‘Association’ for me has been traditionally important. The strict religious sect I found myself in for the first four decades of life placed a lot of emphasis on the need for regular association with fellow believers, in order to keep the faith. Coupled with an equal admonition that ‘bad associations spoil useful habits’ (2 Tim 3:16)
See how I still remember biblical chapter and verse, even after twenty-three years? Surely a demonstration of the strength of association in flying colours! My strict adherence to the mores of the sect has meant that, even after so long since leaving my religion, I still find myself locked into a tacit association in my mind.
But I’m now beginning to wonder - maybe there is something in this? In other words, where we choose to place ourselves – in association with which individuals, groups of people, what literature we read, media we engage with, etc – offers a huge potential for influencing and changing our experience in life. I remember when I was struggling financially for several years from 2008 onward, my association with financial gurus like T Harv Eker helped me tremendously in eventually bringing myself back on track - into alignment with the natural flow of money through my life. Would my fortunes have turned so noticeably, were it not for such association? I somehow doubt it.
After the liberating weekend seminar, I did the daily twenty-minute journaling and affirmation exercises diligently for three months, as prescribed. Then, as nothing significant happened, I did them all again for the following three months! And by the end of that period everything had begun to shift. Coincidence or cause and effect? Or just pure alignment with what was happening anyway? In other words, would it all have changed like it did, would the money have begun to flow, more than ever, if I’d done nothing? Who knows? All I know is that what I did – what I associated my mind with – seemed to have the positive effect I was seeking. And then I let it all go. Of course, because that’s what I do.
So now, again there is a state of being where I perceive the tide to be out, in regard to doing business. Can I place everything at the door of ‘Brexit uncertainty’ followed by ‘Coronavirus lockdown’? Maybe some if it – yes. But how much have I allowed my mind to dwell on the negative connotations of these phenomena surrounding me? Instead of encouraging an open curiosity in regard to how I might be able to counter these debilitating influences on my experience. Therein lies the rub. If I choose to associate with the downside, then my experience will no doubt be devoid of positivity. But should I deny what appears to be some kind of hold over my life, and push through regardless – then that too should demonstrate its own projection. It’s by paying this kind of attention to associations that, I believe, will influence and alter the path of my experience. In the words generally ascribed to the American innovator Henry Ford: ‘If you think you can or think you can’t, either way you are right’. So, I think I’ll associate with ‘can’ – thank you.