And now neuroscience backs this up.

When you write down a goal, you are giving your brain a target to organize around. Neuroscience shows that goal pursuit relies on the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain involved in planning, attention, decision-making, and self-control.

Pro Tip: I always write this list and all my personal work in my journal, by hand and make sure that my clients do the same. A 2024 brain-imaging study found that handwriting created more elaborate brain connectivity than typing, especially in areas tied to memory formation and encoding new information.

How I Teach This in the Centrella Method

Part of my 9-step Centrella Method coaching system teaches you how to identify moments and experiences you want to live, in Step 1, Dream It, and then how to turn those dreams into your Life Plan Story and create a plan to achieve them by creating benchmarks. Both of those are part of Step 5, Write It.

Once we’ve done both, you then create a Futureboard, which brings those dreams to life for the first time.

But that first step is to Dream It, where my clients create a Live List. This is a list of everything you want to experience in your lifetime. It is all the moments and experiences that make life so exciting and that bring you to life in the biggest and best way possible.

Why a Live List Works

This list engages your imagination naturally and teaches you how to dream big without all the usual blocks that surface and prevent us from dreaming beyond our comfort zone.

We use this exercise as a tool to train our imagination to bypass limiting beliefs and to help us create visual movies in our mind of the life we most want to live.

The key is that this list is all about moments and experiences, and NOT material things.

It is also NOT a goals list. Goals come into play in my Write It step, but here we just want to activate our imagination and our feelings of excitement and expectation, two of the most important emotions associated with manifesting.

Don’t Edit the Dream

I first wrote a version of this list on my original blog back in 2010. I wrote it again in 2017, and you can see how much I’ve manifested from that second list already.

This works, so go crazy. Write all the desires of your heart. Don’t edit yourself. Anything is possible when it comes to manifesting, so don’t be the thing that limits what the universe can deliver.

I am sharing my 2026 Live List here as an example for you to see what I mean by moments and experiences, and what I mean by dreaming huge. I also share it so you can see how important it is to write this list in descriptive sentences. This activates your imagination and all the specific manifesting emotions we are after.

My 2026 Live List

• Signing a six-figure publishing deal with a top three publishing house for my memoir Anomaly at their New York office, then celebrating with everyone afterward at a beautiful restaurant in Manhattan.

• The moment I see Oprah for the first time, I will cry! Being a guest on her podcast, sitting across from her in that chair and sharing my story.

• Getting the phone call from Oprah that Anomaly has been chosen as her book club pick.

• Getting the keys to my dream house and walking in the front door with my children.

• Going to a Super Bowl with someone I love.

• Having my hair and makeup done in the greenroom of the Today Show, then going on as a guest to meet Savannah!

• Hosting an amazing dinner party at my newly renovated villa in Italy, one that I have prepared for everyone.

• Making my own wine from grapes I grew and harvested.

• The moment I learn that Anomaly will become a streaming show on Netflix, Apple TV, or Prime.

• The moment I learn that said show was nominated for an Emmy Award.

• Going to the Emmys for Anomaly.

• Having a dress made for me that I wear to the Emmys.

• Flying first class on an international flight.

• Planning a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience for ten women that I grant scholarships to and take for free.

• Going to culinary school or extended cooking classes in France or Italy.

• Going on a shopping spree with my children in Paris.

• Spending a month at a villa in Amalfi or the South of France with my love and my children.

• Being interviewed by Lewis Howes for The School of Greatness.

• Spending Christmas in the Swiss Alps with the ones I love, and taking the luxury train to get there.

• Riding the Orient Express from Venice, first class overnight.

• Staying at the Ritz in Paris with my love.

• Getting married to the love of my life, which I will manifest, in Italy.

• Riding a horse in Mongolia.

• Going hiking in Nepal.

• Riding horses at a glamping ranch in Montana.

• Going on safari in Africa, staying at the glamping hotel and/or Giraffe Manor.

• Staying at the elephant sanctuary Ritz in Thailand.

• Walking the Cotswold Way in England with my girls or solo in the fall.

• Walking the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain solo for a week.

• Visiting an ashram in India and seeing the Taj Mahal.

• Attending a healing and spiritual luxury retreat in Bali.

• Spending a weekend on a yacht in the Mediterranean.

• Kissing my love under the Eiffel Tower.

• Being a guest on The Drew Barrymore Show.

• Attending the Winter Olympics to see ice skating.

• The day I give my first scholarship to a single mom that pays her rent for a year, from a foundation I started to provide housing security to single mothers.

• Going to a World Cup soccer match.

• Eating sushi in Japan during cherry blossom season.

• Visiting all the wonders of the world.

• Visiting all seven continents.

• Visiting 100 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

• The moment I learn my book has sold one million copies and pop champagne!

• Getting glammed for the premiere party for the streaming show based on Anomaly.

• Attending a black-tie event with my love.

• Being featured in People magazine.

• The moment I see Anomaly in the #1 spot on the New York Times best-seller list.

• And the moment I walk into a bookstore and see it in the #1 spot of best-sellers.

• Meeting and taking a photo with the Obamas.

• Taking an international trip with girlfriends.

• Attending a fashion show in Paris or NY during Fashion Week.

• Writing a novel.

• Giving an acceptance speech for a prestigious writing award.

• Harvesting food from my own garden.

• Being surprised by my love with a five-star luxury vacation.

• Eating pad Thai in Thailand.

• Eating at a three-star Michelin restaurant.

• Taking the girls to Germany for a mother-daughter trip.

• Staying in an overwater bungalow with my love in Tahiti.

• Seeing the northern lights, taking the night train to see them, and staying in an ice igloo.

• Going fishing for lobsters on a boat in New England.

• Making my own olive oil from my own trees in Italy.

• Manifesting the love of my life, a man like Barack Obama!

• Riding bikes in Amsterdam.

• Learning flamenco dancing in Spain.

Now Create Your Own Live List

Now it’s your turn to write at least 25 dreams on your Live List. s

Take out a pen and paper and write your own Live List. Remember, this is not a goals list. It’s not about things. It’s about moments and experiences you want to live at any point in your future.

Write in full descriptive sentences and as you do, try to picture the actual moment happening in your mind.

Take a moment to really see it. What does it feel like? Who’s with you? Why do you want to live this moment?

Let yourself feel the excitement of the moment as you write it. Don’t edit yourself. Don’t worry about how it will happen. The “how” is not your concern right now. This assignment is all about identifying the desires of your heart and setting them free, into the Universe.

Let your imagination show you the life you most want to live. And then read this list often, especially helpful to read it before bed. Fall asleep to a night time manifesting meditation or subliminal recording on Youtube and each time you do, imagine these moments are coming to life right now! They are all happening. How does that make you feel?

If you want to learn my full Centrella Method and all my manifesting tools grab my books Hustle Believe Receive, Futurebaords and Think It.

Book a private coaching session and we can work on exactly what you need.

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Feeling regularly overwhelmed is something most people struggle with, and it can negatively impact your quality of life. Over the years, I’ve helped my clients regain their sanity, organization, and boundaries to beat the constant feeling of overwhelm.

Here are my top five tips to beat overwhelm that have worked for my clients for years.

1. Stop Speaking It Into Existence

Watch your words.

Instead of saying things like, “I am so overwhelmed,” say, “I got this!”

