Posted by Andrea Conway Law of Attraction coach for small business success

Abraham-Hicks teaches that eternal expansion rules the universe. Because you and I represent components of the universe, we expand eternally too. But as individuals we don’t necessarily embrace our own expansion. That’s unfortunate, because when we hold back, says Abraham, we hurt.

How can you tell if you’re keeping yourself apart from your own expansion?  By noticing how you feel. The worry and frustration that churn over and over in your mind feel terrible: they are you holding yourself  back.

Why does this happen? My theory: our newly launched dreams feel exciting to us – that’s how expansion feels. But once we hit a setback, negative emotion arises and, left unchecked, separates us from our dream.

A typical way we hold back from expansion in business is by reminding ourselves over and over: “I tried it but it didn’t work.” We lament the money wasted and the big famous guru who let us down. We regret the beautiful expensive website that never got any visitors, and we feel embarrassed about the high-priced conferences and programs that didn’t deliver as promised.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t talk about our disappointments. When we express them to someone who truly listens – a good friend, a coach, a therapist etc. – honest disclosure can heal.

But when we’re  clutching our sad stories and telling them over and over years after the fact, we’re only holding ourselves back even more – and usually blaming somebody else for our own unwillingness to believe in the universe.

What should we do instead? Stop wallowing in disappointment and get back in the game!

Law of Attraction is simple: when we ask it is given – immediately. Our work is to stay in vibrational harmony with what we’ve asked for as we follow our path forward. Knowing the 5 Stages of Manifestation can help you do that.

No teacher with spiritual integrity promises that the path will be easy all the time.  There will be challenges, setbacks, mistakes: that’s the adventure we came to have!  If we wanted to be in bliss all the time, we wouldn’t have come into our lives on this planet in the first place.

On planet Earth no one accomplishes anything of value without obstacles. Setbacks allow us to choose and re-choose faith in the universe and harmony in our hearts. Setbacks enable us to experience the path of faith and harmony, not just think about it as an abstract ideal.

Here’s how to more easily allow yourself to expand with the universe:

First, know that when you ask the universe hears you. Whatever you’ve asked for is immediately deposited in your Vortex. Decide that you will believe this!

Second, understand that when you ask for what you’re not now experiencing, your work is to find the feeling of having it  – and to do your best to maintain that feeling in spite of the obstacles you encounter.

Third, when you think about giving up, realize this is a temptation that cannot serve you. Let go of your obstacles, not your dreams! Once your desires have created an expansion, you won’t be content settling for life without it.

Let your understanding that you are wired for expansion help you keep moving ahead in curiosity and faith. The twists and turns of the path are not meant to stop us. They arise so we can  develop the traits that make us a match to our goal, including the traits that all those we admire possess: commitment, resilience, and a willingness to keep practicing.

Reprinted from Successful Self Employment (SSE) News subscribe