by Anna Ervin
HERBAGE MAGAZINE
I have not managed to live in one place for over a year. I have moved from apartment to apartment, sometimes from state-to-state, every year in the last decade. I get tired of frequently packing up my life, but I think the constant change in environment actually excites and motivates me to keep working towards new lessons and experiences in life, abundance, and love.
I am moving again this summer, and as I have been going through my belongings, I found an old journal where I jotted down a few of my goals and dreams. When I read through the list, I realized I could check off nearly everything I had written down just years before. I have always believed that words are powerful, but something about seeing my own writing on paper gave me chills.
I still remember how silly I felt as I scribbled the words “move to Denver,” and “host a wellness retreat” into my notebook. Back then, those goals were so far from manifesting that I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to achieve them. That didn’t stop me from trying. I used to spend hours daydreaming about being surrounded by mountains or sharing divinatory practices with a tribe of likeminded women.
I knew at that time that I was not yet prepared for these goals to come to fruition, but I also knew that if I told myself they would happen, I would eventually trick my brain into believing it. This reminds me of a quote by the late president of Bi-Lo supermarkets, Frank Outlaw:
“Watch your thoughts, they become words;
watch your words, they become actions;
watch your actions, they become habits;
watch your habits, they become character;
watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
Our thoughts are powerful, but our words carry even more weight, further influencing our actions, character, and sometimes even our fate. So what happens when we apply those words to paper? Or when we practice visualizing the process of our dreams becoming reality?
Practicing mindfulness with my thoughts, and speaking with intention I can alter the way I perceive and even experience reality. To me, this is the essence of manifestation. Abundance, success, love, or whatever you’re trying to manifest won’t just magically poof into your life (although if you’re not paying attention, it can sometimes feel this way). They slowly creep in through your thoughts, words, and actions as you shift your habits to match their frequency.
If I’m trying to manifest love, I’m going to focus on love – write about it, envision what it feels like, act the way someone in love would act, then let it go and trust that the universe will deliver. Eventually, the universe is going to become aware of my intentions and efforts to attract love into my life, and therefore love will work its way into my world.
I know this is easier said than done, and I do feel that it’s important to be mindful of intention when working with words. To close, I wanted to share three helpful exercises that I tend to lean into when I’m ready to start manifesting healthy changes in my own life:
Start a Vision Journal
I like to write about my biggest dreams, the goals I’ve always wanted to work towards, the cities I want to live in, and the type of home I hope to keep. Sometimes I can be very descriptive, other times I’m a little more vague, focusing more on manifesting things that are simply in my best interest, rather than specific things with many expectations. I write about them as if they have already come to fruition: “I live in the house of my dreams,” or “My career is fulfilling and rewarding.”
Write the Universe a Love Letter
In my opinion, the best way to manifest the things I want is to practice gratitude for all that I’ve already been blessed with, and the universe gives me an insane amount to be thankful for.
“Dear God, Angels, Spirit Guides, Universe,
Thank you for nurturing and providing me with everything I need to be healthy and happy. I am so in love with your sunshine, and the way it breathes life and energy into me. I’m thankful for the soil that keeps me grounded and provides nutrients to sustain my body…”
Switching my mindset into one of immense gratitude and love, as well as recognizing the divine forces of nature that always have my back, helps me draw more of that energy into my reality.
Draw Out a Plan
When I first thought about hosting a wellness retreat, I never imagined it would actually happen, but I made a list of the menu items I would provide regardless. I even went as far writing out an entire meal prep schedule to feed 10 people just to show myself I could. When I actually did host the retreat years later, my menu looked a lot different, but I already knew exactly how to work out all of the little details.
Even though I had simply written my plans down for fun, I think the exercise shifted my thought process from “I wish I could do something like this,” to “I am absolutely capable of pulling this off.”
You have so much magic that lives inside of you. I hope you can see it.