Shift and imagine.

This is what I do every time I wake up tired or feel less than grateful for my current life situation.

Once I become conscious of the bad feelings, I shake them off and I ask myself:

What do I want?

I focus on the answer and let my imagination roll.

That is what Shakti Gawain teaches in the first few chapters of Creative Visualization.

It’s all about using your imagination to create what you want in your life.

She presents a simple exercise to begin creative visualization. Simply close your eyes, relax and imagine what you want to happen or to achieve.

I tried this after I woke up and I visualized a couple of things:

• working from home in my pink home office
• living in our very own dream home
• having financial freedom

Sometimes I would have very clear images but there were also times when my doubt and worry thoughts interfered. When that happens, I would just let them pass and get back to visualizing.

That’s one important thing I learned about dealing with negative feelings. Yes, it’s okay to get them, but the important thing is to recognize them then let them go.

Feeling good

Imagining what you want seems pretty easy enough. But doing it first thing in the morning requires a bit more focus. Honestly, I fell asleep a few minutes after beginning my visualization. But it felt good to do it.

That’s another important thing. Feeling good and being relaxed is always key to manifesting.

What I’m trying to learn now is how to consciously adopt this attitude every moment of my waking day.

I’ve experienced all too many times before how to drift through the day, to go through the motions and to succumb to negative feelings.

What I’m learning to do now is to deliberately create every moment as I want it. I constantly ask myself, ‘What do I want?’ ‘What feels good to do now?’ And I do it.

As what Shakti says in the book, creative visualization becomes “a continuous awareness, a state of consciousness in which you know you are the constant creator of your life.”

And that’s a very empowering thought. It might seem too overwhelming at first but it’s true. We create our own life. We make our own choices.

We simply have to choose to live our best lives.

Up next: The four steps to effective creative visualization.

I’ve read a lot of inspirational and self – help books over the years. And although I have imbibed most of the good stuff that I learned, I’ve always felt I haven’t really used them to their fullest potential.

In my previous post, I mentioned my blog’s new purpose. I want it to be a journal of my journey in creating my dream life.

A huge part of this journey is “studying life” again. I’ll try a tool or take a book that inspires me, I’ll practice the principles and follow processes to a T. Call it an experiment if you will, and it’s one I believe can only make me better.

I will write about my progress , the things I have learned and what works for me.

Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain was one of those books that really gripped me. It was simply written and I felt the author’s sincerity to share what she knows about creating the life you want.

What I liked most about this book was how it shared several practical ways to creatively visualize. Shakti doesn’t give hard and fast rules. She gently prods you to take action and only do what feels good for you.

I’ve finished reading this book and tried a handful of the processes she suggested. I wasn’t a hundred percent focused but they all worked. This leads me to think how much more amazing the results would be when I am focused and consistent.

I am re-reading this book and I will do the exercises in the accompanying workbook. This time I will commit to reading at least a chapter everyday and applying the processes she outlines in the book. I like that she suggests putting a star at the back of the workbook whenever I get some work done. That space will be filled with lots of glittery pink stars and hearts.

And yes, I am getting ready for the miracles to happen.

Today the journey begins.

Almost two years ago, I started this blog because I wanted to have my own space where I could write about anything I want. I was interested in a lot of things and, back then, I wasn’t really sure what I was going to write about.

And so the years went by, I hardly updated this blog. Though I did redesign a few times, I felt that was some form of resistance that distracted from doing what I really needed and wanted to do. I was writing almost aimlessly, without really knowing for sure where I wanted to go. But I believe that was all part of the process which got me to where I am now.

As jaymeemerald.com begins its third year, I now know which direction I want to go. This blog will be a manifestation journal about:

Creating the life you want through journaling, creative visualization and the Law of Attraction.

Journaling has always been my passion. And so far, the glimpses I had of the power of creative visualization and the Law of Attraction have inspired me to explore them deeper and imbibe them as a way of life. I’ve come to believe that when you combine faith and inspired action, you can achieve anything you set your heart to.

This blog is where I will write about the things I learn and practice, my successes as well as learning experiences. I hope my journey will inspire you to explore the infinite possibilities and to begin your own journey to creating the life of your dreams.

It’s amazing how I suddenly get bursts of inspiration. It reminds me that even if I lose track of my journey, God has a way of steering me back in the right course.

I hear him saying, “Hey kid, you already know this. But I just thought you needed a reminder.” He makes me stop and reflect again on the things that truly matter.

A week ago, I came across this article at Tiny Buddha. The author Janna Brayman Krawczyk was a prolific journaler and she has proven time and again how it has the power to change your life and to fulfill your dreams.

While I was reading it, I suddenly felt this urge to write in my journal again. I wanted to find that quiet time again when it’s just me, my lovely pages and my pen. I remember how I used to get lost in those pages as I created my world with my words.