Remember, the words you speak are creating your future reality. The more you talk about and focus on being overwhelmed, the less in control you’ll feel, and the more life will throw at you to exacerbate that feeling. It becomes an endless cycle.

So, to break the cycle, start speaking into existence the new reality you wish to create, one where you feel calm, in control, and efficient.

Here are some affirmations to help you do that.

2. Use Affirmations to Break the Cycle

Every day, tell yourself these things. Repeat them several times while taking three deep breaths during moments when you feel overwhelmed.

• I am capable.

• I am able to get things done quickly and efficiently.

• I no longer take on more than I can handle.

• I know my limits, my capabilities, and my strengths. I plan accordingly.

• I am focused and organized.

• I get shit done!

• I am getting ___________ off my plate now!

• I am proud of how far I’ve come. I’m getting better at this!

• I am calm and in control of my emotions.

• I am controlling what’s within my power and letting the rest go.

• I can do this!

3. Set Yourself Up for Success

Keeping your daily task goals manageable is key.

Make a master list of all the things you’re working on and what needs to get done. This will help you see the big picture and stay organized.

Keep it handy, but every morning, write down just three things you know you can accomplish today.

Keeping that daily list small is the key. We want to create a culture of winning that encourages us to stay focused and accomplish what needs to be done.

Keep it simple and keep your promise to yourself to get those three things checked off no matter what. This will build your confidence in your ability to follow through and achieve your goals.

4. Clean Up Your Plate

Start saying no to things you know you can’t commit to or deliver on time. If your plate is full, it’s full. Period.

Stop saying yes to everything. Stop volunteering for things you don’t need to raise your hand for.

Understanding your current obligation load and managing your time is key. This will help you avoid taking on more than you can deliver and get things off your plate that you don’t need to be committed to.

Simplify wherever possible. Just because you’ve always done something or forced a task or activity into your schedule doesn’t mean it’s healthy for you to continue doing it. Reevaluate your priorities and focus on those exclusively until you have realistic openings on your plate.

5. Calm Your Mind

Meditation is key to a healthy, calm mind and a fulfilled life. Its benefits have been proven for decades, or longer. Start using a tool that has been proven to work for some of the most successful people on the planet, including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Oprah, and so many others.

It’s one of the best ways to combat mental overload and overwhelm. Commit to doing a 10-minute meditation every day. It’s simple and easy.

Pick a guided meditation for any topic that fits how you’re feeling that day. There are ones for calming your mind, healing, energy cleansing, abundance, and so much more.

When you start your day in a place of calm and gratitude, and by saying your affirmations, you’re setting yourself up for success.

I love the guided meditations on YouTube, you can search for any topic that you want to focus on from abundance to healing and everything in between. Reiki Racheal is one of my personal favorites.

Book a private coaching session with me to get help on anything you are working through.

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Sixteen years together, up in smoke.

I read it, told him to get the fuck out, and ten minutes later realized I was about to be a single mom of three children under five without an income. You can read the whole story here.

Since then, I’ve been asked many times, mostly by men, why I kicked him out and ended the marriage.

Why didn’t you fight for your marriage?

What about your kids?

What about forgiveness?

Everyone makes mistakes. You must be a cold-hearted bitch.

My answer has always been, why would I fight for someone who’d chosen someone else?

As a child who grew up the product of two parents who should have never stayed together but did, it wasn’t ever even a question for me. I know the damage that is done when parents stay together “for the kids” or “because we made vows.” And I would never, under any circumstances, subject my children to a childhood like that.

Back when my marriage ended over infidelity in 2008, there was no social media, and I didn’t know anyone personally who’d ever been cheated on the way I had. Now, of course, I know how sadly common it is.

How normalized it is.

How easily “forgiven” it is.

In my experience, those wounds never fully heal. Relationships that try to work through it never regain the trust that was lost.

But maybe I’m wrong. What do you think?

Would you, or have you, stayed with someone who’s cheated on you? Betrayed you?

Or is infidelity your line in the sand too, like it was mine?

I posed this question in my notes feed today and got many different answers, which made me curious…

Can infidelity truly be forgiven? Should it be? Have times changed, and it’s no longer a dealbreaker for people?

In my case, my decision to file for divorce five days after learning the truth about my marriage was the best decision I ever made. I have never regretted it for a single second. And cheating will always be a cold, hard line in the sand for me in any relationship. If I am giving loyalty, love, and respect, I expect the same in return.

But I know that isn’t a popular opinion, and I have no judgment for anyone who’s made a different choice.

I’m just curious to see what you think. Does staying together ever really work?

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But this January, when I did my annual manifesting ritual at the coast, I very intentionally let go of my old identities and the old version of myself, to make space for my new, upgraded identity and this next version of who I’ve been working hard to become. (I wrote about it in this article Releasing Old Identities).

And that meant that it was time to quit fuckin’ around and actually DECIDE to make these habits my new daily life.

Three months later, I am happy to report that these are my regular daily routines.

Pretty proud of myself, can’t lie.

What made the difference this time?

A concrete decision.

This is much different than a “resolution,” or an “I want to do this thing.” A concrete decision removes any space for an internal argument. It becomes as unwavering as getting up in the morning and making a cup of coffee or brushing your teeth. It just is.

A decision like this is only born of desire. In other words, you must get to the point where you are utterly fed up with the way things are, and want change more than you want the status quo. That is the only way to get to a concrete decision. It must be fueled by genuine desire for the new outcome. And mine sure was!

Telling myself that this is what the new version of me does every day helped me see that, to embody this next level of success, the next iteration of my business, and my up-leveled identity, these actions had to become my new non-negotiable.

These were the small acts I could do every day to ensure I am stepping into this new potential and living as if everything I want has already become my reality.

If I want to be traveling the globe every month, speaking on 2-3 stages monthly, then I need to create habits today that make that transition easier. My hair and makeup routines need to be second nature. My outfits need to be on point and make me feel beautiful, powerful, sophisticated, and put together. I need to be comfortable with how I look each day because that brings confident energy to everything I touch, and it is the embodiment of who I’ve always wanted to become.

This time is what I’ve always referred to as “get ready to be ready.” The time between planning for something and it becoming your new reality is when you prepare in every possible way so you’re ready to fully embrace the opportunities that come from the work you’ve already put in.

So, doing my hair and makeup and getting fully (outfit, styled) dressed up each day may sound basic, but I assure you that it’s not when you live in Portland, Oregon! Plus, after working from home for 15 years, it became much easier over time to become lazy about taking care of myself in this way.

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The new year is the perfect time to make your Futureboard, whether it’s your first one or your annual board, this is the time to make yours.

Futureboards isn’t about pasting pretty pictures onto a board and hoping something happens. It’s a structured, intentional process designed to help you get clear on what you want in all areas of your life, so motivation comes from alignment, not pressure or discipline.

That clarity is what creates momentum and manifesting.

This is the same method I teach in my #1 bestselling book #Futureboards, and it’s the exact process I want to walk you through here so you can create your 2026 Futureboard with intention and purpose.

So, What is a Futureboard?

A Futureboard is a holistic visual representation of your future life.

Instead of focusing on one goal or outcome, this method helps you identify what you want across five core life categories, so nothing important gets left behind. When your vision is balanced, it becomes sustainable, and that’s what creates lasting internal motivation.

