Before my husband and I went grocery shopping this week I thought, "I don't want to buy eggs at the grocery store. I'd like to get fresh eggs from someone locally." A couple of days later my friend Lucy surprised me with a dozen eggs from her chickens. (And really adorable eggs, too!) It's popular these days to say that is the Law of Attraction at work. The problem is that it sets up "attraction" as a god - it wasn't Lucy who chose to give me some eggs, but a mystical force that heard my internal cry for fresh eggs and hypnotized Lucy into giving them to me. The world would be a frightening place if the god of attraction responded to our every whim. Instead of the Law of Attraction, I say that this was confirmation bias at work - basically, the concept that we see what we want to see.
We each have a tendency toward either an abundance or a scarcity mindset. Either we believe there are enough things available for us to feel secure (food, money, jobs, love, friends, etc.) or we believe we can't get enough. As we go about our lives, we view our experiences through abundance or scarcity colored lenses, regardless of the truth of the situation. Instead of being thrilled with the beautiful generosity of a friend, I might have wondered if Lucy thought I couldn't afford to buy eggs for myself. Or perhaps she's trying to manipulate me. As silly as that may sound, that was the way I used to think. I was distrustful of the motives of others and fearful of losing what little I had (money, possessions, love, or pride). It was precisely because of that distrust and fear that I had so little. Confirmation bias proved me right time and time again.
Since my surgery two years ago I've been developing a different point of view. I'm edging out into trust and as I release my grasp on things, instead of falling, I feel lighter. The more I do this the easier it becomes. Confirmation bias at work once again. A dozen eggs represent an abundance of creativity, sustenance, generosity, and love. I trust that all will be well, and it is.
I'd love to share with you my most recent paintings and mountain views on Instagram. Also, please see my website for new prints and paintings available in my store or to commission a painting or pet portrait as a gift for yourself or a friend. Another way to connect and share the love!