It’s one of those words that people use a lot these days, but what exactly does manifesting mean in your life? Usually, people talk of manifesting as “bringing an idea to life” – but there’s another important meaning as well:

Manifest: to display or show (a quality or feeling) by one’s acts or appearance; demonstrate.

Examples often make this word happento us, as if it occurs without our control. Such as: “a disorder that usually manifests in middle age.” This is an incredibly dis-empowering way to see the world.

But what if, instead, we manifest with control; that is, we take control of how we appear, what we do, how we react, what people think of us, what we say, what we think and how we perceive the world?

Take note of what you think and how you perceive the world – because on a very immediate level, that mindset MANIFESTS as your mood, words and behaviors… with some pretty predictable results.

A young man, nearly out of college, was on a vacation with his family. Walking along a beach on a cold and windy evening, the young man’s father watches him from a distance. Later he has a conversation with his son. “You have long hair, you’re wearing an over-sized sweatshirt and baggy sweat pants. You scuff your feet and you’re hunched over with your hands buried in your pockets. If I’m that older guy who is out to hire for my company and I see what you present, I’m never going to even have a chance to discover what you can offer the world. I’ll never learn that you’re intelligent, caring, hard-working and loyal. All I see is someone hiding behind hair and clothing, cutting himself off from interacting with the world. You’re old enough to decide what you want your appearance to be, but I’m just telling you what someone my age sees in the way you have presented yourself.” Later, when they return home, the father is startled to turn and see that his son has visited the barber, he is now wearing jeans that are pulled up over his hips, he is wearing a golf shirt and his posture is straight and true.

This story isn’t presented to demonstrate how to communicate with men of a certain age, (although it is a positive example of such) but rather that we all need to stop and consider how we manifest ourselves to the world. To embrace individuality is wonderful, but with each decision we make, we send a message.

If you’re interested in working in the commercial world, you need to be willing to ‘meet’ that world. It doesn’t take a genius to know what the professional world looks like. Suits and ties, or suits and high heels are the norm. People trust this appearance. Likewise, if you’re striving to enter the creative world of art, dance, performance, dressing like you work on Wall Street will send the wrong message, with predictably undesirable results.

Take this to the really important side of your life as well; the side of life that depicts you and your personality. If you love to meet people and make new friends, dressing Goth may keep people at bay. Black depicts sadness and loss and warns people to stay back. However, if you are shy and prefer to move through life without others participation, Goth may be the look you seek. Clothing can be considered ‘armor’ of a kind.

You can control how you manifest yourself to the world, and now the world will greet you as you have always hoped it would.

How you manifest yourself to your world – is an immediate effect of your inner world. In turn, people will either help you or hold you back, and since every dream requires the assistance of others (on some level), you will want to make sure that your inner world, meaning your mindset, is aligned with what you want.

Better and Better,

Laura Silva Quesada
and the Team