One important rule: when you’re choosing images for your Futureboard, use images with people in them. This keeps the process grounded in real life, real energy, and real identity, not symbols or things.

Now let’s walk through the five categories, in order.

Category 1: Relationships

Who is in your future life?

This is where you start.

Ask yourself: who are the people in your dream future life? This can include romantic relationships, friendships, family, chosen family, mentors, and guides.

You’re not just visualizing people, you’re visualizing the quality of those relationships. How do they make you feel? How do you interact? What kind of support, connection, and energy surrounds you?

Getting clear here helps you understand what kind of relationships you want to build, protect, and prioritize moving forward.

Category 2: Career & Ambitions

What does success look like for you?

This category goes beyond job titles or milestones.

Ask yourself:
What do you want to achieve?
Why would achieving it make you happy?
What is the best-case scenario for your work or ambitions?
How would success here positively affect your life and the people you care about?

This part of your Futureboard is about alignment, not hustle. It’s about choosing goals that actually support the life you want to live.

Category 3: Mind & Body

How do you want to look and feel in your life?

This category is about the best version of you, without self-improvement pressure.

Think about how you want to feel in your body and mind. How do you move your body? How do you manage stress? How do you take care of yourself? How do you present yourself in the world?

This is about energy, confidence, and capacity. When you feel good in your body and mind, everything else becomes easier to sustain.

Category 4: Wealth & Abundance

If money were no object, how would it upgrade your life?

This isn’t about numbers or material things.

Ask yourself: if financial stress disappeared, how would your life change? What experiences would you have? What choices would you make differently? What would feel lighter, easier, or more expansive?

This category helps you define what abundance actually means to you, not what you’ve been told it should look like.

Category 5: Passions & Joy

What makes you happy?

This final category anchors your Futureboard.

Think about activities that bring you joy, help you disconnect, and allow you to be fully present. These should be things you can realistically integrate into your life on a regular basis, not one-time fantasies.

Joy isn’t optional. It’s essential. When you honor the role joy plays in your life, you create balance, fulfillment, and reduce stress in a very real way.

For many people, this category is a breakthrough moment.

Why This Method Works

Most goal-setting focuses on outcomes.

Futureboards focuses on identity, alignment, and lived experience.

When you can clearly see the life you want across all areas, your decisions naturally start to support that vision. You don’t need to force motivation. You begin to move differently because you’re clear on where you’re going and why it matters to you.

That’s why this method works, and why it’s helped so many people create meaningful change.

If you want to create a 2026 Futureboard that actually guides your actions, choices, and energy, use this process exactly as outlined. Clarity changes everything.

If you are interested in booking me to teach a Futureboards workshop for your team, click here to learn more and submit a request form.

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Book a private coaching session with me to get help, my proprietary tools and advice based on 15 years of coaching thousands of people around the world, on anything you are working through right now.

I go there to spend the day doing some deep personal work, which always starts with honest reflection over the past year so I can release what no longer serves me. But this year, I decided to take that reflection back even further, as the end of 2025 brings the end of a numerological 9-year cycle.

And so I thought back over the past nine years and asked myself: where were you then? What was just beginning? What have I accomplished, manifested, and how have I changed over this past decade? What has ended? And what have I been holding onto that is no longer part of who I want to be? (I encourage you to get your journal and ask yourself these same questions.)

It got me thinking. They say that in order to fully transform, you must be willing to detach, let go of, or kill off your old personality or persona. The you that got you where you are today is not enough to take you where you ultimately want to go. That version of you is still attached to personality traits and identities that could be sabotaging your future success. So what are those identities? Who were you nine years ago, or perhaps for your whole life, that you no longer want to be?

Ask yourself: What were your old identities?

Get a journal and answer these questions…

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This is not meant to shame or call anyone out. It’s meant to raise awareness about something we’re probably all experiencing in some way as of late. The increasing lack of communication happening in our daily lives. It’s something I’ve struggled with and that has weighed heavily on me for many years. I thought it was just me, that my phone was the only one ringing less often, but now I’m seeing my clients struggling with the same thing, the lack of effort being made to continue and maintain human connections.

And so, I think it’s time we talk about what not talking to each other is doing to us as humans.

I don’t know about you, but I feel more disconnected from humans than I ever have in my life. The last few years people have stopped communicating on a personal level the way we always have. I’m not talking about politics and the shit-show happening in our world at large, which is a huge concern and probably a contributing factor, but I’m talking about the people in our lives, the people we know.

For many years I thought this was just something happening in my world, because I keep it quite small, and being a single mom who was raising my kids alone for the past 17 years was automatically isolating. You become the odd one out because everyone else has spouses to confide in and spend time with, and suddenly you’re going weeks without interacting with anyone but your kids and co-workers (in the beginning, when I worked in corporate). It took me years to adjust to that initial shock of isolation and loneliness.

Then I started working from home in 2013, and that isolation increased because I wasn’t even interacting with co-workers on a regular basis. But by then I had a small group of girlfriends, and that was enough. We texted or talked on the phone several times a day, and those interactions were incredibly fulfilling.

In 2017 I started working for myself, which meant that I no longer had co-workers to connect with and instead spent my days on Zoom sessions with my clients and being a mom to my kids. Then one of my three best friends left my life, and my world got even smaller.

I’ve been sharing my personal and day-to-day life on social media for almost 15 years, but privately it’s gotten quite isolated on a daily basis, just by the nature of my work and working from home. Over the past 15 years I’ve gone from a very big extrovert to mostly an introvert (still extroverted when I’m working), and that is a bit sad to me now that I think about it.

On a personal level, I’ve struggled with the fact that people in my private life often rely on my public posting to “know how I am or what I’m doing,” rather than reaching out to me personally or putting effort into nurturing an “offline” relationship with me. And that can be very frustrating. Just because you watch someone’s story or see their status update does not mean you know how they’re doing personally. It also does not mean that it counts as a way to keep up a friendship or nurturing a relationship.

For all of these reasons, I’ve felt like this was just the price I pay for living my life publicly. I do not want to sound like a martyr here in any way. I only want to point out that the people in our lives might actually be more isolated than we think. For me, I felt like this was just the unspoken downside of what comes with living a public life, something I had to accept and not take personally, which I have for the most part.

Until it hit a little differently when I was on my recent two-month solo trip in Europe. Normally, I’m good about reaching out to the people in my life and putting in the effort to nurture those relationships. But I was emotionally destroyed going into that trip. Everyone in my life knew I was leaving with a freshly broken heart, having just lost not only my brother, but also my relationship, the one person I talked to every day.

Frankly, I didn’t have the energy to be the one doing the reaching out. And so… I heard from no one. I talked to my kids every day, of course, and eventually I reached out to a few people. Some responded with a text or two, some left me unread, and some read my messages but didn’t respond.

Ouch. Talk about feeling invisible and rejected. I was feeling a lot of that, to be honest, especially because I was traveling alone. And that kind of broke me a bit, if I’m honest.

These days there is so much rejection that happens in our lives on a daily basis that it gets exhausting. It’s hard enough every day in business, because maybe one percent of your outreach efforts get a response. Or if you’re dating on the apps, it’s nearly impossible to get a conversation going, and even then you’re ghosted constantly. Or if you’re like me, your livelihood depends on endless hours making content that no one ever sees or interacts with these days. It’s a lot. That’s why we count on the people closest to us, the ones in our crew, to keep communication going, because when they become sporadic like the rest of the world… what is left for humanity?

