I feel like an egg that’s been cracked open, and all my gooey insides are running out. It has been quite a day…a week. To feel better, I did two things. First, I spent an hour on my radio show ruminating about how we create value—how we value ourselves, how money or talents are valued—and how we can confuse those two things so easily. And then I went shopping. (Yes, I really did. And I found a really great blouse.)
But I promised listeners of yesterday’s Flowdreaming show that we would continue this conversation about worth—especially self-worth. My own self-worth has been rocked pretty hard lately. And you know how things seem to happen at once? Well, I have news: they don’t just seem to—they do. That’s a perfect instance of Flow in action—whatever you begin to experience “moves forward” energetically, like the wake that precedes a boat in the water—to contaminate (for good or bad) your future experiences. What you feel in response to your present will condition or “mold” what will occur next. So if you feel crummy about yourself, you can bet a gang of things will come in to support continuing that experience. If you’re feeling a streak of low self-worth, you can bet that a slew of stuff will come to you to reinforce this feeling. This is what you call “going from bad to worse.”
Things do shift, of course. Every flow peters out. Winds change. Your mood changes. You beliefs change. And then you swing back on course again. You get a compliment. Someone tells you they love you. Someone lets you know you helped them, or that something you did was really good. Your self-worth peeks its head up from the dirty clothes pile where it’s been hiding, and you gulp and say, “I can manage one more day.” You have confidence once again.
This is, incidentally, where our economy is at right now. We’ve gone from bad to worse, not because anything about us has changed, but because we’re in a state of collective, paralyzing fear. We think, “What if I don’t have a job tomorrow?” And so we don’t spend money, instead stockpiling for that rainy day, or trying to finally address that mountain of debt we’ve been pulling along.
And businesses are doing the same thing: the men and women who run them are thinking, “People aren’t going to be out buying stuff.” So they lay off people, order less, or let stock dwindle. Less output means that the people who make the stuff they sell, lose their jobs. And on it continues. It’s a crisis of confidence. Business confidence, economic confidence, internal confidence—all the same thing. When we live in fear and feelings of low confidence, our lives reflect this scarcity. When economically, our business leaders and banks feel this way, our economy reflects the scarcity. It’s not about money, actual money. It’s about human feeling.
Money in itself is just an energy condition. Money isn’t just paper currency or coins, or IUOs or mutual fund valuations. That is just the physical “body” of money, like your body is not really the “you” of you. Money is a unit of value that we totally make up! It helps to think of money like this—like a person—with both a body and a deeper spirit or essence. So ask yourself, What is my relationship to this person like?
When you think about money, do you always feel fearful? Do you think it will leave you, like a spouse running out on a 30-year marriage? Do you mistrust it, thinking it is fickle and unreliable? This feeling shows you exactly how you relate to money. And if money was a person, how would it react to these feelings from you? If you’ve been sending it your hurt, doubt, frustration, or fear for a long time, chances are it wants to stay away from you.
You have also probably tied this relationship to your income or work into your own internal sense of self-worth.
So few of of were ever brought up to to think that we, ourselves, were intrinsically of high value. And we should be treated as such. So we value ourselves based on all kinds of outside criteria. Sometimes I get caught up valuing myself on the coolness of my job, or my paycheck. But if both were gone tomorrow, would I be any less? I hope not. Because this could happen. Anything could happen. Where will your Flow lead you next? What new adventure will you be off on? Your sense of internal value shouldn’t be tied to anything so transient in your life as a job or paycheck. These will always come and go. Money as an energy, however, as a friend, will show its constancy to you, if you are a friend to it—if you treat it well, spend it well, tell it you love having it in your life. It will find a way to get more of itself to you, like a friend who wants to spend time in your company.
Our economy, too, will rebound only when we begin showing it our faith. All of us—bank managers, business people, farmers and homemakers. But to make this happen, all of us must have internal self-worth and a feeling of “I’m good enough for this. I can make this happen!”
Remember, as I said on my February 3, 2009 Flowdreaming show today: You are a diamond. Let everyone see that value. And watch as life (and your Flow) begin reflecting all the facets of your brilliance back to you.
Tags: frustration, money, Resistance, wealth, work
Dear Summer,
Thanks for all the gifts that you share! Bravo to you for starting to blog!!!!
Last night my husband Nick, now in the Boston area and I, now in
Fort Lauderdale both listened to your great radio show! You may remember
that I let you know that about six months ago I went away for the weekend
and my husband “discovered” your flowdreaming CDs on my side of the bed.
He has been a fan of yours ever since! All I had to do was call him and tell
him that you were on the radio last night and he tuned in immediately!!!!
He now listens to you CDs and flow dreams daily! Thanks be to you!
Thanks be to God! Thanks for being the diamond that you are and reminding us that we are all diamonds! May 2009 bring you Summer,
many many more opportunities to share your gifts and to be compensated
beyond your fondest dreams!
oceans of love to you,
Jody Ebling
http://www.jodyebling.com
Dear Summer,
I am happy that you are doing a BLOG. I’ve met you at several of the Las Vegas “I Can Do It!” conferences. I am glad to have you share what you know — and what you are learning — through this BLOG. I will share it with my friends and family.
Whatever has caused you to feel as you do will take you to the next level. I’m sure you know that but now is the time to remember it. While reminding you it is reminding me to remember it!
Yes this is a time of uncertainty for us all and yet as Deepak Chopra says in The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, “In detachment lies the wisdom of uncertainty… in the wisdom of uncertainty lies the freedom from our past, from the known, which is the prison of past conditioning. And in our willingness to step into the unknown, the field of all possibilities, we surrender ourselves to the creative mind that orchestrates the dance of the universe.” We must all be willing to do what’s next.
Please also remember that you are love, you are loving, and you are loved. You are a beautiful person inside and out. I enjoy the way you write. You do a wonderful job interviewing Hay House authors. I love the sound of your voice. You have the perfect voice for radio and CDs.
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and life lessons in this BLOG.
Thank you!
Love & Hugs,
Margaux Joy DeNador
Thank you Summer for your blog. I appreciate how uplifting and positive it makes me feel. I’m a dedicated listener of your program on Hayhouse radio for about a year now. I will definitely share this valuable information with my friends and family. Please continue the great work, I look forward to you program each week.
Dear Summer:
In light of your article about self-worth and money, I have an interesting perspective. I’ve been flowdreaming A LOT in the past few weeks (almost every day). This week, my freelance work has virtually haulted and I learned that I lost thousands of dollars in investments. So, I thought either this flow thing doesn’t work or I’m doing it all wrong. But in the wake of the storm though, a new clarity emerged. I realize that I was not valuing myself or my worth enough to attract money and this loss was necessary to gain something more important. This new reality has forced me to decide what it is that I value most in my life. It has helped me understand that true prosperity and wealth is something that cannot be measured in dollars.
Without valuing one’s self, creating abundance or money is an exercise in futility. I believe the flow brought me first an experience to gain insight so that I may now be in a place to receive future blessings.
I am curious if you have found that the flow brings you what you need at that very moment even if it appears at first consideration to not be what you asked for.
Thanks!
Melissa
Hi Melissa,
Your insight is exceedingly on point. Yes, like you, I am also looking at some recent “setbacks” and thinking, “This sucks, but my Flow got me into this, my Flow will get me out.” And already, after just a week, I am seeing clarity through the storm. I think in the past, I would have wallowed a lot longer in my misery, but having practiced in the Flow for so long, I know that sometimes you take L-shaped turns, or even U-turns, when your Flow has something to tell you or turn you toward. The winds change, and at first they can seem really obscure. So I seem to be coming out of this faster than I had expected. That in itself is a gift (anyone who’s been through grief or depression will know that any shortening of its duration is a blessing!). It sounds like you, too have, found a giant wall to bust down (or shall we say, “glide through!”) that can now bring you even better things.
And thank you all of you for your wonderful observations and sweet words here!