I’ve witnessed the power of a journal to hurt and to heal, to destroy and to rebuild. Wielding that power with my pen, I’m just so amazed at the infinite possibilities that writing brings. And yet, sometimes I forget that it’s just there waiting for me to create miracles.

The danger of living life unconsciously is you get lost in the mundane things that do nothing to empower you. You go on with your routine day after day until you wake up one morning stunned that so much time has gone by yet very little has changed.

So now, I go back to my journal and my pen. I ask myself:

What do I truly want?

And I write.

I let the words flow and create their magic.

It was past 6 p.m. I was running late for an event I was supposed to cover at 6:30 p.m.

I sped off from the MRT station to head for the nearest taxi stand in front of SM. The line stretched until the corner of the sidewalk. Definitely not a good sign.

I walked even farther to the next mall’s taxi stand but the line was even longer.

How come there are so many people lining for taxi cabs on a weekday?

I assumed that there would be few mall goers on a Tuesday and thus, shorter taxi stand lines. But apparently, this is not the case in Makati.

I continued looking for another taxi stand but I was starting to get frustrated and worried that I would be late for the event.

As I reached the end of the mall strip, I finally found a taxi stand with a very short line. There were about 4 pairs ahead of me, I thought this should go fast.

But almost 30 minutes had passed and no taxi was turning our way. I felt frustration building up even more and shoulda-woulda-coulda gremlins starting to attack.

Thankfully, I remembered to have a positivity check. Frustration is not helping. What are you supposed to do in situations like this?

I suddenly remembered an experience I had before about manifesting taxi cabs. I did it twice, I’m sure I can do it again.

While standing in line, I closed my eyes and started to visualize. By this time, about 2 more pairs were lined after me.

God please send seven taxi cabs our way.

I visualized taxis one after the other stopping by our stand and me getting closer and closer to the front of the line.

But I want my taxi cab to be from MGE, new Vios with clean interiors and an amiable driver who will bring me to my destination safely.

Please help me to get to the Fort by 7:30 and I hope the event hasn’t started yet by the time I arrive.

I opened my eyes, still no cabs in sight.

But I remained relaxed, I just believed the taxis were coming our way. I’m going to arrive to my event just in time.

Just a few minutes later, the cabs started coming. They were mostly old, somewhat rickety cabs.

One, then two, then three.

I was finally next line.

And when I saw cab number four coming from afar, I just knew it was for me.

The shiny Vios taxi cab stopped right in front of me. It wasn’t MGE, but it was from EMP. The aircon was good and the seats were clean.

“To the Fort please.”

The cab driver wasn’t chatty which was just the way I liked it. He got me to the venue by 8 p.m.

The event started about 20 minutes after I arrived.

Thank you God, I whispered.

The whole night, the whole manifesting thing hovered in my mind. I know this thing works and I’ve proven it many times.

But I’ve done it mostly for small things. I do appreciate these little victories and I am grateful I am now able to consciously shift my vibration and frame of mind.

Now a voice inside me is telling me to start manifesting bigger things. Bigger dreams.

I know for a fact that it’s possible. I just need to have the guts and the discipline to do it.

The possibility of achieving my dream scares me and excites me at the same time. But I know that I have to do this now.

Awesome here I come.

Small is good. Start small.

I etched this reminder in my mind. I know I am on the right track.

Since setting my goal for this year, I’ve been working on little projects to accomplish it.

It can get quite challenging since I’ve got a real job to attend to and a family to take care of. Sometimes I get frustrated with the little progress I am making. I have to admit I tend to spend more time studying than doing which I’ve been trying to change.

The thing about frustration is it can snowball into an excuse just to give up the whole thing altogether. But no one ever succeeded by giving up.

Last Sunday, I was feeling this kind of frustration bordering on surrender. I was thinking of giving up until a realization hit me during the church service.

At one point during the sermon, the pastor stopped and told ushers to distribute mini ziplocs containing mustard seeds.

I’ve read the parable of the mustard seed over and over. But I haven’t seen a mustard seed, not even in photos. So when I finally held the bag of seeds in my palm, I was amazed. I never realized it was that tiny.

The church started small. Every big dream started small.

I knew then that the only way I can reach my goal is if I hold on to it and to take steps toward it, no matter how small.

It’s okay to start small as long as you keep going, you keep building, and you keep doing things to make it big.

Suddenly, I felt relieved and encouraged. I felt grateful for the little progress I’d been making. I saw significance in the little breakthroughs I’ve been having.

All these little things will add up and be big one day.

In time, this small mustard seed of a dream will grow into a lush tree.

Big dreams seem impossible. But if you break them down into small goals, the dream becomes something doable.

Everything becomes possible.

What’s your big dream?

