Oprah says "The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate."  I thought about celebration recently when I went to a 4th of July celebration, a holiday that celebrates our independence.  I think these holidays are really just an excuse to get together with friends and loved ones and have fun!  Look around when you're at a holiday gathering or a party.  People are celebrating their friendships, family, food and good old fashioned fun.  Did you know that you're also attracting your dreams while you're doing this?

If you really want your life to change and manifest more money, better relationships, a better job, happier times, just celebrate more.  Does it have to be a party?  It can be.  Or you can just celebrate often throughout your day.

As human beings we've developed habits of noticing where we are now, and of judging what's not here - such as money, a relationship, the help we need, etc.  We've forgotten how much we really do have and to be grateful for each and every thing.  When you celebrate and appreciate what you have now you get more things to celebrate and appreciate.

I don't know about you but I was brought up in a family that looked more at what you hadn't achieved or done right.  I could have done every little thing right all day and my mother would find one little that I'd forgotten to do and dwell on that.  There was no credit for what I had done well.  How did I turn out?  I became someone who judged themselves harshly for what they hadn't achieved or gotten to, yet.

Abraham, who is channeled through Esther Hicks, always says that we humans give way more attention to "reality" and "what is" than we do to our dreams and goals.  Abraham says that if we visualize more and focus on what's right, what we desire will come to us with ease.

If I focus on lack and the hard work that I think there is to do, I'll just get more of that.

So how did I change?  I started celebrating big and little things.  I take little breaks throughout the day to feel thanks for what I achieved, for the beauty around me, for friends, for anything that's going well.  Be creative.  Be thankful for even what is not here yet.

Recently I knew I was needing a new car.  My old one was unreliable and costing me a lot of money in repair bills.  I began by giving thanks for my new and beautiful, well-running car.  I visualized how it felt to sit in the driver's seat, what the interior felt and looked like and how great it felt to actually own this wonderful car, with the car buying process behind me.  I really started celebrating the having of the car.

2 weeks ago, I decided it was time to get this car.  I had to make a decision between a couple of models but the one I really wanted, which was the right color and make was being driven by an employee with only a couple of thousand miles on it.  There wasn't another one like it on the lot.  I decided this was going to be easy and it was.  I went through the whole process, including test driving 4 cars and completed everything in about a day and a half.  I could have completed things the first day but as early evening came up I had this strong feeling wash over me that I needed to put things on hold and come back the next day.  I knew it was a message from within because not only was I tired, there was still something I needed to feel or know.  By coming back the next day with a new perspective and more research under my belt I saved another $200 on the down payment!  And through all of this I dealt with a young man who was kind and intelligent and treated me in the same manner.

So what did I do?  I came home and celebrated!  Yeah, I actually jumped up and down.  I did it!  I now had a nice car that was reliable, that would get good gas mileage and would be safe for me and any passengers to ride in.  I'd said my good-byes to my old car (which I traded in) and thanked it for 11 1/2 years of wonderful service.

So, my advice is to wake up in celebration.  Whether it's spiritual enlightenment you're wanting or financial freedom or the perfect relationship - march up to your mirror, smile at yourself and rave about every wonderful thing in your life.     Celebrate your life - who you are, how you feel, how you make others feel, how your body is working, the money you have to even pay one bill.  It will make you feel good and Abraham says that's what's it all about.  If you focus on feeling good, all your good will come to you.  At the end of the day celebrate every little thing that went right or that you accomplished or that just got done for you.

To be in alignment with your dreams and goals is to feel good.  That's all you have to do.  Let it be easy and fun!!!