General guidelines:
Use a language that is firm and positive. Make it uplifting. Bring out your positive notes, and dig deep for those inspiring words. While reading them, they should not only uplift and give you a boost. They should fire up the whole universe. Be direct and to the point. You do not want to be reading your declaration, wondering what exactly it is that you mean. Too many fancy words will only clutter the message.
Use affirmative and strong language. Be precise and speak in a tone of solution and success. Never use the negatives. For example: “I will never be sick again.” Instead always affirm what you want to see happen: “I will stay healthy and strong.” Kick it up a notch and say” I am healthy.” Be firm in your statements.
Don’t make it longer than you need to. Remember, you are going to keep reading it. Start simple and add on as needed. I have both added and subtracted from my manifesto. It is a tool that will give you more and more as you give it more, by reading and rewriting.
Write in the present tense. When you write about the future, it will stay in the future. All there really is is the now, and so writing in the present tense is the most powerful. It is confirming that it is already done. As you write, also envision it with your inner eye. See it as done. It has a very powerful energy.
Take your time. Don’t rush it. Let your personal manifesto be an honoring of your life. By writing it you are acknowledging its significance, and that it is worth spending some quality time on. If you choose to find your pen and paper, it will automatically take more time. On the computer, we are more prone to multitask. Make sure you don’t. The creation of it in itself is very powerful. Imagine you are writing a letter to the Creator, declaring your life purpose and willingness to better yourself and to be more aware and mindful.
Let it all come forth. Let the inner most beliefs and motives surface on each of the topics that you choose. We are after the core values. That which makes it all true for you. This is an opportunity for you to do some deep digging within. All the cards on the table, please. You might be surprised at what you mean and feel on the certain subject. What you see as your future, and how you relate to friends and family.
The amazing values of a personal manifesto:
Your manifesto should be something you will find strength and support in reading. For optimal value, go back and read it every single day. It will remind you of why you are doing what you are doing.
Keep it positive. Once you have written your own, you can find strength and support in reading it over and over again. Reading it every single day will give you direction and keep you focused on your goals and your purpose. Life is a flowing journey, and every single day we need to remind ourselves of our values. To be able to deal consciously with the outside world, we need to stand our ground on the inside, within our own space. Balance on the inside can conquer any upheaval on the outside.
Writing your manifesto, and reading it every day will change your life. A bold statement, I know. How could it not? Once you tap in to your truth with the purpose of intentions, you are change. It will help you remember why you are here, and why you are doing what you are doing. Keeping you sane when things go a little crazy, and whispering in your ear when people feed you their insecurities and fear. The manifesto is a representative of your standard, your pure intentions. As there is no right or wrong, how you write is up to you. I am certain you will want to change it along the way. As you evolve and secure your grounds, you will see even more clearly what your values and powers are. Your life will show you more to want to manifest, and more to be appreciative of.
“To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.” – Bruce Lee
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My Personal Manifesto
I wrote my first life manifesto many years ago. While I was in bed, sicker than I care to even remember. I was hanging on to anything that was keeping me focused on life and healing. I was conditioning my brain and cells to grow free and healthy. I was literally full of shit, and almost completely numbed down by my subconscious programming. My whole life I had been walking towards this point of disaster, and only by treating my life like a warzone could I drag myself back up. At least that is what it felt like. I went through the Dark night of the soul.
The term goes back a very long time, always used to describe the collapse of the perceived meaning of life. The feeling of complete meaninglessness and loss of self. In the modern world we might confuse this experience with what we call depression, but it is not. There is no meaning to anything, and everything feels meaningless. The dark night can be triggered by an event in your life. You might lose your job, someone close to you, or have in some way a life-altering experience. A severe trauma in any way can trigger a reason to embark on such a journey. It will feel like everything is collapsing. It is like we are shaken out of what we perceive as our reality, and the experience is changing our concept of life and the meaning that it has been given. There is an awakening happening. The one living the experience will most often not be aware of what he or she is going through. For me, it was profound. It was shredding me to pieces. I was being stripped of everything.
I became completely naked.
I was nothing.
I was NO thing!