I know today, more than ever, no one is really thinking about other people the way we used to. Everyone is just head down in their own life. I get it. We can all let time slip by without checking in on the ones we love. And honestly, I don’t think anyone in my life even realized they hadn’t talked to me the whole time I was gone. I know it wasn’t intentional. I am blessed to have amazing people in my life that I love and who love me. But it’s just the way our lives are these days. We don’t make nurturing our relationships the priority it has historically always been.

Our human behavior is changing. And that is my point. Are we ok with that?

To me, this highlights how eroded our communication skills have become and how detached we are from one another and our ability to show empathy. We are all just too overwhelmed in our own lives to check in on the people we count on to always be there for us.

Lately, I’ve been hearing my clients complain of this same subtle withdrawal of communication in their lives (which is why I’m even writing this post). That their friendships are suffering because people in their lives stopped communicating the way they used to, stopped responding, showing empathy, or checking in.

These days, it seems like no one responds to anything anymore. No one answers their phone when you call. Half the time they read your text but don’t take the two seconds to reply. They don’t reach out personally, by call or text, to see how you are or check on you, assuming you’re fine if you’re on social media. Friends who used to talk on the phone all the time now rarely text.

But here’s the crazy part. It’s not like anything went “wrong” in these relationships, or that one person is pulling away from the other, in their case or in mine. I’m talking about great friends, people we love and who we know love us. So why is it so hard to have normal communication, the kind we used to take for granted?

And now we all have a new best friend, AI, “someone” who seems to get us and be there for us, and that should scare the shit out of us. Do we really want it replacing our real life freindships?

There is so much going on in the world right now that is scary, that brings uncertainty, disconnection, and fear, and much of it we cannot change.

But we can do better about communicating with each other. I know we can.

We can respond to that text when someone reaches out.

We can show support for the person who is brave enough to ask for it.

We can send a voice note, or a text, or better still, make a phone call to the person in our life who genuinely matters to us, but who we haven’t invested time in for a while.

We can show up like human beings. Like people who care about the welfare and wellbeing of other human beings. And no, following their social media and watching their stories does NOT count. Make the point to have an offline connection like we used to.

We can all make more of an effort with our communication skills. If we don’t, how will humanity survive this? We need to talk to each other, show we care, laugh together, and be there for one another.

Isolation sucks. Feeling forgotten and ignored sucks. Feeling invisible and unimportant sucks. Feeling like you can disapear for 2 months and no one will miss you, sucks.

I don’t want anyone to feel that way.

If you’ve felt any version of this lately, or if you’ve noticed that you’ve stopped making an effort or returning other people’s effort, make a commitment to be the change you want to see in your world.

Be the one who reaches out and checks on the people you love today. Just ask them how they’ve been, and when they tell you, don’t leave them unread or unresponded to. Be human again.

We can do better.

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This work is copyright protected 2025 Centrella Global LLC

It’s so worth it. It’s not a straight path, it’s not an easy one, and it’s usually filled with obstacles and sometimes adversity. But that’s why so few people ever live their dreams. They don’t want them bad enough to fight for them.

This epic adventure I’m on right now in Europe is the manifestation of a lifetime of dreams. This is my “impossible” trip. It’s something I never in a million years believed I could pull off. Yet here I am, living it. Each day I wake up and can’t believe this is my real life, that it’s not still a dream, because I visualized it for so long this almost feels like déjà vu.

This is not by accident, let me be clear about that. This is the result of intentionally manifesting my desires.

Here’s how I’ve manifested my dreams for the past sixteen years.

Read more

Gone are the days of wasting hours flipping through magazines, gathering random images that don’t mean anything to you, only to end up with a generic collage of dreams that don’t inspire you. We did that before we knew any better.

But let’s get real did they really work? You may have manifested one or two things off an old-school vision board… but who has time for that?

Traditional vision boards—those random collages of stuff we “think” we want—have been around for ages. I remember in 2004, when my boss had our sales team create what she called a “magazine goal board.” Guess what? It didn’t work. None of us manifested anything from those boards. Sure, the intentions were good, but the result was a whole lot of nothing.

And if you think about it, how could they work? Whatever you cut out of a magazine is always random, it’s NOT your dreams. It doesn’t look exactly like what you want. It’s whatever a magazine editor decided to put in that issue. Sorry, but that’s far too random and unintentional for me!

But a futureboard changed my life forever.

It started in 2008. That year, my world exploded. I found out my husband was having an affair. At the time, I had 13-month-old twin daughters and a 5-year-old son. We’d just lost our house to foreclosure, and filed for bankruptcy. It was a bombshell that destroyed everything I knew.

It took me months to find a job, and when I did, I started with a salary barely enough to cover rent and daycare. I was starting from rock bottom in every area of my life, including my career, where I was stuck cold-calling from a tiny cubicle. Things felt so bleak that I created an alternate reality in my mind—one where I was successful, living my dream life, and showing my kids the world.

And that was the beginning of my #futureboard. I didn’t have any expectations for it honestly, especially since I knew my old vision board had never worked. But when I made that first futureboard, something changed. I looked at it while making my sales calls, and it filled me with hope. It sparked a burning desire within me to make the life in those pictures, my future reality.

Within 18 months, that #futureboard began coming to life. I went from a newly single mom on food stamps struggling to stay afloat, to a big promotion where I tripled my salary, started traveling, and living some of my wildest dreams. Since then I’ve manifested over a dozen futureboards and created a life I had once only fantasized about. It has truly changed my life. You can read more about my story here.

Since then, I’ve been teaching thousands of people around the world how to do exactly what I did, and it works just as well for anyone who follows the method. But here’s the key: I didn’t make a vision board. I made a #futureboard, and trust me, those two things are VERY different.

Want to see my personal before and after gallery of what’s manifested off my #futureboards? Check out my Pinterest Reality Board.

A #futureboard is a visual representation of what you want in all five core categories of your life. It’s made with intention and is the result of deeper personal work to determine what makes you happy, what your goals are, and helps you determine what you truly want. The pictures are exactly what you had in your mind, there is nothing random about it!

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RESET THE ENERGY

Bees and honey.

Don’t you hate it when your relationship slips into a negative pattern of nagging, sniping at each other, and energy so tense you can cut it with a fork? It’s no fun. It can feel out of our control, like there’s nothing we can do to turn the vibe around, we’re just waiting for something to come along and magically turn the tide.

But there is something we can do that can completely reset the energy in our home and relationship.

I call it bees and honey, and you already know what I’m getting at. Let’s start with nagging. It’s a common complaint from both parties in just about any relationship. We ladies hate to do it, as much as our partner hates being on the receiving end. Nagging sucks! It creates ongoing tension that gets worse over time. It makes us feel unheard, and them feel unappreciated.

Like the Law of Attraction states, we get back what we’ve put out, so if we are constantly nagging (bitching, complaining, feeling like we are repeatedly talking to a wall), resistance, defensiveness, resentment, and tension is what will manifest in response. In my section on parenting, I share a lesson about positive reinforcement, and yes, it’s in reference to children, but it’s just as applicable to a mate. Most humans respond better to positivity than negativity, so the best way to get him to contribute more around the house, or to help out with the kids, or to give you more time and attention, is to model and praise this behavior.

