"Speak as though it were," my mom would tell me as I worried myself into oblivion. I'm a chronic destination addict with no plan of recovery, but her words have become law to me. The universe proved to me at a very young age that you attract what you focus on, so it is important to speak the things that you want into existence.

Ciara recently opened up in an interview with Essence about her experience with the law of attraction, and how important it is to be clear in your intentions about the things that you want out of life. She cited self-love and positive affirmation as the tools she used to manifest the life of her dreams.

"I'm a big believer in writing down what you want in general. I'm a believer in seeing it, speaking it, and writing it down.There's something about the power of the tongue and the mind and you're actually affirming it by writing it down."

She made the point that it's nearly impossible to attain the life that you dream of without having a concise vision of what that life should include. Before the multi-talented singer met her football superstar husband/father of her one-year-old, Sienna, she took the time to take inventory of what she really wanted out of a lifetime partner. She told Essence:

"I took a moment to pause and to really reflect on the journey and where I was at that moment of even looking at love again. I think that it's really important for [women] to know exactly what we want and be clear about it and also be patient.

"I didn't know I was going to meet my husband when I did, and that was really a blessing and I believe it was God's timing. But I was patient and was willing to be still for as long as I needed to have the best partner I could have in my life."

Ciara is a testament to the power of taking the time to ask ourselves: What do I really want? For Ciara, her ambitions for a perfect reality included philanthropy, being a world class performing artist, a dedicated wife, and an active mommy; but balancing these challenging roles has not been easy and prompted her to develop her own personal game plan for motherhood.

"Being a mom is not about doing what everybody else does. You might take some inspiration and advice, but it's really about designing your own game plan."

She said that her method for balancing her wild ambition with being a mom is planning out the details and making time for what's most important. In an interview with Forbes, the 32-year-old mother of two offered some advice to active moms with chaotic professional lives:

"Before you hit the ground running, you have to think through the details and map out your day, especially if you and your partner are both on the go. It's about putting together the best system and schedule that can allow me to be content in both areas. You never know what it's like until you have kids, especially when you're a driven person and you're so used to focusing on work, work, work. What I've learned is that when things are right at home, with your kids and family, that's where it all starts, and then everything else will fall in place. My kids have given me perspective, too. They allow me to relax a little bit and not be too hard on myself."

Due to her newfound perspective, despite her tremendous accolades and acclaim, Ciara says that she now understands that her children are her greatest legacy. She added:

"They give you perspective about what truly matters, and they make life so much better and more fun. I feel more empowered now than ever, so yeah, don't be afraid of living. Because you really are living life when you decide to create life. That's your legacy."

Ciara reminds how important it is to have a game plan that reflects what we genuinely want in both our personal and professional lives. To reach your goals, no matter how wild, you have to first understand what they and draft a realistic game plan to execute.

When you are clear about your intentions, the Universe will allow you to manifest beyond your wildest dreams.

Originally published May 14, 2018

Featured image via Ciara/Instagram