Living by Design: How to Write Your Own Manifesto

Ever wonder how some women do it?

Their lives aren't perfect, but they seem genuinely happy and fulfilled. 

It's like they live by some powerful personal manifesto and no matter what is going on, they trust their vision for a beautiful, meaningful life. 

This is living by design, and not default and we all can learn how to do it!

It begins with actually writing our own personal manifesto.

How to Write Your Own Manifesto

How to write your life manifesto begins by exploring what you want to personally and publicly profess about yourself.

Manifesto, in brief, is a public declaration of intentions. It is a pronouncement of principles and policies. It can be famously political or awesomely personal.

Today we are going to create your LIFE manifesto, which is the awesomely personal variety.

Knowing what you want to publicly profess about yourself begins by exploring your lens on life. Your lens on life is your "life-stance", it’s the special way you see your world and what is possible.

To get your life stance in order doesn’t mean you have to have your life figured out, it just means you get to spend some quality time thinking about what you believe as being of ultimate importance.

Writing your personal manifesto is an opportunity to recommit to what you know is highest and best and truest about you.

Imagine you have children and all you can leave them with is one document about your life and who you are or dream to be. Your Life Manifesto would be it.

So what do you want to say?

Your personal manifesto is your unique way of seeing the world and it’s a gift to others. We all learn more about the character of God through each other’s unique reflection of Love. When you use your lens to create your Life Manifesto, you are reflecting a piece of God to us all, and that is what makes each manifesto incomparably awesome.

So let’s begin!

Take our your journal and ready your pen for some fun prompts. I’ll give you the first part of the sentence, you just fill in the rest. Let it flow Don't hold back. Keep the pen on the page and the ink flowing. Let the first draft be a free write!

Note: A manifesto has the power to lift your spirits and remind you who you are whenever you get lost or stuck in a rut! Spend some time on this exercise... What you create will be a sacred and powerful document. Return to it again and again. Let it become your personal anthem.

I am _______________________________________________________

I believe ____________________________________________________

When I was little ________________________________________________

Right now_____________________________________________________

I love ________________________________________________________

What I know for sure is ____________________________________________

I’ve never been more happy than when _________________________________

I have a penchant for _____________________________________________

I wish all of us could ______________________________________________

I dream of _____________________________________________________

People tell me I am _______________________________________________

I was born to ___________________________________________________

I am particularly good at   ___________________________________________

What I want most in the world is  ____________________________________

I was a________________________________________________________

I indulge in _____________________________________________________

The words I hold closest to my heart is __________________________________

If I get a chance I will ______________________________________________

I live for _______________________________________________________

Being present feels like ____________________________________________________

I believe the most important thing in a person is to be ________________________

What  I love most about being a woman is ______________________________________

I have an amazing __________________________________________________

If I had a superpower it would be ________________________________________

I hail to _________________________________________________________

The big idea of my life is _____________________________________________

I am dedicated to __________________________________________________

Happiness is ______________________________________________________

I feel most alive when _______________________________________________

Here are a few examples from lines from my own life manifesto:

I believe every single moment is a fork in the road. Happily ever now is a prerequisite to happily ever after. Right now mornings with my husband, and afternoons dancing with my kids are the delight of my life. I dream of Italy and la dolce vita. When my cheeks hurt so bad from laughing and it’s like they’ve done a thousands sit-ups, I know it’s been a great day.  grew up believing everyone finds their happy ending and that true love and excitement are birthrights. What I want to give most to the world is a remembrance of joy and the possibility of creating true intimacy with God.

Okay, you get the idea! Now it's your turn! Make some tea. Pour yourself a glass of wine. Get cozy with some “Me” time and get down to writing! Declare the things you’ve always wanted to be so bold to declare. This is your life. Write out the best of you.

And after you do, share a line or two in the comments below.

If you want to read the whole Romance & Adventure Manifesto for more ideas (and more of my story), you can download it free...just click the button! 

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