I want to share an experience I had in common as a child with Dr. Wayne Dyer, author of the bestselling book, The Power of Intention. I'll bet many of you had similar experiences too.

As a little girl, I would always find money in the streets, pennies, quarters, dimes and sometimes large bills. I would be walking along and happen to look down at the ground or in the snow and there it would be. I would easily find ways to earn money by babysitting, selling unusual things to other kids, collecting pop bottles -- they seemed to be everywhere in those days - easy, quick cash for a child. I was a young artist also and always had offers from adults for my paintings and drawings.

Was I just lucky? Coincidence? No, I strongly believe it was because of my state of mind regarding abundance, even as a child. I simply didn't have a belief in lack even when I knew my parents didn't intend on giving me an allowance. I just knew I could always get money in other ways. I believe all, if not most children naturally believe in abundance until they are programmed to think and believe differently.

I watched Dr. Wayne Dyer on television when he lectured on PBS in the recent past. He shared his experiences as a child about how he would naturally attract abundance wherever he went. He was raised in foster homes surrounded by people with a poverty consciousness. In spite of that, he still "felt" prosperous and abundant and always "pictured" having money in his pocket. With this image, he then would collect pop bottles, deliver newspapers, cut lawns, etc. These money-making opportunities were coming to him all of the time as a result of his abundance or prosperity consciousness. So as a child, he always had money and abundance and that has continued throughout his life.

Here is one of many things Dr. Dyer has to say about abundance:

"It's all about having an inner picture of abundance, thinking in unlimited ways, being open to the guidance that intention provides when you're in a state of rapport with it -- then being in a state of ecstatic gratitude and awe for how this whole thing works. Every time I see a coin on the street, I stop, pick it up, put it into my pocket, and say out loud, "Thank you, God, for this symbol of abundance that keeps flowing into my life." Never once have I asked, "Why only a penny, God? You know I need a lot more than that."

I agree totally about being in this state of gratitude and I too will joyfully thank God/All That Is/Universe for any amount of money I may find, even if it is a penny. What happens is that more money and abundance will continue to flow into my life, as long as that flow remains open and unblocked.

The other day, for example, I parked and as I got out of my car, I noticed a large pile of coins on the ground - pennies, quarters, dimes and nickels. It made me laugh in appreciation for this rather obvious abundance symbol! I thanked God for showing me that my prosperity consciousness was still going strong.

Try this the next time you see a penny or more in the street. Rather than step over it and keep on walking, see it for what it is, a symbol of abundance that just flowed into your life. Know that picking it up and expressing gratitude will keep that flow of energy open and flowing in your direction. Soon you will see more and more symbols of abundance and prosperity in your life. It really works!