by Louise Hay
We decided that if we were going to live by the philosophy, we were not going to operate under the old concepts of doing business. If problems arose, we would spend time affirming what we wanted to change.
We also had a soundproof “screaming room,” where employees could let off steam without being heard or judged. It was also a place where they could meditate or relax, and we supplied it with plenty of tapes for people to listen to. It became a safe haven in times of difficulty.
I remember a time when we were having many problems with our computer system, and every day something would break down. Because I believe machines reflect our consciousness, I realized that many of us were sending negative energy to the computers and we were expecting them to constantly break down. I had an affirmation programmed into the computer, “Good Morning, how are you today? I work well when I am loved. I love you.” In the morning when everyone turned on their computers, that message would appear. Its amazing how we had no more problems with our computers.
Sometimes we think of things that happen, especially at work, as “disasters.” But we must look at them for what they are—simply life experiences that always teach us something. I know that I have never had a “disaster” that did not end up a good learning experience in the end, and it often moved me to a much better level in life.
For instance, recently my company, Hay House, was not doing so well. Like the economy, our sales would go up and down and it appeared that sales were down and staying that way, at least for the moment. However, we did not adjust to that and month after month we were spending more than we took in. Anyone who has owned a business knows that that is not the way to do it. Eventually it looked as if I would lose my business if I didn’t take some “drastic measures.”
Those “drastic measures” included letting go of over half of my staff. You can imagine how difficult it was for me to do that. I remember walking into the conference room, where all my staff had gathered, to deliver the news. I was in tears, but I knew that it had to be done. As difficult as it was for all of us, I also trusted that my much loved employees would soon find new and better jobs. And almost all of them have! Some of them have even started their own businesses and are very successful. At the darkest time I kept knowing and affirming that this experience would turn out to be for the highest good of all concerned.
Of course, everyone else assumed the worst. Rumors were flying that Hay House was belly up. Not just within the people I knew, but all over the country! Our sales staff were surprised that so many business people even knew about our company, let alone its financial condition. I have to admit that we took great joy in proving those forecasts wrong. By tightening our belts tremendously, we didn’t go belly up. With our smaller staff, and each of us determined to make it work, we’ve come through it very well, but most importantly we have learned a lot.
In the meantime, Hay House is now doing better than ever. My staff is enjoying their work and I am enjoying my staff. Even though we are all working harder, the interesting thing is that no one feels that they have too much work to do. We are even getting more books out than we ever had and are attracting much more prosperity in all areas of our lives.
I believe that everything does work out for the best in the end, but sometimes it is hard to see that while you are going through the experience. Think of a negative experience that may have happened to you in your work or in you past, in general. Perhaps you were fired or maybe your spouse left you. Now go beyond it and take a look at the big picture. Didn’t many good things happen as a result of that experience? I’ve heard so many times, “Yes, that was a horrible thing that happened to me, but if it hadn’t, I never would have met so-and-so … or start my own business … or admit that I had an addiction … or learn to love myself.”
By trusting the Divine Intelligence to let us experience life in the way that is best for us, we empower ourselves to actually enjoy everything that life has to offer; the good as well as the so-called bad. Try applying this to your work experiences and notice the changes that happen to you.
Those who own or operate businesses can begin to function as an expression of Divine Intelligence. It is important to keep the lines of communication open with employees and allow them to express their feelings about their work in a safe way. Make sure the offices are a neat and clean place to work. Here again, clutter in an office reflects the consciousness of the people working there. With all the physical clutter, how can the mental or intellectual tasks be done well and on time? You could adopt a statement of purpose that reflects the desired philosophy of your business. At Hay House we feel our purpose is: “Creating a world where it is safe for us to love each other” When you allow Divine Intelligence to operate in all aspects of business, then everything flows on purpose and according to a divine plan. The most wonderful opportunities will fall in your lap.
I see many businesses beginning to change. There will come a time when business will not be able to survive using the old ways of competition and conflict. One day we will all know that there is plenty for everyone and that we bless and prosper each other. Companies can begin to shift their priorities and make it a great place for their workers to express themselves, and have their products and services benefit the planet in general.
People want to get more out of their work than just a paycheck. They want to contribute to the world and feel fulfilled. In the future, the ability to do good on a global level will overshadow the need for materialism.
Chapter 13
The Totality of Possibilities
Each one of us is totally linked with the Universe and with all of life. The Power is within us to expand the horizons of our consciousness.
Now I want you to stretch even further. If you have been on the pathway and doing work on yourself for some time, does that mean you have nothing else to do? Are you really going to sit on your laurels and rest? Or do you realize that this inner work is a lifetime occupation, and once you start, you really never stop? You can hit plateaus and take vacations, but basically it’s a lifetime’s worth of work. You may want to ask yourself what areas you still need to work on and what you need. Are you healthy? Are you happy? Are you prosperous? Are you creatively fulfilled? Do you feel safe? Do you feel secure?
