The Quirky Girl's Guide to Using the Law of Attraction

I know some of you out there love LoA stuff! And there's also some who want nothing to do with it. There's also this other group that kinda sits on the fence and then jumps in when it feels good.

All the above = totally cool.

Whether you want to learn something new, you're starting to create and develop your very own spirituality or you're looking for some law of attraction tips - I've created an awesome quirky guide for you to follow and refer to! (Feel free to print it out if you like!)

The Quirky Girl's Guide to Using the Law of Attraction

For the full low-down and brief on 'What is the Law of Attraction?' check out this fabtastic definition by my good ol' friend wiki!

Asking

If you have read either Ask and it is Given or The Secret, you're gonna know what I'm talkin' bout! Basically what it means is that in order to have, be or do something you really want you must ask for it. Ask the universe/god/higher self etc. From there, it gets thrown out into the universe so that it can start bringing you all the things you desire!

Visualizing

Visualization is a technique you use alongside asking. Once you have asked for the thing you want, add in visualizing having it for extra effect. Imagine that whatever it is you want, say an iPhone for example, visualize having it, using it, txting and talking to your friends on it, takings pics and vids and playing ridiculously awesome games on it. Get to a place where it actually feels like you already have the damn thing and then drop it and go about your day! Read this 6 step guide to visualizing for added effect!

Believe

This is where a lot of people can get caught up. They know what they want, they've visualized it and gotten to a really good feeling place of it but then that's kind of it. They keep waiting and waiting and looking out for 'it' but it doesn't show and what they've done without realizing is sabotaged the whole process. There's a part of you (conscious or sub-conscious) that may believe you don't actually deserve what you want i.e $100,000. You must get yourself to a better feeling place about this, it takes practice but once you get there the flood gates will open! Try practising self love, check out the abe forum for some amazing tips and advice on LoA and also check out this vid 'How to Re-Program Your Sub-concious Mind to Get What You Want' by Marie Forleo and Catherine Collautt. Thanks to Lyn for this extra tidbit!

Trust

Bit of an odd one but yeah you gotta trust that what you want is coming to you at the perfect time that you need it. Don't ask and visualize and then worry about whether the universe got the message - it did! Trust that it's coming, believe it's here and don't worry about details of how it's going to come to you. That's the exciting part! Leave that one up to mystery!

Gratitude

There's always a price for something good ain't there? In this case the price for getting every single thing you want is... thanks. Yeah not a HUGE expense huh? Though gratitude can be the most tricky part about manifesting. After you have asked and visualized, you can even go on further to bump up the process by being grateful. A good technique I like to do is be grateful for yesterday (the past), be grateful for right now and my surroundings (the present) and then be grateful for all the things I believe are coming that I want (the future). Rounds it off quite nicely. For an AMAZING guide on practising gratitude, get The Magic - it's a 30 day guide on turning your life around by being thankful.

Manifesting/Receiving

Last but not least there is manifesting/receiving. This is the best bit! This is when you've aligned yourself with what it is that you want by doing allllll of the above! Which then means whatever you've asked for, envisioned in your life, trusted it would come and have already been grateful for will physically manifest into your life! Check out 'Manifesting 101' by Gabby Bernstein!

Whether or not you believe in the law of attraction, you gotta admit that your thoughts are powerful. And for me that's what I like about LoA, whatever I want to do and achieve I know I can do it with the power of my own thinking. I have full creative control over myself and my destiny and I love that feeling!

Did that answer all of your LoA questions? If not, feel free to ask away in the comments section and I'll add it to the post!

Elise

P.S - How we manifested our $2.1 million dollar home

How to Feel Good About Yourself

After the mega hit of 'a delicious recipe for sexy confidence', ya'll told me you wanted more!

Well now we're digging deep.

We're going in full speed ready to get your self confidence and quality of life up to where you want it.. Beaming with awesomeness!

As you know, anything you want that will be liberating and rewarding for you requires time, patience and effort. (Hell that's the "secret" recipe for everything in life!) You gotta decide now whether you can be assed putting this effort into you. Because I tell ya, it will test you and challenge you and push you to your limits. One moment you're on cloud nine, next you're balling your eyes out to the bottom of a Ben and Jerry's.

You get what you put in. If you do the work once today, maybe once next month and for 2 days the next week, your results are gonna be scattered and make you feel like a class-A schizophrenic. If you're gonna half-ass it, you're gonna get half-assed results. If you take little steps each day, you'll get better and better each day. Get it?

There is no mystery recipe to life except that it gives you exactly what you put into it.

So in order to gain self confidence and feel good about yourself you must start with baby steps.

