfect apartment at a rent you can’t afford or to get a ton of publicity but it’s bad, pay attention to what you ask for and how.

If you’re not attracting what you want, monitor your thoughts and tailor your words to direct the Law of Attraction to exactly what you want. That gives you the best chance of receiving it. Put it out clearly and expect to see results. The power is in YOUR hands, and in YOUR words!

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!

I Got a New MacBook Pro Laptop from Apple--FREE!

I’m excited. In my Law of Attraction in Action: Service People post at the end of August, I talked about how being considerate to customer service people attracts a lot better service and other good things. Leo Durocher said, 'Nice guys finish last!' When you believe that, you probably will finish last by being nice. But this recovering DoorMat knows that being a healthy kind of nice fuels the Law of Attraction’s ability to bring you more of what you want.

A combo of considerate friendly communication and a firm intention to get resolution for a problem brings the best possible service.

In the post I just mentioned, I discussed how I had problems with my Apple iBook G4 laptop in varying degrees for over a year. I’d bring it into the genius bar for help and get a small temporary fix. The problem was electrical. Some people suggested I needed a new logic board but the tech guys never thought so. It often buzzed so loud that it made me stressed. I was exasperated by it and my warrantee was about to expire.

My frustration was fired up. Friends told me to make a fuss. I knew it would be easy to let loose with my pent up anger on a tech or customer service person. I’d lost many workdays bringing in the computer, only to have it come back with the same problem in a week or two. But I’ve learned that taking your anger out on a customer service person serves no purpose other than a temporary release of anger while you piss them off. Instead, I nicely called customer service and firmly insisted on speaking to a supervisor.

I didn’t demand it in a hostile way. But I resolutely refused to speak to the tech person and got put through to a Product Specialist.

I was friendly and he listened carefully. When I told him all the symptoms he agreed that my logic board was probably causing the problem. If I’d yelled and screamed about all my inconveniences and how annoying it was, I’d have wasted time in getting it fixed, and, put the Product Specialist into a bad mood. Venting is what we often do when a situation gets us angry.

But, I knew the Product Specialist didn’t cause my problem and I needed his help, so why alienate him??? Yet so many people do.

Instead, we had a nice conversation. He made many notes on my file and I got a new logic board after 9 days of more problems. Five days later the computer crashed and the logic board needed to be replaced again. Again I kept my cool and was courteous to my Product Specialist, who said if anything else happened, he’d give me a new computer. I wrote about that in my blog post. People asked if I believed him. I did. Most were skeptical. Would Apple really give me a brand new laptop?

The promise was put to the test last week when my adapter failed.

The computer wouldn’t charge. I called and got Ty, another Product Specialist. He sent me another adapter but that didn’t work either. He offered one more part. As I waited for it to arrive, other funny things began to go wrong. I’d had it! So I called and said I want the new computer. I’d had a laptop that hadn’t worked consistently well for over a year and was done.

Did I get an argument? Did Ty try to placate me in other ways? NOPE! He just took my address and this week a brand new MacBook Pro arrived.

I LOVE this laptop! It's got a sleek design and has lots of great software. And it’s mine! For free! On Saturday I have an appointment with the Apple store to have all my data transferred from the old laptop to the new. Then I send the old one back to them using the prepaid label they gave me. Everyone involved in the process has been as nice as could be. I put out a nice attitude and it returned to me! ☺

Apple still rocks in my book! I’m such a devout Mac-a-holic and continue to be. I’m so delighted with the great customer service I got. They really do stand by their products and try to give help, at least when you treat the person nicely. I do bet that had I had a conversation with my growl on, it might not have been such a pleasant experience. Now I have an advocate for the future.

Next time you have a service problem, calm down, force a smile, and expect satisfaction.

If the first person you reach doesn’t give you resolution, go higher, and higher until you get someone who can help you. Be friendly. You can be nice while still being firm and letting the person know you expect good service. Create an advocate like I did, instead of being a big ol’ pain in the butt that the person wants to get rid of fast. I chat with all my advocates. Some even buy my books and read this blog. ☺

Next time you need customer service, force a smile, calm down, and speak to the person the way you’d prefer to be spoken to. Courtesy costs nothing but can be priceless for what it can attract. Nice people truly CAN finish first! I sure do.

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!

Law of Attraction in Action: Miracles Part 2

This is my thirteenth post in my Monday series on the Law of Attraction in Action, inspired by watching Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life, the movie, expanded version. You can find the other posts at the end of this article.

I want to talk more about using the Law of Attraction to attract miracles to you. Last week, my post, Law of Attraction in Action: Miracles Part 1, discussed the first phrase in the Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson (Multnomah Publishers). The 4 part prayer says:

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.”

I explained how the interpretation of “bless me indeed” is to ask for lots. The more you put out, the more you get back. God wants you to have miracles but you must be clear about exactly what you want. And ask for it. And affirm that you have it. And truly expect it. The more miracles you get, the easier it becomes to expect more. I know, because I’ve had so many and keep having them.

As you manifest miracles, also focus on doing what you can to help others as the second part of the prayer—“and enlarge my territory”—states.

Wilkinson explains that “enlarge my territory” means to find ways to do good things for other people. Using that part of the prayer is asking God how you can serve Him. How can you give back? How can you make someone’s life better? Giving of yourself to help others attracts a lot more goodies to you. I get so many blessings from people and try to help others whenever I can. Some of what comes back to me is truly miraculous!

What I get may not be from the same people I helped. The Law of Attraction isn’t an equal bartering system.

I’m kind to someone and someone else is kind to me. If someone I help then asks what they can do for me in return, I usually suggest passing on the kindness to someone in need. I’ll get mine when I need it. Whenever I need help with something, someone is there. All my websites have been built by people I didn’t know well yet who offered to do it for free! Kindness abounds in my world! People send me free products. I may never have to buy certain items I use regularly because I get so much free stuff. Just last weekend I went out for coffee and told the manager how much I love their hazelnut coffee. A few minutes later, he came back with 3 packages of it in a bag—because I’m a nice person he said!