In other words, we use a basic formula, what you focus on expands. In this case, if I only focus on behavior I don’t like, that behavior gets worse and more prevalent and over time, the problem grows and expands. If instead, I focus on the behavior I want to see more of, it will also grow and expand over time.

Here is an Example…

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We were all created with a magical compass—our gut. Some call it intuition, others call it instincts, or your "inner voice," and still others call it God. Whatever word you choose, its JOB is to help us navigate life in the best, happiest, and safest way possible. Its JOB is to protect us from danger and pain. It does so using various means, all designed to get our attention and help us make the right decision.

It might send us a "red flag" when we start dating someone who turns out to be a total nightmare. Guess what? That little voice that said, "Hey you, that dude is going to break your heart, he's not the one!" tried to warn us. We should have listened. But what do we normally do when we hear those internal warnings?

We argue.

We make excuses.

We protest.

If we all knew how to listen to and trust our gut, I’d be out of a job. That’s a fact. Because I believe we’re all hard-wired with the world’s best life coach: our intuition. Intuition is the good voice in your head, the one you’re always arguing with. It’s the subtle one likely saying what you don’t want to hear. But if we just learned to listen more and argue less, we’d be saved so many headaches, pain, heartbreaks, financial losses, and bad decisions.

Why Can't We Just Trust Our Intuition?

Why are we always arguing with it, trying to prove it wrong? We give it all these reasons why our gut warning could be misleading. We say, "But wait! He's such a nice guy!" Or, "Wait! That business idea sounds amazing!" Our gut will counter with, "Are you even paying attention?!” And it will send us another signal, and another, until eventually, if we continue to ignore it, it gets so quiet we can't even hear it anymore. Your gut is constantly trying to help you out by making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up when you’re in danger. Maybe it ties your stomach in knots when you’re about to make a bad decision. It gives goosebumps when you’re buzzing with bright ideas and butterflies when you feel a magical connection.

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Your story is your greatest asset. It’s the one thing that is uniquely you. No one can take it from you or replicate it. It is your competitive advantage.

When I first started blogging in 2009, I did so anonymously. My original blog, was the one place I could be entirely myself—unfiltered and real. It was where I sorted my thoughts and tried to make sense of my past. I was honest about how hard things were, how much I was struggling to put my life back together, and where I started sharing my dreams and plans for the future. All of that was terrifyingly personal, and I never intended for anyone to discover it was me.

Then one day, on my first business trip to New York City, an article I’d written and submitted (I thought anonymously) to a huge website was published with my name. It was my whole story—my divorce, the fact that I was really a broke single mom struggling to make ends meet, that I had all these dreams, and how some of them were beginning to manifest. The article went viral almost immediately. I remember sitting in my hotel room, panicking as the Google alert popped up. I felt exposed and terrified of the repercussions. I just knew I’d lose my job.

But I was there to work, so I pulled myself together and went downstairs to meet a favorite client for lunch. For whatever reason (the Universe knew what it was doing), I opened up to Bill. I told him the whole story, sharing my fear that the public knowing my story would ruin me.

He looked at me and said, “Sarah, that is your story? I had no idea. That is an incredible story!”

“Thanks, but what do I do about it?” I asked. I trusted his advice—he was a big-time lawyer, after all. I knew he’d give it to me straight.

“You own it!” he said. “You own your story, Sarah. You don’t run from it—you embrace it. It’s incredible what you’ve been through and how you’re trying to put your life back together. It makes me respect your hustle and character even more. That is your asset. Own it.”

I’ve received a lot of incredible advice in my life—times when I’ve sat across from someone and knew I was receiving life-changing wisdom. But this was, by far, the #1 piece of advice anyone has ever given me. It changed my life. I would not be here today without it.

That advice helped me get comfortable with my story and changed how I viewed it. It was no longer something I was trying to run from or hide. It wasn’t this giant, embarrassing secret—it was my past, and I was intentionally creating a new future in spite of it. I learned how to be proud of that, not ashamed.

It takes time to see your own story in this light, but when you do, things shift in the best possible way. We all have a story. Maybe yours is dramatic like mine, maybe not—it doesn’t matter. Either way, you have a past that has taught you something. What is it? How have you grown or evolved from it?

How to Own and Share Your Story

If you have a business, your story can attract clients and set you apart from the competition. People want to buy from those they trust, and sharing your personal story helps build that trust with your audience or clients.

Here are some ways to find and refine your story into one you feel comfortable sharing—one that can inspire others. This will help you find your story, if you’re not sure what it is, or refine it if you already know which part of your pastt you’d like to focus on. Grab a notebook and answer these questions.

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• The lies we’ve been sold

• Before you start dating do this

• My 10 Rules for Dating

• My love story

• List of what to look for in a man and what to avoid

Here’s what I’ve learned about dating and finding love that I wish someone had told me years ago.

Ladies, we’ve been sold a lie. A boldfaced fucking lie, and it’s a big reason why so many of us have been looking for the wrong kind of man. Thanks to fairytales, Disney princess movies, every romantic comedy ever made, and countless other false narratives peddled to us from birth, we’ve been led to believe that love is supposed to be an explosion of romantic feelings. That there should be a “spark” at first interaction. That if he was “the one,” you’d feel love at first sight, or fireworks, or butterflies.

Ladies… that is complete BULLSHIT! That’s NOT an indication of compatibility, love, or even real connection. It’s all fake! It’s often very toxic, and it’s just surface-level bullshit meant to attract the same wrong kind of guy that has never worked for us in the past. Worse, it steers us away from the RIGHT man—the one who is our ideal match.

So, why do we keep falling for it?

Why do women keep telling each other that those things need to be present from the get-go? Why do we keep perpetuating this damaging lie? Why do we tell each other that if you don’t wanna rip his clothes off immediately, you must be settling? What the fuck!? Now that I know the truth about healthy love, I know how insane it is to base our decisions on ridiculous and fleeting surface emotions like that.

But I can’t tell you how many times in the past I fell for those deceptive first indicators and then tried to convince myself that because I had butterflies, or felt a rush when I got a text, or “felt a connection,” or had undeniable “chemistry” that someone I knew was clearly wrong for me was somehow “the one.” Smh. He could have every red flag in the book, could exhibit toxic and narcissistic behaviors, could treat me like shit, and still, I’d tell myself, Welp, I wouldn’t feel this way if it wasn’t meant to be. I just wanna go back in time and give poor, misinformed me a hug and say, Oh girl… that’s not it.

Because we are so focused on those first emotional sparks, no one was telling us what we should be looking for instead.

After finally healing from a toxic, all consuming dating disaster two years ago, I decided to figure this whole dating mess out. I set out to learn what we as women should be looking for instead, how to heal from past relationship traumas, and how to break the cycle of manifesting the WRONG man.

Before You Start Dating Again, Do This Work First

Get ready for love by working on YOU.

Heal yourself first. Do your inner work to know who you are, love yourself, and get clear on what you want in a partner. You must FIRST be the partner you want to attract. In other words, be the love you want to receive. Become the type of person that you’d want to be with and the type that your ideal love would be drawn to.

