Making it So Holiday Update

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while since I posted about my manifesting projects.  Tickets for the kids to come for Christmas and the money to get us through the holidays became reality and I have been putting my energy towards my biggest plan, which is, in a nutshell, to use my talents to earn money doing something I love.  I'm still putting my energy towards this bigger project and am excited when I see hints that I am moving forward.  

Manifesting abundance and prosperity is great, and there are so many more wonderful ways to use your manifesting skills.  Have you ever considered manifesting food for the hungry, help for the homeless, or good old fashioned peace?  If not then this is a great time to start.   The best part is that when you focus on these goals you  help draw them to those in need and to the planet at large.  

Can you imagine what could happen if everyone made the decision to manifest goodwill and peace?

Happy Holidays!

Carol Holaday

Are you getting into a crafty mood?

The holiday season is fast approaching.  I can feel it in the coolness of the air, see it in the changing light of autumn and smell it in the baking of gingerbread and pumpkin pies.

It's time for holiday crafting!   

Tonight, November 17th, at Tree of Life Metaphysical Books and Gifts I am holding a Yuletide crafting night.  We are making awesome book thongs, really cute yule log ornaments and cool gift boxes that will hang on the tree.  Come have fun and make as many as you have time for.  There are also instructions and patterns so you can keep up the good craft-work at home! We start at 7PM and the investment is $20.

Tree of Life Metaphysical Books and Gifts
4870 Santa Monica Ave. Suite 1A
San Diego (Ocean Beach)  CA 92107

(619)223-397

I'm still busy Making it So. Are you?

Hi Everyone,

Just checking in to let you know I haven't forgotten you. I have been busy working on my manifesting projects, however, and my efforts are paying off. Tickets for my son and daughter to come to San Diego for Christmas have been paid for, so one of my projects is complete!

I have some news to report about the other two as well. My project to have an extra $2K for Christmas presents and to cover shortfalls in work hours has gotten a start. So far $2K hasn't fallen out of the sky, though my husband came back from a work trip with a raise in travel pay. This means it will be a little easier to set some extra cash aside, which is definitely a start. And since I know that little trickles turn into streams that can become a great flowing river I am encouraged.

My work project is blossoming as well. Every morning I spend a few minutes with my manifesting beads and make my gratitude statement about what kind of work I choose to have and how much I make. In the last two weeks I have had a number of referrals for work that is writing or writing related. While I haven't actually signed any contracts yet I'm encouraged. I see the interest and contacts with others as a sure sign the universe is working things out perfectly.

I hope that you all are spending just a few moments each day focusing on what it is you desire to bring into your lives, saying thank you and using gratitude as ways to attract what you want to you. Imagine it is yours, say it is yours, believe it is yours and make it so!

Make It So Project – Week 3

It is the beginning of Week 3 of the Make it So Project Challenge and I have some great news to report. I had a small technical issue this week that prevented me from posting video but I’m not letting that stop me from posting my first results. My project #2, airline tickets for my son and daughter to come to San Diego for Christmas has now been realized!

Mission accomplished!

I posted earlier this week that I had one ticket by Thursday, and I was still short one ticket.  Now here’s where the universe does things in ways I might not of thought of or chosen.  There was a check that my husband and I had been waiting for that should have turned up at about the same time we started this project, but it didn’t turn up, and it’s always on time.  We simply worked around it and conserved our dollars and did just fine without it.  The check finally turned up on Saturday and it was exactly enough to cover the ticket we were still waiting on. I see this as an example of how the universe knows what we need and desire even before we ask for it.

How are your manifestations going this week?  Did you actually plan what you are going to do to bring your desires into reality?  Are you doing those things regularly?  If not, don’t beat yourself up.  Instead simply redouble your efforts and keep at it.  It takes a while to get into the habit of anything new and using your positive intention and attention to manifest your desires takes a bit of practice as well. 

I think the reason my tickets appeared as quick as they did was because they felt the most important to me in the moment.   I still have two projects I am currently working on, the right work for me and extra money for Christmas.  I am sure I will come up with something to replace project #2.  There’s no limit to what I can accomplish when I put my mind to it, and that statement applies to all of you as well!

This week I am going to start putting more attention into my manifesting prayer beads and project #1

Don’t forget to share your plans and your stories through comments.

Happy manifesting!

