What does it mean to manifest hopes and dreams in your life? The idea of visualizing something we want, and attracting it to us, is an ancient principle of life. Some choose to pray, while others chant, meditate, visualize or create affirmations. Yet, the never-ending tragedy of global economic catastrophe, volcanoes, oil spills and war has beaten many positive thinkers right down to the ground, and taken a tremendous toll on our collective psyche.
Do you believe, deep down, you can manifest your dreams into reality? Many people I have spoken to confess they haven't bothered to dream in a very long time. That fear constricts both individuals and even organizations from believing, and taking essential risks.
A psychology professor at Yale recently asked her undergraduate students to complete an "art therapy" exercise. She passed out paper and crayons, and asked them to draw a picture of what they thought their life was going to look like. Upon receiving the assignments, she was shocked to see most of the pictures were images of hopelessness -- dark colors, falling off of a cliff, hitting a brick wall, or being generally unfulfilled. If our "best and our brightest" are afraid to dream in their early twenties, something must be done.
The ability to imagine something better is the fuel of all great invention, change or innovation in life. Without it, we are essentially floating adrift without a compass. Google is the grand champion of visualizing dreams, and making them happen. They give their managers 20 percent time off -- just to work on personal dream projects. Chade-Meng Tan transformed his engineering job to become their official "Head of Personal Growth" and teaches a Mindfulness based Emotional Intelligence course for employees. Meng hopes to see every workplace in the world become "a drinking fountain for happiness and enlightenment."
Imagine what would happen if you took 20 percent of your time to work on your dreams. Can you feel the tingles of excitement just thinking about it? Here are some free tips to get started:
A NOTE FROM THE UNIVERSE:
A question, from your friend the Universe:
Just how much time do you spend
thinking big? I mean really, really BIG?
Good, very good! Because that's exactly how
much of "it" you're going to get!
What a coincidence.
A dear friend of mine has been working very actively on manifesting her dreams. She has been creating bucket lists and vision boards for what she wants in her life. Some are small, like buying a kayak, and others are grander for family, marriage and community. She even wrote a check to herself, from "The Universe" for an outlandish amount she never thought she deserved.
One day she said she had a "weird confession to make." Less than two weeks after making vision boards and writing her check, her father suddenly passed away, and she was notified that she and her sister were to receive a sizeable amount of money from a Swiss bank account she never knew about. Turns out it was the exact amount she wrote on her vision check.
Her business was booming, and life was blossoming, yet the art of receiving was harder than she imagined and she began getting intense headaches. One night, she had a powerful dream.
I was with a stranger who told me to get rid of the headache I needed to take out my "wishbone." I told her I didn't have a wishbone. She looked at me as if I was crazy, and said "of course you do." She reached behind her head and pulled out a massive wishbone from her back. I couldn't believe my eyes, and told her I certainly don't have one of those.
She pointed behind my neck, and told me to pull. I did, and sure enough, with a lot of pulling and tearing at adhesions in my spine, I slowly pulled out this wishbone about three feet long. I was stunned and told her in amazement that I had no idea this was ever a part of me.She said that everyone has a wishbone, and most people don't recognize it exists, or its power. She told me we have to pull it out every day and use it as a compass in life. With use, it will be less stiff and difficult to access, and helps in daily decisions.
Whether your dreams are large or small -- find your wishbone -- and use it as a compass in life.
How about it Huff Po Readers? How do you manifest dreams in life? Love to hear the comments below.
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These dreams, btw, are things I want to write. But the ocean of words between the idea and the finished product looks wider than the Pacific, and I just don't if I can swim that far.
But thank you for the reminder, because I've stubbornly kept holding on to the dream of getting back into action someday, despite how long it's been since I last finished anything. If I give up the dream, there won't be anything TO manifest.
well, judging by your profile name, you ARE a writer! I am writing a book right now myself. It takes a LOT of discipline and confidence and FOCUS to keep it going. For me, I set deadlines. I seem to function well when I know I have to get something done by a certain date. I also dedicated a separate laptop to writing, and put it in a different room than my regular computer. That way, I created a boundary between the distractions of email, etc. Try it and have faith!!! Take care
And in that interval I was diagnosed with fibro and chronic fatigue, and I am now over sixty.
