Last month I encouraged you to Prioritize You this year!
Although at first glance this may seem like an easy ask, I know otherwise.
I hear time and again from clients how hard it is for them to actually find the time, the space, the energy, or even the willpower to put their needs first.
And the truth is, unless you’re willing to do this, your dream of optimal health will in fact remain just a dream.
However, if you are willing to put YOU first. To put your needs and desires first. To allow yourself time, space, and energy for self-care. Then guess what?! Your dream of optimal health can in fact come true.
Today I want to share a strategy of how to take the DREAM and turn it into reality. Of how to use intention setting and soul searching to actually MANIFEST your healthier self.
Ready?! Let’s dive in.
Attract What You Want
First, what does manifestation actually mean?
Are you familiar with the Law of Attraction? A very basic explanation is that the energy you put out into the world will come back to you. So if you’re putting out happy, positive vibes, that is what you will attract back and vice versa.
Let me share a personal example.
Several years ago now we were living the typical American “rat-race”. Working hard, commuting, committed to making lots of money to afford our California, Bay Area lifestyle, paying nannies to take care of our children.
We loved where we lived, we loved our community, and I loved the work that I was doing. But the wear-and-tear was definitely starting to show in our health and in our family dynamics.
My husband was becoming more and more depressed, I was teetering on the edge of adrenal burn-out, and my kids were becoming more and more disconnected from us. I didn’t know what the solution was but I knew it was time to start looking for another path.
I opened my heart, I put my question out into the universe, and I started dreaming with my husband about what our life could look like.
It didn’t happen over-night but over the course of a year or so our path began to emerge. It was a scary leap of faith but we decided to accept the unknown and take advantage of the option that presented itself.
This led to a year sabbatical in France, which then led to us selling our home, packing up our things, and officially moving to France. We now live in the French countryside and with a completely different life.
A slower more simple life. A life that would admittedly not be for everyone but is perfect for us. A life where we don’t need as much money to live on, we have a lot more time as a family, and we get to spend time cultivating new hobbies like farming & gardening.
Who Is This For
The beauty of this method is that you can apply it to anything. Perhaps it’s a major life change like in my example. Or, more likely if you’re on my website, it’s related to your health.
Perhaps you’re facing a new diagnosis like Cancer or a Chronic Inflammatory Disease and you’re totally overwhelmed by all the choices and not sure what path towards healing is right for you.
Or perhaps you’re actively trying to make changes to your diet or lifestyle but you keep coming up against one roadblock after the next. You’re starting to believe that you’ll never actually stick with any change and never reach your goal.
Regardless of what your challenges have been or what you are currently facing you can still take steps to manifest your dream of ideal health. And who knows…you may just end up with a completely different life. 😉
Your 5 Step Strategy
Here’s the method I turn to again and again when I need answers and I invite you to give it a try as well.
Step 1: ASK
Start with a question! The beauty of this is that you don’t need an answer. You simply need to know what you are asking for.
In my case I was asking for a solution to my husband’s depression, my burn-out, and my disconnected family. I had NO idea the answer was going to lead me to France.
When you ask a question to the universe, to your intuition, possibilities will start to emerge. The answer to your question will be unique and will be the perfect answer for you.
Step 2: LISTEN
Then you need to listen! You may not hear anything right away. That is totally normal and to be expected. It took many months before I started to hear answers.
And here’s the thing, you may get more than one answer. Which is great. You can try each of them on and see which one feels best.
The more time you allow for quiet and introspection, the quicker you will begin to hear your inner voice (aka intuition, inner wisdom) speak to you. For me, I find I can tap into my intuition more easily when I’m in nature, when I’m doing yoga, or meditating.
Step 3: TRUST
There is no set timeline. Things unfold as they are meant to. That’s not the part you have control over.
For me, it took over a year before we knew what our next step needed to be. This doesn’t mean I wasn’t getting answers before then but I had to try on different possibilities before I found the right one for us.
What you do have control over is consistently showing up. Creating the space and time every day to sit quietly (even if it’s just for 5 or 10 minutes), close your eyes, and ask the question.
You will eventually hear something, I promise. And when you do, when the path comes into focus, then it will be time to take action!
This is the mantra I use every time I end a meditation to remind myself to let go of fear and to choose trust.
“I TRUST the universe to provide what I need when I need it. I TRUST my inner wisdom to guide me in all things. I TRUST my heart to always lead me from a place of love and connection. When I choose TRUST, I live in peace!”
I encourage you to find your own mantra or affirmation that helps you live from a place of trust.
Step 4: JOURNAL
Journaling is how you begin to tune in to your inner guide. Following these moments of quiet and introspection, you ask the question, then grab your journal and start to write.
Don’t edit, don’t filter, just start writing, whatever comes up to you, even if it doesn’t really make sense yet. What’s coming out through your pen is your inner wisdom.
You will begin to get better and better at listening to it, even if in the beginning it feels like you don’t know what to write. Just keep showing up.
Step 5: ACT
Through this process you will start to see the path you are meant to take. Answers to difficult questions will begin to emerge.
You will try on different strategies, different possibilities, and see which ones resonate. Which ones feel like the best fit for you.
Then it’s time to act. To take the first step. Once the wheels are in motion, you will be surprised to see how quickly doors begin to open, life begins to shift, time magically becomes available, and your dreams of optimal health begin to come into focus.
Are You On Your Path?
So often we jump in feet first without really listening to what our intuition is telling us to do.
A perfect example of this are “New Year’s Resolutions”! I’m guilty of this and I’m sure you are too. We do what our friends are doing. We do what we think we’re supposed to be doing. We do something just so we can say we’re taking action. But is it really the “thing” we’re meant to do?
Do you feel like you’re on your best path? Are you taking action based on what your intuition is guiding you to do? Are you listening? Are you open to possibility & opportunity, to a different way of doing things?
When you do, you will feel it, you will know it. And you will finally be on your way to making your dreams of a healthier you come true.