

Manifestation can be as simple as just seeing what you want and believing that it will happen, but becoming a master manifestor involves more effort.
Repeating certain mantras and affirmations are great ways to manifest happenings in your world. These things engage the law of attraction. When you think about something enough, you end up actually attracting said things into your life.
What you constantly dwell on will be what you create in your reality.
Manifestation is the process of closing the gap between your desires and your reality. The fabric of our manifestations are being weaved together, even if it's outside of our realm of perception. The key is to set your intentions and remove any fear or impatience surrounding your goal. This read will show you how to manifest the things you need or desire in your life in five steps!
In order to become a Master Manifestor you must:
*Two important things you must remember is, that the day you plant the seed is not the same day you eat the fruit. And secondly, you must be able to realize when a manifestation has taken form. What you expect might not end up looking like what you thought. You have to be able to realize that what you have received is what you asked for.
Step 1: Proclaim or Ask
What are you setting your intentions on? Is it more money, a better job, a specific job title, or career change, a new relationship, or just more confidence? Do you have short-term goals and long-term goals? Whatever you are looking to manifest, you either have to ask the universe for it directly, or you must announce to the universe what it is you need it to provide. Say it out loud.
Words carry vibrations, and instructions.
If you speak your proclamations out loud, you send your direct intentions out into the universe like an order. Some orders are manifested instantly, and others take longer to be delivered. Depending on the perplexity of the intention, you must allow the universe to work its magic.
If you require a particular sum of money to open a business, proclaim:
"Dear Universe/Source/God/Spirit, I require [X amount of money] to start up my company."
Perhaps you are in need of a new living arrangement, proclaim:
"Dear Universe/Source/God/Spirit, it is time for me to find a better living arrangement that serves my highest good at this present time."
If you would like to manifest something that is more arbitrary or inexact, and you don't know exactly what to ask for, then proclaim something like this, for example:
"Dear Universe/Source/God/Spirit, I proclaim that I will manifest more self-confidence, and I ask that you show me the way to achieve this." or "I wish to increase my visibility online, please provide a way."
Maybe you need to manifest spiritual growth, say:
"Dear Universe/Source/God/Spirit, I want to be more attuned and aligned so that I may be able to transmute negatives into positives more quickly, and with more ease."
Step 2: Visualize
This is a very important step because it is here where you engage your third eye and energetically cause your emotional, mental, and ethereal body to enter a vibration of what it is you want to manifest.
Think intensely on what you want to manifest. Get into a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down. Close your eyes and enter a meditative state. Go through some breathing exercises. Once you have become completely comfortable and aware of the heaviness of your entire body, shift your focus inward onto your third eye.
In this state of consciousness, paint a picture in your mind's eye of receiving that $X amount for your company. Maybe you receive a grant, a loan, or win the lottery. Imagine seeing that amount of money in your bank account. See yourself purchasing everything you need for your business. See the numbers on your brand account rising and rising to your goal. See yourself looking and feeling your best. Envision yourself on that very much-needed vacation.
If you are seeking to manifest a new relationship. See in your mind's eye meeting them for the first time. How familiar does this person's soul look when you stare in their eyes? Allow your higher self to guide you to any scenario. Imagine being a goofball with your partner, or dancing for your partner as they longingly gaze at you. Hear what their laugh sounds like. Feel how good it is to embrace them. Get very specific.
Related: 5 Truths About the Higher Self That Will Elevate Your Life
Once you are done, come out of that space and just buzz in the vibration you have created. In this daydream-like state, you may very well tap into future timelines of your manifestation.
Step 3: Affirm
In this step, you repeat affirming mantras about what it is you want to manifest. As mentioned above, words carry vibrations and instructions. Affirming your intentions are like sending them out into the universe with reinforcements. I like to categorize my affirmations into: Self, Love/Friendships, and Abundance.
Sit in the vibration of the first two steps, and try some of the following affirmations:
Self-Love
- Today, I choose me.
- I love my body and all it does for me.
- My inner world creates my outer world.
- I alone am whole.
- I have everything I need within myself.
- I have the power to change my world.
- I have much to celebrate about myself and my life.
- I choose to stop apologizing for being me.
- I let go of negative self-talk.
- I believe in me.
Love/Friendships
- I attract relationships to me that are for the highest good of all.
