If things haven't been going your way this year, there's hope: 2018 is a promising year for manifesting your dreams, psychic Deborah Graham said in a recent workshop. Eight is a lucky number: It represents wealth in China and Japan, and it's a rotated infinity sign, signifying infinite possibilities for the new year. So, manifestation exercises will go even further than usual after New Year's, says Graham.
If you're not familiar with the concept, manifesting means picturing your future so vividly and confidently, the thing you're visualizing actually happens. Spiritual people like Graham say this happens because your thoughts impact the electromagnetic current connecting the whole universe, influencing real-life events.
But you don't have to be spiritual to believe in manifestation. It's possible that when you believe something is going to happen, you behave as if it will. You boldly ask for what you want and find creative ways to get it when necessary. You don't get discouraged by setbacks. And because you're positive you deserve it, others believe you do, too.
Graham recommends several exercises and thought processes to help manifest your dreams. Start them now, and by January, you'll be on your way to improving your life.
1. Meditate
Take five minutes each day to breath slowly and with each breath out, release all the negativity you've been dealing with. Many people take time to breath in but not breath out, says Graham. Put your hands on your lower stomach — your sacral chakra — to help connect with your intuition. Then, imagine all the things you want in your life, including what getting them will feel like. Focus on the feeling rather than the specifics, because the universe could bring you something even better than you could imagine or something equally good in a different form. You don't want to limit yourself.
2. Release The Past
Lots of us have trouble manifesting the futures we want because we're stuck in the past, says Graham. We have negative people demanding our attention, trauma we're still trying to process, or even physical or emotional ailments carried over from past lives. Releasing means limiting our interactions with negative people, understanding that any trauma we experienced was not our fault and we don't need to make sense of it, and undergoing relaxation rituals (Graham recommends bath salts). Whatever's holding you back, check it off your list before the new year so you can focus on moving forward.
3. Rearrange Your Living Space
Another way to release the past is to get rid of old stuff you don't need. Sometimes, things we've had with us during negative times in our life pick up negative energy. Other changes to your living space can help prepare you for the future. For example, if you want to attract love, you'll want to leave space in your bed by moving stuffed animals out of the way and put away any photos or belongings of your ex. Out with the old, in with the new!
4. Make A Vision Board
A vision board is a poster that includes pictures and words representing what you want to manifest. An easy way to create one is to cut things out from magazines, though you can use whatever medium you like. If you're a skeptic and have trouble convincing yourself that this is worth your time, make a plan to do it with a friend. You'll hold each other accountable, and regardless of whether the posters work, you'll have a good conversation about what you both want in life.
5. Connect With Your Sexual Energy
Much to the amusement of her clients, Graham advocates "patting the puss." This is where your root chakra is, and if you neglect it, your energy can get trapped there. Masturbation can help release negative thoughts that are blocking you and create space for more positive ones to move through your body.
Throughout this process, believe that you're worthy of all the great things coming to you. The universe, after all, can only give you what you're able to accept.
