By Melanie Valderrama

I was chatting with a friend recently who’s going through a tough time financially. She asked me what I would do if I were in her shoes. The very first thing I told her was: Start with gratitude. Write down everything you’re thankful for—even the little things. I’ve heard it said that gratitude and depression cannot exist in the same space. That’s powerful.

Next, I encouraged her to write out everything she doesn’t want to happen—and then flip each one into something positive that she does want. For example, instead of “I don’t want to worry about bills,” say, “My bills are paid quickly and easily.” Instead of “I never have enough money,” say, “I am prosperous, and money flows to me freely.”

Then I gave her a simple affirmation to repeat daily—at least ten times:
“I am so happy and grateful now that I am prosperous and money flows to me freely. My bills are paid quickly, easily, and on time. I am blessed! I am blessed! I am blessed!”

Because I wanted her to have practical tools, I shared how her situation ties into the Seven Universal Laws of Success, and how understanding them can create real, lasting change.

1. The Law of Perpetual Transmutation
This law teaches that energy is always moving into and out of form. If you want money to come into your life, you have to create a new idea—one of prosperity. Picture the life you want. Feel it. When you focus on what you want, things begin shifting behind the scenes to bring it into your reality.

2. The Law of Relativity
Your situation is not “bad” until you compare it to something else. The truth? Someone, somewhere, has it harder. If you have food, shelter, clothing, clean water, and transportation—you’re already ahead. And if you're still struggling to feel that perspective, go serve someone in greater need. Perspective breeds peace.

3. The Law of Vibration
Everything vibrates—including your thoughts. When you shift your thinking and get emotionally invested in those new, positive thoughts, your personal frequency rises. That’s when new resources, people, and opportunities begin showing up. Use that daily affirmation to help raise your vibration and stay in that higher space.

4. The Law of Polarity
Everything has an opposite. That means every “bad” situation has an equal “good” in it—if you’re willing to look for it. Struggling to pay a bill? That might be the exact pressure you need to discover a new income stream that blesses your life again and again.

5. The Law of Rhythm
Life flows in seasons—up and down, in and out. If you're in a low right now, take heart: the upswing is coming. That’s not just optimism—it’s law. And if you know it’s coming, you can begin preparing for it with gratitude and faith instead of panic and fear.

6. The Law of Cause and Effect
Every action creates a result. Nothing happens by accident. If you want to receive, give. Donate to a cause you believe in, even if it’s just a few dollars. That single act sets a flow of abundance in motion.

7. The Law of Gender & the Law of Gestation
Every idea is a seed. And just like in nature, every seed has a required gestation period. You can’t rush a harvest. But if you plant your idea in the right environment—nourished by belief, focus, and action—it will grow. Even if you don’t see the results immediately, trust the process. Doubt and worry will choke the seed. Faith allows it to flourish.

And finally—take action. If you feel a nudge to call someone, take a class, explore a new opportunity—do it. Acting on inspired ideas shows that you believe in the outcome you’ve imagined. Faith without action is incomplete.

Understanding and applying these laws won't just help you survive your current challenge—they'll help you transform it. These principles apply to finances, relationships, health… to life.

So if you’re feeling stuck, start with gratitude. Speak life into what you want. Trust the laws. And move forward in faith. You’ve got this.