After living in my DoorMat world of users and takers, I now create a loving world of kindness, generosity, and miracles. YOU can create a lovely world amidst the chaos of the bigger picture of our world—IF you CHOOSE to!

Be vigilant about how you can help people. If you’re concerned about offering to do something you may not be able to do, remember the third part of the prayer—“that Your hand would be with me.” You’ve probably heard it before but may not have quite believed it. If God brings something that you want to do but have doubts about—whether it’s volunteering to do a tough job, a big career opportunity, trying something you’ve never done before, etc.—He will be there for the outcome to support you.

The key is clearly asking for and expecting the help. Then let Law of Attraction do its work!

Fretting about what you need to do and expecting not to be able to do it sends a message of doubt. The Law of Attraction will support that doubt. Then you’ll be even more sure in the future that you won’t get support or can’t accomplish things. Counterproductive Alert! The Law of Attraction doesn’t dig into your psyche to see what you really want. It brings you back what you expect.

So EXPECT the support you need to get something done well when you take on something. God’s hand will be there with you!

When my book How to Please a Woman In & Out of Bed came out, a friend said, “You have to get on Howard Stern’s radio show.” Yes, I decided I did have to. I put it out as a serious intention. Told people, even on a TV interview, that I’d be on the show within 3 weeks. I was truly sure! When I told the publicist at my publisher my intention, she laughed, asked how I’d do it and then warned me not to get my hopes up as she’d never gotten one of her authors on. I laughed back and said I’d be the first.

Still, she was stunned to call me 3 weeks later to say the show had called to book me. I’d done nothing other than put out my intentions, and make sure the publicist sent a book to the producer.

I was fine until the night before the show. Friends advised me to listen to it beforehand to prepare myself for Howard’s nastiness and jabs. I replied that I didn’t need to, since I expected to be treated well! “Oh yeah, right. Howard Stern will be nice to you. Dream on!” The night before, as I went to sleep, I got nervous. It hit me that I’d be on Howard Stern! What if he was mean to me or tried to embarrass me? I picked up a spiritual book I read from often and opened to a random page. I know that it was no accident. I was meant to open to that spot.

It said that if God causes something to happen, He will be there for the effect too.

I knew where the message came from and fell asleep quickly and calmly. The show didn’t just go well. People asked if I’d hypnotized Howard since they’d never heard him be so nice to any other guest. He did get sleazy. After all, he’s Howard Stern. I rolled with his jokes. But he kept me on for 35 commercial-free minutes, gave my website several times, and kept saying that I made a lot of sense and people should buy my book. I knew all of this happened from EXPECTING to have a satisfying experience and The Law of Attraction fulfilled my expectation.

When you KNOW that you have God’s support, God KNOWS what you need and provides. My appearance on Howard Stern’s show was truly a miracle!

I read Prayer of Jabez just before 9/11. Right after my city was attacked, I knew I had to do something to help. I discovered that they needed many laptops to input the names of the missing people and try to track them. I sent out an email to everyone I knew asking for donated laptops. People forwarded it to others and I began hearing from heads of major corporations---IBM, Time Warner, Intel, and more---all wanting to help and not knowing how. I compiled a list of all the people and notified the 9/11 Fund about it. They asked me to keep it for when they needed it. Soon I became the go-to person for Ground Zero IT needs.

That Saturday, I heard from a VP at Time Warner. She’d been given my name as that go-to person and explained the National Guard needed walkie-talkies at Ground Zero. I explained I’m a writer and had limited contacts. She was Time Warner! But she insisted they needed me to get them. Okay I said. Since it was Saturday, none of the people on the list I’d compiled were available. I didn’t know what to do but kept trying. Then I heard from a head honcho at HBO who was volunteering with the National Guard. They desperately needed the walkie-talkies. What could I do?

I talked to God, saying the prayer and reminding Him that He’d gotten me into this and I now needed His hand in finding the walkie-talkies.

It was after 6PM on a Saturday. I had no one left to call. But all of a sudden I got out the Yellow Pages without thinking about it. I found stores that had walkie-talkies. The first one I called was closed. So I said the Prayer of Jabez, told God I was counting on Him and “randomly” called a second. They too were closed, BUT, there was a message and a phone number to call if this was related to 9/11. I called and the guy provided the walkie-talkies. Incidents like this happened more times as I continued to be asked for stuff to help at Ground Zero. They were nothing short of miracles!

Ask how you can serve and keep your eyes open for where you’re needed. You’ll get the help you need to get through, and helping others—when you can, not by sacrificing your own needs—will come back to you with miracles.

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!




Law of Attraction in Action Series
Law of Attraction in Action: Concrete Use of This Power
Law of Attraction in Action: Service People
Law of Attraction in Action: Kindness
Law of Attraction in Action: Easing Your Way to Joy
Law of Attraction in Action: Smiling in Your Mirror of Other People
Law of Attraction in Action: Age
Law of Attraction in Action: Who Are You?
Law of Attraction in Action: Revenge
Law of Attraction in Action: Too Blessed to Be Stressed
Law of Attraction in Action: Recovering Your Health
Law of Attraction in Action: Respect
Law of Attraction in Action: Miracles Part 1

Law of Attraction in Action: Respect

This is my eleventh post in my Monday series on the Law of Attraction, inspired by watching Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life, the movie, expanded version.

I’ve encountered some interesting views of the concept of RESPECT. Some people tend to use the concept without really knowing what respect means. I’ve heard complaints about a boss, romantic partner, friend, service person, client, etc. saying or doing inappropriate things and called them not being respectful. Yet they never addressed what they complained about. That tells the person it’s OK to keep doing it. People complain about their opinions or input not being respected. Yet their actions attract it.

Years ago, I was on the board of an organization. During board meetings, other members would call out and often refused to follow the rules of order. Sometimes it became a free-for-all. I was the chairwoman, but when someone wanted to speak out of turn, she ignored me. I’d encourage respecting the way board meetings are supposed to be run. They scoffed. I encouraged respecting each other, and themselves as board members. One day, one said in disgust:

“You and that respect word! Don’t you get tired of it?”