Limitations Learned from the Past
There is an expression I like to use a lot—the totality of possibilities. I learned it from one of my early teachers in New York—Eric Pace. It always gave me such a taking-off place for letting my mind go beyond what I thought possible; far beyond the limited beliefs I grew up with when I was young.
Being a child, I didn’t understand that the passing criticisms of grown-ups and friends were just the result of a bad day or a small disappointment and really weren’t true. I accepted these thoughts and beliefs about myself willingly, and they became a part of my limitations. I may not have looked awkward, or dumb, or silly, but I sure felt it.
Most of us create the ideas we believe about life by the time we are five years old. We add a little bit more when we are teenagers, and maybe a tiny bit more when we’re older, but very little. If I were to ask most people why they believe such and such on any subject, and they trace it back, they would discover that they made a certain decision about the subject by the time they were this young age.
So, we live in the limitations of our five-year-old consciousness. It was something we accepted from our parents, and we still live under *…he limitations of our parents’ consciousness. Even the most wonderful parents in the world didn’t know everything and had their own limitations. We say what they said and do what they did: “You can’t do that,” or “That won’t work.” However, we don’t need limitations, as important as they may seem.
Some of our beliefs may be positive and nourishing. These thoughts served us well all of our lives, such as, “Look both ways before you cross the street,” or “Fresh fruits and vegetables are good for your body.” Other thoughts may be useful at a young age, but as we grow older, they are no
longer appropriate. “Don’t trust strangers,” for instance, may be good advice for a small child. As adults, to perpetuate this belief only creates isolation and loneliness. The good news in all of this is that we can always make adjustments all the time.
The moment we say “I can’t,” or “It won’t work,” or “There’s not enough money,…or “What would the neighbors think?” we are limited. This last expression is a significant obstacle for us. “What will the neighbors, or my friends, or my co-workers, or whoever, think?” It’s a good excuse—now we don’t have to do it, because they wouldn’t do it, and they wouldn’t approve. As society changes, what the neighbors think changes, also, so to hold on to this assumption doesn’t make sense.
If someone says to you, “Nobody has ever done it this way before,” you can say, “So what?” There are hundreds of ways of doing something, so do the way that’s right for you. We tell ourselves other absurd messages such as, “I’m not strong enough,” or I’m not young enough,” or “I’m not old enough,” or I’m not tall enough, or “I’m not the right sex.”
How often have you used the last one? “Because I’m a woman, I can’t do this,” or “Because I’m a man, I can’t do that.” Your soul has no sexuality. I believe you agreed upon your sexuality before you were born to learn a spiritual lesson. To feel inferior because of sexuality is not only a poor excuse but also another way to relinquish your power.
Our limitations often stop us from expressing and experiencing the totality of possibilities. “I don’t have the right education.” How many of us have let that one stop us? We have to realize that education is something set up by groups of people who say, “You can’t do such and such unless you do it our way.” We can accept that as a limitation, or we can go beyond it. I accepted it for many, many years because I was a high school drop-out. I used to say, “Oh, I don’t have any education. I can’t think. I can’t get a good job. I can’t do anything well.”
Then one day I realized that the limitation was all in my mind and had nothing to do with reality. When I dropped my own limiting beliefs, and I allowed myself to move into the totality of possibilities, I discovered that I could think. I discovered that I was very bright, and I could communicate. I discovered all sorts of possibilities, which when viewed from the limitations of the past seemed impossible.
Limiting the Potential Within Us
Then, there are some of you who think you know it all. The trouble with knowing it all is that you don’t grow, and nothing new can come in. Do you accept that there is a Power and an Intelligence greater than you, or do you think that you are “it”—you in your physical body? If you think that you’re “it,” then you will be running scared because of your limited mind. If you realize that there is a Power in this Universe that is far greater and wiser, and you are a part of It, then you can move into the space where the totality of possibilities can operate.
How often do you allow yourself to dwell in the limitations of your present consciousness? Every time you say, “I can’t,” you are putting a stop sign in front of you. You shut down the door to your own inner wisdom, and you block the flow of energy that is your spiritual know-ingness. Are you willing to go beyond what you believe today? You woke up this morning with certain concepts and ideas. You have the ability to move beyond some of them to experience a far greater reality. It is called learning—because you are taking in something new. It may fit in with what is already there, or it may even be better.
Have you ever noticed that when you start rearranging your closet, you discard clothes and odds and ends that you no longer need. You pile up the possessions you are giving away on one side, and throw away the stuff that is no longer usable. Then you begin to put everything back, and in a totally different order. It’s easier to find what you’re looking for, and at the same time, you made room for new clothes. If you bought a new outfit and put it in the old closet, you may have had to jam it between other paraphernalia. If you clean out your closet and rearrange it, then when you bring in the new outfit, it has room for itself.
