Making Homesteading Dreams Come True - Visualizing and Positive Thinking, part 2

My homestead dreams are coming true.

Of all people, I am not one that should be a land owner. But I am. Being this far along in the process of making my homesteading retirement dreams come true has happened in large part through visualizing and positive thinking. I am convinced that I am currently buying my land through the law of attraction.

In part 1 of Visualizing and Positive Thinking I tried to give a brief introduction to some of the general ideas of visualizing, positive thinking, and the law of attraction - and gave links to the experts. I am no expert on these things. And frankly, my personality tends toward anxious and grumpy. If there is a disaster that could occur, I'm often fairly convinced that it will occur. That fear is sometimes paralyzing. And I believe that fear attracts more disasters than it prevents. I'm slowly trying to move away from that type of anxious and negative thinking in general.

I believe The Shack is proof of my moving away from claiming disasters and toward allowing the law of attraction to work in my life.

Land Owning Daydreams and The Shack Visualized

For years, I have "daydreamed" about buying land and moving back to a rural setting. Over those years, I spent much free time looking at the realty sites that show land for sale. I had thoughts such as "If this was mine, I'd put the barn next to that grove of trees" or "if this was mine, I'd build the house there."

Through regular, almost daily, looking at the land for sale ads, I became aware of locations, prices, availability, and etc. I knew which areas offered parcels of land that met my needs. I narrowed it down to four or five counties across West Virginia. Some people would say this is mere research. That is partially true - it was research. But it was also more than that. I book marked my favorites and looked at them several times a week. I visualized living in the future on a piece of land.

The Shack was one of those bookmarked favorites. And it sat empty, listed in the land-for-sale ads for a long time. I now think it was waiting for me. As it sat empty, I imagined living in it. Day after day I thought what it might be like to have that place - and those views - to myself. I looked at the online ad for The Shack and imagined where I'd put the garden, imagined where I'd put the house, and imagined shoveling snow there. I imagined different floor plans that would be perfect for that ridge. As each season changed, I imagined living in that season on that ridge.

But I was just day dreaming. Passing time. I was in no position to buy. Sometimes I berated myself for wasting time looking at something that could never be mine. But usually, I happily imagined being there.

I dreamt of living in the country. But these views were beyond my wildest dreams.

The Shack Manifested

For years I daydreamed only. Then things suddenly changed. My income didn't increase. My bills didn't decrease. My credit score was still garbage. But my job changed which meant a move with my 401k. I talk about that a bit in previous posts, so I won't rehash it here (you can find the link at the end of this post). Please know that I am NOT advocating you cash out your retirement plan. But I needed to. And because I needed to, and because I had visualized my other retirement plan, I did buy land for my future with part of that money. 

I had already been daydreaming about land in West Virginia for years. 

I was choosing West Virginia for the following reasons:

1. low cost per acre
2. availability of unrestricted land
3. proximity to Maryland (I could still work and commute if needed)
4. closer to family in Indiana than Baltimore (where I currently live)
5. mountainous

My deal-breaker must-haves

1. little to no building restrictions and community rules (unrestricted was my preference)
2. able to have chickens (hence the wish for unrestricted)
3. space - no neighbors on top of me

And I needed inexpensive land. In fact, financially speaking, I had no business thinking about buying land - I was not (and am not) in financial position to buy land. But things are working out and moving forward.

My rock. My land. 

I swear, in hindsight, The Shack sat empty and waited for me. It met my must-have list and more. I only had to visit in person to immediately know that it was meant to be. I physically claimed it as mine that day - and garbage credit score be damned - The Shack became mine. 

Dropping the Worry, Guilt, and other Negative Thoughts

One very important thing I had to do was drop the worry and the guilt. The worry that I couldn't do it (i.e. imagining the disasters) and the guilt that I didn't deserve it. Somehow I think other people deserve to live their dreams but that I don't deserve it. But thankfully, in relation to The Shack, I've dropped that guilt. I deserve it as much as the next person. Period. Not more than the next person. But the same as the next person. We all deserve to have our dreams come true.

Dropping the guilt and negative thoughts makes room to enjoy life. Without the worry I am able to notice the beauty in the world and the good things that are happening. Dropping the negative thoughts allows the good things to continue to happen.

This butterfly landed on my door and watched me, as I watched it.
Be sure to take time to watch the beauty around you.

Law of Attraction and the Doing

Now, the naysayers of wish boards and laws of attraction sometimes say that these approaches allow people to think that they can stick a wish board up on the fridge and sit and wait for it to happen. 

But it's not like that. Not for me anyway. I looked at my wishes, over and over and over. Then, when the door opened to the possibility, I walked through. I did the work. I contacted a realtor, I physically walked the available parcels of land, I worked with the bank, and I bought the land. 

I don't believe the law of attraction and visualizing is about sitting doing nothing, and waiting for things to fall in your lap. I believe that it is about visualizing your dreams - whether your inner worrier lets you think it's feasible or not - then being prepared when the law of attraction opens the door. And responsibly walking through that door.

I do believe that the law of attraction led me to the correct realtor, the correct bank, and somehow greased the wheels to being approved for a loan. I believe that the law of attraction kept The Shack on the market for me. 

I wanted a yard with bluebirds. I have a yard and bluebirds.

Why I am Attempting to Share this Way-Out-There Topic

I am writing this because I want others to feel more confident about claiming their dreams. I am a firm believer that if I can do it, you can too. I do not have access to extra money. Financially, things are tighter than skinny jeans - and without that spandex stretch! I've been living paycheck to paycheck (or less) for my entire life. I'm anxious. I worry. I do not have the make-it-happen personality. All of these things could hold me back. If I let them.

I watch people say that their dreams (homesteading specifically) will never happen because they are too old, too fragile physically, and too broke financially. I hope to encourage them to dream. To visualize. And to move toward their dreams. 

Of all people, I should not be a land owner. But I am. It is happening. Because I'm dreaming it and doing it, the laws of attraction are at work.

Related Link:

The year 2015 was the year of enormous changes. Of beauty and blessings that are beyond words and of heart-wrenching sadness. I ended that post with: 

"There was not a nice and tidy linear timeline of events as each change completely intertwined with the next. Each event led me forward to today. And today is full of promise and love."

It was the year The Shack came to me. And today continues to be full of promise and love. Life is good. 

Read the brief summary of that year here. 


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