No, I don’t. I try to respect others while respecting myself. Yet so many folks don’t get this concept or what a lack of respect attracts to you. When you don’t respect yourself, the Law of Attraction supports your not being treated with respect. When you don’t respect others, the Law of Attraction brings negative behavior back to you. The woman who asked that questions was normally a people pleaser. She didn’t get much respect, which may be why she bristled so much at the word.

When I was on Oprah, audience members discussed how much they please to be liked. But RESPECT? Not important!

Many equated being respected with alienating people, which is far from the truth! I understand, and felt that way when I was a DoorMat. If I didn’t jump to do someone’s bidding, that person might not like me anymore, which back then was tantamount to death. The more I gave no matter how they behaved, the less respect I got. But I didn’t care! DoorMats usually don’t like themselves anyway and feel undeserving of respect. I hated me back then and couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to respect me. Needless to say, I didn’t respect me!

When you make pleasing others most important, the Law of Attraction supports that belief and you don’t attract respect.

When you don’t respect yourself, you send the message that you’re not worthy of respect and therefore, don’t expect it, so RESPECT continues to allude you.

Oprah’s audience talked about all they did for others. One person after another sheepishly stood up to share the great lengths they took to give or do for others. Was it often reciprocated? Not really. They tried to justify it by explaining how good it felt to give and make others happy. Yet there was an underlying unhappiness in their defense of people pleasing ways. Fear drove them to give and sacrifice respect. They were scared of losing friends or just not being liked. Insecurity does that to people who were brought up to be nice, without learning to set boundaries.

Most of Oprah’s audience thought you couldn’t be liked and respected at the same time. But you can, by earning respect first.

Add RESPECT to your vocabulary! Doing that was the ticket to my first destination out of DoorMatville. As I began to respect myself and my right to have my needs too, it became easier to turn down favors I didn’t want to do. Yes, some people didn’t like not getting everything they wanted from me. And yes, a few friends disappeared. But by then I accepted that the ones who turned on me for not doing favors weren’t real friends anyway. Now I value respect and get it from most people. And since I’m still a kind and considerate person, most people still like me!

A nice person whose behavior commands respect is more sincerely liked than one who keeps friends by being agreeable.

Do you associate respect with alienating people? Au contraire, respected people get more! Respect must be earned but many of us weren’t taught how. I was taught to please, not to expect good treatment from others. And, people must be taught to treat you with respect. That begins with respecting yourself. After all, if you don’t, why should people give it to you!

Respect yourself enough to stop letting people play on your kindness! As I said, respect must be the priority. As you learn to respect yourself—which to me means expecting courteous and polite treatment from everyone—AND treating yourself with similar consideration—the Law of Attraction will bring more respect to you.

If you want to attract respect, pay attention to your behavior:

* Do you let people put you down without speaking up? Insults or unasked for input (usually criticism under the guise of “helping” you) make you feel bad, which is disrespectful. Recognize it for what it is and put a stop to it. You don’t have to be confrontational. Respectfully tell the person it’s unacceptable to say those things as it makes you feel bad and thank them for their consideration. If it happens again, remind them of what you said before and if necessary, leave.

* Do you put yourself down to make people laugh or to try to make others feel better? That’s so disrespectful to YOU. It also puts out the message that you don’t respect yourself or think you deserve good treatment. The Law of Attraction will bring it back to you as more disrespect. Listen to yourself and become aware of when you do it. When I had major body image issues Try to catch yourself when you can. Reassure others without putting yourself down and entertain with less personal jokes.

* Do you jump to be accommodating, even for people who aren’t considerate to you? Ask yourself why? What are you afraid of? Losing someone who doesn’t care about you beyond what you do for him? Not being liked by someone who uses you? Having her get mad if you say no? Think before agreeing to something. Ask yourself if the person deserves it. If no, politely decline. Then consciously feel the self-respect it brings!

Fyodor Dostoyevsky said, “…only by self-respect will you compel others to respect you.”

As long as you’re still kind, considerate, and courteous to others, you’re still being nice, even if you stop being their fairy god-DoorMat. The ONLY person you owe more to is YOU! As you begin to show yourself the respect you DESERVE, the Law of Attraction will bring it back to you. When you earn respect first and continue to be nice to others, people who aren’t just there to use you will still like you. But it can’t come the other way around. Kissing up to everyone doesn’t attract respect.

Having enough self-respect to keep your well-being as your first priority will attract a lot of respect from those who are healthy to have in your life. That’s a good use of the Law of Attraction!

Practice showing respect to yourself and to others for the RIGHT reasons—to be a courteous person, not to gain approval. When you make RESPECT part of your working vocabulary and do nothing unfair to others, you’ll like yourself more and others will like you more too. When you begin with earning respect, you can be both respected and liked.

As I valued me more, tolerance for disrespectful behavior crumbled. Since I’m friendly, fair, and courteous, most people still like me. Those who don’t—hey, it’s their problem! If you don’t feel respected, examine how YOU treat you. You get respect by respecting yourself.

As yourself, what’s more important: being liked by others, or yourself? You can guess what this recovering DoorMat chooses now! ☺ Having RESPECT for yourself and for others attracts wonderful people a situations.

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!

Law of Attraction in Action: Recovering Your Health

This is my tenth post in my Monday series on the Law of Attraction in Action, inspired by watching Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life, the movie, expanded version.

I haven’t been feeling well for 3 weeks. It began with my trip to Miami to speak. I had a lot to drag with me. On the plane, it was hard to get enough water to drink. I normally bring my own but one can’t get through security anymore with water. I brought a nice lunch, which I ate around noon. Schlepping through Miami airport took a while. When I finally got to my hotel, I was exhausted, but went downstairs to meet the others who were there to speak. Forgot to drink enough water.

Because of people arriving late, dinner wasn’t till nine. I was distracted and didn’t at least grab some of the nuts I had with me. It was a high energy evening, followed by a full day at the event I was there for. After all the schlepping, running around and going long periods without food or enough water, I began to feel shaky. The very high humidity didn’t help any either. And, I was very wound up from all the activities.

