Is it just my Reticular Activating System at work, or has positive thinking and manifestation been making a come back recently? Manifestation has become a buzzword in personal development circles, capturing the imagination of those eager to turn their dreams into reality. And let’s be real, who doesn’t want to turn their dreams into reality? At its core, manifestation involves using the power of the mind to attract what you desire. But how does one effectively manifest their ideal life?
Here’s what I’ve gleaned as I embark on the practice manifestation – the operative word being “practice”. Manifesting your dream life is not something that happens overnight. It requires (1) digging deep, -veeerrry deep – like into the depths of your soul to get clear on what she wants and why (2) following that clarity with sincere belief that your vision is achievable which requires that you abandon limiting beliefs (3) taking inspired action to make manifest of make that vision a reality; and (4) and trusting yourself a.k.a. trusting the process.
Understanding Manifestation
Manifestation is based on the Law of Attraction, which posits that like attracts like. The energy you put out into the universe, through your thoughts, feelings, and actions, is believed to attract similar energy back to you. By aligning your actions with your goals, you can bring your desires into reality.
Manifestation may seem mystical, but there is scientific reasoning behind its principles. The concept aligns with cognitive psychology, particularly the role of the subconscious mind. Our beliefs shape our perceptions and actions, influencing our reality. The Reticular Activating System (RAS) in our brain filters information and focuses on what we deem important. By consistently visualizing and affirming our goals, we train our RAS to recognize opportunities that align with those goals. Neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, also plays a role. Positive thinking and visualization can create new neural pathways, reinforcing the belief in achieving our dreams. Our actions stem from our beliefs, and we become more and more aligned with our desired selves, realizing our goals.
Work for it more than you wish for it.
The concept is simple, but the practice requires discipline. It’s more than vision boarding or thinking positively; what I’ve found is that you need to work for it more than you wish for it, as one of my favorite Peloton instructor Robin Arzon says. And you need to believe it. Step 3, taking inspired action is key. You can’t just imagine a better life and expect it to happen to you.
Steps to Manifesting Your Dream Life
1. Get Clear on What You Want
Clarity is crucial in the manifestation process. Deeply consider what you truly want and get clear on your “why”. Be specific about your goals, whether they pertain to your career, relationships, health, or personal growth. Write down your desires in detail, creating a clear vision of what you aim to achieve.
This step, quite honestly, was / is the most challenging for me. It’s required that I distill my true desires after decades of inheriting the desires, beliefs, and suggestions from external influences, those of parents, siblings, friends and partners. I often have to ask myself if something is truly what I want, or simply what I think I should want because I happen to be susceptible to the power of suggestion.
Take your time with this one. When times get rough, clarity on your why, your raison d’etre will help you get back up and keep on going. And perhaps more importantly, it will help you see, I mean truly see, who you’re meant to be. I find that visualizing and setting intentions have helped me attain greater clarity on my life goals.
Visualization
Visualization is a powerful tool in attaining clarity. Spend time each day visualizing yourself achieving your goals. Imagine the emotions you’ll feel, the sights you’ll see, and the sounds you’ll hear. Doing so helps solidify your goals in your subconscious mind, aligning your energy with your desired outcome. Manifestation gurus suggest getting incredibly specific in this step, down to envisioning one’s outfit, hair style, gait, thoughts, mannerisms, attitude and actions towards others. Some recommend creating an alter ego and naming your future self while you nurture her becoming. Vision boards, journaling and meditation have bee known to help with accessing your mind’s eye in both unveiling and visualizing your desired goals.
For example if a new career is what you’re after, visualize your ideal job, the work environment, and the satisfaction you’ll feel. Visualize what you’d where, the words you’d use, the colleagues you’d have and the organizations you’d join.
get intentional
Setting intentions involves making a clear, specific and action-oriented statement about what you want to achieve. The practice of intention-setting provokes thought about how you want to live, what you want to experience and why, helping you align with your life purpose. For example, I’ve set the intention to live life with more joy and ease because I’ve seen first hand how tragic willing life through painstaking hardship can be. Building on the example above, one can set the intention to build a career that focuses on positive social impact through technology.
