INTENTIONS. MANIFESTATIONS. VISIONS.

These buzz words have been bombarding social media, global ad campaigns, and practically everywhere these days. Yet, do we really have a true understanding of the ‘intention’ behind intentions and manifestations? Is there a key formula or method in creating the perfect Intention? Well, I can tell you that your mantra or vision for your future must come from a deep place of gentleness and rawness within you. Your intentions are tied to your authentic lifeline and your soul’s greater purpose. So, how do you apply overarching principles or formulas to something that is so personal to each and every one of us?

Is there such a thing as a the perfect intention or vision manifestation?

First, the only thing perfect in any of this is YOUR AUTHENTICITY AND YOUR SOUL’S PURPOSE. However, this can be a challenge within itself to not only identify but to then tap into your genuine authenticity…. delve into who you truly are. That’s where this invaluable guide comes into play. Not for the intention setting themselves, but rather in the process in which to go deep within- to uncover who may be hiding or at this point READY to burst through that ego and SHINE!

Before you can even begin to think about manifesting something for yourself, I ask you to consider the following self-development exercise and easy-to-follow 6-step guide.

Intention & Manifestation Pre-Work.

It’s important to know that this is not necessarily a key formula for intentions per se, but rather the steps in which to take before you set your intentions. And, let me point out that intentions don’t need to be on a grand scale either. They don’t need to be set in a movie-like dramatic scene shouting out over an oceanside bluff (while the sunlight ever so gently glistens through the waves) etc. It’s in our every day life, every day situations- we all have the ability every. single. day. No matter how big or small the gesture or situation that may arise, to put good intention behind everything we do. This can be from setting good intentions before you converse with the Starbuck’s barista- to setting good intention behind a big business deal or even finding your soulmate. Intentions can take on many meanings, for this purpose I’ll just focus on the aspect in relation to creating something that is for your greater good.

STEP 1- LET GO.

The more you let go, the more you can receive.

Light and clarity cannot enter with all of the clutter. Please release what no longer serves your greater good or your soul’s purpose. Not sure of what your soul’s purpose is? Step 2 will help guide you to reach down to the root. Sometimes you have to release the vision of the road you created in your head of what you ‘thought’ was the correct path on your journey. Sometimes you must change your focus in order to change your outcome. And occasionally, we must cut the chord completely to something that is toxic to our wellbeing and may be preventing us from forward movement. I published a previous BLOG that also relates to this. One of the most poignant points is that sometimes the methodical stones in which we lay and the path we worked so hard to build will run out or fall apart…It is in these very moments that we need to take a step back and LET GO of what we have been holding so tight so we can make room for something even better for our future.

Just as light can’t enter when your mind is blocked, you won’t be able to let your true authentic-self shine through until you let go! So, please LET GO then GO WITHIN on to step 2!

STEP 2- BE AUTHENTIC.

Setting a specific intention without true authenticity behind it is fruitless.

Ok, I believe this is by far the most important step in this process. It’s such a key and pertinent component to manifesting and creating any opportunity or change.

What does it mean to be authentic and then stay true to your own authenticity?

Being authentic is all about being (and staying) true to yourself. This comes from a genuine place within. When our actions and words are harmonious with our beliefs & values we are able to be in an Authentic Mode of Living.

Each person’s ‘Authentic Purpose’ is extremely personal with no cookie-cutter paths or maps that can be followed. The key here is NOT to follow!

You must stay true to yourself and not an imitation of what you think you should be or what life should look like. There are no ‘shoulds’ when describing authenticity. The more authentic you are- the more love, light and positivity have a chance to seep into your being and in return…back out to others!

Are you ready to tap into your authenticity? If so, woohoo and please read on to Step 3!

STEP 3- BE CLEAR.

Say what you mean and mean what you say.

It’s all in the ‘ask’ that’s in turn rooted back to authenticity…. You must be specific, yet flexible and realistic with yourself to know the difference between what you think you want and what will actually be for your greater good. Sometimes your path’s detour may actually be a blessing steering you in the right direction for your greater good.

Here’s some great questions to start with:

• What is one thing I could start doing today that will change my outcome?
• How do I want to change my situation?
• Am I willing to change my mindset?

