Manifesting the Life You Want

What does it mean to manifest what you want? We hear it often together with the law of attraction, but how exactly do they work? To manifest something is to know and visualise what you desire in order to attract it into reality. This sounds simple, but together with the law of attraction they are more than just thinking happy thoughts. With overactive minds that tend to dwell on the negative, it can be hard to stay focussed on who you want to be more of and the kind of life you’d like to be living. It requires a deeper awareness and shift in perspective towards things that will help your dreams come true. Where there is desire and intent, there needs to be action as well – otherwise what you want will remain nothing short of a wish.

Manifesting your dreams is entirely possible, but it takes work. Here are 9 tips to help you manifest the life you want:

1. Know what you want and get specific about it. You can’t manifest something you are not clear on. Think of the goals you would like to achieve. Here’s an article I wrote to help you with goal management. Get creative about the things you want – use a journal, create vision boards, make mind maps.
2. Accept limitations. We often want things to happen without having to endure the journey it takes to get there, despite the journey being the most important part for our personal development. You have to work towards what you want, which can be a limitation. There are sacrifices and commitments that need to be made in order to get what you want – be willing to make them.
3. Believe in yourself and your ability to achieve. The only opinion that matters here is yours. Know in your core that you are capable of anything you set your mind to. That means not giving up when the going gets tough.
4. Don’t force what isn’t meant to be. Manifesting the life you want doesn’t mean getting everything exactly as you planned it. Trust that the universe is working with you and has your back. You may not see the big picture yet, but the door that has closed on you is merely giving you the opportunity to open another.
5. Be willing to work with others. Having a support system goes a long way and you can accomplish more with others than on your own. Be open to reaching out, asking for help, collaborating – and always be willing to help back.
6. Be at one with yourself. When the going gets tough, and it will, always come back to yourself to centre yourself. Remember who you are, what your values are and what you are working towards. The answers you need you will always find within.
7. Know your “why.” In order to live the life of your dreams, it’s important to know your life purpose – the “why” behind your way of being and doing. It is what encapsulates your identity, the theme of who you are as an individual. This purpose is what motivates you towards achieving your goals in a significant and meaningful way.
8. Work with what you’ve got. Don’t wait for things to be perfect before you move forward with your ambitions, otherwise perfection will simply become the excuse holding you back from what you want. Work with what you have, in this moment. Appreciate your efforts and accomplishments and take risks. Have the courage to put yourself out there even if you don’t think you’re ready, or enough, or that what you are working on isn’t perfect. You will never succeed without trying and you will never try if you sit around waiting for something that doesn’t exist.
9. Live in the now and be grateful for what you have. When working towards something, it can be easy to get distracted by the future or fearful of past experiences that you don’t live in the now, or appreciate all that you currently have. Gratitude is the best way to become aware of all you already have and with it undoubtedly comes abundance. Regularly take note of the things you are grateful for and watch how it empowers and rewards you.

Though it may seem like magic – it’s not. You can create the life you want as you alone are responsible for the reality you experience. Know your desires, find a more positive outlook, have faith, dream big, work hard, and give thanks. The life you dream of is just waiting for you to make it happen, so get to it!