Manifesting: we keep hearing about it – on Instagram, in yoga classes, during inspirational talks. But what exactly does it mean? Manifesting works in tandem with the law of attraction and essentially boils down to this: to manifest is to intentionally create what you want. The idea of manifesting has blown up the past few years, and for good reason. People are waking up to the fact we have a lot more control over our lives than we’ve been conditioned to believe, and we can literally create anything we desire with a bit of work, an elevated vibration, and a lot of trust in the universe.

I’ve only been seriously practicing manifesting for the past couple years – but have unintentionally been doing it since I was a kid. Remember when you were little and you had that natural sense of wonder, coming up with grand ideas of what you wanted to be when you grew up? That was you visualizing your dream life. As we aged, that child-like wonder was ripped away from us as we started to face the world, and our hopes and dreams got squashed with it.

I decided it was time to take my power back and start believing in magic again – and you can too. These are my tried-and-true steps to manifesting your dream life. Buckle up, and be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.

1. Get clear and ask

You can’t manifest your dream life until you know what it looks like, how it feels, and why you want it. Do you often daydream about the things you want – be it a new job or car, a romantic partner, or more likeminded friends? Is it all of these things, or more? While it may seem like just that: a dream; this is actually your subconscious gently pushing you towards your highest purpose. Take some time with your thoughts to determine exactly what it is that you want. Get really clear on your motivation for wanting these things. For example, “I want to be working in this kind of job so I can feel valued, fulfilled and happy in my work” or “I want to meet new friends who share more of my interests so I can share fun experiences with those people.” Remember, manifestation only works when you get really clear on what you want to manifest. If you don’t know what you want, you’ll have a much tougher time attracting it.

2. Practice gratitude + alignment

The #1 gateway to living a more elevated, abundant life is to genuinely be grateful for the life you already have, and start to align with love and gratitude rather than fear and lack. Take some time regularly, whether it’s first thing in the morning or before bed, to think about the life you’re currently living and what you’re grateful for within it. Thank the universe for those blessings. It could be simple things like a roof over your head and food in the fridge. A sibling that always has your back. Your dog who’s always excited to see you when you get home. These are small things that we often take for granted because we’re so focused on what we don’t have (the lack mentality). Even if the going feels really grim for you at the moment, try to focus on the things you do have that bring you joy, and sit in that feeling rather than the feeling you get when you focus on the negative.

3. Visualize

Once you’ve determined what you want, go deeper. Say you want to manifest a new job. What does that job look like? What are your day to day responsibilities? Do you get along with your coworkers? What are the feelings you’ll have when you’re in that job? Do you feel valued, fulfilled, and happy? What’s your salary? The same thing goes for manifesting a romantic partner. What are that person’s physical and personal attributes? What do you guys do for fun? How does that person make you feel? Help your visualizing along any way that suits you – whether that’s writing a list, creating a vision board or coming up with a mantra that you recite to yourself regularly.

4. Take action

As the old saying goes, dreams won’t work unless you do. While these practices will simplify and speed up the manifesting process, nothing will happen if you’re not taking action. You’ve gotten clear on what you want, and asked the universe for it. You’ve practiced gratitude and alignment, and you’ve visualized the perfect scenario. Now it’s time to start taking steps toward the goal. First, identify what’s standing in your way of making it happen, and kick it to the curb. Maybe it’s banishing self-doubt, finally leaving that soul-destroying job, quitting a bad habit, or cutting out a toxic person in your life who’s shitting on your parade. Regardless of what it is – anything you can do to remove the blocks in your path is going to make manifesting a whole lot easier. Then, think about the moves that make sense to make, and get going. It could be as simple as updating your resumé and applying for that job you thought you’d never get; signing up for a dating site or finally striking up a conversation with that hot guy at the gym; or joining a local club you were too nervous to before for a hobby you enjoy. Above all else, just keep making moves, no matter how small. Take every opportunity that comes your way. While it may not feel like it at first – everything you’re doing is paving the way to your highest purpose. Remember, the only mistake you can make is not doing anything at all.

5. Act as if

In my opinion, this is the most important step in the manifesting process. The saying “Fake it ’til you make it” applies here. You need to act as if you already have everything you desire (spoiler alert – you do!). Say you’re trying to manifest a large sum of money. What feelings would arise in you when you received it? Is it excitement, relief, abundance? Cool. Start feeling excitement, relief, and abundance in your day to day life. Looking for “the one” so you can feel desired and loved? Realize you’re already desired and loved. Instead of saying to yourself, “One day I’m going to be healthy” – keep telling yourself “I am healthy” until you believe it. By affirming that you’re already exactly where you want to be, you’re raising your vibration and telling the universe that you’re ready to receive.

6. Release and trust

Now that you’ve gone through the whole rigmarole, you gotta let it go. I know this sounds counter-productive, but it’s important that you try not to fixate on specific outcomes or rigid timelines. Rather, focus on the feelings you’ll have once you’re living that dream life, and trust that you’ll get there in good, divine time. Keep your eye on the prize, but don’t get down on yourself if something isn’t happening right away, or exactly how you planned. Be open to what the universe brings you, as hindsight will often show you that what you got instead was better for you in the long run. Remember, each and every one of us has our own path, and the universe is constantly guiding us to where we need to be; sending us signals and gentle reminders along the way. Don’t fight the process – trust it.