Make It So Project – Week 2 - UPDATE!

My Make it So Project #2 - Tickets for my son and daughter to fly to San Diego for Christmas

It is only Thursday of Week 2 in the Make it So Project Challenge and I just wanted to let you guys know that I now have one of the two plane tickets I have chosen to manifest.  Only one more ticket to go!  

Make It So Project – Week 2

During the previous week we were all supposed to be making a list of the things we desire to bring into our lives and be ready to start working on them this week, so I made a list of three things I desire to bring into my reality and decided on a different method I could use to work with each one.


The three things I desire to create in my life right now are the right work for me, tickets for my son and daughter to come to San Diego for Christmas and extra Christmas spending money.


In considering the biggest project, which is my work, I decided that I would work with prayer beads over time, and I made a list of my current career goals:


Writing or writing related
Part time at home
Engaging and fun
Suited to my personality
A consistent income of $3000 or more per month, or more


In making my list I also remembered to avoid negative statements that point to anything I might NOT want because the universe doesn’t discriminate between want and not want. It sends you what you focus on, so if you worry about something you are focusing energy on it and will likely attract the very thing you don’t want. In my list I stuck to the positives.


Then I composed sentences containing my desires until I found a structure that sounded and felt right to me. This is what I ended up with:


“I call to myself work that I can do from home part time that is fun and engaging, suits my personality, involves writing, and consistently pays me $3000 per month or more, OR SOMETHING EVEN BETTER!”


I always add “or something even better” because that allows the universe to step in and provide me with something even more wonderful and perfect than what I had envisioned.


Working with prayer beads on a major long-term goal like this is pretty simple and involves creating a daily routine where you make the statement a number of times using beads as counters. You can make your own set of beads with colors or crystals that have meaning to you or you can use a rosary or other strand of beads for this. You could even knot cord or rope to make prayer knots.


In using the beads you generally start with the statement on a main bead. Then on the next bead another statement like, “I am worthy of having good things come into my life.” On the next bead maybe you would say something like, “I am ready to receive all the best the universe has to offer.” And then you move on to the most important statement, which is, “Thank you.” I like to say thank you’s in threes, “Thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU!”


There is an old saying, “The third time’s the charm,” and I believe there is power in doing something at least three times to send a clear message to the universe. So I recommend you make the statements and thank you’s at least three times each time you sit down with your beads. You can make the statements as many times as you want in one sitting, though it makes sense to keep it fairly short so you will be more willing to keep doing it over time.


My second manifesting project is airline tickets for my son and daughter to come to San Diego for Christmas. Without cash flow to buy airline tickets I could have given up and planned to spend Christmas alone, but I know that the universe will give me what I attract so I decided to go for it and use visual cues to attract the plane tickets we require. So I found an image of an airplane, copied it several times into a word document, printed the page and then cut the airplanes out.

I wrote my son and daughter’s names on the plane and printed underneath their names, “Destination San Diego, Christmas Holidays 2010, OR SOMETHING EVEN BETTER.” Then I taped the airplanes around the house in places where I will see them often. Each time I see one I stop and say out loud (or in my head if people are around), “Thank you that my children have round trip tickets to San Diego to spend the Christmas Holidays with me, OR SOMETHING EVEN BETTER (What if the universe wanted to send all of us to Hawaii for Christmas? You never know . . .).


By placing the images in locations where I will see them often I am frequently reminded to be grateful for what is coming and to say thank you, to send the message to the universe that my children have tickets to come out for the Christmas holidays, or something even better, of course.


And the third thing I am choosing to attract is money for Christmas, for gifts, for going places and doing things, and to cover any financial shortfall related to my husband’s job, as in the past we have had occasional gaps in income right at Christmas time due to work slowdowns.


For this I decided to use a technique taught to me by Katie Gallanti that involves accessing possibility and creating a symbol to which you feed your light and love.


The way this works is you grab a pencil and a piece of paper and then close your eyes and imagine that you are sending a ray of light from your heart center up into the heavens into a plane of light that where everything is possible. Once there you state what it is you desire to create and ask for a symbol to represent your creation. The symbol that comes to mind may be very practical and descriptive or it may appear to be totally unrelated. Leave aside your judgment of whatever comes. Just study it in your mind, say thank you, and bring the symbol back into your heart center. Then take a moment to draw what you saw, to the best of your ability.


From there you can use the technique I described above, with the airplanes, or you can place the symbol, using your imagination, in the area appropriate to your creation. For example if you were seeking $500 for a project you could imagine placing the symbol inside your purse or wallet, and every time you open it you imagine the symbol floating inside it and imagine sending it a beam of love and light. You might even say thank you for whatever the symbol represents.


I used this technique when we wanted to move into a bigger store space but didn’t have the money to move. I imagined my symbol hanging in the middle of the empty store space I wanted and every time I passed it I fed it love and light and imagined myself in the space putting out my crystals and stones on glass shelves. Within two weeks the property manager called me to ask if I wanted to move into the space and offered to spread the extra costs involved over several months to make it possible.


Now you have three ways you can attract the things you desire into your life. You can also use your imagination to create your own technique. The important things to remember are positive wording, regular positive attention and gratitude. And always remember to add, “or something even better.”


Have a great week manifesting. You may find that you attract some things very quickly, which is great and I would love to hear about them through your posts to this blog or on my Facebook fan page, Carol Holaday Online.

Make it So Project Challenge - Week 1

10/10/10 seems like a great time to start the Make it So Project Challenge because it is a special day with special numerology, for me at least.  The ones add up to three, the number of creation, and that is what we will be doing in the Make it So Project Challenge—creating the things we wish to bring into our lives.  For the first time ever I risked making a mini video to help us get started.  This is good because taking risks is part of the creative process.  For me, being on camera has always felt scary because I have always gotten a little tongue tied.  This is something I want to change in my life so what better way to start the Make it So Project Challenge than to challenge myself to do something that is outside my comfort zone.

Over the coming weeks we will be working together to manifest something important in our lives.  Of course in order to do that we have to have picked one or more things to work on, and that is what I hope you will do during the week this week.  Think about what it is you want very much to have happen in your life and sit down with pencil and paper and map it out.  Add in the details like an artist would do on a canvas, so that you develop a very clear picture in your mind of what it is you want.  Write out all of the aspects of your creation. 

For example, when I wanted to move our family from El Cajon, California to Point Loma, near the beach, I made a list of everything I wanted.  I wanted, in Point Loma, 2 bedrooms (or more), 2 baths, a garage, yard for the dogs, washer and dryer hookups, a specified rental price (or less), and a landlord or landlady who was great and who really liked us.  Actually I got all those things, with two hitches.  There was a yard for the dogs but it wasn’t fenced so I had to take them out on a leash, and there was a washer/dryer hookup but my washer and dryer wouldn’t fit into the space.  Everything else was perfect. Our landlady is a gem, and in fact SHE CALLED ME to look at the townhouse we now live in. The only thing is that I wish I had been a bit more specific about the yard and the washer and dryer, that there would be a fenced private yard for us and the dogs to use and washer and dryer hookups that I was able to install my own washer and dryer in.

Hopefully this example helps you see how specific you need to be when you prepare to manifest something big.  The next part is to be really sure that what you are choosing to manifest is what you REALLY want.  I have in the past manifested things I thought I wanted until I got them.  Since then I always end my manifesting activities with, “or something even better,” which frees up the universe to give you the best possible outcome.

So, make your lists, spend time looking them over and adjusting them throughout the week, and then meet me back here next Sunday when we will start working towards achieving our goals through the Make it So Project Challenge.

Make it so, Everyone!

Join me in the MAKE IT SO Project Challenge

If you can imagine it you can create it.


But you must choose it and then set aside doubt. Those of you who have watched Star Trek The Next Generation may remember how Captain Picard would give an order and say, "Make it so, Number One." When the character Picard said those words he didn't look over his second in command's shoulder and check to see if he was doing what he was commanded to do, nor did he fret that Number One might not follow through. Picard intended that his command should be made manifest and therefore it was.

We can apply this to our own lives and our own manifesting. Is it a new car, a better job, a closer relationship that you want to create? Then Make it So!

At 10:10 Pacific on 10/10/10 join me as I embark on my own MAKE IT SO Project. I challenge you to pick something important that you want to bring into reality into your life and then visit me daily as we all embark on the process of Crafting the Magical Lives we all deserve!

Restart Your Day using the Law of Attraction

Do you ever wake up just knowing it is going to be a good day? I do a lot of the times. And then sometimes I wake up on the "wrong side of the bed," stomp downstairs, snarl at the coffee-maker and glare resentfully at the squawking and yapping fur-ball at my feet who wants me to know that it is time for her breakfast and I'm not moving fast enough. On these kinds of mornings I have a choice. I can be frustrated and annoyed for the rest of the day with my knickers all in a twist, or I can start over fresh and watch the day unfold in a more pleasant way.

In order to do this I use the Law of Attraction that says what you dwell upon you receive. Yep, you get it. If I stay grumpy and have nasty little grumpy thoughts all morning I am going to attract less than stellar experiences for the day. But how in the heck do you start the day over if you are already grumpy, tired, sad, frustrated, (fill in the blank)?

This is how I do it. I stop myself, literally. As soon as I realize that I am heading down the path of "not happy at all," I stop myself verbally, "Stop Carol. You have a choice to have a better day. Change your thinking now." I usually don't say this out loud unless I am alone, lest those around me think I've gone loopy, but I say it out loud when I can because it is an audible anchor in my mind that says, "You are going to change your attitude and change your day."

Once I have decided that I want to have a better day I stop what I am doing for a few moments, close my eyes, and start imagining my day in the way I would like for it to unfold. And, as I imagine each good part of the day I say, verbally if possible but in my mind if not, "Thank you that I was able to finish . . . Thank you that I was able to complete all of the tasks I had planned for today with ease and grace. Thank you for . . .” And I keep thanking as if all of the good things I was imagining had already happened, and I was feeling satisfied and pleased with the results. Then I open my eyes and go about my day.

You'd be amazed at how quickly this can turn around even the yuckiest and most miserable of days. It may not have you dancing the Snoopy happy dance, but it can put you in a frame of mind that allows your day to flow much more smoothly. And the best part is that you can do it at any time, and anywhere, as soon as you recognize that things suck and you want to change them. I've started my day over in the late afternoon and even in the evening, in my car, at work, in a bathroom at a convention, wherever I could find a quiet moment to concentrate.

One tool I used frequently when I was learning this technique was an amulet I called my "happy magnet." It was really just a piece of amethyst that had a tiny bubble of water in it, but I assigned it the job of being my reminder and facilitator of redirection, ease, grace, peace, joy and laughter. It is our own energy that makes such tools work for us, our own focus and intention. So, I suggest that if you have a bit of difficulty redirecting your day that you make something, or choose some item that is special to you, to use as your own "happy magnet" amulet. Sit with it in your hands while you fill your mind with all of the most positive feelings you can, and then imagine them all flowing into the amulet to be at your disposal at any time of the day or night. Give the amulet a tight squeeze and say, "Thank You." Your amulet becomes your personal anchor to those good feelings you generated and a reminder that you can have any kind of day you choose to have.

If you want to learn more about making a personal amulet check out Chapter 6 of Crafting a Magical Life. You can keep it as simple as a stone or object that is special to you or you can get as complex and detailed with its construction as you want. The important thing is that you fill it with your most positive energy and focused intention.

Using your intuition and mind power with personalized reading tools

Recently I taught a class on using your intuition to create your own crystal casting cloth, at the Tree of Life Store in San Diego, CA.  This was a class that I hadn't taught before, at least not in this way.  The plan was to help each participant come up with his or her own layout with personal symbology that would help them more easily access their own intuition in reading for themselves and for others.

As a veteran art teacher I knew better than to show up in class and start on a project I had never tried before.  So, I decided I had better make an example before the class.  This is also a good way to see if I have forgotten any of the needed materials for a project.  I cut a circle out of faux-suede and let my mind wander a bit about the various reading tools I have seen from Tarot and Runes to my own Crystal Star Oracle.  I decided to loosely apply the art of Feng Shui in combination with my own symbols for areas of life that are often affected by the decisions we make, to my crystal casting cloth.

I started with scratch paper, on which I drew out my design and began planning which symbols and colors would go where.  Then I transferred it to the cloth, using two circular stencils and a large plastic dinner plate.  Using fabric pens I began adding my symbols to the appropriate sections, which I then outlined with the traditional color used for them in Feng Shui.  As I got more and more into the process I became more excited and felt genuinely happy and carefree.  Creating art, whether it is a fabulous painting or a crystal casting cloth, puts you in a different state of mind and helps cast out the constant brain-babble and mental scenarios that can be so distracting, and often negative.

