When you first learn about the Law of Attraction, you might assume that maintaining a positive attitude should shield you from life’s challenges. However, reality often proves otherwise, as unexpected problems can still surface. A great example of this phenomenon is a story that Esther/Abraham Hicks, the world-renowned LOA guru, heard from a seminar attendee. The woman recounted how she was cruising along in her beloved car, blasting cheerful music from the speakers and feeling on top of the world… when she was suddenly pulled over by a cop and given a ticket. How could this happen?

Upon further questioning, it turned out she was fined for not wearing a seat belt. Another question revealed her attitude toward traffic laws, the police, and authority figures in general: she went on a passionate rant about how ridiculous it is for someone else to dictate her safety and try to limit her right to go flying through the windshield if she so wishes. This was followed by a detailed and animated account of how uncomfortable, awkward, and pointless it feels to be strapped in, which is why she hadn’t been using the belt for years, and no number of fines would make her start using it in the future either.

Now, let’s look at the other variable in the equation: a traffic cop with a desire to catch law-breaking drivers.

“Perfect match”, says the Law of Attraction and places a big, flashing “STOP ME!” sign on the woman’s car roof — invisible to the naked eye, but all the more vivid as a strong impulse in the policeman’s consciousness. And since he was aligned with his intentions, he both perceived and acted on this impulse. The result: both parties got a physical experience of what was already mentally active within them.

So, the point is this: you can be all sunshine and lollipops in the moment, but if there’s a strong undercurrent of negative beliefs in your system, they will make themselves known. The same goes the other way — you may be really afraid of failing at some point, but still experience that everything goes perfectly well, simply because you have a strong core belief that things usually work out for you.

Your point of attraction = the sum of your dominant vibration and your current vibration. The Law of Attraction responds to your average vibration.

Classic example: people who’ve just learned about the Law of Attraction often test it by focusing intently on “I’m going to win the lottery”… while also having beliefs like “I don’t have enough money,” or “you have to work hard to get rich,” strongly active within their system. When the money train doesn’t arrive, the Law of Attraction is dismissed as bullshit, even though they got exactly the result that aligns with their core beliefs.

Your dominant beliefs can’t be overridden by a brief moment of positive affirmations! If you’re constantly experiencing problems or “bad luck” in a particular area, it pays to ask yourself: “how do I really feel about this subject?” and try to shift to beliefs that align more closely with your desired outcome. It would also benefit you to stop telling the story of how it has been so far and explaining why.

Remember: we don’t create our reality with words; we invite different experiences by holding their vibrational essence active within us. The criterion for fueling something with attention should therefore always be “it feels good”, rather than “it is true”. A truth doesn’t deserve more respect than a hill of beans. It’s just energy that someone has intensely focused on and thereby manifested physical evidence around, which doesn’t mean you have to do the same. And even those things you have personally transformed into truths don’t have to remain so. What you activate in your vibration and get confirmation for moving forward is entirely optional and unrestricted by history.