I was ragged by the second night. And it didn’t get any better!

I stayed in Miami an extra five days at an apartment someone offered me. I was kind to myself but my body didn’t want to heal. Just couldn’t unwind, which made sleep tough. As I began feeling a little better, I had to go home. That trip was more stressful than usual. Returning home, I had a lot to do and a lot on my mind. Sleep wouldn’t come easily. I began to have ailments I never had before. It was scary. I was so weirded out, stressed, and exhausted I didn’t know what to do.

So I chanted affirmations. Over and over. “I feel fabulous. I’m VERY healthy, VERY relaxed, VERY energized, and I’m sleeping VERY well. All is truly well in my world.”

For the last three weeks I’ve been saying that many times a day—with enthusiasm I didn’t feel. I thanked God too, for my good health and for feeling fabulous. And, I treated myself with the Reiki skills I have. But nothing seemed to work. During this time I had to take some smaller trips, which tended to wipe out any progress I made in getting my good health back.

But I never stopped chanting my affirmations and thanking God for my fabulous health, even though I was getting shakes and poor sleep.

I plodded through my writing with no energy. It got scary. But I tried not to talk about it much. When someone asked how I was, I resisted the urge to share my woes, and just said I was great. I wanted sympathy so badly, and reassurance. But I knew the more I complained, the more energy that went out saying that I wasn’t well. Instead I told most people nothing, or that I was good.

The two friends I mentioned it to pushed me to go to the doctor. They suggested diseases I could have. But my faith is so strong that I continued to put my health into God’s hands and enthusiastically affirmed how fabulous my health was. It actually was hard. But the more I said it the more I believed it. It continued sending my expectation of good health out to the Universe. Friday night I noticed a shift in my energy. I’d been doing affirmations and felt more relaxed. That night I fell into a deep sleep and woke up refreshed.

It felt like a miracle. But I knew it was the Law of Attraction in action. I continually put out good health. I guess it took time for my body to respond. But it did!

The common response to not feeling well is to succumb to the energy, or lack of, and put out a vibe of illness, etc. I know that the Law of Attraction will pick that up and support it. That sure wasn’t what I wanted! So despite not feeling it, I did my best to put out that I expected good health. It took a little while but eventually worked!

I’ve had people tell me they must have the flu or a bad cold when their noses get stuffed. I’ll try to suggest that maybe it’s nothing much, or allergies, but they aren’t having it! Self-diagnosis can make it worse when you expect it to be something unpleasant. Next time you don’t feel well, do what you can to nurture yourself and help the symptoms, but don’t take your mind to places of bad illness. Keep telling yourself it’s really not a big deal and you’re healing.

Let the Law of Attraction aid your healing, instead of prolonging your health problem. It really can work when you let it!

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!

Law of Attraction in Action: "Too Blessed to Be Stressed"

This is my ninth post in my Monday series on the Law of Attraction, inspired by watching Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life, the movie, expanded version.

"Too Blessed to Be Stressed"
Stress is all around us. I hear folks often discuss how stressed they are. The energy of working hard, taking care of family, and fitting everything you might want to do into a time deprived existence can lead even the most spiritual of us to be stressed. And the current economy can certainly exacerbate stress about your finances. People are more worried today than ever before, at least in my lifetime. Is my job, savings, investments, retirement fund, college fund for my kids, etc. safe?

It’s scary times right now—IF you allow it to be.

Fear, stress, worry, etc. all send the message that you don’t have total faith that everything will work out for your highest good. It expresses doubt in your spiritual power. The Law of Attraction, which isn’t selective about what to support, brings more fear, stress, worry, etc. back to you. This is so important for you to understand!

Faith can create miracles in a situation that doesn’t look good. But you must be willing to surrender your control of it and just expect it to all work out well for you.

Yes, investments are tanking, jobs are decreasing, the economy is in the toilet, the news sounds bleak. But it doesn’t mean that your world has to be bleak. Many people still have their jobs. The stock market is rebounding. It will take time to sort itself out and make a positive impact but it will happen. You can focus on all that’s wrong and attract a bad mood and negative situations, or look forward and find the blessing in your situation.

When you can put a lid on your worries, have complete faith that things will work out for you, and focus on your blessings, miracles can happen.

People post their blessings on my Conscious Gratitude Yahoo group. One lives in Houston. We didn’t hear from her for a week after the hurricane hit. When she finally had access to Internet service, she shared a long list of her blessings. I bet most people wouldn’t have found the blessings like she did! Her house was flooded. Much of her possessions are ruined.

She and her family rode out the storm at a neighbor’s house. The roof blew off and several families sat huddled together as pieces of the roof came down all around them. This woman posts her blessings every day. Her faith is strong. She wrote that as pieces of roof flew around them in the wind, it was like someone had put a bubble around the families because no one was hit with even a bit! Now that’s a miracle of faith and the Law of Attraction bringing more blessings to someone who expresses gratitude each day. She focuses on blessings and got a BIG one. And she continues to post blessings, despite still having many residual problems from the storm. Having your family and friends safe is much more valuable than anything else.

Focusing on your blessings can neutralize negatives and attract more blessings. The Law of Attraction loves to provide blessings to those who focus on them.

I recently had a visit with a woman who did work for my parents for many years. Though my parents are gone, Nazzy and I have stayed in regular touch. She and her husband Henry are in their eighties now. Yet when they walked in, they radiated the same sunshine in their positive and exuberant energy that they had when they were young.

All my questions about how they are were answered with very positive responses. “I’m blessed to still be healthy.” “I’m blessed to have my kids and grands around me.” “I’m blessed that our home is paid for.” I pushed. Surely this economy was making them stressed, since they’re not too financially solvent to begin with. But Nazzy kept smiling and in a joyous tone said,

“I’m too blessed to be stressed!”

She always focused on what she had and felt great appreciation for it. Her faith was strong that she and her family would be safe. “I’m too blessed to be stressed!” She was so happy with all she had that she couldn’t worry at all about potential problems. Since they weren’t on her mind, the Law of Attraction didn’t bring the problems or when they came, it brought solutions too. Being stressed gets supported by the Law of Attraction. Why attract it?

When life, or all the bad news about the economy get you down:

* Turn off the news on TV or radio! I normally watch the news but the last weeks I change the channel when dark scary reports air. When I listen to the radio, I do the same thing when negative stories are discussed. I don’t read newspapers too often. The news is scary. It puts thoughts in your head that attract negatives to you. I’m so much happier since I stopped listening to negative news reports. It really does all work out on the other end when you expect it to.

* Put situations that worry you into God’s hands. Whether you believe in God or the Universe or another spiritual being, put yourself in those competent hands and rest assured that things will be OK. I can’t always cope with things as well as I’d like but God can. That belief allows the Law of Attraction to bring me good outcomes.

* Remind yourself, “I’m too blessed to be stressed!” Then list your blessings and focus on them so you create more.

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!

Law of Attraction in Action: Revenge

This is my eighth post in my Monday series on the Law of Attraction in Action, inspired by watching Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life, the movie, expanded version. This DVD is much cheaper than The Secret and the bonus talks by some of the best experts on using spirituality for your highest good make it a lot more substantive!

On Friday, OJ Simpson was convicted on all counts in his trial for stealing his memorabilia back at gunpoint. For the first time, I saw the smug, arrogant smile disappear from his face and it felt great! I admit, I believe that OJ murdered his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. When he was acquitted for those crimes, I was furious. And when he so disrespectfully and egotistically wrote the book, If I Did It, I wished him great evil and wanted to punch him out. But instead, I looked up and expressed that I’d leave the revenge up to God.

I did ask Him to do what would be the most appropriate form of revenge.

When someone does you wrong, it’s normal to want revenge. You may try to figure out how to get even or want to tell the person off in a forceful way. Stop those impulses and let the Law of Attraction get revenge for you! It will, especially if you let it. Why do I advise that you don’t get the revenge yourself?

* Going after revenge keeps anger burning in you. Thinking of ways to get even puts negative thoughts out to the Universe. Anger NEVER feels good! Metaphysical Science (the mind creates physical ailments) attributes holding onto anger as the cause of cancer. It also creates other physical problems.

* Going after revenge keeps what happened on the tip of your thoughts. It makes you talk about it with friends and plot how you’ll get even. That can keep you stirred up. The Universe doesn’t interpret why you want to hurt someone. It does bring you back what you put out.

* Going after revenge attracts more negatives. Evil thoughts bring evil situations. So you’ll get more of the type of behavior you want revenge against. Then you punish yourself too. Negative thoughts don’t attract positive outcomes. Until you release revenge to the Universe, you’ll attract more of the behavior you want revenge against.

* Going after revenge wastes energy that you can use to do something good for yourself. A majority of people don’t feel better past the moment of doing something to get back at someone. Negative revenge isn’t sweet. It often keeps that person in your life, especially if he or she decides to get back at you for your revenge, which can create a vicious cycle, supported by the Law of Attraction.

* Going after revenge is unnecessary, since the Law of Attraction works better than you can. It will come at the right time in the best way possible. Accept that nothing you can do for revenge will undo what the person did or make up for it. Hurting the person doesn’t replace the money she took from you or ease the heartbreak he caused.

* You live with the consequences of your revenge. When a scorned woman shreds her ex’s clothing or lies to get him fired, she creates her own hell of negatives that will return to her. If a guy sabotages a colleague who did him wrong, he sabotages himself too.

Revenge from the Law of Attraction can take time to happen. OJ’s conviction came 13 years to the day after he was acquitted on the murder charges. Hmmm… coincidence? I think not! He had 13 years to live with what he’d done and get bolder in his arrogance that he’d gotten away with the crime and could get away with others. Thirteen years to feel relief that he didn’t have to go to prison; to think he was invincible; to reinforce his negative energy.

Many folks put it out to the Universe for OJ to get his due. The Law of Attraction found a way to bring OJ's deed back to him. He got away with murder but will now be punished for a much lesser crime that could put him away permanently. That’s how the Law of Attraction can work.

When OJ got acquitted, people wanted to kill or hurt him. They lamented about how he could get away with such evil. But killing him wouldn’t have given him the punishment he’ll now get. Guilty on all counts could easily keep him in prison for life. Living a hellish existence after 13 years of enjoying his freedom and believing he was in the clear is a fitting punishment.

Success is truly the best revenge for you to get. Let the Law of Attraction do the “dirty work” for you. Next time someone does you wrong:

* Express how you feel about it if that’s possible. Don’t yell or be nasty. Smiling will dig the point in more than an emotional response. Just let them know how you feel—once.

* Put the revenge into God’s hands. Ask for Him to bring the action back to the person in the most appropriate way at the most appropriate time. Two people have stiffed me on a money for seminar fees or consulting with rubber checks. I can honestly say I rest assured they’ve gotten theirs. Both no longer have a business website. And I’m sure they’ve been ripped off by others because of what they did to me. Meanwhile, my conscience is clear and my good reputation attracts lots of other clients.

* Tell the person you’ve put it into God’s hands and won’t bother them about it again. I love to just smile and express my confidence about the person getting what ‘s coming. A few times people have bounced a check for a book they bought. If they don’t replace it after my asking a few times, I’ll just tell them if they’re okay with putting the bad karma on their music career to save 20 bucks and the bank fee, I wish them good luck. They always send a money order.

* Be patient and move on. Don’t watch for it. Knowing it will happen is enough. Dwelling on it hurts you. Trusting it will happen and letting it go will allow the Law of Attraction to work its magic. Just know it will come at the perfect time. Happy 13-year anniversary OJ!

* Forgive the person in your heart. Having that positive spirit will attract other good opportunities to you that will make up for it. Somehow it all works out when you let it!