These are appropriate questions to ponder before setting your intentions. Not vague inquiries such as ‘what do I want?’ Also, please try to steer clear of words like ‘always’ or ‘never’. Let’s face it- that’s unrealistic in life and since your intention is solely believable to you, you don’t want that thought to create a potential block. It’s so important to tie together Letting Go & Being Authentic for this step. It all goes hand-in-hand in the set up of the intention.

STEP 4- FUEL YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ACTION.

A goal without a plan is a wish ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

It’s as simple as…where your attention goes, energy flows. So, open up this space for success by setting smart, attainable goals for yourself. Then, take action and do something positive in direct relation to your intention on a daily basis. By putting action behind your thoughts, you are in essence paving the way for your vision to actually materialize into reality!

Some helpful questions to ask yourself:

• How would I like things to change or be different?
• When do I want this change to occur?
• What actions can I take that will move me in the right direction?
  What does this look like for my future self?

Remember, what you focus your mind on is reflected in your reality.

And don’t forget to be and STAY POSITIVE! Change may not happen overnight, but one tiny shift in your mindset, outlook or reaction can most certainly ignite a force so strong to whack your situation back in your favor. Please don’t get discouraged or give up.

They say that ‘a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step’… so, I say simply start where you are and keep going!

STEP 5- BELIEVE.

What if your next step is not crystal clear?

Regardless of the road ahead, if you truly want change to occur, not only should you follow certain principles, but it’s just as important to have faith in what appears to be the (sometimes) blurry abstract of what’s to come…what you can, and WILL CREATE. And more importantly, I invite you to find the BEAUTY in what’s unclear instead of seeing it as scary or a roadblock.

Use this as an OPPORTUNITY to see limitless POSSIBILITIES in the dubious path ahead, rather than feel restricted or paralyzed by uncertainty.

CHANGE your perspective from ‘fear-based thinking’ to ‘possibility-awareness processing’!

Get comfortable with the fact that everything is indeed happening for a reason. I know it’s so, so hard to see this sometimes. One thing I know for certain is that we are all here on this planet to learn and grow. And, to hopefully leave a powerful and positive imprint on this earth long after we are gone. We must really have faith in the process. Which brings us to my last step.

STEP 6- PRACTICE PATIENCE + TRUST THE PROCESS.

It’s important to have faith and embrace the beauty in the juxtaposition of what may seem like the unknown at this very moment.

I’m going to share a personal experience for this point. In the past, I actually found myself not adhering to this final step whatsoever. This was of course before I had a true understanding of the importance in practicing patience and trusting in God and/or the Universe. I used to set intentions based on what I thought I wanted and what I thought was best for me, instead of what was actually for my greater good… my greater purpose. Sure, I’d be specific in my action plan (which is step 4) but, when my exact vision didn’t come to fruition, I’d get frustrated and find myself turning inward with negative feelings. And, ultimately not understanding why it didn’t “work out”.

I thought, what happened? I gave it weeks (sometimes months) to let that manifestation ‘bake’ in the universe. And….nothing! Can you relate to this too?

But, now I realize I was so uber focused on what I thought I wanted and set that intention in such a way that it was so narrow-minded and often times rushed. Rather have my ‘universal ask’ be to create, present, manifest etc. something that was meant for my greater good. Looking back, I now know that the best result for me was to actually experience this certain manifestation NOT panning out.

I now understand that it’s in the waiting period or the process of the unknown where all of the beauty rests and where growth takes place. These experiences give us the opportunity to practice patience and not rush through all of life’s opportune moments that just may be waiting for us in disguise.

BONUS TIP!

Can you relate to the comment I made about not wanting to rush through life’s moments (all of them)? I know that for most of us, we most certainly do have the desire to fast forward to that destination or outcome. So, instead of seeing a certain life situation as a negative or have deep disappointment in where you are, think of this time as such a blessing.

I want to point out that Obstacles = Opportunities. You see, it’s your current obstacles or past disappointments or possible missteps that have lead you to this point or shall I say brink. Where RIGHT NOW, IN THIS VERY MOMENT YOU HAVE THE GREAT DESIRE TO MAKE A CHANGE AND MANIFEST A NEW REALITY.

If you didn’t have these certain experiences you would not feel compelled to CHANGE IT UP and CREATE THE LIFE YOU CRAVE!