Lamisha Serf-Walls

Visualization: A Tool For Manifestating Your Dreams

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visualize

When it comes to living the life of our dreams most of us ideally know exactly what we want.  We have said on more than one occasion, “If only _____ would happen, then I could finally be happy!”, but how many of us really know what we want?  Sure we may have a general idea of the life we want to live…money, partnership, love, and happiness, but thing is those things are different for each of us.  My version of the life of my dreams won’t necessarily match yours and vice versa.

So how can we figure out what that life looks like?

One way is to use visualization.  When was the last time you took a few minutes to visualize the ideal situation?  Maybe you have a big meeting coming up that you want to go really well or an appointment that you want a certain outcome?  Have you ever thought of visualizing it before it happens?

My guess is that many of us tend to use visualization in a much less productive way.  For instance I know some people (myself included) that have the tendency to visualize the worst possible outcome as a way of convincing themselves that if the worst happens, it’s not so bad.  They are often times met with a similar situation and may think to themselves, “See, it happened and I was prepared.” But is that what it really means?  Couldn’t it also mean that you put out the vibe for negative situation to occur?  Maybe.  So what if you did the exact opposite?

Let’s say you have a situation coming up that you would traditionally worry about, maybe you are selling your house, moving to a new location, or starting a new business.  The logical part of you says to plan, plan, plan for the worst case scenario.  So, you begin thinking of all the things that could go wrong and the ways you could combat it.  Maybe you save some extra money, find alternative places to live, or start looking for a part-time gig as you venture down the logical road.  But what if instead of thinking through all the terrible things that could happen, you begin thinking of how you would like it to unfold.

For instance, if you are selling your house you could imagine putting it on the market for the exact amount of money you wish to sell it for and within 2 weeks have a contract.  If you want to take it a step further, you might imagine what type of person or family would enjoy living in your house.  Or if you are planning on moving to a new area, think of the ideal situation.  Do you want to rent or buy?  What type of area would you ideally like to live in?  Can you see it, feel it, and experience it in your mind’s eye?

The key is to stop worrying and fretting about what might go wrong or what the worst case scenario is because chances are the more you focus on the worst case, the more likely it will come true.

About 7 years ago I was moving out-of-state without having a job already lined up.  I had never done something like this before and while I had a little bit of money saved, I didn’t have enough to last me for a long time, so I needed to find a job rather quickly.  When asked what my plan was my answer was always the same…”I’ll look when I get there, but worst case scenario if I can’t find something I’ll just get a job at Starbucks or something.”  A few months went by and my thinking remained the same and I still had no job and was losing faith in myself.  The first job I got while living in the new city was…you guessed it, working at Starbucks!

The process works the same way if you can visualize the ideal situation.  Before my partner and I moved to where we live now, we had planned on using our previous home as a rental property.  We made all of our arrangements prior to leaving and all the while we kept thinking that the ideal situation would be to have someone sign a lease shortly after we left.  We didn’t have a lot of worry or concern about the situation because we had so much going on with the move and coordinating the purchase of our new home and found out within 2 days of leaving that we had a renter for our home.  Our ideal situation was playing out before our eyes and we were so grateful!

The point is this…

If you have a choice to worry about a situation or to visualize the ideal, why waste your energy thinking of what disaster may come?  Why not make the best of it and think of the most amazing and beautiful outcome possible?

The same thing applies to your dreams…

Instead of thinking of all the ways you can fail or thinking of the most logical path to your dreams, think of the ideal situation.  Feel the excitement and inspiration for your ideal situation and watch as your dreams begin to manifest before your eyes, sometimes in ways you never imagined could happen.

Use the power of your imagination for good and the next time you find yourself worrying over the worst case scenario of a situation, turn it around and visualize the ideal.

Still not convinced it works?  Experiment with it and see what happens for you.  I promise you won’t be disappointed as long as you believe it can come true.

Line Up And Watch It Unfold

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I have reached an epiphany of sorts.  Actually I have reached this epiphany several times in my life about various things and yet each time it seems new.  It doesn’t mean that I am a slow learner necessarily, but it does mean that I am always learning new things.  Lucky for me I am an avid student in the classroom of life looking to absorb whatever enlightening information I can.  I also love sharing that knowledge with others, hence me taking on a coaching/writer/teacher role in many areas of my life.

The grand epiphany is this…

Set the intention, line up with it, and watch it unfold.

Before you actually do anything you have a thought.  You think about what you want to do or many times you have an emotional reaction that causes the thought to take form.  For instance, you may realize you really don’t like the job you are in.  You have an emotional response to the job which leads to thoughts of what you can do about it, which later leads to action.

Thought is also used to set an intention.  In the above example the intention would be to leave the unhappy job to find one that is better.  Easy enough right?

