The Law of Attraction is an amazing Universal Truth, ancient in its roots but made popular again with a rush of material in popular media. The basic idea is that you have the power to set your intentions about what you want in life and then attract it to you via focused thought. While many people have had initial success with this concept, there seemed to be something missing from the equation. There was quiet restlessness beginning to stir in the spiritual new thought world. I, as well as a growing number of others, began wanting something more, something deeper, and something more meaningful. Some people began to grow frustrated and weary with trying to “think themselves” into successful lives and loving relationships.

In the movie, The Secret, we were told how to utilize The Law of Attraction to manifest. The guidelines were 1: Ask. 2: Wait. 3. Receive. Sounds simple. However, I, as well as many others, began to become weary of Step 2, waiting. It began to feel more like giving my power away to something or someone outside of myself, waiting until I had thought enough good thoughts, to deem me worthy of Step 3, receiving. I then realized, waiting was never meant to be a passive step!

In the movie, The Secret, Jack Canfield, best-selling author of Chicken Soup for the Soul and featured in The Secret, shared with us how he set his intention to become a best-selling author, using the formula presented in the movie. He did step 1: he asked. Next, step 2: waiting. Now, did he sit back and do nothing while he waited? NO! He and co-author Mark Victor Hansen developed what they called the Rule of 5. They did five things, each and every day, to promote their project. By doing this for sixteen months, their book finally became a best seller. Step 3: Receive. They gladly received the fruits of success, but during that wait, there was some action taking place!

The missing principle is called The Law of Action, and can be defined as the forward movement we put to our intentions. People have grown tired of waiting. We want to feel empowered to breathe life into our dreams. The Law of Action enables us to do just that. By giving us the momentum we have been looking for, it helps us to move beyond thinking in terms of what is possible into acting on those possibilities. While waiting may be necessary at times, Jack and Mark waited for sixteen months, we can still apply action to our goals and take small steps every day.

The Law of Action requires you to take a proactive role in creating your life. It isn’t about leaving The Law of Attraction behind. This concept is still very necessary, but it is only a foundational step. It gives your actions purpose. Adding congruent action to your desires creates powerful change. However, there is a dance which balances both of these concepts. There is a time for silence, for vision, for focused intent; there is also a time for action. First, decide what you want, then take reasonable steps toward those goals. As you take these steps, you will notice you begin attracting what you need to take further action and the further action you take, the more you create what you want. When something feels forced, take a step back, reassess, but don’t get stuck there. There is a vast difference between “standing on your truth” and demonstrating plain human stubbornness. I like to check in during those times with asking myself the questions “is this moving me closer to my desires, or further away” or “am I fighting for my limitations or living for my possibilities?” Moving from the space of imagining, feeling, and thinking about the goal and into action, or movement toward that goal, is essential.

I invited you to discover the amazing power of the Universal Law of Action. Ask yourself what can you do today, beyond thinking your intentions, to move yourself closer to what you desire? What step, or steps, can you take? Every step you take is to be celebrated! It is in each of these steps you begin to bring your intentions to life, creating an empowered life, full of what you desire!

Author's Bio: 

Sherri Carter, MS, Supervising Editor for www.AllThingsHealing.com, believes strongly in the power of Universal Principles. She is the leading expert for the Universal Law of Action. Her best-selling book, Live Your Intentions, The Power of Action, focuses on empowering people to actively create the lives they desire. She has been published and interviewed in several national platforms including Huffington Post and Unity Magazine. For more information, or to work with Sherri, please visit www.liveyourintentions.net.