- I love sharing amazing conversations with my friends, family, and lover.
- I enjoy and thrive in the company of great friends.
- I love laughing and having fun in my relationships.
- I love that my relationships are in harmony with my highest good.
- I accept that I am loved and treasured for who I really AM.
- I give and receive love freely and fully in all my relationships.
- I love being supported by my friends, family, and relationships.
- I enjoy sharing the real me in relationships.
- I know with every fiber of my being that the Universe is bringing me only the most supportive, loving, and awesome relationships!
Abundance
- I always have whatever I need. The Universe takes good care of me.
- Money flows in my life with abundance.
- All my actions lead to abundance and prosperity.
- The whole Universe and entire mankind is conspiring to make me prosperous and abundant.
- My job/business is an all consuming love affair and I attract whatever I need through it.
- I am thankful for the abundance and prosperity in my life.
- I allow all good things to come into my life and I enjoy them.
- Abundance and prosperity is my birthright and I have it.
- I was prosperous, I am prosperous, and I will always be prosperous.
- The Universe is my endless supply.
Step 4: Write it Down
Photo of notebook from Octavia E. Butler's collection, 1988.
Octavia Butler is one of the world's most successful Black women authors who wrote down all of her goals and aspirations by hand. She was VERY specific about every detail of everything she wanted to accomplish. She wrote down how she would be a bestselling author and listed multiple best sellers' lists. She wrote that her work would reach millions of people.
She wrote about her future goals to help young, disenfranchised Black youth. She unapologetically and sternly wrote down all of her convictions in a positive and all-knowing manner. She repeatedly wrote the powerful words: "I will find the way to do this. So be it! See to it!" It's important that you do the same when trying to manifest your best life so make sure to start your sentences with "I Am" and "I Will" and get as specific as you possibly can with your desires.
Related: How To Write A Letter To Your Future Husband & Attract Your Highest Partner
Btw, Octavia Butler fulfilled everything on her list!
Step 5: Act
Now that you have proclaimed or asked for, visualized, affirmed, and wrote your intentions down, it is time for you to act. The Bible says, "Faith without works is dead." Your actions should not be in a manner of force, fear, lack, or limit. They should be made in flow. You should not carry any resistance in your actions. If your business needs a business plan, just write it! The energy you put into creating this document will draw the right opportunities to you. Send that email or create that new blog.
If you are seeking unconditional love in a new relationship, treat yourself how you will your future partner. Do something nice for yourself. Take yourself on a date. Constantly pour love into yourself. Go with the flow of life. If you feel an urge to move to a new place, go to an event, or meet up with a new friend, just go.
Let your light shine. You'll never know that fulfillment of your manifestation is just on the other side of action.
Don't push or force anything, because you'll only invite the opposite of what you wish to manifest. Though the universe does send things your way, you must be willing to go out there and retrieve it. The universe gives you the waves of intuition and knowingness, but it's up to you to ride them.
If you do these things frequently, you will be manifesting in no time.
So what are you waiting for? Get to manifesting your best life!
Featured image by Getty Images
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Fontaine Felisha Foxworth is a writer and creative entrepreneur from Brooklyn New York. She is currently on the West Coast working on creating a TV Pilot called "Finding Fontaine", that details the nomadic journey of her life so far. Keep up with her shenanigans @famoustaine on IG.
Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney & Jill Marie Jones On 'Games Women Play' & Dating Over 40
What do you get when you mix unfiltered truths, high-stakes romance, and a few well-timed one-liners? You get Games Women Play—the sizzling new stage play by Je’Caryous Johnson that’s part relationship rollercoaster, part grown-woman group chat.
With a powerhouse cast that includes Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney, Jill Marie Jones, Carl Payne, Chico Bean, and Brian J. White, the play dives headfirst into the messy, hilarious, and heart-wrenching games people play for love, power, and peace of mind. And the women leading this story? They’re bringing their whole selves to the stage—and leaving nothing behind.
From Script to Spotlight
The road to Games Women Play started over 20 years ago—literally.
“This script was written 20 years ago,” Jill Marie Jones said with a smile. “It was originally called Men, Money & Gold Diggers, and I was in the film version. So when Je’Caryous called me to bring it to the stage, I was like, ‘Let’s go.’” Now reimagined for 2025, the play is updated with sharp dialogue and modern relationship dynamics that feel all too real.
