A magical maxim is WYTUG. You can remember WYTUG because it sounds like "Why tug?" So many of us are tugging at our life, trying to pull it along as if it was an obstinate, stubborn, headstrong mule. Why do that? Your life can be like the old children's song:

"Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream."

Read on to make your life a merry one full of all that you have dreamed.

Known For Centuries

WYTUG is an acronym for What You Think Upon Grows. That what you think upon or focus upon increases is not a newly discovered fact; many have known it since at least as early as the writing of the Bible (Phillippians 4:8).

Many more since then have written about this simple and yet profound principle -- Norman Vincent Peale, Napoleon Hill, Agnes Sanford, Dale Carnegie, Joel Goldsmith, to name just a few.

Our thoughts are very powerful; they are our mental magic wands. What we dwell upon becomes our reality. This simple fact is what makes our thoughts so powerful. If you cast your attention upon poverty, you will attract poverty into your life. If you think about illness, you will get sick.

No matter what the situation - health, wealth, peace, happiness - thinking about the negative side will get you more of the negative; concentrating on the positive will get you more of the positive.

Too simple, you say? It may be simple but it is not easy. Watch your thoughts for a half day. How often do you think of the good and the positive, and how often of that which you fear or do not want? Many of us think much more about the bad things in life and imagine these fears coming to pass.

Not a good move! Fearing a thing invites it to become manifest in your life. Think miracles instead. Wonderful, enchanting, golden miracles.

Fear, Fear Everywhere

Why do many of us find our thoughts drawn not to the wondrous, the marvelous, the triumphant, but to the pessimistic, the fatalistic, the creepy?

Perhaps it is because we are told so often what to fear - diseases, interest rates, crime, foods, chemicals, addictions, politicians, violence, road rage (and all the other rages du jour). One potential fear after another.

Regardless of what messages we may be hearing out in the world, we can hone our magic wands, our thoughts, so they bring us a good and joyful life. Our thoughts are actual things and they have a very tangible effect on what we get. We have the choice to think fear thoughts or fortune thoughts.

The Golden Key To Happiness

What do we do when we are having thoughts about things we do not want to attract to us? Say we are concerned about our finances and fearing our lack of money. Fearing something invites it.

Okay, so what do we do instead? We think about what we want instead of what we are fearing.

Perhaps we do not know what we want? Surprisingly, this is a problem with many people. You say to them, "Here is a magic wand. You can have anything you wish." They do not know what to wish for.

Until you know what you desire, here's a simple alternative method when you find yourself thinking of things you do not want. Emmet Fox describes the Golden Key: "Stop thinking about the difficulty, whatever it is, and think about God instead." Fox says that this Golden Key will get you out of any difficulty.

For those who do not believe in God, think of wisdom, truth, love, joy - something powerful and good.

Sometimes the thought of things negative are so persistent you do not seem to be able to use the Golden Key.

Sarah was very upset at a person, too upset to turn to any lofty thoughts at all. As she filled a glass with water at the sink, her eyes rested on a spice bottle. She began to appreciate the red letters that spelled out "Cayenne Pepper." By turning to the red of the letters, she was able to lose the thoughts that had been upsetting her.

If you are overwhelmed with negative thoughts, find anything positive in your environment, no matter how seemingly trivial, and use it as your Golden Key.

The Simple Truth

Distill, purify, and refine your thoughts and you can have that of which you have only dreamed before.

"Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream."

Note: May 31, 2002, was the first annual WYTUG Day.

©Copyright 2002 Stephanie West Allen. Article reprinted with permission.

Stephanie West Allen, JD, brings humor and motivation to organizations. http://www.stephaniewestallen.com She coaches people in using the two Merry Maxims, WYTUG (What You Think Upon Grows) and LULU (Loosen Up, Lighten Up), to achieve health, wealth, creativity, and harmonized relationships. Contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Subscribe to her daily motivational ezine Upsy Daisy Daily by sending a blank e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .