Manifesting the Life of Your Dreams: It’s Easier than you Think!

By the time you read this I will be living in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains in Tucson, AZ! 21 years ago I made my first trip to Arizona and I fell in love. As a Northeastern native, this was a shock and surprise to me. Yes. It’s hot – my first trip was mid-July and it didn’t deter me one bit from falling madly, deeply in love with the landscape and southwestern lifestyle.

You see, people consistently tell me and my hubby that we’re being brave for moving clear across the country and him without a solid job offer. It’s not so much brave as it is answering the calling of our hearts. I’m also asked what happens if we find out we don’t like it there. The answer is simple – we move back to DC or somewhere else.

Since when did we get this idea that we’re meant to ignore our longings to shift and change our lives and our living situation? Staying put is great if that is your highest desire, but if you are called to fulfill a dream- whether it’s starting a business, getting married, pursuing a creative project or moving across the country – why do you stop yourself?

I find many people feel righteous in what they define as their stability. Yet they’re mistaking stability for rigidity. Staying for the sake of staying is not the way I want to live my life. Neither is leaving simply for the sake of stirring the pot. Each of us knows what our true longings and desires are, and we’re the only ones who can make them come true.

Simply wanting to make your dream come true isn’t enough of course. You’ve got to chart a course and put the plan in place. Then you let go and let the Universe do its work! One of the key lessons I share with my clients is how to work in collaboration with All That Is. The Universe (God, Spirit, All That Is) wants you to be happy. (Okay, that’s my belief, if you don’t believe in that sort of entity, that’s okay too, but you probably want to stop reading right now.)

Today I want to talk a bit about manifesting and making your dreams come true.

In order for the Universe to conspire to help you, you’ve got to get really clear on what it is you need to be, do or have to be truly, deeply in your bones happy. It’s like ordering a meal at a restaurant – if you ask for a chicken sandwich you shouldn’t expect to get a spaghetti dinner. Sure a spaghetti dinner might be nice, but don’t expect it to show up if you order chicken!

Understand that manifesting your desires in this world is like that restaurant meal – you state specifically what you want and then you’re happy to receive it. You don’t worry about whether or not you’ll never be able to order anything else at the restaurant when you order your chicken sandwich, do you? You know you can come back another time and order a spaghetti dinner, right?

So why would you think that if you “order” a life in Tucson, Arizona you’ll be stuck there forever if you don’t like it? Why would you think that you have to make the one, perfect, request because it’s the only chance you’ll ever get?

Even if you don’t want to move across country, start thinking about what you do want to be, do or have in your life and start manifesting it. Here’s how:

1. Be specific about your desire. This means pick one at a time – whether it’s starting your first painting, learning to drive a race car or launching your own business.
2. Write down exactly what you want. Fill in as much detail as you possibly can. Write down how it feels to have/be it and include things that make it real – what colors are involved, what the weather is like! Go deeper than the surface and really make this real to you.
3. Take a break and go for a walk. Yes. Get outside even if it is 100 degrees and 80 % humid.
4. Read through what you’ve written. Is it as specific and clear as it possibly can be? Can you close your eyes and see it happening in your mind’s eye? If not, fill in whatever you feel is missing.
5. Take a few minutes and answer this question, Why do I want/need/desire this outcome? What does it mean to you? What are the obvious and not so obvious reasons this is meaningful to you?
6. Now ask, who do I have to be to make this real for me? If you want to run your first marathon, do you need to be a person who chooses to get off the couch for more than getting a snack? Do you need to be a person who has discipline? Get clear on the person you will be when you have this goal manifested.
7. Finally, what things can you do today to close the gap between where you are now and where you want to be?

We tend to get a dream and then tell ourselves it’s not possible. I assure you, that if you have the idea, it is possible, but the timing and shifts to make it so are up to you. You have a choice in moving toward the vision or staying put. No matter what you think, you’re changing all the time, so why not have a say in what that future looks like?

Who knows, maybe I’ll see you in Tucson?!