Yaya DaCosta Shares Her Tips On Manifestation And The One Question Every Woman Should Ask Herself

“Vision boards are something I got into not that long ago—maybe in 2017,” she tells the publication. “My favorite thing about them is being able to look back at them. It’s this amazing invitation to have gratitude for the universe.” DaCosta recalls putting the goal of hitting six seasons of Chicago Med on her vision boards and ended up accomplishing that exactly — proving that words have power.

“When you actually put them on paper, it’s proof that we’re doing what we’re supposed to do—that we’re on the right track,” she says. “And that we’re being heard, and while we’re receiving our blessings, we’re also doing our part.”

But when it comes to visualization, the 40-year-old actress likes to take things up a notch by doing what she calls, “vision playlists” that give her a soundtrack to turning her dreams into a reality. “For whatever theme I’m working on, I find songs that support that and play them on repeat,” she explains. “A lot of that music feeds that part of my brain that is working on the level up in that area. And let me tell you: It’s been working.”

Between her many projects and balancing motherhood, DaCosta finds time to unwind and reconnect with herself through self-care practices that nurture her on a spiritual and physical level. “I love dance, yoga, and travel. I am also a doula,” she says. “I’ve spent a lot of time doing birth work and learning about different healing modalities, whether it’s practicing reiki or tuning in to other forms of wisdom and having conversations around mysticism and why we’re here.”

With all the time she spends keeping her hands busy and pouring into others, she emphasizes the importance of women keeping their cups full so they have enough to give themselves and all that demands their attention. And before you experience burnout, DaCosta says that one question every woman should ask themselves is: “Are you giving from the overflow of your cup?”

“I think women are natural nurturers and givers. We are receptive by nature and by physical design, and we are also taught to give. But oftentimes, we’re not taught to give to ourselves first.”

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