Many of us have dreams and goals that we yearn to achieve for a happier life. For some of us, it's a big promotion at work, or a salary raise. For others, it's being able to obtain their dream house, or to have a complete change in career. Whatever it is, trying to achieve your dreams is no easy feat.
But recently, the pandemic has given rise to a new trend. People are now talking about the power of manifestation, and how it can help you achieve your dreams.
But what exactly is manifestation, and does it really work?
What is manifestation?
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Traditionally, manifestation is based on the Law of Attraction, in which people believe that if you think about your dreams positively enough, the universe will make those dreams come true.
But if you're raising a skeptical eyebrow at this, don't click off just yet! In this modern day, manifestation is more than just wishing your dreams into reality — it's about turning a negative mindset around and giving you the motivation to achieve your goals.
We've talked about vision boards and how they keep you focused on your goals, and manifestation is very similar! The goal is to build positive momentum towards your dreams and unravel any mental blocks or limiting beliefs you may have about them.
For example, some people hold themselves back because of beliefs like, "I'm not enough" or "My dreams won't come true anyway". When you learn to practice manifestation, you'll be training your mind to push these limiting beliefs aside, and instead adopt a more encouraging mindset that will, ideally, help you realize your dreams.
Starting a manifestation journal
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A manifestation journal will be a place for you to write positive thoughts and ideas about your goals and dreams. It will be where you confront your limiting beliefs and adopt a more positive outlook in its place.
If you're new to manifesting, it can be quite overwhelming to try and start a manifestation journal. So, here are some tips and ideas that you can include in your manifestation journal!
1. Set clear and specific goals
A key part of manifestation and writing a manifestation journal is to set clear and specific goals. General goals like "get richer" or "buy a new car" won't cut it; it's important to go into detail about what you want.
For example, "get richer" could be developed into, "I want to be promoted and achieve a salary raise. To do so, I have to complete my projects on time and take initiative in the workplace."
Going into detail about your goals ensures that manifestation doesn't turn into wishful thinking. Remember, you'll also have to, eventually, put in the effort to achieve your dreams. When you lay out the path to your dream life, it'll be much easier to get started.
2. Write a manifestation list
Speaking of clear and specific goals, writing a manifestation list is a great way to start off your manifestation journal. This is a list of all your dreams and goals in life, no matter how big or how small.
Simply take a night or two to sit down in a quiet and distraction-free environment, and let your thoughts flow onto the paper. Write down all of your dreams and goals without caring about things being too messy.
Making a manifestation list doesn't just help you get an overview of all the things you want to achieve, but also helps you overcome any mental blocks you may have. Then, return to your list every night to refine your goals. The more you revise your list, the more open and positive you'll feel about your goals.
Refining your list everyday might get a little messy if you're using a physical notebook, so why not use an online journal like Journey for your manifestation journal instead? That way, you can easily go back anytime to edit your manifestation list.
Aside from using the search bar to find the post, you can always use the Calendar function to find your manifestation list. From there, you can easily enter and edit that entry.
You can even add custom tags to your manifestation list to make it even easier to search for the entry!
3. Manifestation prompts
Manifestation prompts can help you get a deeper understanding of yourself and your dreams. Many of us may have an idea of what we want, but no idea how to get there. Some may be unhappy about their current state of life, but are unsure about what needs to be changed in their life.
In those cases and more, answering manifestation prompts in your manifestation journal can help you figure things out. A simple Google search will uncover a slew of manifestation prompts that you can answer.
Alternatively, consider enrolling in a Journey Coach program! These are programs that you can enroll in on the app, and you will be sent daily journaling prompts to answer. Luckily, our most recent Coach program deals directly with manifestation, and can be a great introductory program for those who are new to it!
All you have to do is sign up for the Coach program, and the prompts will be sent to your Journey home page under the Stories tab. Simply tap on the icon and answer the prompt in the textbox on the bottom of the screen.
4. "I am" positive affirmations
Writing "I am" affirmations in your manifestation journal will help build your self-confidence, and repeating them serves to motivate you to reach your goals.
Here are some examples of "I am" affirmation that you can write into your manifestation journal.
- I am grateful for all the new opportunities that come my way.
- I am ready for what's to come.
- I am a perpetual generator of abundance and positive energy.
- I am proud of who I am becoming.
- I am tending to my desires and needs with love and compassion.
When you start positive affirmations with "I am", they become more powerful and more convincing to your subconscious.
For "I am" affirmations to work effectively, it's important to start a consistent daily journal-writing habit. It may feel strange in the beginning, but after some practice, you'll be surprised to find just how much "I am" affirmations can change your mindset and unravel limiting beliefs.
5. A gratitude list
Gratitude is an important aspect of the Law of Attraction, and what better way to practice gratitude than by writing a gratitude list?
Writing a short list of things you're grateful for everyday or every week can fill you up with happiness and positivity. When you learn how to find gratitude in everything around you, you will gain the positive energy needed to tackle the obstacles that stand between you and your goals.
6. Visualize the future you want
Visualization is another powerful manifestation technique, and it involves visualizing and envisioning the future that you want. Close your eyes and imagine your perfect future, and then write down as many details as you can about what you've imagined.
The key here is to describe the screen in present tense as if you've already reached and are living in the goal. You'll find that you'll become more motivated to achieve the future that you've already imagined in detail.
Plus, if you have no idea how to reach this goal of yours, thinking back from the future to the present can help you draw out a roadmap of how to attain this goal. It'll also help you to figure out if this dream is truly what you want.
If you work better with images than with words, worry not. Journey allows you to add images, videos, gifs and even music into your journal entries! This means that you can add supplementary material to truly flesh out your vision on the screen before you.
Chasing one's dreams and goals is no easy feat. We hope that these tips have been helpful, and that writing a manifestation journal will give you the extra push you need to achieve your dreams!