How To Manifest A Life Worth Living
Seven years ago, I was homeless, pregnant, and hopeless. At the top of 2012, I was gearing up to graduate from college, and at the end, I was figuring out where I was going to live and how I was going to take care of a baby. It was scary, to say the least.
Between extreme morning sickness and vertigo, I was unable to work the first few months of my pregnancy. Staying with family became a less than ideal situation, but there was no other choice. This wasn't supposed to be my life. I had envisioned late nights in the office and living out of a suitcase, as I traveled the country for work. Left with only my thoughts, I took the time to accept my reality and put the focus on what I could control. The first step was managing my emotions. I knew the women I wanted to be, but I wasn't sure of how to become her. So, I started with a vision board. I needed to visualize my happiness and take control of my life.
With paper and glue I bought from the dollar store, and old magazines left around the house, I created a collage of all my hopes, dreams, and wishes. In one corner, there were photos and words that represented home with a comfortable bed where I felt safe, in the bottom-right, it showcased health and fitness. The most important components of this board were family, seeing myself as a loving mother who could provide for her child and the strong fierce woman that was placed in the middle to empower me.
Every night, I would look at my visions and pray to God that my circumstances would change. I knew that I had to believe in the possibility of change, so I clung to it with every fiber in my body.
Journaling allowed me to let go of angst but what really moved the needle were affirmations. An affirmation is positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. While the vision board was broad, affirmations allowed me to be specific and focus on my intended goals. With these newfound tools, I was able to make space for change. I was less anxious, gaining confidence, and more vocal about my needs. I resisted the part of me that focused on lack because I knew I wouldn't cultivate abundance.
Every time I thought of an idea that seemed too big to obtain on my own, I wrote it down, signed and dated. It became clear that I needed the universe to convene my requests. In this case, it was getting a car, finding permanent housing, and going back to school for my master's. After aligning my goals with my actions, this part of my journey was called trusting the process. Within two years, I had manifested everything on my list. I was gainfully employed, in a loving relationship after leaving a toxic one, and happily raising my child in our new apartment. I graduated from my master's shortly thereafter.
When thoughts materialize in the real world, this is manifestation. It is the act of intentionally creating what you want.
Could this be an act of luck? Maybe, that's a plausible thought. But, I believe my thoughts and actions were aligned and I was very clear on what I wanted. Although I didn't have a solid plan of action, I knew the work was being done to receive blessings. I remember my first night's sleep on my bed, the feeling was indescribable, as I stared at the ceilings smiling from ear-to-ear. I had manifested my home and this bed and it was mine all mine.
Everyone has the ability to manifest anything they desire – wealth, optimum health, love, houses, cars, peace of mind. You just have to learn how to use it. Here are seven steps to manifest a life worth living:
Step 1: Get clear on what you want.
Step 2: Ask the universe.
Step 3: Work toward your goals.
Step 4: Trust the process.
Step 5: Receive and acknowledge what you get.
Step 6: Keep Your Vibration High.
Step 7: Clear your resistance.
The truth is we are responsible in some way for creating our world and our reality. Whatever your heart desires there's enough to go around. Manifesting starts with your thoughts and if you're open, the possibilities are endless.
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Ayana Iman is a certified life coach, professional speaker, and mama of one based in New Jersey. She's also known for her love of big hair, travel, and cooking. Find her across social @AyanaIman.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy