How to Manifest Something: A Practical Guide

Understanding the Concept of Manifestation

What does it look like when you close your eyes and visualize yourself in your ideal future reality? Take a moment to try. See if you can feel it fully. Notice the sensory details, notice how your body feels. Let yourself feel the way you believe you will feel when you have what you want.

This is the way we begin. But what if you can't picture a? And what about the rest of the process?

I hear or see the word "manifestation" almost every day. Like many words that we use often, however, it's exact meaning is muddled. Many people believe that manifesting something is equivalent to waving a magic wand and seeing what you want to appear in front of you. Manifestation, in actuality, is a little more complex. 

According to Oxford Languages, manifesting is either (1) "an event, action, or object that clearly shows or embodies something, especially a theory or an abstract idea" or (2) "the action or fact of showing an abstract idea." This isn't what I see on social media where people talk about manifesting their dream house by using a vision board.

True manifestation very well might involve a vision board. But it is also about taking an abstract idea and turning it into action, which ultimately leads to an outcome. It begins with the power of thoughts, but it does not end there.

In this article, we will:

• discuss what manifestation techniques work and which fall short
• explore the correlation between human thoughts, behavior, and manifestation
• explain how a growth mindset leads to action
• discuss the value of positive thinking, visualization, affirmations, and journaling
• provide affirmations for manifestation

Secrets of Successful Manifestation

"To change is to think greater than how we feel. To change is to act greater than the familiar feelings of the memorized self.” ― Dr. Joe Dispenza

Successful manifestation means understanding that we are absolutely capable of changing our reality. Dr. Joe Dispenza, who wrote the book Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One, says that we can find a better reality when we train the body through meditation to get hyper present. To get very present allows us to better be able to see our thought patterns for what they are and change them which, ultimately, will change the way we live, act, and react in the world. It is about more than mere positive thinking. To manifest means to truly take something abstract and make it concrete.  

Common Challenges in Manifestation

Common pitfalls in practicing manifestation include thinking that the practice comprises mere thought or meditation alone. It is the meditation and intention setting that allow you to set the stage to manifest, but to manifest love or money or anything that you value, you must also begin to act in accordance with what it would be to have that condition in your life. Manifesting techniques only begin with visualizing what it is you want. It takes practice and repetition to begin to address limiting beliefs, so this is a valid and important step in the process, but to manifest is to take action. It means understanding what it would be like to have what it is you want. 

Manifesting with meditation, visualization, and intention

As an example, imagine you want to manifest love. You may begin by envisioning what it would be like to have love in your life, but to allow this new thought to become your new normal, you must address old or outdated beliefs about love. You have to be willing to believe that you not only deserve the love you want but that it will come your way. Once this belief is in place, you start to see opportunities to set the stage to make it happen. This can feel like magic, but when you think about it, it's just perspective.

Another example might be the desire to manifest money, which you will find a lot of advice about online. In order to navigate challenges to effectively manifest, you must first identify your true belief system around money and what you believe you can have. If you have never had the money you desire, or if you recently suffered a loss, this might be harder to imagine. Techniques such as journaling or using positive affirmations to form new thought forms may assist. Meditation and mindfulness can be powerful tools as well for adjusting this mindset. 

But we must remember that the action still needs to be there. The positive mindset allows us to recognize the steps we need to take. But only after taking that first step - whether that's getting a second job or asking your boss for more money, even though you had never considered it before - will you begin to identify simple ways to feed the energy of abundance. This is how we trigger attraction.

Here are a few short affirmations to get you started. Repeat them often.

• I am worthy of my dreams.
• I allow good things to come into my life.
• I allow abundance.
• I welcome in love, joy, and prosperity.
• I believe in myself, and I am ready to take action.

Practical Applications of the Secret of Manifestation

The role of manifestation in personal growth and success can be looked at as a manifestation method. You must understand the importance of patience and consistency, however. While we can set the intention and identify why we are manifesting, we also must understand that timelines can be different than we assume. Manifesting your dreams is about setting the stage for attraction and dedicating yourself to cultivating a positive mindset that enables you to achieve those goals.  

To change your reality, make a point to identify and get over any self doubt. Write or reflect on what your new reality will look like. Cultivate a positive mindset with dedicated self-talk and intention. As you begin to feel more and more sure of yourself, you will see more opportunities. Using more positive emotions to your benefit is key. When you feel frustrated, find ways to address negative self-talk with reinforcement of your dreams. Journal about what you want and why you deserve it. Investigate why you want it and practice gratitude for the very thought and belief system you are cultivating. 

It is from a place of positive intention that we attract what we want. So focus on feeling good and grateful for where you are now. Build from the ground you occupy, and see what happens. It might feel like magic, but the reality is manifestation truly is "an event, action, or object that clearly shows or embodies something," as the definition mentioned. It only begins with thought. And while it sure can feel like magic to visualize and experience the law of attraction, it's ultimately all about mindset and action.

Steps involved in the process of Manifestation

Here are a few simple steps to get you manifesting your dreams today:

• Begin with meditation and visualize what it is you want. 
• Write a few positive affirmations that are in-line with your goal.
• Identify limiting beliefs you have about what you'd like to bring into your life.
• Journal regularly about your thoughts, patterns, and the actions you are taking to move forward.
• Set small, realistic goals for yourself; and learn to look at the world as full of possibilities, even if this is a new thought.
• Operate from a place of gratitude and work to embody the feeling of having what you want, even before it arrives in your life.
• Keep your eyes open for opportunities, and cultivate a mindful presence that will make you more likely to identify new opportunities. 
• Enjoy your life. We get more of what we put out. If you want love, give love. If you want more abundance, learn to be generous. Put this to the test and see what happens.

So let’s return to our practice. Visualize yourself in your ideal future. Feel grateful for what you feel. Feel it completely. Tell yourself why you deserve to feel this way. Remind yourself often. Look for opportunities. Take action. And pay close attention to what changes in your life.

If you’re looking for more guidance, community, guided meditations, and coaching support for manifestation to support your journey, join me at Aura.