Manifestation – Danielle Bannister, Author

I know you’re probably sick to death hearing from me lately what with Nanowrimo, the book signing I have going on tomorrow, and my release Tuesday, but I have news and I need to share it!

One is of a personal nature and one is a writing-related one.

On the personal front, MY SON GOT INTO COLLEGE! Now, that may not seem like a huge deal. Kids get into college every day. It’s a huge deal for us because up until a few weeks ago, my son had ZERO interest in any additional education after graduation. No trade schools, no community colleges, and definitely no universities. He wanted to just start his life already. He was sick of school.

Then, came a mandatory college fair at school. He picked four schools literally at random. He wasn’t going, so what did it matter what he picked, right? Well, one of the schools he picked was CMCC. He didn’t even know what the letters stood for. Turns out it stands for Central Maine Community College. A school about an hour and a half away from his parents.

As he was at the CMCC session, not really paying attention to any of it, he heard the recruiter say the words “Esports and gaming.” They have a college Esports team. With tryouts, uniforms, the whole 9 yards. Suddenly, he was all ears. He came home with a pamphlet and we jumped on the chance to go on a tour. Maybe if he could SEE what college would be like, SO NOT like high school, he might change his tune about wanting to go.

The next week, on a gorgeous fall day we toured the campus. He thought he might like to look into graphic design, cause he has some mad drawing skills. No clue where he got that from. While on the tour, we stopped at the Esports section.

It was here that he learned he could not only try out to be on their Esports team, (yes, you have to try out to be on an online gaming team) he could also major in Esports Management. Managing tournaments. Who knew that was a thing? Apparently, it is a growing market that has some pretty good salaries the longer you’re at it. His eyes lit up. He could major in the thing he loves? Get out of dodge! He applied the second he got home, and we just found out, he was accepted into the program!

And to think, all from choosing a recruiter at random to listen to. To that woman, I say, THANK YOU!

The second bit of news happened the same day that he got accepted. And it’s kind of bizarre how it happened. For the last year or so, I’ve been working on manifesting things that I wanted into my life. I wanted to get a better job with benefits. I got one. I wanted a very particular blue couch. I got the couch. I wanted a car that wouldn’t slide all over the place in winter and constantly be in the shop. I got my first 2019 Jeep with 4WD in the spring. Ask it, believe it, receive it. That is my routine.

When I manifest, I try to picture myself in the moment of the change I want to see. For instance, with the couch, I imagined myself sitting on the couch in my living room, curled up with a blanket and a good book. I tried to feel how comfortable it might be. That sort of thing. For this book-related manifestation, I imagined I’d be at my desk grinding away at the day job. Things would be going nuts. I would be stressed. Out straight. But then, I’d get a call from my publisher with some sort of a deal. I didn’t even care what. I just wanted them to call and offer me something. That would be validation that I was on the right path. That was the manifestation. Let me know that I shouldn’t give up on writing. For months, I replayed that moment when I got the call in my head. Months!

Then, on Wednesday afternoon, I was in the middle of a high-stakes task at the day job. Rush tasks were piling up. E-mails and notifications kept pinging. I could feel the stress building up. Then, I get a notification on my cell phone. I almost didn’t look at it because I was so busy. But I checked in case it was one of my kids. It wasn’t them. It was my publisher, saying, ‘I know you’re working but do you have time for a quick call?’

Holy shit. My manifestation was happening just as I imagined it would. I took the call, obviously, and an offer WAS made with a nice advance (for me.) I can’t tell you the details yet as the contract is currently being drawn up, but once it’s signed, I’ll fill you in! Validation. The message was clear.

Don’t you dare give up writing. I have plans for you.
-The Universe

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go do some more manifesting. And some writing. I need to submit the book they want by end of the month. Nanowrimo who? Sorry, you have been kicked to the curb. Mama needs to focus on something else!

Dani/Danielle Bannister, author and manifestor of all the things

A while back, I did a post on manifestations. In that post, I talked about how I’d been trying a new approach to thinking. I’d been reading a lot of manifestation books and articles on the concept and thought I’d give it a shot.

The general idea was that you should ask the Universe for something. Then, believe you’d get it, and when you did, realize you got what you asked for. Ask it. Believe it. Receive it.

So, I had to think about things I wanted. And being okay with wanting something. This was no time to be meek. I had to allow myself to ask for things. After some self-reflection, there were three really big things (for me) that I started with.

I wanted Girl on Fire to become a bestseller.
I wanted a new couch. A very specific new couch.
I wanted financial stability. (Don’t we all?)

With the list of what I wanted, I began the work of manifesting them into reality. I started this journey of manifestation back in August of last year. It wasn’t as easy as just writing down the things I wanted. I also had to trust and BELIEVE that those things would come to me. That the Universe would give me what I wanted. My job was not to focus on HOW I’d get those things, but rather to trust that they would happen and acknowledge it when it did.

For six months I journaled. I asked the Universe for what I wanted. I imagined myself having the things I asked for. Truly believed that they would come to me. All I had to do was ask and believe, (harder than it sounds) and if I did those two things, the Universe would find the fastest way to give me those things. Trust me, I know it sounds wackado, but I did it anyway. I trusted the process.

Well, it’s six months later. How have any of those three manifestations come true?

I wanted Girl on Fire to become a bestseller.

2. I wanted THIS couch. I even taped inside my journal six months ago. I did not have the $1,300 bucks to pay for this couch. I only had about $300 bucks tucked away for it one day.

I have ALWAYS wanted an L-shaped blue couch.
I have no idea why.

Then, out of the blue, $1,000 came my way. It wasn’t money I was expecting or planning on. But the Universe provided it to me. I’ll be honest, at first, I didn’t want to use it on the couch. My worrier wanted to save it, or put it toward a new car (which I also need.) But a dear friend reminded me that I had asked the Universe for this couch. My job was to receive the gift. So, I ordered it!

And lastly, the big item I was the most terrified to ask for.

3. I wanted financial security.

Now, this ask is a personal one. Ever since my divorce years ago, I have struggled to raise two kids with my day job. My writing, while I love doing it, isn’t paying for anything but itself at the moment, so a day job is a necessity. But, finding a job with my health issues is tricky. Which is part of why I stayed at my lower-paying job for 16 years. It worked for my health.

Earlier this month, my current day job let me know that my position might not be there next year. COVID had really affected the need for my role in its current state. Suddenly, I HAD to look for a new job. While I was terrified of the thought of starting all over in a new position, I trusted that the Universe had a plan. I BELIEVED that I would find the perfect job for me. As a normal worrier, it is not easy to let go of control.

But I had asked the Universe for financial security, and I am here to report, that that is exactly what the Universe gave me. Starting next week, I’ll be working a remote job that will take care of the health issue, I’ll get great benefits, a built-in community, but more importantly, it will also tick off that final box of being financially secure. After 16 years of living paycheck to paycheck, I will be able to let out a breath and know that I’ll be okay.

So, six months in, do I think manifestation works? Do I think writing down daily things I’m grateful for matters? Yeah. Yeah, I do.

Now, the only question is, what am I going to manifest next?

Danielle/Dani Bannister Author and believer of dreams

Tag: Manifestation

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Ask it. Believe it. Receive it. Pt 2.