We need to do the same routine with our minds. We need to clean out the contents that no longer work so we have room for the new possibilities. Where God is, all things are possible, and God is in each one of us. If we continue with our preconceived ideas, then we are blocked. When someone is ill, do you say, “Oh, poor person, how he or she must be suffering!” Or, do you look at the person and see the absolute truth of being and affirm the health of the Divine Power that is within? Do you see the totality of possibilities and know that miracles can happen?
A man I once met told me very emphatically that it was absolutely impossible for a grown person to change. He was living in the desert and had all sorts of illnesses, and he wanted to sell his property. He didn’t want to change his thinking, so he was very rigid when it came time to negotiate with a buyer. It had to be done his way. It was apparent that he would have a very burdensome time trying to sell his property because his belief was that he could never change. All he had to do was open his consciousness to a new way of thinking.
Expanding Our Horizons
How do we keep ourselves from moving into this totality of possibilities? What else limits us? All our fears are limitations. If you are frightened and you say, “I can’t; it won’t work,” what will happen? Fearful experiences will come back. Judgments are limitations. None of us like to be judged, yet how often do we do it? We’re encouraging limitations by our judgments. Every time you find yourself judging or criticizing, no matter how small, remind yourself that what goes out comes back. You may want to stop limiting your possibilities and change your thinking to something wonderful.
There is a difference between being judgmental and having an opinion. Many of you are asked for your judgment of something. In actuality, you are really giving your opinion. An opinion is how you feel about something, such as, “I prefer not to do this. I prefer to wear red instead of blue.” To say someone else is wrong because she wears blue becomes a judgment. We need to discern between the two. Remember, criticism is always making yourself or someone else wrong. If someone asks your opinion, your preference, don’t let it become a judgment or criticism against something else.
Similarly, every time you indulge in guilt, you are setting a limitation. If you hurt someone, say you’re sorry, and don’t hurt the person anymore. Don’t walk around feeling guilty because it keeps you locked out from experiencing your good and has nothing to do with the reality of your true being.
When you are unwilling to forgive, you limit your growth. Forgiveness allows you to right a wrong in your spiritual self, to have understanding instead of resentment, to have compassion instead of hatred.
Look at your problems as opportunities for you to grow. When you have problems, do you see only the restrictions of your limited-mind thinking? Do you think, “Oh, poor me, why did it happen to me?” You don’t always have to know how situations are going to work out. You need to trust the Power and Presence within, which is far greater than you are. You need to affirm that all is well and everything is working out for your highest good. If you open yourself to the possibilities when you have problems, you can make changes; changes can happen in incredible ways, perhaps ways you could not even imagine.
We’ve all been in situations in our lives where we’ve said, “I don’t know how I’ll work this out.” It seemed like we were up against a brick wall, and yet we are all here now, and we’ve worked through whatever it was. Maybe we didn’t understand how it happened, yet it did happen. The more we can align ourselves with the cosmic energy, the One Intelligence, the Truth and Power within us, the quicker those wonderful possibilities can be realized.
Group Consciousness
It is essential that we leave our limited thinking and beliefs behind and awaken our consciousness to a more cosmic view of life. The development of higher consciousness on this planet is happening at a rate far faster than ever before. The other day I saw a graph that just fascinated me. It
showed the growth of various systems in our history and how they have changed. Agricultural development was overshadowed by industrial growth, and then around 1950, the informational phase took over as communication and computer operation became widespread.
Alongside this informational period, there is also a consciousness-raising movement graph that is shooting far ahead of the informational phase at a unchallenged rate of advancement. Can you imagine what it means? I do a lot of traveling, and wherever I go, I see people who are studying and learning. I’ve been to Australia, Jerusalem, London, Paris, and Amsterdam, and everywhere I go I meet large groups of people who are searching for ways to expand and enlighten themselves. They are fascinated by how their minds work, and they are using their wisdom to take control of their lives and their experiences.
We are reaching new levels of spirituality. Although religious wars are still being fought, they are becoming less and less prevalent. We are beginning to connect with one another on higher levels of consciousness. The collapse of the Berlin wall and the birth of freedom in Europe are examples of our expanding consciousness, as freedom is our natural birthright. As the consciousness of each person awakens, group consciousness becomes influenced as well.
Every time you use your consciousness in a positive way, you are connecting with other people who are doing the same. Every time you use it in a negative way, you are also connecting to that. Every time you meditate, you are connecting with other people on the planet who are meditating. Every time you visualize good for yourself, you do it for others as well. Every time you visualize the healing of your body, you connect with others who are doing the same thing.
Our goals are to expand our thinking and to go beyond what was, to what might be. Our consciousness can create miracles in the world.