How to Have Self Confidence & Feel Good About Yourself

List your past achievements

Get out the self-love journal and make a list of all of your past achievements big or small. From the compliment you got on the red lipstick you wore to the most outstanding achievement certificate you got in primary school - name it ALL and get DAMN proud of it all. Be like your former 5yr old who gets the medal and does nothing but stare at it, talk about it and praise it.

Write out your strengths

Time to dig a lil deeper. I recently did this exercise in terms of discovering what my acting strengths were and it took quite a while but I got a good list in the end. On a new page in your journal, write your strengths - yes even if it's guzzling a pint Guinness in 5 seconds flat.

What's important to you?

On a new page in your journal, write out what is important to you right now. What values do you have? What will you not tolerate? What friends, boyfriends and family members are #1 on your list? What must you do every morning, afternoon and evening? How often? Write it all out and create a personal map for yourself.

Where do you wanna go?

I'll admit one of my favourite exercises - write out exactly where you want to head in life. Even if it's multiple places, just write it out - get it out. Do you want to travel and have a career? Do you want money and independence? What about a relationship and babies? Do you want apples or oranges? Puppies or kittens? Bargain or couture? Money or spirituality? Don't worry if one contradicts each other, just write everything that comes to mind.

Commit to yourself

Make a promise to yourself that you will do this work, that you will strive for success no matter what obstacles you face. Knowing that they'll pop up is a strong part in making them less powerful. Write a statement or declaration to yourself in your journal that you will do this. Kinda like my 4 simple goals I created the other week.

Set small goals

Give yourself something to work toward every 1 - 3 months. Take up a class of something you've always wanted to do like dancing or sewing. Join a sports club that you've been interested in or start learning that language you've always been fascinated by. And at the end of each completed goal, reward yourself with something you like.

Work on the mind

So simple to say, but it's actually gotta become a daily practise. Whether it's meditating, reading, affirming, researching, manifesting, visualizing, focusing etc each day you gotta commit to working on your mind. Because anything you want to change and create starts with your mind. You gotta work on the actual source to get to where you wanna go.

Confront your insecurities

Now it's time to go deeper. On another page in your journal, write out all your fears and insecurities. Whatever comes up just write it out. Some will be ones you've known about, others will come out of nowhere. The important thing here is to get them out and know what they are so you can work through them

Talk it out with friends

You're bound to have at least one friend you can talk about all of this stuff with and ask for advice. You'll be surprised to know that most people go through the same things and if some of your friends have already been through it, you have a great little support network right there.

Look for others you admire

What I mean is, look for people who you feel are like you but are where you wanna be and start interacting with them or research the crap outta them. Start applying the things they do and find out if it works for you.

Get your gratitude on

And last but certainly not least, give the gratitude! Show your appreciation for being here and for being you. Be grateful for your brand new confidence and your sassy new attitude. Basically just adopt a characteristic and gratefulness!

So there ya go! Lots to work with but if you take it in baby steps you'll find that it's actually easy to apply. To get to where you truly want to be, you gotta start from the inside out. Remember not to rush, you can't rush your learning process. But with each new thing you apply you will find yourself getting more and more confident each day.

Have fun!

Elise xo

How to Feel Confident, Sexy & Delicious!

When you think of sexy confidence do you automatically think of the Victoria's Secret Angels?

I do!

Now, before you cower away ready to drown in a packet of chocolate buttons and inadequacy - just stop for a moment and hear me out.

A year or so ago, I was having some issues. I wasn't confident with where I was going in my life - I didn't know what I wanted and I had become very stagnant. So much to the point a barely wanted to be around people (crazy, I know).

I had backed myself into a corner, hid myself under my fluffy pink blanket and didn't want to come out from under it. My confidence took a huge dive. I could barely socialize with people anymore and I just wanted the world to swallow me up whole.

One day, I had a moment of clarity. I don't know where it came from but I feel it was my soul crying out for help. I needed to do something and I needed to do it now. I could not stay like this anymore - it was time to get Elise back!

I don't know how, but I just knew what to do. I started acting and pretending I was confident, even if I was by myself in my room. I saw the Victoria Secret models on tv one day and I knew that THAT was the confidence I wanted! I kept at it and life started turning back around and before I knew it it was getting better than it was before!

Now, whether you're in times of desperation like I was or if you know you just need to do a lil work - look past all the feathers, the sequins, the lingerie, the smokin' hot bods and the gorgeous features of these women, what have they got?

A very delicious recipe to confidence.

See it! There in every picture! Sure they ooze sex appeal but there's that underlying playful confidence. ANYONE can have that!