That's why I am scared, and why I hesitate to take the plunge. I don't really keep up with the house and should do more. We seldom eat junk food; I cook a lot from scratch. More economical, tastier, and healthier -- I'm a good cook and I enjoy it. But making, eating, and cleaning up after a meal now takes FAR longer than it used to, and often keeps me from doing other things. And then there's the need to get back to exercising regularly...
One part of me says, "Just start writing and let everything else fall where it may." But we'll need to eat something besides PBJ sandwiches and fried eggs eventually. (My husband's repertoire of dishes he can fix!) Or wash some dishes. Or... and there I am again, looking at my Pacific of a novel that I *know* will be good if I can do it right, and wondering how far I can swim before I just sink.
The stories are in me; I just have to find the strength to get them out where others can read them.
You have no idea how much I needed to read this. I'm on a precipice of recommitting to certain dreams and creating ideal scenes, vision boards, etc. How timely for me!
Thank you for this!
It is so good to see you back here at Huff Po! You remain one of my all time favorite writers, and I look forward to whatever you have brewing over there! Bring it on! You touch many lives my friend.
~K
This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Last year, I did a 10 week blog series on Launching Your Impossible Dream.
What inspired me was the dream of Phillippe Petit, the Man Who Walked Between The Towers. A film was made about his life and the manifestation of his dream, making him the only man in history to ever be able to say he accomplished this feat. With a team of people, he managed to string a tightrope between the Twin Towers, shortly after they were built in the 70's and spent a couple of hours "dancing" on this rope between the towers before the NYC police forced him off. The documentary won an Oscar for best foreign film 2 years ago.
Petit's dream seemed impossible and today, of course, it can never be repeated. So many of our dreams seem impossible. But if we're devoted to them, and I mean really devoted, we will find a way to bring them to fruition. From Impossible To Inevitable-what a journey for the human spirit.
I love any time we have a chance to inspire and be inspired to go beyond what we thought was possible. Thanks for this great reminder!
Much love,
Judith
Yes I remember that post (and series) as being amazingly powerful. It was particularly poignant to know he had this dream just from seeing a picture of two buildings that had yet to be built, and now they are gone. It is a wonderful reminder that following our dreams can be looked at as an obligation of the soul, I suppose.
Thanks for stopping by and the note!
Be careful of your thoughts
Be mindful of your words
Be insightful of your movements.
That is a great tribute to the community that is possible with our conversations following various blog posts. I had no idea such a thing existed, and I am usually a pretty good researcher! I will check it out right now. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your insights!
"Claim and own those visions like they already exist with precise and specific details. I don't recommend thoughts of future dates because that leads to being in a future wanting state and is not being in the current moment. This has worked for me in a job search and rebuilding a disconnected, lack of purpose teenager."
A Dream is a wish your heart makes when you are fast asleep! :-))
this just popped in my mind as I read this - ha
How do you manifest dreams in life?
know that they must come true and never give up! Trust, meditate and believe in yourself!!!!
everything in it's time - and best what you dream benefits others!
The greatest gift is yourself - treasure it!
Ed
Maybe I will hum a little Jimminy Cricket tune for the rest of the day!!!! :)
Thanks for stopping by!
I absolutely LOVE this article - thank you! With a dream in your/my heart, you/I never know how the Universe and Life will conspire to bring it about.
Hope is such a valuable and vital commodity for anyone at any age. Your ideas here are a beautiful gift.
You have inspired me and I am very grateful.
With love,
Anne
What a great quote! with a dream in your heart you'll never know how the Universe and Life will conspire to bring it about.....
You are always a source to inspire others to be true to themselves and follow their dreams, and you usually have some great tips along the way!
Glad you stopped by.
Releasing the past can be the most exhilerating part of kicking in the manifestation gear, once you take the leap! Love your thoughts, keep 'em comin!