Manifesting Travel
[ (v.) man·i·fest·ing + tra·vel ]
Aligning your thoughts + energy to create your dream travel experiences.
What is manifesting?
So, what is manifesting anyway? Simply put, manifesting is aligning your thoughts and energy to attract what you want in your life and who you want to become. The practice is rooted in the Law of Attraction which ultimately states that your thoughts dictate your reality. Negative thoughts will reap negative outcomes, positive thoughts will reap positive outcomes, and whatever you focus your attention on, you get more of.
But before we really dig in, nobody is telling you to run out and buy crystals to chant under the full moon in the jungle with a naked shaman…also, nobody is telling you NOT to do that. Especially because that sounds like one travel experience you’ll never forget. But I am telling you that there are so many parallels between manifesting and concepts you already use that you should really take the time to explore. Because there’s a good chance you have probably already manifested something in your life without even realizing it.
Why should you manifest travel?
I think the better question is, "who wouldn't want to learn how to manifest travel?" At its core, the intrinsic benefit of manifesting travel is personal evolution. In other words, you will become a better human being just by traveling the world, because it is the ultimate amplifier for personal growth and fulfillment. The memories we collect while traveling through foreign lands translate to life lessons. Embracing uncertainty, building self-confidence, expanding our outlooks, developing more empathy; the benefits are endless.
Science even corroborates these claims. Columbia professor Adam Galinsky was quoted in The Atlantic regarding his study on the connection between international travel and boosting your creativity. He found that interacting with other cultures actually changes the neuroplasticity and cognitive flexibility of your brain. Immersive experiences, like trying local foods and hearing new languages, activate different synapses and can revitalize our minds. And the effects are long lasting, often resulting in a stronger sense of self, more creative and consistent problem-solving abilities and improved critical thinking skills.
Read more on Culinary Travel Adventures
Is manifesting real?
People who believe in manifesting run the gamut, from spiritual thought leaders like Deepak Chopra and Gabby Bernstein to the ultra-successful Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow. Does it sound too woo-woo for you? It’s a safe bet you’ve already had brushes with the concept before and may not have realized it.
“Fake it ‘til you make it.” Remember that one? Same concept: live your life as if you’ve already achieved until you do. Or how about “dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” All that means is that you’re acting the part and preparing to step into the role you want. And one of my favorites, have you ever daydreamed about a vacation you desperately needed? I mean, you have already pictured yourself under that colorful umbrella, the sun kissing your toes as you reach for a frosty glass of tropical fruit mixed with the perfect amount of ice and rum. Then you’re already a master visualizer, and that’s another facet of manifesting. See? These are real concepts you already know about.
Now, think of a time in your life when your own positivity shaped your behavior and the way others responded to you. This is called raising your vibration. You attracted new people and new experiences or opportunities because you were firing on all cylinders. People were drawn to you and doors were opened because of it. Like your birthday or after you’ve gotten your hair done for instance; you look good and you feel good, so you become a proverbial tuning fork. If you’re still drawing a blank, think of all the photos from your old birthday parties, there isn’t a bad one in the bunch because you’re glowing from the inside. This is a real-world example of raising your vibration and a main component of manifesting.
How do you manifest travel?
Here’s where it gets fun. Where do you want to go? Pick a destination that excites you, one that really lights you up from the inside because you need to be crystal clear about where you’re manifesting travel.
1. Get Specific
I mean really specific, not just a “I want to go on a nice vacation sometime this year.” I’m talking “I want to trace my name in Cuba’s white sugary sands while watching a cotton candy sunset and shaking my culo to live salsa music under the swaying palm trees.” No Vague Vickies on this step otherwise you may end up attracting a timeshare trip to a Wisconsin Dells waterpark when you’re a sexy single trying to mingle.
Read more on Cuba travel
2. Ask for it out loud, then write it down
There’s something powerful about verbalizing what you want. It’s like having a direct line to the Universe or God, whatever you identify with. Now let’s add some science to it. A study conducted by Dominican University of California showed that you are 42% more likely to achieve your dreams by doing the easiest thing possible…writing them down. Thanks, Marie for dropping that tidbit of info into our laps. Best-selling author and spiritual teacher Gabby Bernstein takes it one step further by suggesting that not only should you ask for what you want, but then you should quickly follow that up with a “or something better.” Because what the Universe has in store for you may be way beyond your realm of understanding or expectation. And why would you want to get in the way of that? That’s like asking for a hundred bucks when the Universe had fully intended on floating you a grand.
3. Create a vision board
Oh, hello Pinterest or the good old-fashioned magazines and a glue stick. You can even save Instagram posts to your phone for quick draw visualizing. The point is to surround yourself with images that reflect where you want to go so you can create excitement and joy around the trip. All that happiness you feel magnifies your energy, AKA your vibration.
4. Start moving toward it
This is the action step of manifesting and where that “fake it ‘til you make it” portion comes in. Start planning your trip. Start looking at neighborhoods to find out where you want to stay, how much are the hotel rooms? What types of things would you like to do while you’re there? You have to flip the switch in your brain that would typically say, “Oh, I couldn’t ever go all the way to Europe.” Once you start acting like the type of person who not only goes to Europe, but hops the pond whenever the spirit moves you, you’ve raised your vibration.
Read more on Europe travel
5. Practice gratitude
Rumi said, “Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life.” But if a poet’s rendition of being thankful isn’t enough for you to start believing it, maybe a study published in Harvard Health will help. “In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.” AKA, practicing gratitude raises your vibration. Are you seeing a pattern yet? Start feeling thankful for your trip before you even get on the plane. Take a moment of appreciation for the glorious emerald forests in the Pacific Northwest and your road trip from Whidbey Island to Lummi Island.
6. Release it
One of the easiest ways to crush your manifestations is to try and control them. If you have a sumo death grip on your deepest desires, you are inadvertently stopping their flow to you. This is where you say, “Ok Universe, you and I have made a deal and now I’m going to step back and let you do your part.” You are trusting that the trip you want to go on is on its way to you. You have to know with every fiber of your being that you are going to be sipping that ice cold sangria on the beaches of Spain while the Mediterranean Sea laps at your feet. Don’t worry about the how, the who, the when….none of it. Have faith that the Universe is scheming to deliver your trip on a silver platter, and it will.
Loved how to manifest travel in just six easy steps?
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Ashley Oñoz-Wright has been a travel writer and editor based in Las Vegas, NV for the last eight years and is a regular contributor for Manifesting Travel, Modern Luxury, Sophisticated Living, Greenspun Media Group, Vegas.com and LasVegas.com. She holds a degree in Sociology & Anthropology from DePauw University.