When the cloth was nearly finished I absolutely had to try it out.  I went to my rock box and chose 14 tumbled stones that had meaning for me.  I held them in my hands, breathed on them and then asked the Universe to help me understand more about my career and employment, as I had been recently laid off from my job like so many other Americans.  It was amazing how clear and simple the answers were when I began to look at where the stones had fallen on the cloth, and it got me so excited that I stopped and took a picture of it.  Here is the picture of the first casting I did with my own personalized casting cloth:

This is what I got from that reading:

1. Moonstone, amethyst, fluorite and apache tears in my personal space indicate that I am moving through a time of personal change and that I am protected, cleansed and gifted with the ability to make clear and rational decisions.
2. The rose quartz in my relationship area indicates that I am loved and nurtured by my relationships and that they are very healing.  I already know and feel this
3. Rhodochrosite in my area of travel and helpers indicates that I am receiving assistance based on unconditional love. Lapis lazuli extends into this area telling me that I will also have the help of sacred knowledge or people with sacred knowledge.
4. The carnelian and hematite in the area of wisdom and spirituality remind me to be grounded in my spiritual understanding and to embrace the creative energy that flows from this area of my life.  A little bit of apache tear protruding into the area also indicates some changes in perspective.
5. Turquoise in the area of prosperity and abundance indicates that my finances are being supported and directed by a Higher Power, and the sodalite protruding into this area indicates that I will be called upon to use logic and rational thinking regarding money and finances.
6. Sodalite also extends into my area of recognition or fame, along with jade which means to me that right now my reputation is built upon my spiritual understanding in combination with practicality.
7.  Lapis lazuli in the area of creativity and children tells me that there is a great deal of sacred knowledge that I can access through my creative endeavors.
8.  Citrine in the area of work tells me that my career aspirations are supported and will bring prosperity. The extension of carnelian in to this section indicates that my work will be something I am enthusiastic about.
9. My area of health and personal growth has only a bit of sodalite extending in.  This does not surprise me as I have been already working hard to take better care of myself, reduce my weight, get plenty of rest and exercise.  The sodalite indicates that I should use good common sense in regards to my health.
10. And the quartz crystal outside the reading area, but still on the cloth, tells me that the energy for all of these things is amplified and that I am receiving all of the power necessary to attract employment that will fit my personality, lifestyle and beliefs.

Creating my own crystal casting cloth with personal symbols was so powerful for me that I could hardly wait for the class.

There were quite a few attendees at the Intuitive Crystal Casting class and we went right to work after a brief explanation and discussion of ways they might begin to create their own casting layout and symbology.  I even threw stones on my own casting cloth again and read them right then and there.  This got people excited about doing their own thing, and as they got involved in the process things got quieter, and the the creative energy was palpable.  Each person created a design unique to him or herself, and they were all so interesting to watch unfold.  It was also interesting to see how the designs reflected the personality of each participant.  In the end, they all completed their own personalized casting cloth and had chosen seven (chakra based) starter stones.  Some even bought more stones that spoke to them, directly from the store, before they left the class.  Everyone had a wonderful time and it was a very good experience.  At classes I frequently hear about how crafts from former classes have been used, and I am looking forward to hearing how people have used  their crystal casting cloths the next time we meet.

Creating wealth and manifesting prosperity are only a few of the wonderful things you can do when you focus your intention and access your own mind power to create the life you desire.  You can use your own intuition and the laws of attraction at any time.  Making a personalized casting cloth is simply a way to step up above every day life and see a bit down the path, sort of going up to the higher floors of a building to see the lay of the land around you.

The basic instructions for a crystal casting set are in Chapter 16 of Crafting a Magical Life.

New Adventure in the Old Hometown

It has been a little while since I last shared about my own adventures in crafting a magical life for myself. That is because I have been very busy. It is funny how unemployment and job hunting can take up more time than a full time job! It is also interesting that some of the things I put into my manifesting map are starting to show signs of unfolding.

One of the things that I had set my mind to do this spring is to go to Lubbock, TX to do some research for a book, and take a bit of time to clean out several small storage sheds of displays and other items from my crystal business. And I chose to do this when I was pretty much without funds for anything more than the bare basics for the household. Plus, the Toyota truck I have is old and hadn't been on a long trip in several years. I knew it needed a good going over before I could leave. Never one to be deterred in making things happen, I got busy and used my prayer beads to manifest a way to Texas and back without having to take money from our tighter than usual budget.

Shortly after starting to work with my beads I was provided a way to Texas and back. Not only that, a chance meeting in a coffee shop put me in contact with a Toyota mechanic who made minor repairs and road checked my pickup for a small TV and a tool box that had been destined for the local charity. So, I packed up the Toyota pickup and took off for Texas. On the way I ran into a teeny problem. The canister on my muffler system broke partially free. It was a little bit scary for a few moments, realizing I was alone in western New Mexico, with a truck that needed repair and very little in funding to support it. I told myself to trust, pulled out my prayer beads and asked for an easy solution that cost less than $50.

The next morning I mentioned my problem to the desk clerk at the hotel. She told me where I could take my truck on a Saturday for a quick repair, if I could get there before noon. Soon after, I found myself in a little Ford dealership in Lordsburg, New Mexico explaining my problem and asking for help to get me where I needed to go. The guys there were wonderful and told me they could use a wire to hold up my muffler or weld it for the same price. Of course I picked welding, and though I had to wait a bit longer, I left the dealership with a repaired muffler after paying a repair bill of $47.50. Now how's that for manifesting?!

But that's not the end of the story. When I got to Texas and started working my way through all the displays and things from the business I was a little overwhelmed. There was a lot there and it was clear that I was not going to be able to bring all that stuff back to San Diego. So, I put an ad in the Thrifty Nickel for a garage sale and told myself that it was good feng shui to clear the clutter, even from another state.

The night before the sale we had an ice thunderstorm, yes I said ice thunderstorm, and the next morning there was snow on the ground. The high expected for the day was 36 degrees F. BRRRRRRR! Again, the first thing I did was haul out my prayer beads and send the signal to the Universe that I wanted that garage cleared by the end of the day.

At the appointed time I slogged through the snow to the corner and put up my sign. I was in the garage from 8am to 2pm and had 5 shoppers. But it only takes one, my friends, to make all the difference. At mid-morning I saw a familiar face, a dealer who buys for a local auction house. He took away 80% of what was there and the local Goodwill and my sister inherited the rest. I got the enjoyment of seeing a tiresome and dusty job through to the end, as well as thrill of cleaning out old clutter.

I love how things happen when I trust the Universe to take care of my needs. I am also grateful for my handy set of prayer beads as they are always helpful in allowing me to focus my full attention on the issue at hand and attract the people, situations and things needed to provide solutions.

If I can do this I fully believe anyone can. It just takes a willingness to focus on the desired outcome and allow the Universe to do the rest. Using crafts to focus intention is a great way to access the energy of the full body by helping put us in the Alpha brain wave state (where solutions come from) with a physical anchor to that state provided by the craft. In my case it was prayer beads and a manifesting map. For someone else it could be a talisman, using a hand made set of runes, or working with a travel altar. There are as many ways as there are people with imaginations.

The goal now that I am back here is to manifest the perfect work for me. It is already on my manifesting map and I am using my prayer beads. I have no idea how it will unfold, but I know from experience that it will happen, and I will be amazed and pleased at the results.

Getting the energy moving early in the year is a good thing, especially when the unexpected happens. In 2009 I helped start a charter school. In 2010 I found myself unemployed. Being someone who enjoys her security I wasn't too thrilled with the situation, at least not at first.

After spending some time thinking about everything I came to the conclusion that my experience had taught me a great deal and that the knowledge was invaluable. I also realized that I had yet another opportunity to focus on something I wanted to do, an old dream reborn as a new goal.

One of my favorite tools for setting the energy to attract a number of things into my life is a manifesting map. If you look in Crafting a Magical Life you will see the manifesting map I made for 2009. The one for 2010 has some of the same items to reinforce ongoing goals and also some new additions to support new goals and new directions.

