Top 10 ways to manifest your dreams

1. Identify your desires. Most of us know already what it is we don't want. We don't want to be poor, sick, or unhappy. Unfortunately many people cannot identify what it is they truly desire. As a result, they tend to get more of what they don't want because this is where their energy and attention is focussed. When you start to make a list of things you really and truly desire in your life, then excitement starts to build.

2. Visualise your desires as if you already had them. Make a mental picture of the house, clothes, job, car or whatever it is for you. Focus on all the exquisite details of this picture. Did you know your mind cannot differentiate between what is real and what is imagined? Research has measured the electrical output of the brain in athletes both rehearsing an event as well as performing it -there was no difference in the brain activity. This means that you can feel good about picturing what you want well before you actually achieve it! This is the difference between 'happily achieving' and 'achieving to be happy'. With visualisation you have all the benefits of achieving the goal well before you actually do. There is no 'when..then' equation. You are happy now, and you are happy then.

3. As you visualise, really feel the excitement of what it is you truly desire. Imagine yourself behind the wheel of that brand new sports car, feel the wind in your hair, the hum of the engine, the roar as you change gears, let the thrills wash through your body. When we send out very strong positive vibrations in a happy and excited state, we attract the things we desire. They appear as if by magic in ways we never could have planned. Not convinced? Does not matter - if you can feel excited about visualising your desires, just the same as if you did actually have that thing, then why not visualise if it feels good?

4. Create a dream board. This is visual representation of everything you desire. It is designed to help trigger positive visualisations of what you desire. It is a reminder for you to focus on what you do want, not what you don't. To create a dream board, get a piece of stiff cardboard and collect photos from magazines, articles, brochures - anything that reminds you of what it is you truly desire.

5. Adopt a habit of gratitude. Each morning and each evening, make sure you acknowledge that for which you are grateful. This will make sure you are in a positive state of emotion, and reminds you that you are already incredibly blessed. This in turn makes it easier for you to attract what it is you truly desire.

6. Write a letter to yourself. Write a letter as if you are writing five years from now, reflecting on all the wonderful things that have happened in your life. This is another way of getting you to feel good about your desires, makes you tingle with excitement and gratitude. This puts you in vibrational alignment with everything you want to attract in to your life.

7. Enlist support. Get together with like-minded people who will encourage you and get excited with you about the possibilities of your manifesting and creating wonderful things. Hire a coach to resolve any blocks about your goals and to help you fast-track your success. Seek out a mentor - one who has already achieved what it is you want.

8. Take baby steps. When you have clear intentions and focus on your objectives, there will be little signs everywhere that your dream is manifesting - like treasure hunt clues. Make sure you take some action to follow these signs - trust your intuition - it will guide you to make inspired choices.

9. Know that it is coming. Whatever you desire, so it shall be granted. Just like Aladdin's lamp, whatever you ask for, you shall receive it. It may not arrive at the timetable you plan for, but it is coming. Your job is to be happy in the present moment, visualise and feel good, express gratitude, and anticipate with excitement the manifestation of your dreams.

10. Know you deserve it. If you have any doubts at all about your ability to manifest, or your 'deserving' to have your desires, then release this negative anxiety and focus instead on what it is you truly want. This is an abundant world, when you connect with the abundance that is around you, you attract more of it in to your life. Every single person has the same access to the power and magic of this process. Do it for yourself and many more will benefit by your example. There is more than enough to go around when we focus on positive feelings.

Copyright 2006 Zoe Routh, Inner Compass