Demetria McKinney, no stranger to Je’Caryous Johnson’s productions, jumped at the opportunity to join the cast once again. “This is my third time working with him,” she shared. “It was an opportunity to stretch. I’d never been directed by Carl Payne before, and the chance to work with talent I admire—Jill, Claudia, Chico—it was a no-brainer.”
Claudia Jordan joked that she originally saw the role as just another check. “I didn’t take it that seriously at first,” she admitted. “But this is my first full-on tour—and now I’ve got a whole new respect for how hard people work in theater. This ain’t easy.”
Modern Love, Stage Left
The play doesn’t hold back when it comes to the messier parts of love. One jaw-dropping moment comes when a live podcast proposal flips into a prenup bombshell—leaving the audience (and the characters) gasping.
Demetria broke it down with honesty. “People don’t ask the real questions when they date. Like, ‘Do you want kids? How do you feel about money?’ These convos aren’t happening, and then everyone’s confused. That moment in the play—it’s real. That happens all the time.”
Jill chimed in, noting how the play speaks to emotional disconnect. “We’re giving each other different tokens of love. Men might offer security and money. Women, we’re giving our hearts. But there’s a disconnect—and that’s where things fall apart.”
And then Claudia, of course, took it all the way there. “These men don’t even want to sign our prenups now!” she laughed. “They want to live the soft life, too. Wearing units, gloss, getting their brows done. We can’t have nothing! Y’all want to be like us? Then get a damn period and go through menopause.”
Dating Over 40: “You Better Come Correct”
When the conversation turned to real-life relationships, all three women lit up. Their experiences dating in their 40s and 50s have given them both clarity—and zero tolerance for games.
“I feel sexier than I’ve ever felt,” said Jill, who proudly turned 50 in January. “I say what I want. I mean what I say. I’m inside my woman, and I’m not apologizing for it.”
Demetria added that dating now comes with deeper self-awareness. “Anybody in my life is there because I want them there. I’ve worked hard to need nobody. But I’m open to love—as long as you keep doing what got me there in the first place.”
For Claudia, the bar is high—and the peace is priceless. “I’ve worked hard for my peace,” she said. “I’m not dating for food. I’m dating because I want to spend time with you. And honestly, if being with you isn’t better than being alone with my candles and fountains and cats? Then no thanks.”
Channeling Strength & Icon Status
Each actress brings something different to the play—but all of them deliver.
“I actually wish I could be messier on stage,” Claudia joked. “But I think about my grandmother—she was born in 1929, couldn’t even vote or buy a house without a man, and didn’t give a damn. She was fearless. That’s where my strength comes from.”
For Jill, the comparisons to her iconic Girlfriends character Toni Childs aren’t far off—but this role gave her a chance to dig deeper. “If you really understood Toni, you’d see how layered she was. And Paisley is the same—misunderstood, but strong. There’s more to her than people see at first glance.”
Demetria, who juggles singing and acting seamlessly, shared that live theater pushes her in a new way. “Every moment on stage counts. You can’t redo anything. It’s a different kind of love and discipline. You have to give the performance away—live, in the moment—and trust that it lands.”
Laughter, Lessons & Black Girl Gems
The show has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments—and the cast isn’t shy about who steals scenes.
“Chico Bean gets a lot of gasps and laughs,” Claudia said. “And Naomi Booker? Every scene she’s in—she’s hilarious.”
But the play isn’t just about humor. It leaves space for reflection—especially for Black women.
“I hope we get back to the foundation of love and communication,” said Demetria. “A lot of us are in protector mode. But that’s turned into survival mode. We’ve lost softness. We’ve lost connection.”
Claudia agreed. “We’re doing it all—but it’s not because we want to be strong all the time. It’s because we have to be. And I just want women to know: You can have peace, you can be soft. But stop bringing your old pain into new love. Don’t let past heartbreak build walls so high that the right person can’t climb over.”
Final Act: Pack the House
If there’s one thing this cast agrees on, it’s that this play isn’t just entertainment—it’s necessary.
“Atlanta is the Black entertainment hub,” Claudia said. “We need y’all to show up for this play. Support the arts. Support each other. Because when we pack the house, we make space for more stories like this.”