I’ve never regretted not doing more to get even with someone. Nicole Brown Simpson’s and Ron Goldman’s families may feel more satisfaction from this ruling than from winning the civil suit and getting little from OJ. Let the Law of Attraction assist you next time. Truly convince yourself that the Universe will deal out appropriate revenge for whatever you’re angry about. I feel more powerful than ever know I can let the Law of Attraction take care of revenge for me. And I know it will be a better revenge than I could deal up. ☺

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!

Law of Attraction in Action: Age

This is my sixth post in my Monday series on the Law of Attraction, inspired by watching Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life, the movie, expanded version, except it’s not Monday. ☺It’s been a hectic week and I couldn’t get it up till now. I’ve been on the road with little time to do anything extra. Currently I’m in Miami to speak and am staying longer just to chill and be away. That should attract feeling more relaxed!

The timing is perfect for me to discuss how our perception of age attracts a more positive or negative reality. My birthday was on Friday. That’s a day I become like a kid, celebrating another wonderful year of my life. Do you see how I phrased that? I rejoice in each year and the Universe returns that with another good one. Many people see their birthdays as a year closer to the end--bemoaning the years instead of celebrating them. And what does hating getting older attract? Lower self-esteem; fear of each year coming, which attracts stress and dampens joy.

You can’t change your age but you can change how you perceive it!

I see myself as a young chickie, though I’ve been out of my twenties for quite a while. When you feel old, it can attract rejection. Discomfort with your age attracts discomfort with yourself. Self-esteem gets damaged as you feel “less than” those younger than you. It can also make you feel like you don’t fit in with younger people, which is totally unnecessary!

I just finished 2 days at a college, speaking to students and hanging with the young people in the organization that brought me down. I fit right in, because I EXPECTED to.

If you EXPECT to feel out of place, you will! Why do that? You’re getting older. We all are. That’s part of life. But why attract unhappiness by fearing the passing years and being intimidated or ashamed of your age? I hear women of all ages lamenting their age and refusing to tell even friends how old they are. I have several friends who are younger than me, yet they won’t say their age. They know mine but can’t say theirs. It’s too painful for them. The Law of Attraction causes these women to be unhappy in other areas and it’s a shame!

Your number doesn’t change who you are unless you adopt a perspective of gloom and attract gloom for it.

I sometimes don’t tell someone my age right away. I like them to get to know me first as a person. Whether someone knows my age or not, I’m still the same girl. If they like and respect me before knowing how old I am, that shouldn’t change when they find out. If they thought I was younger and it bothers them, they can stuff it!

Your age doesn’t determine who you are. You become the person that your attitude attracts.

Last week I had lunch with a friend. As we discussed my birthday, she sadly expressed that she was dreading hers. She’s only twenty-five and looks fantastic! Yet she sat there talking about turning twenty-six like she’d shrivel up on that day. At first I laughed when she fervently mourned her upcoming birthday. But I realized this was traumatic for her. She’d be closer to thirty than twenty. Yet you don’t just become OLD on your birthday. It’s just a calendar day to remember how many years you’ve been blessed to be on this earth.

You can be twenty years old or seventy years young. It’s YOUR choice what comes after your number. I choose YOUNG!

My self-perception is ageless. I’m ageless! Just Daylle in the current package. No apologies or fears. I love me as I am and celebrate each birthday as a blessing, not a curse. I take the best care that I can to stay fit and healthy and am rewarded with a youthful look and demeanor. The Law of Attraction brings me lots of joy and contentment as each year passes. I act content, and receive it back.

Accept yourself as you are, in your own skin, with your own longevity. Rejoice in the years. You really do get better if you expect to. Sure, I feel a few more creaks and notice some small signs of age. My skin has some lines. But with good care and good products, I remain as good as I can be at any age. Own your years joyously and the Law of Attraction will bring you contentment. Celebrate your years and the Law of Attraction will bring you more to celebrate.

Always remember you’re the same person whether you admit your age or not. A number can’t change you. Only a negative attitude toward it will make you unhappy.

I get older each day and I embrace it with gratitude that I’m here, getting older, staying healthy and still looking pretty darn hot. As I live life to its fullest, the Law of Attraction makes life wonderful, despite the years ticking by. I advise you to join me in becoming ageless and not worrying about getting older. Focus on maintaining good health and doing what you can to not let age stop you from doing new things and achieving your goals.

Age doesn’t limit you. YOU limit you. But you can change that NOW by letting go of any negatives you may attach to your age and enjoy your life more! ☺

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!

Law of Attraction in Action: Smiling in Your Mirror of Other People

This is my fifth post in my Monday series on the Law of Attraction, inspired by watching Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life, the movie, expanded version.

Yesterday I was in a special mood today. Some things had gone well for me. I was doing some errands and walked by a construction worker who asked, “how are you doing today?” Normally I get very annoyed when men talk to me on the street. While I’m very friendly, I tend to put up blinders when I walk in public since I’ve had some bad experiences in the past when I responded. This is probably a reason why some people perceive New Yorkers as being cold. We’re not! But there are some unsavory characters here.

Construction workers can be annoying. Responding to a friendly hi from one can lead to personal comments about body parts or sexual innuendos. It’s uncomfortable to have to field these kind of statements. And then there are men who try to put women on the spot to talk to them. It’s starts with an innocent comment but if we respond to be polite, it can morph into an intrusion.

So I tend to ignore all comment, etc. to avoid an unpleasant situation. Until today…

I’m not sure why but when the construction worker asked how I was doing, I breezed by him and replied, “I’m great. And how are you?” And I smiled. He smiled back, perhaps surprised to get an answer, and friendliness. It felt good and I took the good feeling with me, walking away smiling. And a funny thing happened.

The Law of Attraction brought that vibe back to me for the rest of the day.

I went to the supermarket and the guy behind the deli counter said, “hi, how are you doing today?” So did the cashier. All day long people smiled and asked how I was doing. It put me in a good mood each time. I smiled a lot more than I normally do while doing mundane errands. After a while I even laughed to myself. Changing my expectation of getting a bad result from being friendly to strangers attracted friendliness from people I didn’t know wherever I went.

