“What’s the first thing you’ll do when we win?” I asked my husband, Chris, as he came in the door with some lottery tickets.

Note: when not if.

“Buy a new house. I want a movie theater in the basement,” he said.

We bantered back an forth about what we’d do with the $720,000,000 until Chris said he couldn’t talk about it. It made him too aware of the things he wanted but didn’t have.

This was an excellent example of the Law of Paradoxical Intent.

When there is something we want, whether it’s health, a job, a soulmate, or a material possession, we need to set an intention without feeling a sense of lack. Gratitude brings about more to be grateful for. Focusing on lack constricts the energy and pushes our desire further away from us. It can even bring about more lack.

We attract what we think about and what we feel.

That’s not to say we shouldn’t experience our so-called negative emotions. We absolutely should. All of our emotions serve as guides and teachers. But they have no place in intention-setting.

When I dream about the house I’d buy with our lottery winnings, first I think of all the things in our current house that I’m grateful for. It’s bright and sunny. It has a beautiful bathtub in a bathroom I designed and love. We can gather my big family  in it for holidays and entertain guests outside in the summer. It’s close to our children and grandchildren.

Next, I feel how wonderful it would be to have some old oaks or maples, a spacious kitchen, and an office with a door. Not because I desperately need or want those things; I don’t. But I can feel how fantastic it would be if I did have them.

And then, I let go of attachment. I release my attachment to the outcome. I have sent my desire out into the Universe knowing that there are always enough wonderful things for everyone. I release my attachment to the form in which my desire will be delivered. I release attachment to timing.

Releasing attachment is the magic wand we wave over our intention. Once we do that, poof! We have more than enough.

P.S. When I win the lottery, you’re all invited over for an over-the-top party!