Attraction, Not Promotion

 A friend of mine once remarked, after regaling us with stories of his past, that he was a “sh*t magnet”. His wife immediately laughed and replied that she hoped that wasn’t entirely true!

What kind of magnet am I? What do I attract to myself? Where does my mind like to park itself, and what does it like to chew on? When I meditate on this philosophy, I think of ‘attraction’ as a drawing-in, while ‘promotion’ is a blasting-out. These are the two poles of the magnet.

The pioneers of AA had to learn through sad experience that it is more effective to demonstrate sobriety than to proselytize. When others can see that my life has changed for the better, when that isn’t accompanied by the judgement implicit in telling them how to change their own lives, I am more likely to attract. If I choose instead to indulge in promoting a new way of life, I invite criticism and failure. Promotion can be a product of the ego - “Look at me! Look at me! I have the answers!”. I’m a hot air balloon inviting darts!

My aim, every day, is to attract peacefulness and serenity. I start my days with gratitude, and as I am challenged, I try to come back to it. It is in the living of the principle of ‘attraction, not promotion’ that I find that sweet spot.