Journaling isn’t for everyone, we get it. There are some real fears around it – someone might read it without your permission (we’ve all had nightmares over this, you're not alone), and the wrong side of your brain starts getting second-hand embarrassment over the things you’re writing down. We’ve all been there and your feelings are valid.
You may not know that there are dozens of different ways to journal. Brain dumping, intention setting, writing down your mood and feelings. But one of the most powerful tools that are often overlooked is a journal method called scripting.
WHAT IS SCRIPTING?
Scripting is a manifestation technique done in the form of journaling where one writes down their dreams and goals as if they’ve already happened. When done on a consistent basis, it’s shown to reprogram both the conscious and subconscious mind by focusing on how one will feel when these things and experiences arrive.
WHAT MAKES SCRIPTING DIFFERENT FROM OTHER TECHNIQUES?
The power of visualizing your future during meditation is so powerful. Dr. Joe Dispenza, the best-selling author of Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind has worked with his team of scientists throughout the last two decades to prove the power of mind-body connection. We respect Joe because his evidence is completely backed by science. For example, a study published in Neuropsychologia found that imagining moving certain parts of your body can train the muscles as much as the actual movement.
However, not all of us are built to sit down and meditate for 30+ minutes at a time. Enter: scripting. Scripting is visualization on paper- making it much easier to focus and/or sit for a longer period of time. The moment we put pen to paper we can dive into so much more detail! Think of it as writing the story of your life. If your love language is words of affirmation, you’re in the right place.
HOW TO USE SCRIPTING:
Create a Safe Environment: One of the most important parts of manifestation is getting into a comfortable space where you feel safe. When you’re physically relaxed, you’re more likely to open up and write more detail. Your environment should inspire and motivate you, it’s also helpful to be alone and in a quiet, calm atmosphere. We recommend reading our blog post How To Make Your Space More Productive before diving into part two.
Practice Gratitude: Manifestation and gratitude go together like SPF and a baseball cap. Separately they’re effective, but together…*chefs kiss*. The fastest way to manifest anything you want in your life is to be grateful for what you already have. Research by UC Davis psychologist Robert Emmons shows that simply keeping a gratitude journal can significantly increase well‑being and life satisfaction. Start your scripting by writing a list of 20 things you’re grateful for, this number forces you to really think about all aspects of your life (not just the basic friends and family). Remember, you’re writing this list as if you already have the things you want. For example, if you really want a job offer at Google, you would write “I’m grateful for my amazing career with Google”.
Write Down What You Want To Manifest: Now the fun part. Our #1 tip – the more detail the better. To some extent, we’ve all had some type of dream life…whether it’s traveling the world, starting your own business, or becoming an actor, at some point in your childhood you had a vision of what your life would be like. We recommend starting with the exercise “Genie in a Bottle” which was created by Jack Canfield, the author of The Aladdin Factor – if you could have 100 wishes granted to you, guaranteed that they will happen, what would they be? Don’t let your mind limit you. This section is meant to scare you. Dream as big as you can!
Key Tip: When writing down your wishes, write them in the present tense. This reprograms your subconscious into believing that they’ve already happened.
Example: I landed the job of my dreams. This is something I have desired and worked towards for a long time. The interview was so much easier than I anticipated. Every day I feel so excited to get up and go to work. I feel it cannot get any better than this – I get paid to do what I love. Thank you, Universe, for making my dreams come true.
Write Down How This Will Make You Feel: Describing your feelings is absolutely key to writing a powerful script. Expressing how it feels to have your manifestation allows you to truly put yourself in your future reality and embody that version of yourself on an energetic level. If your goal is to live in a beautiful, ocean-view condo in Miami, imagine yourself sitting on that balcony. How would you feel? It’s not the words that help you manifest, but the feelings behind the words!
Key Tip: If you’re struggling with writing, try out our guided visualization meditation here. This 16-minute meditation is designed to help you gain clarity on your future and manifest it into reality!
Let Go: Gabrielle Bernstein, the best-selling author of The Universe Has Our Back always says that when we’re on a path of personal growth, we have to be willing to let go of our stories. Our job is to surrender to the fact that the Universe has a plan far better than ours. Letting go is having a firm belief that something better is going to happen.
If you’re having trouble with the concept of letting go, we recommend that you watch this quick video by the manifestation queen herself.
REAL-LIFE SCRIPTING EXAMPLES:
The reason we’re sharing this technique is that the Cacti team has witnessed its magic. Here are a few examples of how scripting has changed our lives.
“Since I was young I’ve always dreamed that someday I would live in a brownstone townhouse in downtown Chicago. When I was older I started scripting about how easy it would be to find this townhouse, I could visualize exactly what it looked like. Later in life, when I found out I was moving to Chicago for a new job, I found this brownstone townhouse for rent, now I’m moving into my dream house because I kept believing that it would someday find me.” – Caroline, Graphic Designer
“For the last two years of the pandemic, I’ve had a travel bug (as I’m sure many of us have). I kept setting 90-day goals to “travel more for work” or “have meetings that take me around the country”. After months of feeling no progress, I started scripting around the topic. I’d write, in detail, about where I traveled, what hotel I stayed in, where I had these meetings, and who they were with. Then, I started reaching out to the right places & people (putting in the work alongside scripting is KEY). This summer, I’ve already booked events and meetings in LA, Miami, and The Hamptons. The best part? Now that I have the momentum, it’s given me the confidence to believe in myself and book even more. Not to mention, our business is seeing serious growth :)” - Kira, CEO/Founder
“During the pandemic, I was living at home and a bit frustrated with the fact I couldn’t leave my house or travel (it’s a huge part of my life!) one day I whipped out my journal and wrote down that I wanted to live in my own apartment, on the west coast of Canada that had floor to ceiling windows. I could literally visualize this apartment the moment I walked through the door of it. Modern, a big kitchen island, lots of sunlight. About 10 months later I met my partner, moved in with him, and lo and behold, it was a modern apartment on the west coast with floor-to-ceiling windows. I never thought that’s how it would happen but I truly gave up on the “how” and focused on the end result.” – Heather, Copywriter
As our last example of scripting success, we’ll leave you with this: Jim Carrey wrote a check of over $10 million to himself every night during the time when he wasn’t famous yet. It so happened that three years later, he received exactly this amount for starring in Dumb and Dumber. – Jim Carrey On The Oprah Winfrey Show
This method is seriously life-changing. The most important thing? Tap into that version of yourself who already has achieved these goals. Manifesting ignites the flame but taking action fuels the fire.
What are you manifesting? Share and tag us on the Cacti App Instagram @cactiapp.
You’ve got this!
The Cacti Team