We get back what we put out. That Law of Attraction works for or against us in all areas of living and interactions with people.

If you walk around with a chip on your shoulder, you’ll meet more people whose behavior reflects the ones who put the chip there since that’s the expectation you’re putting out. If your demeanor is a friendly one, more people will be friendly to you. Yesterday I felt cheerier than I have in a while. Responding in a friendly manner to the construction worker was a simple thing that put me in a good mood for the entire day because I got friendliness and good cheer from everyone who crossed my path.

While I don’t encourage talking to all strangers who talk to you, be aware of how the Law of Attraction brings friendliness and smiles back to you. New York may seem unfriendly to many people but in my little corner of it, it’s bright and cheerful. I like to be friendly, expect friendliness, and my world is friendly!

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!

Law of Attraction in Action: Easing Your Way to Joy

This is my fourth post in my series on the Law of Attraction, inspired by watching Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life, the movie, expanded version. I learned about the Law of Attraction from her books and was re-inspired by watching the DVD with so many great guests. There will be a new post related to this each Monday.

Lately I’ve heard many people complain that life is a struggle, they have to work so hard that it’s hurting them and they’ve lost their pleasure. While I spend a lot of time writing and doing what I have to do, I always make time for me. Sometimes when I’m in overdrive and feeling too much pressure, I step back and remind myself that:

God doesn’t want us to put our health in jeopardy or make ourselves miserable in the pursuit of what we want.

That’s when I pull back, take some breaths and relax. Then I make a new game plan, one that includes my well-bring. When your faith is strong, it’s not necessary to struggle or kill yourself working. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to work hard. You do. Since you get support for what you put out, you get support for what you do. The Law of Attraction supports your efforts, positive or negative.

Put out your life as a struggle, it will continue to be a struggle. Show that you’re willing to work hard for what you want in a reasonable way, and you’ll have a much better chance of getting there. Add faith to the mix and you have the recipe for success! There is a middle ground between struggling and sitting around praying for something to happen.

Relax but work hard, knowing that you have the support you need!

One of my favorite spiritual tool givers, Abraham Hicks, said, "You cannot struggle to joy. Struggle and joy are not on the same channel. You joy your way to joy! You laugh your way to success. It is through your joy that good things come." He is so right! Enjoying the path to your goals attracts the joy of achieving them.

I have no day job. Many people envy me but I explain that most couldn’t live the way I do. Having no guaranteed source of income would be too scary. When I’m beginning a new book, I have no idea about what kind of deal I’ll get and for how big an advance. Counseling/consulting clients come and go, as do speaking gigs and people who want help with their books. Yet I live in a large, one bedroom apartment in one of the nicest sections of midtown Manhattan!

Friends have actually tried to worry for me, when work isn’t on the horizon. They’ve questioned my refusal to touch my savings when my checking account was empty as I smiled and reassured them that the money would come. Now they’ve learned that my situation is never about IF I’ll get enough money each money, but about WHERE it will come from.

Faith always helps me pay my bills! I always have enough money for whatever I need.

Worrying about where your money comes from shows a lack of faith. So does fear, and having a mentality of being in a struggle to survive. If money gets tight, I look up, say thanks for the income coming my way, and work hard to manifest. But I never make getting it a struggle. I know that God wants me to be relaxed and happy. So I do what I can, without pushing the boundaries between working hard and working too hard. I have such strong faith that everything will always work out and money will come, that it always does!

Faith allows you to KNOW what you need is coming. The more you KNOW, the more the Law of Attraction helps it to happen.

Work your way to this point slowly, by testing faith in action. The more it works, the more you’ll use it. Next time you feel like you’re in a struggle, whether it’s to have enough money, do something to make more money, launch a business, decide whether you should leave a romantic partner who’s not making you happy, maintain self-imposed obligations, etc.:

* Take some deep breaths. Calm yourself down so you can think more rationally and feel better at the same time. The more you relax, the more relaxation will come!

* Remind yourself you shouldn’t be struggling so hard, unless you want to keep struggling. It’s never necessary to struggle in order to reach your goals. Work hard, yes. Struggle—no! Affirm, “I can calmly get what I need.”

* Ask the Universe for guidance and support. Then keep your eyes open for opportunities or ways to bypass what you’ve been struggling with.

* Change your attitude to one of expectation. When you expect to get what you’re working for, you get support in that. Affirm, “I intend to get what I need in a relaxed and joyful way.”

* Look up and give thanks for what you intend to receive, as if you have it already. Do it as many times as you can. The more you give thanks for what you expect to receive, the stronger the Law of Attraction becomes.

Someone I know who posts on a board I participate in has been trying to sell a small business she built up. She’s had 8 offers that all fell through and says she’d struggling to sell it. Each time an offer gets close, she talks about how tough it’s been since none of the deals work out. They’re almost at closing and something happens to foil it. She just got another one and began by saying she hopes this doesn’t go like the others. I emailed her and suggested she focus on just giving thanks for the deal going through, instead of the struggle she’d had trying to sell it. She wrote back that she’d give thanks in a few weeks IF it happens.

That mind-set reinforces doubt and her constant rehashing of deals gone bad is what the Law of Attraction picks up on. I replied that she’d get the deal if she gave thanks for it now.

Whenever you feel in struggle mode, think about what would make you happy. Focus on that and how you can get there, without it being a tough journey. When you get to the place I’m in, your faith will allow you to relax and work hard in the joy of knowing you’ll have what you need. It truly is a lovely place to be! Please join me! ☺ Put the Law of Attraction to work for your better good!

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!

The Law of Attraction in Action: Kindness

This is my third start the week post in my series on the Law of Attraction that was inspired by watching Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life, the movie, expanded version. I learned about the Law of Attraction from her books and was re-inspired by watching the DVD with so many great guests.

We all have the power to heal our lives. You influence what happens to you each moment. When you stay conscious of your actions and thoughts, you can guide your path to more goodies.

But, the best way to attract good stuff is to make doing good stuff a lifestyle.

