like you’re more in control now? Do you feel more empowered? Most peo-
ple feel more empowered after this exercise. If you did not, repeat the
method and keep making adjustments to your images until you gain that
sense of empowerment. You may have to change some of the characteris-
tics, such as brightness, focus, or location to feel more empowered. Re-
member, this is yourmind, and you are free to decorate it the way you
choose. If you continue to have difficulty with this method, also examine
your associated sounds and feelings and change them. Have fun and
stand up for what rightfully belongs to you. Take control now!
Changing the characteristics of our perceptions changes how we feel
about any situation. When you changed the pictures of the authority fig-
ures in your life, you changed how you represented them in your mind.
These changes will be permanent unless you choose to change them back.
But why would you want to do this?
Go back and look at the rest of the authority figures in your life.
Change them so they no longer control you. Use this technique with any-
one that you feel may have control over you in your mind and change him
or her. Do this exercise with any additional family members or other au-
thority figures to whom you give your decision-making power.
Do this repeatedly and, especially, whenever your mind is yelling at
you with sentences starting with the words “I have to,” “I should,” “You’d
better,” and the like.
If you completed this exercise, pat yourself on the back. Great job! If
you skipped it, go back and do it now. True winners in life will do things
that others won’t. Are you a winner, or are you going to waste your time
and money? The choice is yours. We know that you are a winner because
otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this book. Go ahead and make the
most of it now. Break those old habits you used to have today.The Power of Philanthropy
Rich people, in contrast to those living paycheck to paycheck, usu-
ally understand that money exists to express their values. This is the
case even though some rich people clearly have some values you
may not agree with.
Philanthropy is a method widely used by the rich to express
their important values. Andrew Carnegie’s philanthropy, for exam-
ple, built libraries all across the United States. Don’t wait until you
are rich to become a philanthropist. Start now and begin to develop
the consciousness that your money exists to express your values.
Find a cause that expresses your values, whether that cause is social,
religious, or political. Set aside a definite percentage of your gross104 Your Recovery from a Good Upbringing