For example: If you’ve had an insecure attachment style in the past, learn how to develop a secure attachment style. If you’ve been impatient, angry, or pushy, work on changing those things now so they won’t sabotage an opportunity for a great relationship. Would you want to date you? Do the work to get there BEFORE you start dating. Read my post Manifesting the Love You Deserve for more on that.

Listen to my recent podcast Manifesting the Love You Deserve with Nancy Bruce where I talk a lot about this and share more of my love story.

The Dating Rules I Followed to Manifest My Love

1. If he’s into you, you’ll know.

He’ll put in the time and effort to get to know you, make plans, and show genuine interest in you and what you care about. He’ll consistently show up in all the ways, communication, time together and he’ll be excited to do this. If he’s NOT doing this, he’s NOT into you. Move on!

2. Wait at least 3 months to be intimate.

Even if you’re exclusive before then, wait. If you’re not exclusive at 3 months, wait until you are exclusive. You both need that time to genuinely get to know each other without sex clouding your judgment or complicating feelings. Research indicates that between 30% and 40% of couples engage in sexual activity within the first month of dating. But findings from the Institute for Family Studies suggest that postponing sexual intimacy allows partners to focus on building emotional intimacy, communication, and trust—crucial components of a lasting relationship. Plus, men develop emotional connections slower than women, and some don’t develop them at all if sex happens too quickly. So, take your time, ladies! It’s worth the wait, believe me.

3. Get into your feminine energy.

If you want a man who treats you like a queen, let him! Give him the time and space to come at it in his own way. Let him show you who he is, that way you can decide if that works for you or not. Forcing him or trying to influence him to do things your way will only show you a mask of the man and not who he really is. If you’re serious about attracting your ideal love, then you don’t want a man you have to train or change. You want to know who the man is to his core, and then decide if he’s the kind of man you want.

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The Daily Routines That Keep Me Focused, Energized, and Balanced

It took me years of trial and error to refine my work-from-home and morning routines, but once I did, everything changed. Now, I’m sharing them with you so you can fast-track your own path to productivity, balance, and success.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that structure creates freedom. The habits and routines we build into our days determine how much energy, focus, and peace we experience. It took me years of trial and error to figure out what actually works for me, and I hope this post helps you fast-track that process so you don’t have to spend years doing the same.

My Morning Routine

I start my day with intention. Here’s how:

• I set my alarm 30 minutes earlier than necessary to ensure I never start my day in a rush.

• Before I even get out of bed, I say three positive mottos to set the tone for the day.

• I splash my face with cold water for a full minute. It wakes me up and gets my circulation going.

• I say my “I am” statements while brushing my teeth. Reinforcing positive beliefs first thing in the morning makes a huge difference.

• I eat breakfast—fueling my body properly helps sustain my energy throughout the day.

• I schedule my workouts at least a week in advance. I sign up for classes ahead of time, and my workout time is permanently blocked on my calendar.

My Work-From-Home Routine

Working from home can blur the lines between work and personal life, but I’ve built clear boundaries to keep both in check.

• I get fully dressed and “camera ready” every day. Even if I don’t have Zoom calls scheduled, I do my hair and makeup to be prepared for anything. It also helps me feel more put together and confident.

• I set and respect my work hours. My workday starts at 10:30 AM and ends no later than 5:00 PM—no exceptions.

• I take a 30-minute meditation break in the afternoon. This resets my focus and reduces stress.

• I schedule my tasks with time blocks. Everything—marketing, prospecting, social media, content creation, and operations—has a designated time slot on my calendar.

• I keep a “brain dump” list on my desk. Instead of stressing about things I need to remember, I write them down and pick a few items to tackle each day.

• At 5:00 PM, I shut everything down and close the door to my office. No lingering emails or unfinished tasks dragging into my evening.

• I change my clothes and put on a playlist to shift into “off-work” mode. This mental transition helps me fully step away from work and into my personal life.

My Evening Routine

Evenings are all about unwinding and making sure my mind and body are truly out of “work mode.”

• I focus on things that make me happy. Whether it’s cooking a good meal, listening to my favorite playlist, or just relaxing, I prioritize joy.

• I watch my favorite shows without guilt. No work emails, no last-minute tasks—just pure relaxation.

• I respect my personal boundaries. Work doesn’t bleed into my evenings, and that separation has been life-changing.

Final Thoughts

Respecting the boundaries in your life is EVERYTHING. It takes effort and consistency to implement, but the rewards—better focus, less stress, and more joy—are completely worth it.

Want to see how I time-block my schedule? Check out [this reel] (insert link here)!

What are the non-negotiable routines that keep you feeling your best? Let me know in the comments!

Book a private coaching session with me to get help, my proprietary tools and advice based on 15 years of coaching thousands of people around the world, on anything you are working through right now.

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About the Author: Sarah Centrella is a keynote speaker, executive mindset coach, and multi–bestselling author of four books, including Think It. | Book her to speak. Listen to her podcast | Follow on Insta Sarah Centrella

Fast forward five months, to our first date… we’ve been together ever since. I tell him all the time, “I wrote you into existence!” because he is truly everything I asked for and more.

This experience reaffirmed one of the foundational truths I teach: when you get crystal clear about what you want and refuse to settle for anything less than you deserve, the universe will deliver.

Here’s how I manifested my soulmate….

Before we met, I spent years doing the personal work to heal and grow, preparing myself to show up fully for the kind of love I dreamed of manifesting. He did the same work on himself before we met, and that’s why it works.

So, if you’re ready to manifest your dream relationship, here is my proven 5-step process. I’ve been teaching this process to clients for nearly a decade, and it’s helped them manifest soulmates, partners, marriages, and even families. If it worked for us, it can work for you too!

I have a philosophy that applies to just about everything in life you’d like to manifest or achieve. I call it “Get ready to be ready.” Here’s how you can start getting ready, starting TODAY, to attract the love you desire and deserve.

Manifesting love isn’t about searching for your soulmate or chasing after love; it’s about preparing yourself to receive the kind of love and relationship you truly desire. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “become the love you seek to attract.” That’s exactly what we are talking about. You can’t manifest your ideal partner until you’ve done the work to become an ideal partner.

This starts with being honest with yourself and identifying areas you need to work on—now, while you’re single. Reflect on feedback from past relationships, as there’s often valuable insight in how others have perceived you. This doesn’t mean accepting all criticism as truth, but it’s important to approach it with an open mind and ask yourself tough questions.

For example:

• Could there be truth in what they said about me?

• Am I too impatient?

• Do I become mean or dismissive when communicating?

• Do I focus on faults instead of appreciating and building up my partner?

Step 1: Heal Yourself, Know Yourself

The first and most critical step is doing the inner work. If you’re holding onto unresolved pain or stuck in negative relationship patterns, you’re not yet ready to attract healthy, lasting love.

Get your journal and answer these key questions:

What went wrong in past relationships? What was my part in their demise?

• What patterns need to change?

• What signal have I been sending that attracts the wrong kind of partner?

• What are my emotional needs, triggers, and boundaries?

• What type of love do I need and want? What are some ways I like to have love expressed or shown to me?

• What type of partner have I been in the past? How am I going to evolve to become a better one in the future?

• What’s my love language, how do I feel when my partner speaks it and how do I feel when they don’t?

• What’s my attachment style and how can I work on healing it? (See the books listed below)

• How can I improve my communication to foster understanding and connection?

• Do I know how to create a “safe space” for vulnerability?