My next book, Nice Girls Can Finish First disputes the belief that nice guys finish last. But I’m talking REAL NICE, not doing things for others so they’ll like you or to get something in return. Giving unconditional love and kindness reaps the most rewards!

When I lived in DoorMatville, I thought I was nice, but I wasn’t. I desperately needed to be liked and did things for others, often at the expense of my time, money or other things I couldn’t afford. Having people around me and being “liked” by everyone was worth sacrificing my own needs! I stifled the reality that people were with me because I bought them. Deep down, I still felt lonely, since I knew there were few people I could truly count on.

Fast forward to today: I still like to help people when I can but it’s to be kind, not to barter for something.

The Law of Attraction is always on. It doesn’t just work when you do or think something special. When I was a DoorMat, I attracted more situations that helped me continue to be a DoorMat. Today, being a kind person attracts real kindness to me. I’m not kind for reciprocation. When you’re kind, you may not get a reward for it instantly. But it does come back to you, especially if you’re aware enough to recognize when it does.

A few weeks ago, I stopped into Au Bon Pain, one of my favorite places to grab a quick bite or cup of their awesome hazelnut coffee. An elderly lady with a walker was struggling to reach the coffee and asked if I’d help her. I was happy to. So I filled her cup, put in the milk, walked her to the cashier and then to a table. To me it was no big deal—a few minutes of time to do what seemed like just common courtesy to a senior. I felt good helping and she was grateful—a win/win in my book!

So I was surprised when the manager gave me a half price employee discount to thank me for helping the lady. Instant Law of Attraction result!

I was in the same Au Bon Pain on Saturday. Surprisingly, there was another senior in need of help. Once again I provided assistance—a mere 2 minutes of time to be kind. When I got to the register, I joked with the same manager that I seem to come in when seniors have problems. He remembered me and profusely thanked me for being kind, and, said my purchase was on him. He appreciated my reaching out to help and wanted to show his gratitude.

The Law of Attractions doesn’t always work so fast. It is fun when it does.

This was a strong reminder of how REAL kindness attracts more kindness. Some people encourage practicing “random acts of kindness.” To me that means being kind to others when you can, without expecting something in return. For me the act of kindness is reward enough. I enjoy knowing that I’ve helped someone when possible. I did greatly appreciate the bonus I got at Au Bon Pain. It’s nice to see that others appreciate kindness. But I did it without knowing what I’d receive.

Keep your eyes open for at least the next day and see if you can find a way to be kind to someone, just because.

Take pleasure in knowing you’ve made someone’s day a little brighter. It truly will come back to you, often in ways you least expect, like it did for me. The more good you put out, the more good you’ll receive. That’s how the Law of Attraction works!

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!

The Law of Attraction in Action: Service People

Every Monday I’ll try to post something for my Law of Attraction series that I was motivated to start after watching the You Can Heal Your Life, the movie, expanded version, from Louise Hay. I want to share the lessons I’ve learned for manifesting a happier life and specific goodies. Today I’ll address how I used a spiritual approach, along with the techniques I spell out in my upcoming Nice Girls Can Finish First book (which work for guys as well!), to deal with an ongoing problem with my Apple iBook G4 laptop.

First I’ll say I’m a devout Mac-a-holic! I’ve always bought Apple computers and plan to continue. We Mac-a-holics are known for our loyalty to the brand. And my iBook G4 is absolutely my favorite by far.

As a professional writer, I live in my computer, so I get attached. This laptop fits so perfectly on a table when I take it for brunch or to a coffee shop to do some writing. It’s lighter than the others too. But while I love the laptop in general, I didn’t love the loud buzzing noises it made, and the quirky irregular patterns I noticed. At first I just lived with it. But, I didn’t like my battery burning out suddenly. I got another but after the computer got especially loud and had weird symptoms, the second one went from lasting 4 ½ hours to just over an hour in a day. So I brought it in to the Apple Genius Bar. Since I was under warranty, I got a free battery and a suggestion to have it sent out for repairs.

After several more visits to stop the loud fan noise and other issues, I was tired of the tech guys acting like nothing was wrong with it and they wouldn’t let me leave it for repair. Then, almost by divine intervention, my screen suddenly went dark. That was a problem they had to acknowledge and I left it with them in February. Several parts were replaced. I was lucky to be able to borrow a laptop during that time.

After 2 weeks of writing bliss on a quiet laptop, the loud noises resumed. I was writing 2 books at once, along with a few smaller projects, and couldn’t afford to be without it. I tried the Genius bar but was again pooh-poohed and only half listened to when I laid out the patterns I’d observed. My warranty was going to expire this week so I needed to do something. Then the same pattern as last time cranked the noise up higher and my battery went again. But I didn’t want to have to go back in and argue with someone who might not listen carefully or take my problem seriously.

Each time I went to the store, I felt like they treated me like I imagine a doctor who thinks someone is a hypochondriac does. Since the noises, etc. mainly happened intermittently, and after I’d been working for a while, the tech guys never heard them or saw most of the other things. Or they blamed it on the settings.

So I did what I advise in my book. I went to the Consumer Action website and called the number they had for Apple. I asked for a supervisor when someone answered and was put through to a Product Specialist after I explained my problem, without letting my anger or frustration show. I spoke nicely to the Product Specialist as I explained that I wanted everything recorded, before I brought the laptop in, since I needed it fixed right this time. He listened carefully to my list of symptoms and wrote them down. It was a relief.

The Product Specialist said it was probably the Logic board (which many others who knew Macs had suggested) or the DC inboard. He assured me that he’d made careful notes in my file and he’d monitor the repair. Once again I borrowed a laptop and brought it in, 3 weeks ago. I asked to have it sent out but they insisted on keeping it. Three days later someone called and asked what was wrong with it. I told him the notes were all there but went through it again with him.

The next day, someone else called to say they found the problem—my battery was no good! Hello! That’s a symptom, not the cause. I almost went ballistic that no one had read the notes so far or paid attention to all the things that were going wrong