But then what???

You have to line yourself up with your intention and this doesn’t necessarily mean line up with it through action.  I have found inspired action is the best way to move forward toward our goals and dreams.  It seems to be the path of least resistance in some ways and feels better overall.  However, if you are like me (a bit of a controller), you may find yourself losing patience with the next inspired step as you try to force it to happen.  I have found that generally doesn’t work and if it does work, it makes it seem very difficult.

Lining up with your intention means to put yourself in a space that allows you to be inspired both physically and energetically.  It may involve you meditation, doing yoga, or writing.  It might also involve you making a conscious choice about who you spend your time with.  You may decide a certain person or group of people bring you out of your positive alignment and can become the voice of your Dream Crusher.  If this is the case, find others that will uplift and inspire you.  If you don’t know anyone, spending time alone can also create the space you need for Divine Inspiration to move you.  Some other ideas may include visualizing your intention, practicing positive affirmations, reading inspiring books, listening to inspirational music, or getting creative.  The key is to keep your focus positive and to protect your intention as much as you can.

As you begin to line up with your intentions in a positive way, you will likely experience some amazing synchronicity and your intention will begin to take shape almost effortlessly as you follow your inspired thoughts.  For instance, in the job scenario I described above, you might get a call from a friend seemingly out of the blue telling you about a new job that you are the perfect fit for.  You may find yourself “stumbling” across articles, people, and other resources that lead you to the very next step in your journey and you weren’t actively looking for it.  I like to call these inspirational nuggets.  They are the little crumbs that effortlessly lead you along your path and when you continually line up with your intentions, you begin to realize your dreams can and will unfold perfectly.

This grand idea of letting go and lining up with your intentions is not new news.  It should be common knowledge, however I often find myself wanting to move things along much faster and in doing so, I create more frustration than I need.  When I consistently get out of my own way by lining up with what I want, things unfold almost magically.  And while I have seen evidence of this time and time again, I am almost certain there will be other situations where I find myself re-learning this lesson.

I would love to hear how you allow yourself to line up with your intentions.  What do you do to allow things to unfold naturally?  Please share in the comments below.

The Importance of Owning Your Dream

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How many of you have had a dream, but you wouldn’t dare share it with anyone else for fear they may laugh or dismiss the possibility of it coming to fruition.  Maybe you have some doubts about making your dream a reality and would just as much forget the whole thing altogether.

Many of us have been there before as we wonder if we can really live the life of our dreams.  We think about it very timidly because we don’t want to get our hopes up too much and be disappointed in the long run, but in order for your dreams to become reality, you have to own them.

Why?

Because by simply setting your intention and focus on that which you desire, you automatically begin flowing energy toward it. 

It is almost like setting a specific goal.  Say you want to run a marathon and it has been something you have thought about for a while, but never really declared to yourself that you would do it.  Instead of beginning your training, this idea is nothing more than a whim that comes and goes without much energy or inspiration behind it.

But, when you say I intend to run a marathon, it becomes more real.  And the more you focus on it, the more you think about it.  The more you think about it, the more inspirational nuggets you find along your journey that will lead you to completing the marathon.

Dreams are the same way.  You have to own them and make them real to yourself.  Instead of saying “I would love to writ a book, eventually…”, declare it.  Set the intention that you will do it.  That doesn’t mean shouting it from the rooftops and sharing your dream with any person that will listen.  That can actually cause your dream to fizzle out before your fire get’s going.  (More on that in a later post.)

Declare your dream.  Visualize it.  Feel it.  See it.  Imagine it.  Feel the amazing delicious energy that stems from it and milk that feeling for as long as it lasts.

Well all have dreams, but if we don’t own up to them, they are nothing more than passing thought that may never come to be.  Take the first step and declare that you will achieve the life of your dreams.  Only you have the power to make that happen, so why not start now?

When Inspiration Fades

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It is an awesome feeling to following your inspiration into action.  The fire is burning and you just can’t help but feel energized and uplifted.  But what happens when inspiration plummets?  How can we invoke that inspirational spark that moves us in the direction of our dreams?

There are a number of things you can do to bring that inspirational spark back into your life as long as you don’t try too hard.  I have found that when I am feeling anxious about something and really feel like I need something to happen almost out of desperation, it makes it that much more difficult to grasp.

