Motivational Article

But it is the perfect word for describing how we create our own reality: we manifest everything in our lives. Our individual reality, whether it is a happy one or not, has been made by our own hand. That's quite a revelation, but a promising one because it means that we can change it!

Another meaning of manifest is to show something clearly and understand. By looking at how we manifest things in our lives, we will better understand how to take charge and be where and what we want to be.

We create our reality from four conscious and unconscious directions: Thoughts, Feelings, Beliefs and Choices.

Let's explore each of these.

THOUGHTS

The brain is often compared to a computer. Well, our thoughts are kind of like email. We have very little control over what goes into our “inbox”—we get both important messages, and we get a lot of Spam or junk mail. The messages that we hear over our lifetimes, from infancy onward, are like that. We have a lot of stored data—both good and bad--and our self-image and our self-esteem are based on this information.

We can't control when someone tells us we're not good enough—it goes into our brains and leaves a trace on the memory. A really negative message can have a virus and corrupt our entire system. But we can minimize the damage by taking a few deliberate precautions: we can install a firewall (preventing an attack); we can run a program to quarantine the infected message (put it away where it can't hurt anything) and we can delete it (send it to the trash bin forever).

We can't control other people's thoughts and messages, but we can control our own. We can formulate them, edit them, send them or delete them. You may think this is easier said than done, but try this exercise to get into the habit of controlling our thoughts.

The next time that you find yourself dwelling on negative thoughts, reframe them into positive ones. Literally imagine the negative thought as a picture on the wall that has tipped to one side; it is crooked and looks really off-balance. Take the thought and adjust it even just a little bit until it is upright and balanced again. (This method works much better than “turn that frown upside down”. Rather than dismissing the negative, which is sometimes impossible to do, you are actively making it better.)

For example, I recently had a minor accident with my car. The damage was relatively minor, but the repair was costly. I brooded about the bill and the inconvenience for a little while and then reframed the situation: Was anyone hurt? No. Was the damage repairable? Yes. Did I learn something from the experience? YES. So while it was an unfortunate event, in the grand scheme, it didn't matter much. I quickly adjusted the slant of the picture and it looked much better.

FEELINGS

Most people think that their thoughts are a reflection of their feelings. (“I feel uncomfortable in this situation, so I think I'll avoid it.”) In actual fact, it is our thoughts that influence our feelings. What you think about something dictates how you feel about it. Thoughts are the foundation of our reality and feelings are the structure around it.

For example, there are two types of people in the world: those who LOVE roller coasters and those who are TERRIFIED of them. Well guess what? The same endorphins are released in the body for both feelings: thrill and terror provoke the same physical reaction: a flood of adrenaline. The only difference is how you perceive it (what you think ). If you think you are going to die if you go on the ride, you will feel fear. If you think it will be the most fun you've ever had, you will feel excitement.

If you really want something in your life, feel the excitement over getting it. Don't think about failing; you will feel defeated before you begin. Think about succeeding and feel the rush of success.

BELIEFS

Our beliefs determine our reality in much the same way as our thoughts do.
However, beliefs are more powerful as their source comes from the past and is deep in our unconscious mind.

Sometimes our beliefs are not very helpful: “I believe that I am not good in Math.” “I believe that life is hard.” Sometimes they are just wrong: “I believe that person is inferior to me.” But there is safety in these beliefs. They are familiar. They are our own and we cling to them even when they do not serve us well.

The good news is that we can create new, positive beliefs about ourselves.

Just reverse the belief you want to change and say it to yourself over and over again, with enthusiasm. Instead of saying "I'm a failure", say "I'm successful"; instead of "I'm not good enough" say "I'm great". Reinforce the new belief statement by doing something to prove it. Do something you do well (even if it's a crossword puzzle or organizing a closet) and enjoy the results that YOU created.

CHOICES OR DECISIONS

Many people don't manifest what they want, because they are not willing to choose. They are so scared to make a mistake that they never move. “I would love to go back to school, but what if I couldn't do the course work?” “I hate my job—I would love to earn a living doing what I love. But what if I can't earn enough? I think I'll play it safe and stay where I am.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” Paul Coelho says the same thing in The Alchemist . The universe responds to your moves. Those moves may not always be the right ones—life is not perfect--but if you don't make a move, you'll never know.

Life is pretty much like driving a car. If you're driving too fast, you'll probably get pulled over and pay a fine. Sometimes you will take a wrong turn and get lost. There are signs and traffic signals to help you get where you're going. Sometimes there are unexpected detours. But if you are driving and you know where you want to go, you will get there eventually. You may never get there if you're in the backseat!

Here is your “Conscious Manifesto”:

•  Think positively.
•  Let your feelings flow from your thoughts.
•  Believe the best in yourself.
•  Make a choice.

Use it to seize life by the hand.