There are several books now that discuss the power of thought and I have been experimenting with the concept for the past few years. I understand the concept that like things attract more like things. So the more positive (or negative) I have in my life the more positive (or negative) things I attract. In addition, I was familiar with the idea that just by thinking about someone/thing, it has the habit of materializing. But I thought, was this just coincidence?

Its one thing to read and learn about these concepts, but its another thing to experience them. One of the most profound experiences that made a true believer out of me was on a trip to Hawaii with my husband and mother during the Christmas season. It was Christmas Eve afternoon and we were driving back to our resort a timeshare in the middle of no-where on the Big Island surrounded by black, hardened lava. As we made our way up the now familiar, winding road that was almost an hour from the nearest city, I expressed my desire to go to a Christmas Eve service. Something I had been thinking about all week. I was not a regular churchgoer, but It never seemed like Christmas to me, unless I attend and sing carols at a candlelight service. By this time I expressed my wish, it was 5pm and our chauffer (my husband) wasnt really in the mood to drive back to town in search of a church.

Just as we came to the top of the hill, a block from our condo (if you could call it a block since there was next to nothing surrounding the resort.) There was a little sign along the edge of the highway Center for Positive Living, Christmas Eve Service, 7pm, All Welcome. This in itself was a miracle as we had passed this stretch that very morning and numerous times before and there was no indication of a sign or even a building! In addition and to my amazement, the name of the center was the exact name of a church in our hometown that we had been meaning to attend for several months but had never quite made it. Of course, we attended the service and it was abundant with carols and gifts, and it proved to be the most enjoyable service that I have ever attended.

For me, this experience solidified the power of thought. Since then, I have been playing with this idea and believe there is nothing that I cant manifest. Of course, through my travels I have learned a few ways to assist the process of manifestation along the way.

Thoughts

Thoughts are the key to manifesting. Not only do I try to think positive thoughts, I also try to eliminate negative thoughts or self-talk. This isnt always the easiest thing to do, but it got easier. The more I stuck to it, the more my life was blessed with positive things and the easier it became, and the easier it was, the more positive things that were manifested and so on.

Not only did I manifest positive things, but also I manifested what I was intending. Sometimes the manifestation didnt always appear as fast or exactly as I wanted, but, then again, sometimes the universe knows best (but thats another story.)

Affirmations

Most people have heard or used affirmations. Affirmations are just statements of a thought or intention. By stating your intentions concretely you send the message to the universe that you already have that which you want to attract. At first, I found affirmations a bit hokey, because in the back of my mind I was thinking, this isnt true, but of course, if the statements were already true (in reality) I wouldnt need to do affirmations about them. Our mind has no distinction between reality and fantasy, so by stating our thoughts it changes their existence from inside (the mind) to outside (reality).

Some additional tips in formulating affirmations:

• State them as if they were already true (even if you believe otherwise)

• State them in present tense. Include your name in the statement, for example:

  I, Kimberly, am

• State each affirmation at least 3 times. Once to say it, once to hear it, and lastly to integrate it.

• State your affirmations often. After waking up or before going to bed is the best time of day, although you can state them anytime throughout the day if you need a reminder or pick-me-up.

• Say them out loud. Put them on a tape recorder or paste them to your mirror so you hear/see them frequently.

• Focus on a feeling, rather than material/physical objects. This leaves the what up to the universe and often the results you intend to achieve are far greater than you could ever envision yourself.

  For example: I, Kimberly, feel peace within, at all times.

Intention Map

Turn your affirmations into pictures. Gather pictures, photographs, and words of things you want to manifest in your life and place them on a piece of Bristol or on a bulletin board. Hang them where you will see them everyday. Look at them frequently and imagine yourself there.

Visualizations & Meditation

Turn your affirmations or intention maps into visualizations in your mind. Imagine that the intention is already true and you are living the life you dream of. Visualize the intention and release it into the universe to be manifested.

Now that you have several tools you can use to manifest your desires, here is the trick. There can be no attachment to having the intention manifested. Of course, its a given that you want this intention, otherwise you wouldnt have thought about it. However, you cant be attached to the result or be fixated on it happening. You have to believe it as if it were true and possible, but leave it to the universe to decide the details: when, where, how, etc. and let it come to you when the time is right. Remember everything happens for a reason.

Once you have mastered this, everything is in your reach. Dont just dream about the life you want: manifest it into reality!

Copyright 2004, Kimberly Strachan

Kimberly Strachan

Kimberly Strachan, Team Member of Solo-E works as a Virtual Assistant for clients doing business online. Having degrees in Psychology, Sociology Social Work and Education, she loves computers, details and connecting with people. Her first passion is traveling and working online allows her the flexibility to travel both physically and virtually!