You can learn to manifest

If you express what you want, it will happen. Many people believe in this law, but you can do more to make dreams come true, such as manifesting. ‘There is nothing airy-fairy about it,’ says manifestation expert Willemijn Welten, to whom I could fire some questions.

What is manifesting actually?
‘Manifesting is something everyone already does. Just think of the house you have, your job, or maybe a boyfriend or girlfriend. But you also manifest the things you don't want: by fears or insecurity, you sabotage your dreams. If you think often enough that something won't turn out well, then it won't. There is a prejudice that manifesting is airy-fairy, but it is actually very down-to-earth. Manifesting is bringing your dreams to earth to realize them and take that first step.’

And can you really learn it?
‘If you grew up with the idea that you can't do something, then it's quite a task to break that. It doesn't have to be very big right away; you can start small. I set my intention for the day in the morning, of what I want to achieve. By focusing on that, it works. If you have a busy chaotic day in your head, then you get a busy chaotic day. Start with something small, like the intention that everything works out and that you arrive on time for every appointment or that you wish for a bouquet of flowers. Small intentions usually come quickly.’

But how do I start manifesting?
‘Actually, there are three steps. You start by setting an intention. What do you want to manifest? A new house, a love, or maybe something bigger, like making the world a little more beautiful? An intention can be as concrete or vague as you want. Then you start to feel what it is like to already be at that point. This can be done by talking to someone about how you envision that new house, but also by making a mood board yourself. And it works to surround yourself with people who already have what you want, because unconsciously we mirror that behavior. In step three, you take action. Don't think too much about the how, because that can be very stressful, but think about what the first step is and take it.’

What if it doesn't work?
‘Then it's good to ask yourself if what you're manifesting is really what you want. Is the dream you're manifesting the highest achievable? I was a manager at twenty-seven with a decent salary and was at the headquarters in London, and suddenly I thought: if everything can come true and I have influence over it, is this what I want?’

Do you have nice examples from practice?
‘I helped someone who had been single for eleven years with her intentions. She made a mood board of what her great love should look like. With cats, a camper, and even a musical instrument. He was at her door that week. And I wrote down the amount for which I wanted to buy a house last year, which according to all authorities was not feasible. After moving, I found my notebook back, and the amount in it matched exactly what I signed for at the notary.’

Where do you come in as a manifestation expert in this process?
‘I help people realize that they can manifest. Through courses, one-on-one sessions, by speaking, writing my book, with a meditation every morning, or through my new card set, which makes it easy to learn in those small steps.’

Want to know more about manifesting? Visit Willemijn online.