So true, about the economy and our crappy attitudes, and about everything. When people keep preaching “economic downturn” and “global crisis” and blah blah blah, I just want to say “Shhhhhh!”
But I think sometimes we (as individuals, as societies) have to experience a negative flow (if that’s the right way to describe it). We have to go downhill long enough to gain the inertia to go flying up an even bigger hill. And oh, the view from there.
Hi Summer,
We all know that change starts with each of us first. In the economy situation, it helps if people control their environment. What I mean is that, yes we know the economy is not doing well, but do we need to watch it everyday on the news, etc.? If things in a person’s own world are going well, then they need to honor that with the feeling of gratitude. Bless what they already have to keep the flow staying positive. Then they can ask themselves the question, “I may not be able to change the world’s economy, but I can do my part by controlling what I can” which is taking steps to make my “personal” economy better. If someone has mounds of debt, what steps can they do to pay a little extra a month? Each of us needs to help our own economy, personally, which will give us the inner feeling of confidence, which will replace the fear collectively. This would eventually have a huge impact on our thinking as a whole. Many times when a person feels down in the dumps, it usually stems from their thinking or what they are allowing in to their personal space or environment. Who are we hanging around that is negative? What are we listening to? What are we watching and drawing into our thoughts? We need to stay positive, listen to programs such as yours on Hay House Radio, read good books, visualize great things, and take time to do something good for ourselves (our inner self). When we are doing well on the inside, the outer world for us falls into place.
I do not have your book yet, but it is on my list of definite must haves! My birthday is coming up and that was one of my requests! You are doing a great job Summer! I wish we could get Hay House Radio on our car radios…maybe that could be possible in the future? Remember that when we give out to others, that is energy expended, and we need to take time for ourselves to replenish that energy so we can keep the positive flow circulating. Maybe that is why you had a moment of feeling depleted. You give so much to others that you also needed to take the time to love yourself and give back to your spirit also.
Thanks for all that you do and share! Have a great day!
Linda
I also think that such setbacks are the most precise indicators of how “off” we are from our natural flow, which may really be a blessing in the end, because it forces us to deal with the subconscious limitations that we are unaware of. Even if we don`t know what the limitations are, from the results we are getting we can tell for sure they are there.
Hi Melissa,
I don’t know if this will help, but it has helped me. When I do affirmations or put the ideas of Summer’s Flowdreaming into practice, I think of it as my daily habit or practice of staying on track. I don’t look at any of these positive habits as the cure all miracle that will guarantee that everything in my life will always be free of hiccups. Everytime we experience a negative experience, we should bless that as an opportunity for us to learn something. If our lives were perfect, we would never have the opportunity to continue to grow more than where we are now personally and spiritually. But whe things don’t go the way you want them to, that is when you reach for your “toolbox” of ways to stay on track and begin your flowdreaming or affirmations, etc. so that you don’t stay in the negative moment. It is like your drink of water in the desert that saves you. Your experience was what you needed spiritually. you made the realization that money and success isn’t what will make you happy; happiness always comes from the inside out. So in a way, you did get what you asked for, which was the experience of learning what “value” means in life. That in itself was a great return on your investment! Sounds like you are heading the right direction, and keep doing Summer’s Flowdreaming to keep you there.
–Linda
Thank you , Summer I have be listening to you for some time now.Flow dreaming on radio or cd’s. The investment you have made in my Life is priceless. As well as all the shows that I gleam from.What a blessing.This last show about Self-Worth. The Spirit is clear to hear,feel and touch. Young Lady you are a Master. Blessings to all your Endeavors.
Peace to you & your Household
Yvonne
ohh. Sorry to hear you got a few curveballs showing up in your life right now Summer.. I can sense it in your words and thanks for being courageous doing this blog as you are going through some personal tough times. It helps set an example to not re-treat and going into personal recession when life is not working smoothly and their are storms manifesting. I’m sure you can sail this out into calmer and smoother waters soon.