Games Women Play is more than a play—it’s a mirror. You’ll see yourself, your friends, your exes, and maybe even your next chapter. So get ready to laugh, reflect, and maybe even heal—because the games are on.
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Be Careful. Those Casual Friendships Can Be Red Flags Too.
A couple of weeks ago, I was listening to someone vent about an area of frustration that they couldn’t seem to get to the root of — why they keep getting taken advantage of by certain individuals. When you’ve been a life coach for as long as I have (and you were a journalist before that), you learn how to ask certain questions that can cause people to consider things that they may never have before.
So, when I asked her, “What is the common thread with all of those folks? And sit still for two minutes before answering,” when she finally heard her own self speak, her eyes got wide and her mouth dropped open: “They’re all people who I’m not really sure what they are in my life.”
Ding. Ding. DING.
A life coach by the name of Thomas Leonard once said that “Clarity affords focus” and, believe you me, when it comes to dealing with other human beings, if you don’t get clear on where you stand when it comes to your interactions with them, you can very easily find yourself “focusing too much” on those who don’t deserve it and too little on those who absolutely do. And y’all, this lil’ PSA couldn’t be more relevant than when it comes to what I call “casual friendships.”
Let’s dig — and for some of us, dig our way out of — what it means to have a casual friend, so that you can get clear on if you really need those in your life…and if so…why?
Article continues after the video.
It Can’t Be Said Enough: Always Remember What “Casual” Means
There’s a reason why I decided to share two videos by mental health coach Isaiah Frizzle at the top and bottom of this article. It’s because a lot of what he shares in both of them complements a piece that I wrote for the platform last year entitled, “This Is Just What Purposeful Relationships Look Like.”
It’s the author M. Scott Peck who once said, “Until you value yourself, you won't value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it” and please believe that the older (and hopefully more mature) you get, the more you tend to see just how valuable — and fleeting — time is; and that is what plays a huge role in motivating you want to only involve yourself with people, places, things and ideas that will honor your time — and when something is casual? In my opinion, it’s highly debatable that it’s worth much of your months, days, hours, or even too many of your minutes.
The main reason why is addressed in an article that I wrote back in the day entitled, “We Should Really Rethink The Term 'Casual Sex.'” The gist? When it comes to relationships, “casual” is certainly not a favorite word of mine because I know what it means. Have mercy — why would you want to invest your time, energy, and emotions into something that is, by definition, apathetic, indifferent, careless, lacking emotional intimacy, and/or is without purpose?
I don’t know about y’all but that sounds like a complete and total crap shoot to me — especially if you are going to go so far as to consider this type of dynamic a true friendship (check out “Ever Wonder If A Friend Is Just...Not That Into You?,” “6 Signs You're About To Make A Huge Mistake In Making Them A Close Friend,” “5 Signs Of A Toxic Friendship That Is Secretly Poisoning Your Life,” “12 Friend Facts That Might Cause You To Rethink (Some Of) Your Own,” and “Less & Less Of Us Have Close Friends These Days. Why Is That?” ).
To me, when you decide to call someone “friend,” it means that they are loyal, reliable, consistent, trustworthy and willing to be there to support you to the very best of their ability — even if it’s inconvenient to do so sometimes (check out “Life Taught Me That True Friendships Are 'Inconvenient'”). How in the world can you expect that from something that has the word “casual” in it?
And you know what? That actually segues into my next point about casual friendships pretty darn well.
Ponder the Purpose “Casual Friends” Serve in Your Life
A couple of years ago, Verywell Mind published an article entitled, “How the 4 Types of Friendship Fit Into Your Life.” The four that it listed were acquaintances (which I actually don’t consider to be friends; check out “6 Differences Between A Close Acquaintance And An Actual Friend”), casual friends, close friends, and lifelong friends. After reading the piece, I think they consider casual friends to be the “pleasure” friends that I mentioned in the article, “According To Aristotle, We Need ‘Utility’, ‘Pleasure’ & ‘Good’ Friends.”
And although I certainly get that, I think my “cause for pause” is calling those people “friends” when they probably should be called something like an associate or possibly even a buddy instead. Why do I feel this way? Well, I’ve shared in other articles that I think social media has jacked up vocabulary words and their true meaning on a billion different levels.
