Can you manifest your dream life whilst dealing with past hurt?
Make it stand out
When we talk about the law of attraction, and as a student of this law, this question used to play on my mind. We talk of manifesting and dreaming up a desired future, but what about my past trauma?
Let me share with you how I have come to understand the answer to this question. This is an analogy I use with clients and one I use for myself.
Imagine you are an artist/creator. You are in your art room with a blank canvas in front of you (your ‘creation’). In the corner, there is an artwork you created in the past. One you don’t like and see many flaws in. Every time you look around the room for some creative inspiration, there it is. That old artwork that you don’t want to replicate in any way. But you can’t get it out of your mind because it’s starring you in the eyes. You simply can not unsee it whilst it is in the room.
Similar to the old, 'don't picture a red bus!' It’s almost guaranteed to pop in your mind.
When we talk about manifesting and the power of focus, people can often mistake this by trying to AVOID thinking thoughts they don't want to think about. But this has the opposite effect and has us focusing even MORE on the unwanted.
So what do we do?!
Here are a few helpful insights about how to approach the unwanted artwork:
1. ALLOW and ACKNLOWEDGE – spend a moment with the artwork in another room, and look it. Understand it. Recognise that you created it. And recognise it is the past. Identify what you don’t like about it, because the more you understand what you DON’T like, the clearer you get about what you DO want for the new piece you are about the create. When we translate this to past thoughts, treat it the same way. Allow the thoughts to flow, and give them their moment. Give them love and compassion, and recognise that they are unwanted. Is there any use getting annoyed at the old artwork and starring at it in anger? Will that allow your creative freedom to flow? Instead of ‘I don’t like it when I think like that because I’m scared I’ll become a negative person.’ This could instead sound like ‘I can understand how I came to that negative conclusion given what was going on for me at the time. In the future, if I am in a similar situation I’ll think of it in this way instead so I can move towards being who I want to be, which is a more positive/optimistic person.’ Can you feel the energetic difference here when you look back at your past? The energy of love/compassion v fear/resentment. It puts you in a completely different vibration!
The more you try to resist thinking about that old painting that you hate (I.e. unwanted thoughts or resentment about the past) the more you focus on it. And the more you focus on it, the more it grows in your reality. The magic is in ALLOWING the thoughts/acknowledging the past and naming it for what it is for you – i.e. unwanted/wanted, and then focusing on the WANTED.
2. RELEASE – once you have spent time acknowledging the old artwork for what it is, and what it means to you, it’s time to put it away. You have no obligation or need to bring into your new art room. Besides, you don’t even like it, why would you? Leave it with love. Acceptance. Peace. Leaving it but still being frustrated will still affect your new art! If you translate this to thought, the act of allowing in step 1 will take away the power you have been giving. It will be effortless to release the thinking.
3. CREATE – this is the biggest step and where you want to spend most of your time. As you know, what you focus upon grows, so you want to spend your time, energy, and outpouring love on what you are creating all the time. Life is constant creation. So that blank canvas in front of you is all that matters. It represents where you are, your frequency, your energy. It is the present. It is now.
Sometimes, it will be natural to spend more time with old artworks that we no longer care for or dislike and that’s ok too. Just gently remind yourself to come back to these 3 steps to bring your focus back to the present and all that is wanted.
Happy creating <3
