One of the reasons many people rail against the teachings of the law of attraction is they think we are being told we don't need to take any sort of action, and everything we want can just float into our reality, by simply thinking some happy thoughts.
Yeah, that's not how it really works. Though often times, you will attract all sorts of things without having taken any specific action to bring them about. It can be a bit complex I think.
But, with that being said, it is absolutely true the role of action does carry less importance when our energy (thoughts, feelings and beliefs) is aligned with what we want. In a nutshell, being aligned means said thoughts, feelings and beliefs, are in harmony with what we want, and don't contradict it. You believe you can have this thing.
We are very oriented towards action, and believe that is the true point of creation, because we kind of forgot how things really worked. And as such, we often engage in a lot of action to get results. We try to force and manipulate. We work really hard, and no matter how painful and frustrating it is, we keep on going, thinking that is the only way to get what we want. We try to control everything, thinking it is up to us to figure it all out, and make it all happen.
We definitely make some headway, but that progress is hard-won. We do a lot of things that make us feel badly ,to get to the stuff we think will make us feel good. That seems kind of screwy, no?
Being in alignment will greatly reduce the need for this type of action because things will come together more easily.
Here are some examples. A random encounter at a coffee shop lands you a huge new client; you run into an old friend on the street who gets you a job, and you didn't have to send out one resume, or go on one interview; you randomly stumble upon the perfect space for your new business, and didn't have to spend time scoping out locations. When we are aligned, this type of stuff starts happening a lot.
Your mind gets uncomfortable with this idea of not taking action, but don't worry. You will likely still take plenty of actions in bringing about your manifestations. You will want to take action. You will want to participate in the process.
Inspired Action Is Where It's At
The type of action you want to focus on in the creation process is inspired action. When you feel inspired to do something, that inspiration is coming from a place of alignment. It is an action that will feel easy, light and joyful. It won't feel hard, forced or difficult.
This is the type of action that is being taken when people talk about being 'in the zone.' This is the type of action that you can get absorbed in for hours, and the time just flies. This is the type of action that feels effortless, yet delivers huge returns.
You may be doing a whole lot, but the amount of action being taken isn't what is creating the result. It is the energy behind it. Then there are times when you won't do much at all, but since the action was inspired, there is a huge amount of leverage behind it. Inspired action lets you get a lot more while doing a lot less.
If you are getting inspired to take certain actions, and you don't take them, you are likely slowing down your manifestations. Sometimes inspired action may feel uncomfortable because it requires you to do something new or something that may feel a bit scary...you have to be willing to dive in.
Actions Are a Manifestation of Our Energy
It is important to remember our actions are a manifestation of our energy. In that sense, all actions is technically 'inspired' because we are being driven to it by what is going on within. If you want to manifest with greater ease, it is crucial you check the motivators behind the actions you feel compelled to take.
Are you taking this action because it feels good and you want to take it? Or do you feel compelled to take this action because you feel like you 'must' take it, or you fear that not taking it will prevent what you want from coming to you?
When it is the latter, it is a good idea to refrain. Maybe later you will feel better, and take the action from a better-feeling space, or you will feel inspired to do something else.
When action starts feeling hard and frustrating, you have to be willing to walk away. Don't insist on continuing. This type of action is showing you that you are already out of alignment with what you want, and this will just throw you even further out of the loop.
The Necessity of Action Is Part of Your Belief System...Work Within It
You probably can't fully buy into the idea you can get clients without doing any marketing or that it really doesn't matter what your website looks like, and people will buy from you no matter what. You probably don't think you can meet someone without 'putting yourself out there.'
So, the idea of not taking as much action will probably feel really uncomfortable. We won't believe it's possible to still get what we want, and since we don't believe it, we won't. So the key is doing our best to take the actions from as high an energy space as possible.
Engage in marketing strategies that feel good. Redesign your website if it will make you feel more confident about your business. Join an online dating site and see what happens. Just don't get attached to any one action as being 'necessary' to get what you want.
If you are doing things, not getting results and are feeling badly, the answer is not taking more action or trying harder...trust me on that. Your mind will fight you big time on that little nugget. It is going within and seeing what feelings, thoughts and beliefs you may hold, that aren't serving you. When you shift that, any action that will help move things along will reveal itself, and you'll be acting from a much more effective space.
Remember ultimately it is your energy that is dictating the results, not variety of actions you are taking. Again, they are a manifestation of your energy, and the feelings behind the actions will show whether you are aligned or not.
That's the short and sweet version of my spiel on action. It can certainly cause confusion, and it's understandable because of the misconceptions that surround the LOA. But when you realize the law of attraction is not simply 'magic,' but a way of explaining how our experience is created, you will get a better sense of when to act and when to not. Your feelings are always the ultimate guide. You're gonna have to be willing to trust in the process, and give it a real try.
Kelli Cooper is a blogger and coach who specializes in the law of attraction. Check out her blog Life Made to Order for blog posts and podcasts about the law of attraction and other personal development topics. She also has a series of ebooks about the law of attraction available on Amazon