What If It All Goes Right?
4 min
I spent the past week in Northern California, and the change of scenery was the reset I didn't know I needed. From gentle hillsides to pristine beaches, my time with family and friends—both old and new—was truly nourishing. I especially enjoyed being just a few minutes away from a trail, which I took full advantage of.
On one particular hike with my godmother and a family friend, we discussed the concept of manifestation. The family friend felt it oversimplifies life’s complexities and unfairly blames people when they fail. They argued that achieving significant goals involves overcoming various obstacles, systemic issues, and external factors that positive thinking alone can’t influence. While I understood their perspective, I see manifestation differently. To me, it’s an exercise in storytelling and anticipating goodness in our lives.
Stories shape our beliefs, values, aspirations, and everything we live by. Through storytelling in manifestation, we become conscious of our stories, their sources, and how they are formed. With this awareness, we gift ourselves the possibility to create new meanings and have agency over our lives.
Growing up, my parents would carve out time on Sundays for us to gather as a family and discuss the week ahead. Sometimes, these conversations happened over a home-cooked meal; other times, during a drive home from an outing. They’d ask my younger brothers and me what we looked forward to in the coming week and what we felt proud of from the prior week. Their questions allowed us to express our emotions, reflect and make meaning of our past experiences, and begin to tell a story of the kind of week we desired to have. Instead of fearing the worst, I began to expect the best. I faced each day with confidence, creativity, and resilience. This, to me, is the essence of manifesting—harnessing the power of narrative to shape our reality, clarify our goals, and stay motivated on our journey.
Many people focus too narrowly on how their desired outcomes should precisely materialize, which leads to skepticism about manifestation. They might overlook their achievements if the results don't match their preconceived expectations. However, manifesting should free you to recognize success in various forms and to stay open to new possibilities, even if the final outcome differs from what was originally envisioned. This approach helps validate that you are on the right path, regardless of how the results manifest.
The first step in manifesting is to shift from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset, centering yourself and affirming, "I have the power to write my own story." This shift in focus from what you can't control to what you can control can spark an immediate change in your mindset, opening the door to greater possibilities. Actionable Tip: Start each day by journaling one thing you can control and one positive outcome you can create. This practice helps ground your mindset in possibilities rather than limitations.
Visualization is a powerful tool in the manifestation toolkit. Picture yourself already living the life you desire. As I build Kume, I constantly envision what it will look like next year and even two years from now. This vivid imagery helps me reverse-engineer my aspirations and design actionable steps to achieve them. Actionable Tip: Spend a few minutes each day visualizing your ideal future. Write down these visions and revisit them regularly to stay motivated and focused.
Anchoring your desired outcome to a single path can lead to disappointment. Instead, develop multiple strategies to reach your goals. This ensures that if one path doesn’t work out, you have several others to explore. This flexibility keeps me resilient and adaptable. Actionable Tip: Brainstorm multiple routes to achieve your main goal. Break these down into smaller, manageable steps. If one plan falters, shift seamlessly to another without losing momentum.
Being overly attached to a specific plan can lead to frustration when things go differently than expected. Instead, focus on the problem you’re solving, the lifestyle you want to live, and the work ethic and discipline you need to maintain. This mindset shift from rigid planning to dynamic problem-solving nurtures tan abundance mindset, ultimately recognize success in various forms. Actionable Tip: Reflect regularly on your core values and long-term vision. Ensure your daily actions align with these, allowing for flexibility in your methods.
Every day is an opportunity to practice stating what you want, feeling what you wish to experience, and imagining the best outcomes. My baba graciously shared on the podcast (S1EP11) how he speaks positively over his day:
"I tell myself today is the best day in the world. The creator of the heavens and earth has never created a day so beautiful. So whatever is out there, whatever is unexpected, is an opportunity for me to find out why it is that way. Ask the right question, and I will get the answers."
Manifestation isn’t a magic pill to make your day or future perfect. It's about reclaiming your narrative, being open to possibilities, cultivating multiple paths to success, and committing to the journey.
Today is a beautiful day! A day of possibility awaits you.
For more on the discipline of storytelling and anticipation, listen to S3EP5: Creating a Life of Freedom and Choice and check out the MyKume Journal to incorporate the practice into your daily routine.
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