DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a friend who totally believes that if you make a wish on New Year’s Day, your whole life can change. I do not believe in fairy tales. I believe in honest hard work and commitment. Meanwhile, my friend goes on and on about how she made this wish and all the great things that are about to happen for her as a result. She claims that she did the same thing last year, and she ended up getting a great new job. This year, she has a new wish, and she can’t wait to see it come true. Am I wrong to believe in working for what you want? -- No Fairy Tales, Atlanta
DEAR NO FAIRY TALES: Your friend’s approach is hopeful. She has set an intention and is focused on making that happen. While her way of describing her goal sounds magical, I bet what she is doing is being clear about what she wants, having faith that it will happen and working toward that goal.
A spiritual lesson I have been taught is that success is like a two-winged bird. It requires self-effort and grace. Your friend is calling it a “wish.” It also sounds like a prayer.
Of course hard work is required to achieve a goal. Claiming what you want and need and staying focused on attaining it while asking for the grace to get there is a recipe I follow to attain my desires.