The question is, how exactly do you get THAT confidence? Well, here are my 4 tips to getting yourself there!

By having a sexy affair with yourself!

Dance around to your girl power playlist in your sexy knickers, date yourself, do daily kick-ass affirmations, meditate your heart out, have an affair with food, take pleasure in doing nothing, get selfish and do things just for you. You gotta fill yourself up with the good stuff so it can ooze out of you like an intoxicating love potion! You've gotta indulge in you.

By strutting down your runway!

Mmhmmm, you heard me right! You gotta strut as if you're on your runway. So, if you were super confident, how would you walk? How would you talk? How would you act? Think about it and then PRACTICE IT. Practice walking, talking and acting exactly the way you would if you were confident. Summon your alter ego for assistance and make it a daily practice!

By having a fun, playful & positive outlook!

Get playful with people around you. Go back to when you were a kid and used to chase each other just cause they poked you in the hip and said "you're it!". Chase the fun around you or make simple things fun! It's all about perception! Finally, now that you're aware, start looking for the positive in everything - because there always is a positive! Train yourself to look at things 'glass half full'.

By love and kindness for others!

Random, I know. But I've noticed that there can be a slight arrogance the more confident you get and if you're not careful you can tip the other way and become an absolute douche. So you counter act this by giving love and kindness to the people around you. I've learned that if you treat people with love and respect while being confident, these people sing sing your praises to the world!

Start applying these four things daily and watch as your life transforms around you. You will become an incredible inspiration to your peers, you'll lead the way for many others and you will have a healthy and wholesome respect and love for yourself that most only dream of!

Elise xx

What are your Ridonkulous Fears?

 I really gotta know.

These are fears that either make no logical sense or are just down right silly.

What I mean is that these fears, no matter how much you worry about them, are never actually going to happen or there is nothing you can do anyway - but you do worry about them still!

I'll use my most recent ridonkulous fear as an example:

Gods, Universe & Everything In-Between

I started reading this book called 'Fingerprints of the Gods' by Graham Hancock. He was a correspondent and his book is based on a theory that there was a highly advanced ancient civilization that existed on a continent that supposedly disappeared. The civilization was wiped out by the cataclysm of the ice age but he provides actual proof and evidence that they existed and that the continent didn't disappear - it moved. Ooooooo...

Anyway, a downside of reading the book is that it got me thinking about the whole "2012 End of the World" palava.

Now, I'm that girl who'll watch a scary movie and actually be scared for the next few days because I was a dumbass and watched it by myself at night without a buddy. It's like aftershocks of a quake.

Afterscares.

So as my mind mulled over the after effects of this book. My mind conversations went a little like this..

"Holy crap, the world could end in a few months?... But that's not fair I haven't even made it to 30! Do you think the planet gives a shit whether you've turned 30 or not?... Oh shit, I should start kickboxing lessons... Why? Well if I survive an ice age, tsunami or volcanic eruption I'll need to know survival tricks. And you think kickboxing is gonna teach you survival tips?.... Shit! I won't have a blog anymore. Dude, you won't have a life anymore... What if a cataclysm happens while I'm asleep? What about the cat?.... I don't know how to make clothes out of leaves! I really should do cross-fit. OH MY GOD I'M GONNA DIE IN THREE MONTHS."

And it just got worse. I saw an ad on television advertising the latest iPad that I have wanted for like ever and all I thought was "What's the point."

Like, how stupid is that? Honestly.

It's stupid in the sense that whether it does or doesn't happen there is absolutely nothing I can do anyway. I literally worked myself into a state of anxiety over something that may or may not happen.

Geez..

In a roundabout way there's nothing quite like believing you're going to die that kicks your ass into serious action.

In my attempt to get over this absolutely ridonkulous fear, I came up with a three-step fool proof strategy to get over it - and you can use it too for whatever crazy fears you've got going on atm!

1. Realize it's silly, there's nothing you can do anyway.
2. Laugh about it, make it into a joke.
3. Use it to empower you to live it up right now.
   

But now it's your turn.. to share your ridonkulous fears. Did you have a scare similar to mine? Or maybe it was worse? I'd love to hear them! And even if you've still got weird feelings about them, sharing them is a way to get it out, joke about it and feel better about it!

Elise xo

21 Self-Love Affirmations

I know I don't usually post on a Thursday, but I'm just so dang passionate about self-love I really couldn't resist myself.

Plus I'm really excited about sharing these self love quotes and affirmations that you can start using today!

By now I'm sure you know what affirmations are, and yes I understand you might feel like it's bullshit have some resistance against them. But, as you're here reading this right now I truly believe you are willing to do anything that will positively transform your life.