“So these are the top three craziest things they did for SUJU… for the positive…”

My lunch buddies A and T were talking about fan obsessions toward this Korean boy band whom A is also a fan of. On top of the three “positive obsessions” she mentioned, she also enumerated three of the crazy bad things anti-fans did to the boy band, in detail. Yes, she really is a fan.

I was listening quietly, not being a fan of Koreans or boy bands in general. But I did have my share of “slight obsessions” so somehow I know the feeling.

The Twilight Saga was one of the first things I ever went crazy about so far as to buy all the books in the series in hardbound, the special edition journals, the soundtrack and everything else Twilight. I watched the movie twice in the theater and a couple more times in DVD. But that’s just a slight addiction compared to other hard core fans who were and continue to be far more devoted than I was.

It just dawned on me how every person has this enormous capacity to be passionate about something or someone. This sort of craziness is inborn in everyone, waiting to be triggered by the right purpose at the right time.

Imagine what could happen if you could focus that crazy passion to something you’ve always dreamed to achieve in your life.

What could happen if you could devote yourself to something so life-changing?

“What’s that one life-changing thing that you could be passionate about?” I asked A and T.

A said she has always wanted to conceptualize and create an anime series.

T said he absolutely wants to write a sci fi book.

I had to rethink what I want to focus my passion on, that coveted dream, the sought after ambition. I’m actually thinking about it right now which is strange because I used to be so sure.

But if there’s one thing I am always passionate about, it’s my husband Kernan, my daughters Jamaine and Kalia, and my family.

Everything I do now, everything I devote myself to ultimately leads back to them and my vision of giving them a happy, comfortable and affluent life.

It made me realize that if I could imbibe that obsessed, die hard, hard core, devoted kind of passion accorded to rockstars and channel it to my life’s ultimate dream then the results would be nothing short of amazing.

Definitely life-changing.

What’s the one life-defining thing that you can be passionate about?

There’s something about changing my blog’s look that gives me a natural high. It’s the same feeling I get every time I get a fresh new journal.

There’s something so magical about flipping through the empty pages and smelling the fresh paper. You almost feel like you don’t want to write anymore and just hold the journal in your hands.

But I must write. I want to write.

So I finally forced myself to stop tweaking this blog’s design and begin typing this post.

I’ve been neglecting this blog for quite sometime. Kernan even asked me why I rarely update this blog.

I always tell myself to just write and let the words flow. But sometimes, I still get stumped. Or I feel like writing something but think it’s not perfect or significant enough.

I know it’s the writing gremlin talking.

I really should listen and connect with my writing muse more often.

Sometimes the days get too predictable and ordinary, I forget that there’s this amazing dimension of life I can explore anytime. A place where I can draw my writing inspiration from.

And so here I am blogging again.

I promise myself, I’ll do this more often.

Her story kept ringing in my head.

She had just come from an operation and her doctor made her promise one thing: “Promise me, you’ll avoid stress.”

Her doctor went on to say that she has a number of patients who are now suffering from stress-induced cancer. Some of them are 27 – 28 years old.

I can’t imagine women the same age as I am going through cancer. Doesn’t cancer only happen to older people? Apparently, it doesn’t. And stress could be a cancer trigger.

I suddenly examined my lifestyle for the past months. Have I been under a lot of stress?

Thankfully, life is wonderful. God is always good. I am so happy, grateful and content.

I’ve got the most loving husband and the most wonderful kids who make my life so blessed beyond words.

I have an awesome job where I can hone my creativity. I’ve got a great boss who appreciates my abilities. We earn enough to live a comfortable life.

Life is not always sunshine and rainbows but I always look for that crack in the clouds that lets out a ray of light. And there always is.

Sometimes I still get antsy. There are so many ideas bursting in my head. There are so many things I want to do. I’ve got so many dreams I want to fulfill both for me and my family. Sometimes, time doesn’t seem enough.

But I refuse to let worry and pressure ruin my head. I choose to avoid stress. I’ve got a lifetime commitment to love my husband and my kids. And stress might make me break that promise.

Whoever believed that stressful equals successful might be unknowingly committing suicide. Killing himself slowly but surely with all those toxins that debilitate both the mind and body.

So I will take this one at a time.

At a peaceful and relaxed pace.

I love myself too much to be stressed.

I’ve got an amazing life ahead of me and I intend to enjoy every moment of it.

AFFLUENCE.

This is my word of the year. My goal for 2010 is to experience financial freedom for our family. This is something I’ve always wanted but now is the only time I’m really focusing on it.

One thing I’ve been working on is changing my beliefs and attitudes toward money because I think those are vital factors in determining how much money you’ll have.

Remember how people used to say:

Money doesn’t grow on trees.
Money is the root of all evil.
You have to work HARD to earn money.
People who have a lot of money all end up UNHAPPY.

I bet those who firmly believe in this are still stuck at being poor.

