Mindfulness and Manifestation

Get your mindfulness on! It’s easier than you think. Mindfulness is a powerful and purposeful practice. It’s a mental state anyone can reach by tuning into the present moment and being ultra-aware of one's feelings and thoughts. It’s about the acceptance of those feelings and thoughts without judgement or interpretation. In seeking to develop mindfulness, the relaxation of the physical body plays an important role. Through breathing techniques and stress reducing methods, such as relaxing body parts one at a time, one is poised to attain mindfulness.

You might be wondering how mindfulness relates to writing and manifesting the dream of becoming a published author. Well, ready, steady, boom, I’m going to drop it like it’s hot and start educating.

First, no author is an overnight success. That kind of negative thinking is an attempt to stop you in your tracks. Expel that myth from your mind. I guarantee most authors, whether traditionally published or self-published have devoted months if not years to the pursuit of publication. The only thing we sometimes see is the end-product, their best-selling novel, once it hits the shelves or eBook readers. We’re not always privy to the blood, sweat, and tears they experienced while in the throes of rewrites and self-doubt. Surrender expectations and write with love. Stay present and don't dwell on past writing failures or rejection. Acknowledge them and move on.

Determination, commitment, learning the business, and honing the craft are all part of the book-writing experience. Here’s what I do to encourage mindfulness. I focus on myself without judgment and comparisons to other authors. I divest myself from the unrealistic expectation of overnight success. By doing this, I allow determination, commitment, and the rest to fall into place. I find joy and positivity in the writing journey and kick self-doubt, and anxiety to the curb.

Second, time constraints often put us at a disadvantage. We’re working, running errands, raising a family, etc. so we squeeze in writing time when we can, perhaps feeling a sense of guilt over what we perceive as a lack of dedication. Yet, another illusion we must reject. There’s no need to feel guilty and no need to beat ourselves up over an untrue perception. If you’re squeezing in time to write in your busy day or week, that is dedication.

Third, because our lives are crazy-busy we seem in a constant state of chaos, trying to get to the next thing and make everyone else happy. So, writing becomes a low priority on our to-do list. It’s easy to burn out especially if you are lucky enough to be in publication bedlam with rewrites, edits, and deadlines. This may cause us to stress over our alleged dearth of commitment. I’ll let you in on a little secret, my darlings. Once you’re aware of commitment anxiety you're on the way to overcoming it.

We must banish the notion that the above struggles prevent us from realizing our dream. Understanding that it can take years to become a published author, that time constraints are real, but we can work around them, and that one can find calm in the commotion of everyday life, means a shift in mindset. This shift of acceptance and awareness, the act of reeducating our brains to stay positive, and the purposeful creation of a sense of calm in mind and body leads to mindfulness, then to manifestation.

I'm no meditation guru, so Google to your heart's content, but this is my advice about how to reach a calm place. Sit quietly and still. Close your eyes. Take purposeful breaths, in and out. Relax your body, starting from the top of your head down. It might help to say to yourself, “I’m relaxing my eyes. I’m relaxing my nose and cheeks. My mouth is relaxing.” Move on to your neck and shoulders, etc. As you relax each body part, remember to breathe, and let all tension leave your body. Acknowledge the thoughts swirling in your brain. Do not judge these thoughts. Accept them as they are, then meditate on things that bring peace, joy, gratitude, love, wholeness, and freedom.

Continue to meditate by quieting your mind. Center yourself. Find your inner peace. Expand your awareness outward. Focus on the sounds you may hear; birds chirping, a car driving by, rain hitting the roof, the sound of your inhalations and exhalations. Accept these sounds.

Begin the manifestation process by visualizing what you desire while continuing to breathe with purposeful intent. Concentrate on ways to improve your writing. Focus on composing your query letter. Visualize yourself as an author. Center on your book’s title if you have one. If you don’t, brainstorm a few titles. Continue concentrating on your writing aspirations and visualizing your goals. Pivot to envisioning a positive outcome. Be very clear about what you want and do not limit yourself. Imagine that what you desire is already here.

When you’ve completed your mindfulness moment and visual manifestation session, move on to creating. If you haven’t done so already design a vision board or box, add to existing creations, or make new ones to help manifest your objectives. Include all you are calling into your life.

Don’t give up on mindfulness and manifestation, and NEVER give up on your dreams!