So, friend - here is something that will help.

I'm not saying you have to do it all the time, or that you even have to like it (though it'd help!) but no harm came from trying something positive so give it a shot will ya?

So to begin..

Find a place where you're the most comfortable and feel safe i.e I do it either in my bed or the bath tub. Write the self love affirmations down in a journal, copy and paste into a word file or just say them out loud.

Really try to feel what you're saying. Don't try to rush them. Just feel it. Each affirmation will have a slightly different feeling/trigger point. Note what feels good, what you connect to and leave the others for another time.

You don't need to use them all. I personally believe that the shorter the affirmation the better. There's power in shortness - well I think anyway!

21 Self-Love Affirmations

1. I am loved.
2. I am unique.
3. I am powerful.
4. I am worthy.
5. I am valuable.
6. I am worthy of love.
7. I am worthy of success.
8. I am worthy of the fulfilment of my dreams.
9. I am worthy of happiness
10. I am learning to approve of myself.
11. I forgive myself.
12. I love and accept myself.
13. I am in the process of feeling great about myself.
14. I am learning to radiate love and respect.
15. I accept others as they are and they in turn accept me as I am.
16. I know I deserve all that is good.
17. I am never alone.
18. I am becoming more and more grateful.
19. I am becoming happier.
20. I am loving.
21. I am loving it!

And above all these beautiful quotes, my favourite one below is by none other than my childhood hero - Walt Disney. Which is also why I made it a tweetable! So click the link and get sharing!

Today's tweetable: "The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique." - Walt Disney via @EliseMcDowell

Aint it juicy? The more you are true to yourself, the more unique you become because there is only one of you honey! (even if you happen to have an identical twin, you're still your own person!)

Elise xo

The #1 Way to Start Loving Your 'SELF' Right Now

When it comes to loving your SELF, are you guilty of putting you as the last thing 'to do' on your list? Do you spend most of your time doing all the things you have to do and see before you even think of you?

What about when you are alone with yourself? Do you loathe looking into the mirror, going out in public or being around people because you don't feel good enough?

Well you listen up here beautiful, we are about to change that! We are going to bring that inner vibrance out and turn you into a self loving machine!

You wanna know the #1 way to start loving your SELF right now? Well here it is..

D A T E    Y O U R S E L F

Oooooh.. What a gorgeous, sexy vixen you've got there for a date!

Think about it, when you reeeally like someone and you start dating you literally pull out every single stop. You put aside a boatload of time for this person, you spend money on this person, you communicate with this person often, you do different activities than usual with this person.

You think about this person, you talk about this person, this person makes you smile all the time, they give you butterflies, you get warm fuzzies, you make cute little things for them, you eat at different food joints, you crack jokes with them, you laugh together, you hug, you kiss, you cuddle, you link arms, you play, you get intimate, you share things with each other and most of all you have FUN.

This is what you need to do with yourself.

You have to start treating yourself like the special one in your life, the one you'll pull out all of the stops for. You've got to fill your pink bedazzled cup-of-love with an abundance of S E L F   L O V E. Because only then will you be able to give, love, create and play like you've never done before. You've gotta put yourself first!

Image from Militant Baker

Here is your challenge for the next month. You are to date yourself every day. Become besotted with yourself. Imagine YOU as the sexy, hot person you're taking home with you every night.

Use these ideas to get you started and create your own. Reenact a previous date you've had that went really well and do it with just yourself. Indulge in YOU, fall in love with YOU.

+ Have a movie date with yourself

+ Treat yourself to your favourite take-out food

+ Snap some awesome photos of yourself

+ Talk sweet words to your body

+ Use affirmations for extra luuurve

+ Write to yourself and in a journal

+ DANCE your butt off in your room in your underwear

+ Smile for 30 seconds

+ Make something pretty just for you.
+ Go for a walk and a picnic in your favourite park
+ Listen to your favourite tunes
+ Kiss yourself in the mirror!
+ Do things that make you laugh
+ Try something new like a food, hobby or running track.

+ Start a new hobby for yourself
+ Buy yourself something nice
+ Dress up for yourself when you go out
+ Stay in bed all day
+ Plan a day trip for yourself
+ Instagram your life

+ Wear sexy underwear
+ Go shopping and have lunch in your fave cafe
+ Have a saucy, scrumptious and delicious dessert
+ Get lost in borders. Read mags, books and drink coffee all day

This is the start of something amazing. You are more than you realize. You are pure amazingness and not nobody can ever tell you otherwise! You are the one who can change yourself into a self loving bunny! Let's start today!

Elise xo