This is the awakening to something deeper, a sense of real purpose, to true and real passion. It is like a death and a rebirth, where everything that was has now left, and new meanings, new concepts, and a new sense of existence arise. There is a death of the ego, yet nothing really dies except the ego’s own sense of self. A very painful death and the experience is that of death itself, even though nothing real died, and never will. It will feel like endless despair and darkness.
This is often a part of an awakening process, leaving us stronger and more true to ourselves than before. Once we have gone through the dark night of the soul, and have been “reborn”, we can see that what was let go of was the false sense of self. What dies was never real, but we were clinging to it as a part of the illusion of ego. I remember the time as being completely heart breaking and mind scattering, yet it has been my most important learning experience as I see it. [1]
From that point, I rebuilt my whole existence, my whole perception of who I was, where I came from and why I was here. My life manifesto helped me define my inner most solid beliefs, and my own sacred truth. I have since then written several, on different areas of my life, and I want to share with you an example of what a simple 33 point life-value declaration can look like:
- I choose to be happy. I know is a choice.
- When I lead, I follow. I trust myself and my inner voice.
- I am able to change my thoughts, change my mind, and change my life.
- I am authentic. I allow myself to be true to myself and others.
- I forgive easily.
- My purpose is to inspire others to live their full potentials.
- What others think of me is none of my business.
- I breathe, live and talk health and prosperity.
- I am a creator in my life. I take responsibility and action towards my goals.
- Every day I strive to do better.
- I focus on the positive side of life and know that there is no failure, only learning.
- I treat my body like a temple. With love, respect and honor.
- I nourish my body with raw living food. I always have enough.
- I walk in nature and honor all of creation.
- I walk lightly on this earth by being conscious about the planet and its earthlings.
- I live in gratitude for all that is. Every day I count my blessings.
- Every opportunity that comes my way, is gratefully accepted and explored.
- I am tough, strong and disciplined.
- I never give up. I persevere until I reach my goals.
- I walk mindful through the day.
- I meditate every day.
- My finances are always I order, and I am proved for. I am abundant in every way.
- I spend time with people that uplift and strengthen me.
- I am confident in what I do. I am brave and diligent.
- I remain open to try new things.
- I create and grow an honest and prosperous business.
- I value my time and other’s.
- My words are spoken from a place of truth. Is it kind, is it true, and is it necessary?
- I serve where I can, with joy and gratitude. Giving is one of life’s greatest gifts.
- My family is loving and supporting.
- I honor my gifts through pursuing them.
- My home is a sacred place. I keep it neat and clean.
- I honor God, Creation, truth and my life.
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“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
-Winnie the Pooh
After writing your own manifesto, feel proud! Not many people do this, and actually, know what their values and core beliefs are. Play with it. Write a manifesto on single topics, like your health. What will it look like? Remember to write in present tense. Write it like a full description story. What do you see, how do you feel and what do you do? What does a typical day in your healthy life look like? How will you live according to your values? What good will you do, and how will you spend your time on this earth? This is you creating your life. The bullshit-free, amazingly mind-blowing, fantastic life. You are the captain, the driver, the boss and the humble observer.
Read your declaration every day if you wish. It will nurture your soul. When the truth is spoken, your cells dance. Let it include all of your dreams, and as you read, you will believe even more. Your whole life will change in accordance to your wishes and statements. It is a mission statement, a living evolving document that you can change as you explore further. This is your owner’s manual, your self-appointed set of rules that will help you grow into your very best version of yourself. Make several copies of it. Keep it in your purse. Hang it in your office, and let it inspire you every day.
We can all contribute to making this world a better place, through striving to become the best version of ourselves. We can always do better, learn and grow. Together we are stronger, and our united truth is more powerful. When we say no to lies, we honor our lives.
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”–Ralph Waldo Emerson
This has to be the best article I’ve read in a long time in how to unleash the life force within ones self. Every person especially our young folks need to take your advice to heart.
Thank you very much Arlene. That really means alot. I very much agree. I am happy to see that many of our young ones are more open and receptive to this way of thinking. Blessings.
Excellent article. We’re working on our business model and found that we need three stories. My personal story is very close to what you referred to as a manifesto.
My manifesto has five transitioning events
1. video game creator -> AI + psychology
2. AI -> high school robotics
3. robotics -> computer engineering bachelors
4. computer engineering -> business engineering + data + management
5. business engineering -> leadership