How to Manifest What You Want (without being woo-woo)

There’s a lot of talk about manifesting these days, have you noticed?

Personally, I like the concept, because basically it means that I have the power to create what I want in my life. And I do.

What I don’t like so much is the way that many people talk about it: that if you think enough positive thoughts about your dream life, you’ll get what you want.

The problem is: that’s not enough. Those who manifest what they want in life consistently and with ease know that simply visualizing your ideal future is not enough. The manifesting process, as I see it, is actually quite action-oriented and not very woo-woo at all. In fact, I think of it as a strategy for how to go after my goals.

Here I’ll walk you through the action steps I’ve taken in my life to go from “I want XYZ” to “XYZ now is my reality!”

1. Get clear on your WHAT.

Define what you want in vigorous, alive, electric detail. Don’t worry yet about the how — allow yourself to get clear on what your truest dreams are.

2. Get clear on your WHY.

Understand WHY you want it. Underneath the desire to get a house in the South of France with enough rooms to invite all your friends in the summer — what is the Core Desired Feeling you’re looking for? Connection, love, fun, playfulness, generosity, closeness would be some examples for WHY the desire for a house in the South of France.

3. Start feelin’ yourself.

Wake up every morning feeling as if your dream reality was ALREADY HAPPENING. If you dream of having a network of positive, inspiring friends, then start showing up in life as if you already had those types of friends. It’s amazing how this shift in perception will impact the way you speak and act in your daily life, which in turn will start attracting those types of friends in real life!

4. Goals are your friend.

Set your goals (I like to do yearly with this tool, and quarterly), and then take daily actions inspired by and aligned with #s 1 , 2, & 3.

5. Stay committed & know when to say no.

Stay committed to the ideal future you’re building and don’t compromise on your vision. You see, once you’ve gotten clear on what you’re going after, you’re going to get lots of opportunities that look like they could get you there. But know that this is kind of a test to see how serious you are about what you want. You’re the only one who knows what you’re not willing to settle for anymore, so be sure to say “No, thank you” when an opportunity LOOKS close to what you want, but feels off.

6. Kick your limiting beliefs to the curb.

Notice when you’re stuck and don’t seem to be making much progress. Often, this is because your past programming and old stories are running the show from your subconscious. No amount of action can override a hidden belief of “I can’t have what I want…” .

So it’s VITAL that you address the limiting thoughts that are sabotaging you from behind the scenes.

Various ways to do this include:

• hypnotherapy (check out Marisa Peer’s tools)

• some types of psychotherapy

• coaching

• plant medicine journeys

• the Landmark Forum (IMO the most immediate and cost-effective way to do this)

• family constellation therapy

• reading books like “You are a badass” by Jen Sincero and “The Desire Map” by Danielle Laporte, which will have you work on uncovering your programming so that you can start programming new beliefs into your mind

7. Share your vision with everyone you meet.

Talk about the vision you’re committed to with everyone you meet… This is one of the most effective ways to find the (many) people out there in the world who can help make your dream a reality. Authentic human connections and conversations are powerful at helping us get where we want to be! You’d be surprised to discover how many people are ready to point you in the right direction, only if they knew where you’re trying to go.

The best part about trying out the strategies above? You don’t have to tell anyone you’re doing them, so you’ve got nothing to lose. Hope you have fun playing with them!

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The article above was written with inspiration from the following awesome thought leaders that have enriched my life these last few years: Danielle Laporte’s “Core Desired Feelings” tool and her books, Lacy Phillips’ To be Magnetic approach, my coach Steffani LeFevour, and a few others.

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