2. Believe in your Success
Believing in your success is critical for manifesting your dreams, especially since your actions follow your beliefs. If you don’t believe you’ll land that dream job, succeed in forming that company, or find yourself in that loving, healthy relationship, you likely won’t apply for that job, take the steps to create your business or go on that date.
Abandon Limiting beliefs
Believing in your success requires that you abandon limiting beliefs. To let them go, however, you must first identify what’s holding you back. I’d recommend taking the time to think through and document your limiting beliefs. Some ritualize this step by playing high-frequency music and lighting candles while taking time to be honest about deeply held beliefs about why you can’t accomplish or become what you desire. I highly recommend physically writing this down on a piece of paper, and when you’re ready tearing up that piece of paper up, placing it a little stone or metal bowl / pit and lighting it on fire. There are many ways to disintegrate your limiting beliefs. A friend likes to tear up the paper into a bunch of tiny little pieces – almost like confetti, and pouring water over it.
Use Positive affirmations
Trust me, I know that positive affirmations feel cheesy, especially when you’re using them on yourself. But there’s a damn good reason why positive quotes have gone viral. These affirmations, these statements help reinforce your beliefs. Create affirmations that resonate with your desires, and repeat them daily. For example, if your goal is to find a fulfilling job, an affirmation could be, “I am attracting my dream job that fulfills me and brings me joy” or replace those negative voices saying “I’m not good enough” with a positive affirmation like, “everything I need to succeed is within me.”
This practice is challenging for me because I grew up in a household that believed the practice of praising was detrimental to success. But I know that negative self-talk does not reinforce the beliefs that support my future self and reinforce my RAS – so I’m working on this.
Practice gratitude
Gratitude shifts your focus from what you lack to what you have. By appreciating what you already have, you align yourself with the energy of abundance. Keep a gratitude journal, and write down things you’re thankful for every day. This practice can elevate your mood and attract more positive experiences into your life. I like to end each day by saying, “thank you for today,” a simple mantra my husband has ritualized. You can even be grateful for rejections. While they can be painful, rejections are simply redirections, which can ultimately lead to greater clarity.
3. Take Inspired Action
Inspired action means following your intuition and acting on opportunities that resonate with your vision. While thoughts and emotions are essential, action is the bridge between your desires and reality. One can’t become the best basketball player there ever was by just dreaming about it. Kobe and Jordan worked incredibly hard to manifest their goals. As I said earlier, I really believe that you need to work for it more than you wish it. Take steps toward your goals, even if they’re small. Just like exercising, the hardest part is starting.
This is an extreme example, but author of “Dying to be a Good Mother” Heather Chauvin said she started her journey by first asking herself how she wanted to feel after getting diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, and then taking small inspired actions to help her feel that desired emotion. It makes perfect sense, but Heather’s was to feel alive again. So she asked herself, “what would an alive person do?” While all she wanted to do was lay in bed, she told herself that an alive person would get up and take a shower. And sometimes, that’s all she’d do for the day. Then she’d take a shower and sit out the porch. Slowly, she became more and more alive with each inspired action. Today, she’s recovered and thriving.
4. Trust the Process
Manifestation requires patience and resilience. Trust in yourself and that the universe is working in your favor, even if results aren’t immediate. Stay persistent, knowing that everything is unfolding as it should. Timing might not always align with your expectations, but I believe that attaining clarity and becoming aligned through our actions and thoughts will lead you to where you’re meant to be.
Manifestation is a powerful practice that can transform your life when approached with clarity, positivity, and action. By (1) getting clear on your desires; (2) believing in your success and letting go of limiting beliefs; (3) taking inspired action, (4) and trusting the process, you can manifest the life of your dreams. Embrace the journey, stay patient, and watch as your dreams become your reality.
Want to dig deeper? Here are just a few resources on manifesting:
- Manifest by Roxie Nafousi
- The Goal Digger Podcast: A Step-by-Step Guide: Transform Your Wealth, Body + Life with Manifestation Expert Mimi Bouchard
- The Source: The Secrets of the Universe, the Science of the Brain
Do you have a manifestation practice? What tips might you share? I’d love to hear from you.
