In my book Awakening to Wholeness, I have a chapter on Co-Creating Changes in Your Life. In it I write about some of the common reasons why manifesting doesn’t seem to work well for people. I’m including material from the book on this subject (with some adaptation)…
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Before you plunge ahead with creating the rest of your life, let me set some expectations for you and give you fair warning. Manifesting is a co-creative process. You must do your part, and there is learning involved about how to do your part. So, don’t jump out of the airplane before you’ve gotten instruction on how to use the manifesting parachute.
There are many reasons why manifesting does not seem to work well, or at least immediately and consistently, for many people. Here are some common ones:
- Not being clear about what you really want. That requires taking time to get clear, and especially to be able to visualize and feel what the thing you want would be like and mean to you.
- Not having a strong desire for the thing you think you want. If you want it, know why you want it, want it with emotion, feel what it will feel like to have it, and know that it is coming to you NOW.
- Not being able to clearly hold the intention to have what you really want. It’s not necessary to think about it and hold the intention every minute of the waking day or even continuously for an hour. After all, you have other things to do in the living of life that require your attention. But if you can hold the vision, the feeling, and the desire for five minutes, and then come back to the vision, the feeling, and the desire at other times during the day, that is what holding intention is.
- Changing your mind. If you want this, and then later something different instead, and then something else instead – that is not being clear about what you want. That is starting over at every change of mind, and the Universe will probably wait for you to decide.
- Thinking about the “hows” instead of the desired end result. A clearly imagined (and felt) end result is far easier for the Universe to work with than complicated and limiting specifications for how it has to come about. It’s far easier for you too.
- Not being realistic about the goal (desired end result). For example, you may want to be beautiful and look younger. If you are a 50-year old woman, you can be beautiful and look young for your age. But you will not look like a 20-year old – nor should you – wear your maturity proudly and with inner beauty. Inner beauty always shows through, and that’s what you really want. Right?
- Not taking appropriate actions. Some people have the mistaken idea that manifesting will happen just by holding the thought or the intention. Nope. Almost every manifestation requires taking appropriate actions. This is physical life in the physical world. For me, for example, the manifestation – the miracle – of writing this book was not that the completed book magically appeared, but that the energy, inspiration, ideas, and ability to stay with the flow for a long period did magically come to me. It happened when I decided that I absolutely would write this book (and the sooner the better)!
Other reasons for manifesting not working were previously mentioned (elsewhere in the book). But one of the biggest was discussed in the chapter on the Choice of Freedom – self-limiting or negative beliefs… Sometimes these blocks to manifesting – such as “I’m not worthy (of success)” – are at a deep, unconscious or suppressed level.
Here are some examples of self-limiting beliefs:
- “I don’t deserve it”. Of course you deserve it – you are child of God (Infinite Intelligence), and you deserve it as much as any other human on the planet.
- “I’m not worthy”. Of course you are worthy – you are child of God, and you deserve it as much as any other human on the planet.
- “I can’t do it”. It may be something totally new for you. You may need to learn new things. You may need inspiration. You may need guidance. But you can do it, especially if other people have proven it can be done, if you have a clear vision of what it is, and if you desire it enough.
- “It will take too long”. Certainly, it may take time. Most things that are worthwhile take some time. But it probably won’t take as long as you think. Always intend your desired end result NOW. The Universe hears that command and will take steps to speed the process up – and sometimes amazing miracles really do happen overnight.
- “It won’t work”. There is the old expression to the effect that “If you can imagine it, it can be brought into reality”, and I believe that is true. But realistically, it does depend on conditions. Imagining a spaceship with warp drive is a possibility, but that depends on developing the technology, and that may take centuries or millennia. But for something like starting a new business, where it’s one that you have some knowledge and related experience in, it can happen and you can succeed – especially if you have a clear vision, desire, persistence, and adaptability.
- “I will fail”. You must believe you can manifest your desires. You absolutely must love yourself and believe in yourself and your worthiness to have what you desire. If you know your desire is real and the end result is realistic, then you must believe you will succeed. It depends, of course, on whether we are talking about something small or large. And if it is large, study it, learn about it, grow with it, until you do know you can succeed. Let’s be real, though, sometimes things outside your control can cause you to fail. But believe someone who knows from past experience (me), failures are not all bad because they teach you something, and every failure helps you prepare for your future success.
So, study the above and learn about some of the common things that can keep you from creating what you want in your life. These are helpful things to watch out for, avoid, and learn to think about differently.
But enough with the reasons why manifesting might not work for you or why self-limiting beliefs might get in your way. Instead, know that the Universe is infinitely intelligent, abundant, loving, and creative. The process of conscious creation works this way: If you do your part in holding the intention of what you want and taking appropriate action, the Universe will do its part of working with you to bring it into your experience.
Remember that Wholeness is a fullness… It is full of the potentiality and creativity of pure consciousness, and through the flow of Life it holds infinite possibilities. Therefore, wholeness gives you the power to choose and the power to change yourself and your life.
The Universe serves you because you are It, and It is you. Why wouldn’t It help you create what both of you desire? You are self within Self, individual consciousness within Universal Consciousness, spiritual human being within Divine and Infinite Being. That is the wonder that is you!
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Now, by pointing out reasons that cause manifesting not to work well, I’m indirectly alluding to how you do manifesting successfully – to be covered in another article. But if you are currently attempting to follow a certain manifesting process, this post gives you a list of common issues with how your thinking and unconscious beliefs can block you.