The word "manifesting" is everywhere these days, or maybe that's just my Instagram algorithm. Either way, it's been occupying my thoughts heavily as I work to build and live my dream life. Currently, my focus is on how I can teach retreats in beautiful locations with amazing women and grow my life coaching business.
The definition of manifesting is the act or practice of bringing something into your life through belief. Belief, faith, hope - these are all incredibly important, but they alone aren't enough. Manifesting is about knowing your dreams AND putting in the work.
To begin manifesting, you first need to get clear on what you want, and then work to make it happen. To me, this starts with understanding what is most important to you – the foundation of who you are, your core values, the must-haves you can't live without. What makes you tick? What makes you, you? The good and the not so good. It's about being fully aware of where you are today, acknowledging and accepting it without judgment, both your past and your present.
Next, work on gaining clarity about what you really want. If you don't know your dreams and desires, how can you bring them into existence? This is where some inner work, meditation and journaling can be really helpful (along with working with a coach!). Ask yourself, "How do I want to feel every day? What do my ideal weekdays and weekends look like? When I wake up in the morning, what type of work (or play) do I want to be doing?" A great place to begin here is to look at your history for clues on what has felt resonant, expansive and fulfilling to you that you want to bring into the present and future. Until you are clear on what you are working towards, manifesting the wrong things will just be a distraction.
Next, it is time to be both intentional and brave. This may come really easily, or it may be more of a challenge. We all only have a finite amount of time and energy in each day. We all have the same 24 hours, and no one lives without responsibilities and commitments. When you are ready to manifest, you need to prioritize, say no, sacrifice and set boundaries. Will it be worth it? YES! I think that when we are truly aware of our dreams, we can manifest them with both intention and action – and making the "tough" decisions get easier. That is where the magic happens.
"Let's conjure up from the depths of our souls the truest, most beautiful lives we can imagine. Then put it to paper. This becomes the blueprint for our life." This quote from Glennon Doyle speaks to me and how I want to manifest. It is the beautiful integration of your core values, your dreams, your reality and a plan to make stuff happen. Manifestation doesn't stop with just thinking, knowing or saying out loud what you want. You need to do the work. Get out those to-do lists, schedule time in your calendar, set alarms on your phone. These are your dreams - now it's time to make them real.
And the truth is, sometimes what you are trying to manifest won't happen. Sucks, right? Well, you can look at it one of two ways: negatively and let it derail your growth and progress, or in a way that what didn't happen is a gift. Maybe it isn't the right time, maybe it wasn't meant for you or maybe what you are dreaming isn't big enough. And what is coming along next will be so much grander than you've ever imagined.