You deserve more boom times in your life and I’m sure your can sail to that part of the ocean of your life soon
Take care and happy manifesting
Shaun
Thanks Summer and Linda … I really appreciate your insights and encouragement. By the way, since my last posting, I received a check in the mail from someone who owed me a few hundred dollars. I had been waiting almost six months for the check and had given up hope on every being repaid. Funny enough, that was the exact amount I was short this month. Amazing!
-Melissa, New York
H Melissa,
Keep doing your Flowdreaming! What I have found valuable with Summer’s technique is that it really reminds us about how important our emotions are. We have such ingrained beliefs, which in turn reflects in our thinking and ultimately our emotions. The Flowdreaming technique is a great exercise to help change our beliefs by using our emotions and thoughts first (sort of working backwards towards the beliefs). Most of us learn and remember our past experiences by what we picture in our mind, so to have a technique that guides your “picture process” is great so that you can carry that image with you. I think it is great what you learned, regarding the true meaning of value. It is funny when we think we want something, ultimately we get what we need in a roundabout way, which may be totally the reverse of what we think we want. When you let go of your “needing” the money, by releasing it as Summer says, you were able to receive it. I always tell myself that you can’t receive with closed hands; you must be willing to open them and be receptive to receiving. So it is with this example, you let go (released the neediness of the situation) and opened up to allow whatever was meant to come your way. Glad you had a good outcome!
–Linda
Hi Summer,
Thanks so much for teaching us how to flowdream. Actually I have been experiencing this before I heard your teachings but didn’t realize what I was doing. In the past I was experiencing flowdreaming during my prayer times. I have expanded my flowdreaming with your teachings and the CD’s.
I did your original Prosperity Challenge and later bought and have been doing the 2 week prosperity CD’s. I feel truly blessed by all of the great things that have come my way. I won $79 on a scratch off, $500 in a lotto game, had $10,000 in loan forgiveness (this one was in the works prior to the flowdreaming but I feel that flowdreaming helped to nudge it along because this loan forgiveness program has had some funding issues.), my eyes have been opened to how I can save 50 to 100 percent on my grocery bill; this has allowed me to save more, spend less and do necessary maintenance and repairs on my house. These are just a few of my many blessings and doors that have been opened due to flowdreaming. I am looking forward to some day soon getting into real estate investing with a mentor group. I believe that my flow will guide me and assist me in achieving success with this as well.
Thank you so much. However, I do have two questions. I have been trying for the last 6 months or so to win one of my states’ lotto jackpot (abt $25,000). I want to win not just once but several times in a year. I see and visualize this as a stream of income for me. When I play I usually do win something. I visualize and pre-feel the situation but still have not won the jack pot. I also have faith and believe that it will happen. What am I doing wrong? I want to use the money to bring myself further out of debt and to put it into my home so that I can sell my home in the next 3 to 5 years for a profit and buy a newer, nicer home.
Lastly, for the last couple of months I have been feeling really down, I guess a little depressed. I am not sure of the source. I was thinking it’s because it’s the winter season. However, I am unhappy a lot days with my job. When I flow dream it brings me out of this mood; but today I am feeling down to the point that I don’t want to do anything- flowdream, exercise (I’ve lost a lot of weight in the last 1.5 years-some has come back though), I don’t want to talk to anyone or be around anyone, and I don’t want to go to work Monday. What does this mean? What can I do? Is this a sign that a big positive change is on the horizon for me and that I just need to keep doing the things I know are good for me to help me make it through? (I feel like crying right now, too.)
Ohhhh Summer, this past days I was felling less encourage to do flowdream, but I did any way, I knew sooner or latter the flow will appear, a few minutes ago I was driving from work and I heard this episode and I went into my flow, wow!! in the middle of the road I started crying but happiness tears when I remember my flow!! Thanks Summer,
Hi Summer:
I text random statements from your shows that really resonate with me to my contacts list and they in turn are touched by your wisdom and benefit by it! Thanks for creating and continuing to create Flowdreaming:)
Michelle