• Have I listened to my intuition in the past or ignored red flags? What will I do differently this time?

• What do I need to change about myself? Do I love myself? Do I respect myself? Do I show up for myself?

• What dating behaviors have I exhibited in the past, that I can change so I can get a different result?

This level of self-awareness is the foundation of a strong relationship and is critical to creating a healthy and healed you. When you take the time to know yourself, heal, and grow, you create the space to attract a partner who has done the same.

Suggested books that helped me get ready for love:

• The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman -Listen to my podcast episode about love languages.

• Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller

• Secure Love by Julie Gottman (follow Julie @thesecurerelationship). This book was an absolute game changer for me! See my full list of favorite personal growth books.

Step 2: Write Down What You Want

Clarity is the key to getting what you want. My 6-page journal entry in January 2024 led to manifesting my boo just five months later! Here are some of the questions I asked myself while writing about my dream relationship. They helped me truly see and feel what it would be like to be in a loving, happy, and healed relationship.

Note: Don’t write down physical traits. Listen, if you’ve been going after “your type” all these years and it hasn’t worked, it doesn’t take a genius to recognize that maybe “your type” isn’t the right kind of partner for you. This time around, focus on what actually matters—qualities that lead to healthy and fulfilling relationships—not the surface stuff that’s gotten you into bad or toxic relationships in the past.

I absolutely had a type that I’d casually dated for years before meeting my love. Every one of those relationships were HORRIBLE for me, and those guys were the worst possible match! So, when I wrote out my list, I knew that the love I wanted would likely come in a package I wouldn’t normally “go for.” That’s why I wrote the first sentence in the photo below—I wanted to recognize him by who he really was as a man, not by that instant chemical attraction I’d always relied on in the past.

Dive into the emotional depth of your connection and who the person is on a deeper level. For example, instead of writing, “I want someone funny,” say, “I want someone who can make me laugh when I need it most and who sees humor as a way to connect.”

Grab your journal and write down a detailed description of the person you want to attract. Write in full sentences, this helps you see and feel what it would be like to have that person in your life.

• Describe your ideal mate as a person: what are their values, personality, and qualities?

• What makes you feel loved, appreciated and seen?

• How do you want to feel and be treated in the relationship?

• How they will show up for you and how you will show up for them?

• How will you be as a couple? What will that dynamic be like?

• What’s most important to you in a partner?

• What are your top 10 “must have’s” -note: these should not be surface level

Step 3: Visualize and Daydream

Visualization is a powerful tool for manifesting love. Spend time imagining your dream relationship. Close your eyes and really try to see your future life, one where you are happy, adored, heard, seen, appreciated and having fun!

• How is your partner expressing love through their actions? Write out a specific senecio.

• How do they make you feel safe, secure, seen, and appreciated? Write specific things you imagine them doing to make you feel this way.

• What does it feel like to laugh, have fun, enjoy each others company? Write specific ways you enjoy life together.

• What does it feel like to have someone you can grow and experience life with? Write down the ways you want to grow together, and things you’d like to do together.

• What does your daily life look like?

• How do you interact with each other? With your friends and family?

• How do you lift each other up and express yourselves?

• How do you treat them that is different than how you’ve treated past partners?

• How do you make each other better, stronger and more motivated to be your best?

• How have you learned to speak their love language and give them what they need?

• How do you resolve conflict that’s different than anything you’ve experienced in the past?

By focusing your energy on the feeling of being in your dream relationship, you align yourself with its frequency.

Step 4: Make a Love #FutureBoard

Take your vision to the next level by creating a #futureboard for love. Pinterest is an incredible resource for this. Search for images that represent the qualities you want in a relationship, the type of connection you desire, and the experiences you want to share.

Your board should reflect the emotional depth and partnership you’re manifesting, not just the aesthetics of a relationship. This step makes your vision tangible and keeps it at the forefront of your mind.

Check out my Pinterest love board for inspiration!

Step 5: Change Your Mindset

The final step is aligning your thoughts and words with the relationship you’re manifesting. Your mindset sets the tone for what you attract, so practice affirmations that reinforce your readiness and worthiness for love.

My Favorite Love Affirmations:

• I am loved and deserving of love.

• I am open and ready to receive love.

• I am working on me so I’ll be ready when my love shows up.

• Somewhere out there, my love is preparing for me just as I am preparing for them.

• I will know my love by how safe, secure, and cherished I feel.

Repeat these affirmations daily, and use them to replace any negative or limiting beliefs about love.

Read the chapters of my book Think It which teach you how to change your mindset.

BONUS TIP:

Healthy love feels different from toxic love. It’s a slow burn, not the instant chemical reaction we were falsely taught to believe is love. When you focus on attracting a healthy, healed, and connected love, be prepared for it to look a little different from what you’re used to. It’s a slow burn, not an instant bonfire.

Though we’ve been together since our first date, we built our relationship on friendship first, taking the time to let our feelings grow organically. We invested in truly getting to know each other and trusted that our feelings would deepen with each interaction—and they have. So, when you meet someone who embodies the qualities you are looking for, but maybe doesn’t have that instant spark, give it time to build a slow burn. Don’t make a decision too early on because feelings can grow and deepen with time invested.

I heard this great quote once and it couldn’t be more true…

“We are always seeking fireworks when what we should be looking for is a fireplace.”

Work on healing, self-discovery, and growth. As you do, you’ll naturally attract someone who mirrors the love, energy, and values you’ve cultivated within yourself.

When I met my partner, I realized the universe had been waiting for me to be ready. So, work on YOU. Heal YOU. When you’re genuinely ready, love will manifest in ways that will feel nothing short of magical.

Your dream relationship isn’t just possible—it’s waiting for you. Are you ready to claim it?

Listen to my podcast How to Manifest the Love of Your Life and subscribe to The Sarah Centrella Show

Book a private coaching session with me to get help, my proprietary tools and advice based on 15 years of coaching thousands of people around the world, on anything you are working through right now.

Here are 3 painless and FREE ways you can support my writing. Thank you so much!

1. Like this post

2. Comment your thoughts below

3. Share this post (“restack”)

Leave a comment

All paid members get my mindset workbook journal, a $25 value, for free!

Upgrade to Paid

Read All My Posts

Memoir. | Thoughts. | Stories. | Life. | Free

About the Author: Sarah Centrella is a keynote speaker, executive mindset coach, and multi–bestselling author of four books, including Think It. | Book her to speak. Listen to her podcast | Follow on Insta Sarah Centrella

This work is copyright protected 2025 Centrella Global LLC

Dream It: The First Step to Manifesting Your Best Life

Manifesting starts with clarity. You can’t manifest what you don’t know, so the first step is to dream it. Dreaming it means identifying and clearly visualizing the best-case scenario for your life—the ultimate outcomes you desire.

This step is a skill set, and like any skill, it can be practiced and developed. Once you master it, you’ll have a powerful tool to create your future.

The process starts with a simple but profound question, ask yourself:

What do I really want?

Take time to dream big and imagine your best-case scenario. Picture everything going right. What would that look like? This isn’t about being practical or realistic—it’s about allowing yourself to explore the most exciting and fulfilling version of your future. Start creating a mental movie of your ideal life and let yourself get lost in it.