This year my big focus is on writing. I love to write and enjoy producing all kinds of written materials. But my secret dream, since I was in high school, has been to write novels. Even though I felt a bit insecure, I stepped up and put what I wanted on my manifesting map for 2010. This year I desire to be involved in work that is engaging and fun, pays really well, and also allows me free time to write. So, when I planned my map I used the energy of the bagua, placed items in the areas governed by the areas of the bagua, and used the appropriate colors to support and magnify the energy. I paid particular attention to the fame and fortune section (top, red), the career area (bottom, black) and my friends and helpful people section (bottom right, gray, with orange streaks for enthusiasm and motivation). You may notice that I put my own picture in my friend corner. I did that on purpose because I want to remember to be a good friend to myself, and treat myself well.

I keep my manifesting map on the wall above my writing desk so that every time I pass by or sit down to write I see it and am reminded that I am a powerful manifester and that I create my own reality. It will be interesting to see how all of the things I am working on unfold over the course of the year.

If you want to learn how to make your own manifesting map the instructions are in Chapter 3 of Crafting a Magical Life. This is a project that you can really pour your energy into, and one that can really help you focus your intention.

Hi everyone,

One of the fun things about becoming published is that you get to go out and promote your book. During the initial promotion for Crafting a Magical Life I had had several interviews but it was a TV interview on Lightworker.com that made me painfully aware of my appearance and how many pounds I had packed on in the last ten years.

We just don't know what we really look like until we see ourselves in pictures and on TV, and seeing myself on video was such a wake up call. I knew that I needed to do something to make a change happen, so I spent some time looking through all of the mind focusing crafts I had put into Crafting a Magical Life. I felt like weight loss would require daily attention, so I decided on prayer beads to help me focus my energy on eliminating the excess weight, building a lean, trim, healthy body, and feeling great.

In the end I made a bracelet, because I was so busy, and I was concerned I wouldn't take time for a full set of prayer beads. Every morning I spent just a few moments saying the prayers I had created around the my "healthy weight" prayer beads. Then I woud put the bracelet on my wrist and let it all go to the Universe.

An immediate result was that I became acutely aware of how often I was hanging in the pantry cabinets just looking for "something." When I would catch myself I would stop and consider what emotional state I was in. Often it was either boredom or anxiety. When I did catch myself I would drink a glass of water and walk away from the cabinet.

One day I came home from a short trip and discovered that my bracelet was gone! At first I was panicked, but after a few moments of thought I decided that it was probably because the Universe had provided a solution. So, I simply started saying a morning thank you every day. I still do it and it goes something like this.

"Thank you Universal Spirit that I am now a trim and fit 135 lbs, that
I am very healthy and feel wonderful. Thank you that I get to stay at
this healthy weight and positive state of health for the rest of my days."

Shortly after the loss of the prayer beads and the beginning of my daily gratitude prayer, a friend offered to help me and my husband, Chris, start on a Medifast diet program. Seeing this as the opportunity the Universe had provided I jumped at it, believing that it if the Universe sent this to us it would also help us follow through.

At the beginning of October 2009 Chris and I started on our Medifast. It didn't take me long to figure out, that while it did work and it did help us not to feel hungry, eating packets of stuff just wasn't going to cut it for either of us. Besides, I wondered what we would do about learning what foods to eat to build a healthy lifestyle afterward. I added to my morning thank you prayer saying "thank you for the perfect alternative to eating out of packets." Soon I found myself doing lots of research and hunting down a number of great foods that met the basic requirements of the snack meals used in the diet. Just to be on the safe side I added multivitamins into our daily regime.

Over the next several months we substituted more and more carefully planned "real food" snack meals and used less and less of the special diet food. We still lost weight and felt great, and for a lot less money. Plus, by slowly switching to real foods we both began building the skills necessary to eat well and stay fit for a lifetime.

Today we are eating only real food and are about to start the transition of slowly building calories back up over the next several months, with some exercise added to boost metabolism.
Chris has said goodbye to 60 lbs and weight induced diabetes, and I have eliminated 50 lbs from my body and feel fabulous. My back, knees and feet are happy, and I can breathe and wear fun clothes again.

Focusing your intention does work, and I believe that using my prayer bead bracelet to set my intention, then the gratitude prayer to keep the energy moving forward, helped me make the inner changes necessary to see results. My next diet focus will be on making a successful transition to a normal healthy diet and caloric intake while still keeping us both at our trim healthy weight.

What change do you want to make in your life, and how long have you been trying to figure out how to make it happen?

If wishing isn't getting you what you want, look through Crafting a Magical Life and find an intention focusing activity that can help you create what you want. Believe me, if I can manage it, anyone can!