There’s a lot of talk these days about manifestation. From spiritual circles to the #girlboss corners of the Interwebs, more people are becoming aware of the law of attraction, that our thoughts, language and actions can – and do – influence our experiences. What’s often missing from these discussions, however, is a legible and relatable blueprint everyday people can follow to actually transform their beliefs, energy and behaviors. Sandra Hinojosa Ludwig just fixed that. In the Mexican-Canadian life coach and author’s new book, Chica Why Not?, she breaks down the law of attraction and teaches Latinas how to live with intention and manifest a life they love.

Through personal experience, certified life coach education and conversations with more than 100 Latina clients, Hinojosa Ludwig ties numerous forms of knowledge to help readers who feel stuck in life begin to claim dreams and craft futures they deserve. Even more, she sprinkles reflections and exercises throughout the pages to help women confront common excuses, practice self-compassion and stay on path.

“We talk a lot about intergenerational traumas, but I want us to also talk about intergenerational wellbeing. I want us to spread the belief that we deserve great things, that we can dream big and achieve big. This way, even if society tells us differently, we will know better because we will know who we are: powerful people that can do and have anything,” the Toronto-based author tells FIERCE. “My hope is to inspire this mindset in Latinas today and have that be a ripple effect for future generations.”

In Chica, Why Not?, Hinojosa Ludwig shares her six-step program for manifesting the life you want. For several years, she has used this process with hundreds of clients dreaming up new careers, love lives, bank accounts and more. Below, she offers a few guiding tips on how you, too, can start attracting the life you deserve today. 

Penguin Random House

Everything starts with clarity.

According to Hinojosa Ludwig, if you don’t have clarity about what you want, then it’s impossible to live a life of intention. As such, the first step to manifestation is getting clear on what you actually want and what brings you joy. “Being clear in what you want drives everything else,” she says. “When you connect with that part of you that has big dreams – whatever that means to you; this is very personal and different for everyone –  it invites you to become courageous, dream big and do what works for you, not your parents, your job or your community.” To help provide clarity, Chica, Why Not? includes various exercises that help readers flesh out broad ideas (e.g. happiness) to specific areas and goals (e.g. homeownership) that aligns with them.

Stop making excuses.

In order to gain clarity, and manifest your dreams, it’s critical to push back against excuses or limiting beliefs that aim to keep you where you are. Hinojosa Ludwig calls these “si peros,” the moment we block ourselves from even envisioning a future we secretly desire with a string of “but my family won’t approve,” “but I don’t have the money” or “but I don’t have the right education” – you know the one you keep telling yourself.  “When we play small or live for others, we will never have this big life that we want. I talk about ‘si peros’ to help readers question the stories we tell ourselves,” Hinojosa Ludwig says. It’s not always easy to crush these messages we’ve internalized, but it’s worth the effort. Hinojosa Ludwig urges readers to be gentle with themselves and, if needed, enlist the help of a therapist or life coach.

Focus on your why.

The law of attraction says that everything has a vibration, and that our thoughts and actions are in collaboration with the universe. Once you ask, or state your manifestation, the universe starts working. But you must align your energy – your thoughts, beliefs and actions – with the energy of your desire. This isn’t always easy, and there are numerous ways to get distracted as well as bumps on the road that might discourage you from carrying on. Instead, Hinojosa Ludwig urges readers to trust the universe and remember why they embarked on this journey. “Focus on your why. Focus on why you want something. Maybe what you want is a bigger home, but why you want that bigger home is because you love having family over or because you want to see your kids grow. That’s your biggest desire,” she says. “Focus on this, and give permission to the universe to give this to you in the best way for you. Resist the urge to take control and trust the universe.”

Grow through what you go through.

Manifesting is powerful and beautiful. It’s you taking ownership of your life and living with intention. But as with any journey, it might, and will likely, come with difficult moments that will require you to let go – of ideas, comforts, people or something else. “You have to remove resistance. Imagine a river. If a river is to flow as easily as it can, you need to remove dams that beavers are building,” Hinojosa Ludwig says. “Similarly, you want your river to flow, so you must remove resistance, and you might find that process will bring up triggers or traumas that are keeping you in a place where you feel unworthy. What started as a process of removal will become a path of flow and growth.”

Note: the tips above are initiatory and non-comprehensive. For Hinojosa Ludwig’s six steps to creating a life with intention, including helpful exercises, prompts and stories, be sure to pick up Chica, Why Not?

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