Take “friend,” for example. Facebook had us out here calling everyone we connected to on their platform “friends” when some of them, we’ve never even spoken to before — and I personally think that influenced, affected and perhaps even infected our psyche to the point where we will call folks, both online and off, “friend” even when they haven’t earned it and/or who possibly don’t deserve it.
That said, do I think that we all could use lighthearted interactions that don’t go very deep and are filled with not much more than fun? Sure. However, if we were to move this over into a sexual thing — those types of people would probably be called a sneaky link, and there is nothing significant or substantial about ‘em. In fact, if anything pretty much automatically comes with an expiration date, sneaky links would have to be it.
And that’s kind of the point that I’m trying to make about a casual friend — so long as you know that the word “casual” is being used to describe them, while you may enjoy the people who fit that bill, they aren’t really anything that you can or even should fully rely on. Instead, take them for what they are and don’t really expect much more than that. Otherwise, you could be in for some profound levels of disappointment. And who wants that?
Final point.
How a Casual Friend Can Become a Huge Red Flag
I’m telling you, y’all gonna quit clowning Tubi. LOL. To me, the best way to describe it is it’s the Cricket of current streaming apps. What I mean by that is, back when Cricket (the cell phone service) first came out, people, like me, who used it service got incessantly clowned because it was seen as a bootleg provider. Now it’s owned by AT&T, and as someone who has rocked with them since I was in my 20s, I don’t have one regret for doing so. Cricket has always been good to me, chile.
And Tubi? Well, when you get a chance, check out CNBC’s article, “CEO at 33, Tubi’s Anjali Sud on success hacks she learned at Amazon, IAC on way to top of Fox streaming” — take note of the moves the streaming app is making and the quality of programming that is transpiring in real time.
Anyway, I find myself bringing up Tubi more and more in my content because it helps to amplify some of the points that I like to make. This time, it’s a movie that’s (currently) on there calledRight Man, Wrong Woman. If you haven’t seen it before, I don’t want to give too much of the film away. What I will say is that the main female character, she had a casual friend and then she had a close friend.
That casual friend—the one who liked to kick it all of the time—was a lot of fun; however, dealing with her came with a ton of semi-unforeseen consequences. Meanwhile, the close friend? She’s what the Aristotle article (that I mentioned earlier) would call the “good friend” because she tried her best to hold her friend accountable.
And really, it shouldn’t be a shock that the casual friend turned out to be a plum trip because if someone is loads of entertainment and pleasure and yet they are indifferent towards you, they make careless decisions around you and/or they don’t really make known the purpose for you being in their life other than to pass some time — where really do you and that person have to go past drinks after work or dinner on a rooftop restaurant from time to time? And if that is all that the two of you are doing, again, why are they deserving of the word “friend”?
Hmph and don’t get me started on the lack of reciprocity that typically transpires when it comes to dealing with people like this because, while they won’t mind you spending your coins on them, taking their calls in the middle of the night or listening to all of their issues — when it comes time for them to show up for you, they very well may gaslight you into thinking that you are being dramatic, clingy or “doing the most.” Why? Well, it’s mostly because the two of you never really established what the hell the both of you are to one another.
And so, while you’re somewhere taking them seriously, they are out here seeing you casually, and as much as it might hurt to hear, that doesn’t automatically or necessarily make them a bad person. You shouldn’t expect much where no clarity is involved. After all, casual is just that: CASUAL.
____
I’m hoping that you can now see why I entitled this piece in the way that I did. It’s because a red flag is pretty much a warning, and to me, a casual friend is about as big of an oxymoron (again, to me) as casual sex is. Friends and sex are both too intimate to be seen or treated casually. Oh, but if you step out and take that risk, you could find yourself getting far more involved than the other individual ever wanted to go, because casual is how things have always been. “Friend” was simply to get you more mentally and emotionally invested. SMDH.
American columnist Walter Winchell once said, “A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” A wise person once said, “One good friendship will outlive forty average loves." Former President Ulysses S. Grant once said, “The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity.” Does any of this sound casual to you? Yeah, me neither.
Again, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have people in your life who aren’t on deep levels. I’m just saying that you might want to consider putting them into another category than friend, because what friends do for people? There ain’t nothin’ even remotely casual about it, sis. Not even a lil’ bit.
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