I set a goal to land a new job at the beginning of 2022. I enjoyed my current job, but I felt disengaged. I knew that I wanted to change my skill set and move into a different industry. I had a list that I needed to find: a remote position within the tech industry as content or editorial leader, creative freedom to explore new things, and a salary that was six figures. It should be easy to find.
In fact, when I first wrote out that list of criteria in my brand-new 2022 planner under the “Goals” section (a yearly ritual I highly recommend), I literally laughed out loud when I read it back to myself. It was far more than I expected. I also had no idea how I would make it happen. I spent the rest day stressing about the fact that I had set a ridiculous goal and was already doomed for failure.
The universe happened to be looking out for me the next day though, and my friend invited me to join her in Gabby Bernstein’s 21-day manifesting challenge. I’ve always been very openminded when it comes to things in the spiritual and wellness world, so I signed up and logged onto the platform for Day 1. I had always heard a lot about manifesting your dream life, but this was the first time I was going to actively try to create something I wanted and I was a bit nervous about looking like a fool if it didn’t work. I found the course to be more fun than it was work, and it taught me a series mental exercises and steps. I learned some key steps to success in manifesting my goals that you should keep in mind when you work towards achieving them.
Get crystal clear about what you want
The first step of the challenge was about getting crystal clear on what I wanted to manifest so I’d know when an opportunity presented itself to help me achieve my goal. This was easy for me as I already knew what my goals were. However, writing them down and creating a vision board around them helped me to narrow down my focus and keep it in mind. I printed one copy of my visionboard (#oldschool) and placed it above my desk. Then I created a digital copy to use as my phone background, so that I could see it every single time I picked up my smartphone (which is something we all do far too often).
Spend some time visualizing
The next step was about visualizing. This was for me, a self-described chronic daydreamer. For 21 days, I spent 10 minutes every morning and night imagining how I would feel when I found the perfect job. It was important to concentrate on the emotions I was feeling and visualize them. This helps your brain get used to these feelings and rewires your brain so that you are open to more opportunities to experience those emotions. While it might sound a bit “woo woo,” there is a lot of science to back up visualizing and positive brain modification, something that kept me going even when I wasn’t yet seeing results.
Let Go of the “How”
This was the most difficult part of the course. After the first week, the course finally addressed the question I was wrestling with from the minute I set my goal: “But how will this happen?” When we set a lofty goal that is a far stretch from where we are presently, our minds immediately go to how we can (or can’t) accomplish our goals, looking for tangible next steps to help us feel in control.
Whether you are trying to manifest a new role like I was or are looking to find the perfect partner or achieve any other goal, it can be incredibly difficult to just “trust” that it will happen when the time is right. I was advised by the course that whenever I felt stressed about my goal, I should think of positive affirmations to help me reframe my thinking. Some of the ones that I loved were “I have complete faith that everything I desire is coming to me at the right time” and “If not this, something better.” That last one was especially helpful when I found myself worrying about missed opportunities (like roles I applied to that I thought would be perfect for me yet never got a call back for).
Take Aligned Action
Toward the end of the course, I was feeling positive and hopeful but also couldn’t get rid of this nagging feeling that my dream role wasn’t just going to come knocking on my front door—I needed to do something to make it happen. I was afraid that manifesting meant sitting back and meditating. But, for the last seven days, I learned the importance of aligned action. This was something my Type A self was delighted to hear.
Aligned action is essentially taking the necessary steps to achieve something while also maintaining the positive, relaxed mindset that comes from knowing that you will find the right opportunity when it’s ready for you. It’s not an easy task, but it is possible. This meant that I had to continue to practice my affirmations, spend time visualizing, review my vision board, and revise my vision board daily. I also had to network, update my resume and resume, and apply for jobs that seemed right for me. Instead of doing these things with an energy of “Why the heck won’t anyone call me back?!” (my previous default mentality), I shifted my thinking to be along the lines of “OK, that one clearly wasn’t the best fit for me, but I’m confident something better will come along soon.”
My thinking was changed and I felt more motivated to keep going. It also prevented stress from affecting my personal life or my job.
The End Result
Despite my friend reaching her goal of finding her perfect home within days after finishing the course, my dream job did not fully manifest in January. It also didn’t appear in February or March, either. I had given myself all of 2022 to achieve this goal so I wasn’t super stressed about it, but I did begin to wonder if I had gone off track with my manifesting. I had my doubts about finding the right thing, especially when it seemed impossible (a job with a good income). And work-life balance? It is a myth.
I kept going forward and decided to share the job hunt with a friend who was interested in manifesting after we had discussed the topic. A few weeks later, she reached me to connect me with someone she knew at a company she was interested in having a coffee chat. Lo and behold, after meeting with this connection twice, she shared with me that she was about to resign from her role in content for another opportunity and asked if I’d be interested in applying to replace her. I was armed with my revised resume and the interview prep work I had done as part a aligned activity, so I went for it!I was able to receive an offer letter three weeks later. I was armed with my revised resume and interview prep work that I had done as part of my aligned action! All of this and I was finally able to enter a field I had long wanted to work in. It would be an understatement to say I was thrilled.
If you’re skeptical about manifesting, I totally get it. Although I was never clear on the relationship between ambition and manifesting, learning more about it helped me to see that manifesting is not about an outcome. By being crystal clear on what I wanted, spending time focusing on it every day, and taking actions from a place of trust and confidence over desperation, I was able to attract the perfect role for me in a way I otherwise wouldn’t have. I’ll definitely be using my newfound manifesting toolkit to help me attract other goals in the future, and I encourage you to give it a try!
Source: The Every Girl