Why Dreaming Big Matters

Your brain is naturally wired to focus on the worst-case scenario, which can keep you stuck in fear and doubt. But when you shift your mindset to envision the best-case scenario, you open up possibilities you may not have considered before. You allow your creativity and desire to take the lead, and that’s where the magic begins.

If you’ve struggled with dreaming big, you’re not alone. Some people are natural dreamers—they live in their imaginations and easily envision grand, beautiful futures. But they might struggle with execution, getting discouraged, or quitting when things feel hard. On the other hand, thinkers tend to focus on practical, logical steps, which can make dreaming big feel uncomfortable or unrealistic.

The ideal balance is to embrace both the dreamer and the thinker within you. Dreamers need to learn how to turn their visions into reality, while thinkers need to practice letting go of limitations and daring to dream bigger.

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Manifesting Your Dream Life: A 3-Step Ritual That Works

For nearly a decade, I’ve made my way to my favorite spot on the Oregon Coast—Cannon Beach—at the start of every year to perform a manifesting ritual. It’s a powerful tradition that has transformed my life.

The first time I did this, I invited my best friend along, and together, we manifested the biggest items on our wish lists—dreams we had carried for years, including her manifesting the love of her life. Another year, I did it with a group of incredible women during a retreat at my home, and once again, we saw life-changing results. Each year, this ritual has helped me and those I’ve shared it with manifest incredible things.

I have braved the rain, thunder storms and all kinds of weather to make this ritual happen! I even introduced my daughters to it a few years ago, and it was deeply meaningful to share this process with them and watch them manifest their dreams as well.

If you’re ready to take charge of your life and manifest your dreams, here’s my 3-step manifesting ritual, it’s one I suggest you do at the start of every year but it will work any time if you are committed to the process.

Step 1: Let Go of the Past

Start by releasing everything that no longer serves you. On a sheet of paper, write the words:
"I release the belief that..."
List old beliefs, negative thoughts, feelings, habits, and anything holding you back. This is your opportunity to let go of the emotional weight and limiting beliefs that keep you from moving forward. Think of anything that is no longer serving you. There is power in identifying what it is, acknowledging it and then release it.

Once you’ve written it all down, safely burn the paper. Watch it turn to ash and let those things go—they belong to the past and the version of you that you’re leaving behind.

Step 2: Embrace and Give Thanks for the Present

Next, take time to reflect on the past year with gratitude. Write about everything that went right, every win you had, everything you manifested, and all the positive changes you made.

This is a time to celebrate yourself—your growth, your resilience, and your progress. Think of it as taking inventory of how far you’ve come and give gratitude for all the blessings in your life.

Step 3: Create Your Vision for the Future

Now, it’s time to dream big. Write down what you want to receive and achieve in the coming year and beyond. Answer these questions:

• What do you want?

• How do you want to feel about yourself?

• How do you want others to treat you?

• How do you want to spend your time?

• What goals do you want to accomplish?

• What experiences do you want to live?

• What things do you want to have?

• What people do you want to meet or spend time with?

• Where do you want to go?

• How will you care for your mind and body?

Be as specific as possible. Manifesting isn’t magic—it’s about intentionally creating the life you love by setting clear goals and putting in the work to achieve them.

Some of What I Manifested in 2024

To show you just how powerful this process can be, here’s a glimpse of what I manifested last year:

• My son, Kanen, had an incredible senior season playing for the Oregon Ducks, going undefeated in the regular season and realizing his dream to play in the Rose Bowl. He will be graduating with honors this spring.

• I not only manifested a life long dream to go to Greece but took 5 amazing women with me on my international retreat.

• I manifested my LOVE! A beautiful, committed partner that I truly wrote into existence! He embodies every quality I wrote down during this ritual at the beginning of the year.

• I manifested the weight loss I’ve been seeking for over 25 years!

• A recurring contributor segment on ABC Portland’s morning show AM Northwest.

• A week’s vacation with my daughters to Lost Angeles.

• Back speaking on stages after a few years away.

• Amazing new clients.

• Writing my 4th book.

• And more!

Every single one of these achievements was something I wrote down in my life plan or placed on my future boards—some for a year, others for much longer.

Making It a Family Tradition

This year, I brought my daughters along for the ritual. They wrote down their dreams and plans, and I could see the spark of new ideas and expectations igniting within them.

It was a perfect day, and we ended it by watching the sunset together. I know this year will be epic for my family—and I want the same for you.

Start your own manifesting ritual and make it a tradition. Dream big, take intentional action, and watch your life transform.

Your best year yet is waiting—are you ready to claim it?

Book a private coaching session with me to get help, my proprietary tools and advice based on 15 years of coaching thousands of people around the world, on anything you are working through right now.

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Are You Manifesting Everything You Don't Want?

If you don’t know what you want, chances are you’re manifesting everything you don’t want. Here’s the truth: manifesting is happening in your life right now, whether you realize it or not—and whether you believe in it or not. Manifesting isn’t some mystical concept; it’s a universal law of energy, as real as gravity. It’s working in your life every day, shaping both positive and negative outcomes.

So, stop waiting.

• Stop waiting for something to happen.

• Stop waiting for inspiration or motivation.

• Stop waiting for someone to validate or support your ideas.

• Stop waiting for help.

• Stop waiting for someone to tell you what to do or teach you how to do it.

• Stop waiting for answers.

Instead, start:

• Start asking yourself the tough questions and listening to your own answers.

• Start making something happen.

• Start defining what you want.

• Start learning what makes you happy and brings you joy.

• Start letting your dreams motivate and inspire you by daydreaming about them often.

• Start teaching yourself by trying what you’ve learned.

• Start doing.

The First Step: Know What You Want

Identifying what you want is the foundation of the manifesting process. It’s the first question I ask my clients and the first one we tackle in my coaching program. So, let me ask you: What do you want?

If you don’t have an answer, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Most people find this question surprisingly difficult, especially if it’s been years since you truly thought about it. For many, especially women, it’s rare to focus on personal wants, desires, and dreams.

But here’s why it matters: if you don’t consciously decide what you want, you’re likely manifesting by default—bringing more of what you don’t want into your life. Whatever you’re focusing on, worrying about, or dwelling on is what will continue showing up in your reality.

Focus Is Critical to Success

Knowing what you want—and consciously choosing to focus on it—is essential. Think of it like using Google Maps: you can’t get directions without knowing your destination. Life works the same way. Without a clear destination and focus, you’ll keep spinning your wheels, going in circles.

If you already know what you want, ask yourself: How bad do I want it?

The more you allow yourself to want it—truly want it—the more unstoppable you’ll be. Success begins with that decision.

Not Sure Where to Begin?

Here are some questions to help you get started:

• What have I always wanted to do or try?

• What do I love to do?

• What brings me joy?

• If I could get paid generously for doing something I love, what would it be?

The trick is to harness the power of manifesting to create the outcomes you want—instead of the ones you don’t.

Book a private coaching session with me to get help, my proprietary tools and advice based on 15 years of coaching thousands of people around the world, on anything you are working through right now.

Here are 3 painless and FREE ways you can support my writing. Thank you so much!

1. Like this post

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3. Share this post (“restack”)

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About the Author: Sarah Centrella is a keynote speaker, executive mindset coach, and multi–bestselling author of four books, including Think It. | Book her to speak. Listen to her podcast | Follow on Insta Sarah Centrella

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