Here’s what I choose to believe:

“Money DOES grow on trees.”

You won’t have money if you sleep all day, dream about having a lot of it and wait for a tree of money to grow beside you. BUT if you have faith that GOD made an abundant Universe with more than enough riches to go around for everybody, when you believe that HE will provide for all your needs (and wants too) then you’ll find that money comes to you.

Suddenly, you get a raise, you are offered opportunities to earn more money or you receive money from unexpected sources. These are all trees that grew from the seed of your faith. And money is right there on the branches waiting to be picked.

But here’s an important thing to remember: you need to pick the money. Even if the money falls from the tree, you still need to catch it if you want to get it. Some may define this as hard work. But I like to call it: TAKING INSPIRED ACTION.

When you get a raise, you need to work efficiently to retain it. When you get offered an opportunity to earn more money, seek God’s guidance (or your intuition and good judgment) then grab the opportunity and work it to the hilt. When you receive unexpected money, spend some but save more and make your money grow. This doesn’t have to be hard. This could be easy. Which brings me to my next belief:

“You can earn money EFFORTLESSLY.”

Years ago, I was working as a TV producer for different shows. I loved the work and it was fun. It felt like an adventure. But then when I got married and I became a mom, my priorities changed and I felt that my work was really work. I was on call most of the time, I didn’t have weekends all to myself and I didn’t have work benefits that I need for my family.

Right about this time, I got offered a regular job (Ting! Did a light bulb just pop over your head?) to build blogs and write content for TV shows. Back then, I was already enjoying blogging and surfing the waves of the web so that job was effortless for me. Later on, my job evolved to being a Lifestyle writer for our news website — a job which I do enjoy — so it’s still effortless for me.

When I say effortless, it doesn’t mean that I don’t do anything or I don’t get physically or mentally exhausted. My definition of effortless is work that doesn’t feel like work because I enjoy doing it. So even if I’m physically or mentally exhausted sometimes, I see that as part of the job. But my job is still enjoyable for me.

I earn money doing something I enjoy.

What if I’m in a job that I don’t enjoy? I hear you. That used to be my excuse / complaint too.

Here’s the thing: I always believe you have a choice in everything you do. Either you leave and find a better job or you stay and change your attitude.

If you choose to leave and find a better job, congratulations! You’ve made a tough choice but if you find what you’re looking for, you’ll be more profitable in the long run.

If you choose to stay, then throw those complaints away. Change your attitude about your work, your colleagues, and your boss. See, enjoyment is a subjective thing. No one can enjoy your job for you. It’s something you have to do yourself. Find reasons to be grateful about your job. Look at your colleagues and your boss as people who are helping you to prosper. Don’t be surprised if, after adopting a more positive attitude, everyone treats you better and everything goes more smoothly for you. Try it and see.

“Money is neutral. Money is GOOD if you use it for GOOD.”

If you love money, money will love you back. Loving money is good. I can hear the battling voices in your head, “But that’s greed. That’s bad, that’s a mortal sin.”

Well then, let’s review what greed means:

Greed : a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than is needed. (Merriam – Webster)

Notice the word selfish in the definition? My take on greed is “a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than is needed” and fulfilling that desire at the expense of other people. That’s plain greed.

But love for money is different. Because when you love money, you seek good ways to earn it, you use it bring happiness to your loved ones and you share it to as many people as you possibly can. When you do these, then you’ll be living proof of my next belief.

“People who have a lot of money and A LOT OF LOVE in their life are always HAPPY.”

In fact, even if you don’t have a lot of money but if you have a lot of love in your life, you’ll always be happy. I’ve read somewhere that money acts like a magnifying glass, it just enlarges what you already are or how you already live your life.

If you’re a loving and generous person even now, you’ll become more of that. If you like taking out your wife and kids to simple dates at the mall, you’ll do more of that — maybe in different malls all over the world.

But if you’re a miserable person who constantly finds negative things about life and laments about your poor conditions, well…. you know the answer. Don’t be surprised if you stay poor or even if you suddenly get a lot of money, you’re still unhappy or you end up poor anyway.

These are my beliefs. I know that these beliefs coupled with my inspired actions will make me really, really affluent.

I like the word affluence because its etymology means to flow. Flowing abundance. Flowing wealth. That sounds really good, doesn’t it?

You have the power to choose your own beliefs about money and about everything else in your life. Choose beliefs that empower you and bring you good.

Every morning, I see the birds out our window flying from tree to tree, presumably looking for breakfast and singing while they’re at it. Just think, if God cares for and provides for these little birds’ daily needs, don’t you think He will care more and provide more for you?

Trust Him. Thank Him for what you already have now. Believe that He is sending you more wealth and prosperity in the days to come. And watch the miracles flowing into your life.

It all starts with faith that money grows on trees.