Here is what I have found to work for me:

  • Take a break- If you have been thinking about something or have been working on a project for a long period of time and are getting more frustrated by the minute, sometimes taking a step back from it can help you regroup and allow your ideas to breathe.  I find this particularly useful when I am writing or doing choreography.  Sometimes I am just not in the flow and leaving it for a few hours or days can make all the difference in the world.
  • Meditate-You may be wondering how slowing your thoughts can lead to more ideas and creativity, but when you give your mind a little break from thought after thought after thought, you allow the space that is needed for ideas to flow into your consciousness.  Not sure what your next step is in achieving your dreams?  Meditate with the intention to allow thoughts to come and go and if you don’t get the answer you are looking for, that’s ok.  It may come to you after meditation or on another day.  By giving your mind a break you are simply inviting inspiration to come.
  • Read- I love to read and am always reading other blogs, books, and articles for inspiration.  I don’t look for a specific idea, but I find I am drawn to exactly what I need to read at exactly the right moment (similar to the inspiration nuggets).  If you are stuck on a particular writing project, read the work of authors you enjoy.  If you aren’t sure where to move forward in your business venture, research others in your same business and see what they are doing.  This is not meant to replicate what they are doing, but it can often get the creative juices flowing again.
  • Get out in nature- Spend some time outdoors.  Go for a walk, a hike, or a run to get the blood pumping.  Allow the natural rhythm of the great outdoors to soothe your mind and feed your soul.  You may find that as you look at your surroundings ideas come to you easily.  Maybe Mother Nature will provide you with an idea or two as you revel in her beauty.  I love spending time outside and I find it helpful to just get away from the office and my computer for a while to refresh my thoughts.
  • Let it go- I often have a tendency to obsess over a problem until I have found the solution.  More specifically if I want to do something I need to know how I am going to do it.  I am learning that if I just let it go for a while and think about something else, I let go of the resistance that is keeping the solution from me.  Sometimes when you are searching for something you only find it when you stop looking.  (Ever lost your keys only to find them when you stop looking for them 2 hours later??)  This doesn’t mean let go of your idea, your goal, or your dreams, but sometimes we need to allow the Universe to work some magic for us.  So, let it go for a bit.
  • Get happy-Take some time to do something you enjoy.  Read a book, watch a movie, take a nap, or write a list of things you are grateful for.  Often taking some time to do something you utterly enjoy can take the frustration out of a creative block and you might be surprised where your next ideas come from.  I often get ideas or confirmations from things I read, movies, or in a conversation I have with someone.  It is amazing how easily inspiration flows when you are in a relaxed and happy state.  So, what are you waiting for??? Get happy!
  • Be open- You never know where your next inspirational nugget will come from so by simply setting the intention to be open to any and all forms of inspiration, you are inviting those nuggets to flow your way.  Go about your daily routine knowing that your inspiration will return and just be open to what may show up.  You may be surprised to find where your inspiration comes from.

What do you do when you need a boost in inspiration?

Acting On Inspired Thoughts

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Recently I have been thinking about my list of dreams and wondering if I should actively be working toward them, or if I should be following my inspiration and see where it takes me.  I have often wondered which is better.  In the business/goal-oriented world, it seems setting a game plan is the best way to move forward while in the art world, leading through inspiration is best.  But what about a person like myself who is a blend of both?

I am learning that if I act on my inspired thoughts, the action feels good.  For instance, as a choreographer I found I did my best work when I was strongly inspired by the music.  I didn’t have to think too much about what I was going to do because I was so inspired, my dances created themselves.  The same thing goes for my writing.  When I feel like I am forcing myself to write about a particular topic, it doesn’t flow very well and I find myself struggling a bit.  This is exactly why I have yet to begin my children’s book.

When I initially had the thought to write a children’s series, I was so inspired and should have taken that time to write down all my ideas and words that were flowing.  And while I told myself I was going to set a date to start writing, it didn’t really work out that way.  I really want to start writing, but am not feeling the passion and fire at the moment, so I suppose it is best for me to wait and allow the fire to come back.

While I tend to believe less in a world of extremes and believe it is best to take a more balanced approach to life, I am beginning to think that acting on inspired thoughts is the way to go.  Sure, I could set a writing schedule in order to get my book written or I could allow the inspiration to flow and act on it when the feeling is right.  Does that make me a lazy procrastinating writer?  I don’t think so, I think it means I am an inspiration driven writer amongst other things.

I have tried to make my vision of being a life coach come to fruition in various ways.  I tried setting a plan to get certain funds in place, to find the right program, etc., but those options haven’t really worked out thus far.  So, I am taking a step back a bit.  I am trusting that if I keep my vision clear about what I want, follow my intuition and inspiration, the pieces will fall into place the way they should.  Instead of working to make things happen, I am flowing with inspired thoughts.  Is it the right thing to do in all areas of my life?  Maybe not.  But, as for where I am right now, it is the right move.

What is the right move for you?  Do you set a plan and execute it accordingly or do you fly by the seat of your pants a bit?  Let me know what works for you!