March 9, 2023 • 24 mins
There is neuroscience behind manifestation!! Sandra Grahame is our expert guest who answers that for us today along with sharing how we can create a meaningful + aligned vision board for ourselves and even how we can create a daily manifesting practice!
After transforming her own financial situation, Sandra landed herself on Oprah and her business took off from there. She's the CEO of SmartCookies (where they do courses, sell these adorable vision kits and more!), she's co-authored 2 books, been featured on the Today Show, The New York Times...the list goes on! She has spent the last 13 years helping thousands of women achieve life changing financial goals. We love this quote from her: "when we get honest about our dreams and our money and support one another...we become richer together, and there's nothing that can stop us!"
Sandra is a big believer in creating a vision and manifesting dreams....especially encouraging groups of women to rally and do so because everyone is WORTHY of full and beautiful life....we are so thankful for her wisdom. She also does '4 Things Gratitude' and shares 4 things she's currently thankful for!
Sandra is @SmartCookiesCollective on Instagram and you can go to SmartCookies.com to learn more about her work + see her beautiful vision board kits!!
Don't forget to email 4ThingsWithAmyBrown@gmail.com to enter the Vision Board Kit GIVEAWAY!
4 Things Gratitude Journal:https://www.theshopforward.com/products/4-things-gratitude-journal-3-0
Custom 4 Things Tote:https://www.theshopforward.com/products/4-things-custom-tote-bag
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Okay, cass up Road a little food for you so life.
Oh it's pretty much. It's pretty beautiful than beautiful laugh
A little mouth tighten up said he you're kicking with
(00:30):
four Amy Brown. Happy Thursday. Four things Amy here And
the past few years, I've definitely been into vision boards.
Vision boards have not always been my thing, but I'm
definitely a fan now and I'm excited to have an
expert guest joining us to talk about vision boards and
the neuroscience behind them and why why they work. Sandra
(00:52):
Graham is her name. I'm looking at her on zoom
right now. She's coming to us from Denver. But I'm
gonna give you a little backstory on her, which I
think one of the coolest things she's ever done is well,
she's been on Oprah. She landed herself on Oprah stage
after transforming her own financial situation, and she got to
go on with a group of her girlfriends because they
(01:13):
used to meet weekly, sort of like a book club,
but they were a money club and Oprah was doing
a special series on stuff like this. They would encourage
each other, empower each other, talk about investments, which is
really cool, and then they got to go beyond Oprah,
and then from there her business took off. She's a
CEO of Smart Cookies, where she does coaching. There's courses,
(01:34):
she sells these adorable vision board kits. She's co authored
two books, been featured on The Today Show, The New
York Times. The list goes on. She spent the last
thirteen years helping thousands of women achieve life changing goals.
And I love this quote from her. When we get
honest about our dreams and our money and support one another,
we become richer together. And there's nothing that can stop us.
(01:58):
And Sandra right now, because I know you're a big
believer in creating a vision and manifesting dreams. So that's
why I'm so excited to have you on. And You're
all about encouraging women, all people, but especially women, and
I love that you're rallying us together to remind us
that we deserve a full and beautiful life, like we
(02:20):
are worthy of that. And I think that's just it Amy,
Like you hit on the nail on the head with
what manifesting is like. It is one hundred percent stepping
into your worth and it's one thing to step into it,
it's another thing to embody it, and sometimes as we
go through our days, as we go through our seasons,
we can forget that. And so to have that circle
(02:41):
of support around you that can remind you of that
is insanely powerful. And that's where I've seen over and
over again with myself and for my girlfriends and the
women that I coach. It's that when you are in that,
that is where it feels like magic. It feels like
man whatever you want, manifestation, achieving goals, but that's just it.
(03:03):
It's like when you are really owning it. That's when
things are truly in flow. Now you mentioned magic, and
some people might think vision boards are wu woo again.
I used to be one of those people. But there's
neuroscience behind why it works. So let's start with that
and exactly what manifesting is. So manifesting by definition is
(03:25):
truly something that is intangible and you're making it tangible.
So whether it's a goal or a vision, whatever it is,
but it's something that isn't real yet that you are
wanting to step into and make real in your life.
And what's amazing is that in the recent years, there
had been all of this scientific research, specifically in neuroscience
(03:48):
that is showing us how this actually works. So our
brains have something called the reticular activating system or RIS
for short. We are bombarded by information on a daily basis, right,
so our brains need something to filter in what is
helpful to us to like survive. If we're going back
(04:08):
to what the basics of it are and what we
need to filter out. And so when you are telling
your brain, you're putting a filter on it of what
opportunities you want to see, all of a sudden you're
seeing that everywhere. Right, It's like, okay, I want to
get a new Red Tesla, and then all of a
sudden you're seeing like red Tesla's every freaking wear right,
(04:29):
Like that is what happens to our brain when we're
saying like, okay, I want to see that, and then
all of a sudden, you're seeing the opportunities. You are
seeing the experiences that you may have missed. How do
you not put that filter on your brain? So that's
why a vision board is so powerful. Right, You're looking
at it and then all of a sudden you're seeing
the opportunities that are going to help you bring that
(04:51):
vision to life. So it feels like magic and some
part of it, you know, I do believe in the
spiritual part of it, but I do believe in the
power of science and what our brains are actually doing
when we're looking at our vision So my vision board
this year is a lot of words. Do you think
our brain prefers pictures or our words? Okay, honestly, I
(05:11):
think it's whatever connects with you. So I am a
more visual person. Mine is almost all pictures. The key
with a vision board is to be able to feel it.
You want to have an emotional response to it. Otherwise
it's just pretty pictures or words that inspire you. But
you want to have a physical emotional reaction to it,
either excitement or maybe a little bit of fear that's okay,
(05:36):
or whatever comes up for you. But you definitely and
there are people who have vision boards that are all
words and people who have vision boards that are all pictures.
And there's no right way to do it, but doing
it in a way that connects with you is the
key to the whole process. Okay, I know you said
there's no right way to do it, but I know
(05:56):
the vision board kits that you make for people, they
come with a guy. So what's step one in your opinion, like,
according to the guide, making sure that our vision boards
are in alignment with what we really want. So I
would start with journaling first look at each area of
your life. And that's why going through the I've got
(06:17):
my guide here too, I find that super helpful because
when you're creating a holistic vision for your life, it's
important to include all different life spaces. Now, some areas
of your life, whether it's wellness or career, or money
or relationships, some of those are going to be a
(06:39):
stronger poll in certain seasons of your life, right, Like
you may have more of some goals or manifestations you're
calling in in certain areas, and that's great, but it's
super important to have a holistic view of like how
does your whole life look and feel in the long term.
Now that can feel intimidating, right, people like, oh my gosh,
like I don't I don't even know, Like I can't see.
(07:01):
I don't want to have this a grand, perfect vision
of your life. And it's certainly not about that. It's
just about including all those different areas so that you
have a really holistic vision of what you're creating and
how you want to feel. And that is the key
over and over again. It's not about how it looks,
it's about how it feels to you and is it
(07:22):
aligned with what your heart truly wants. One of my
favorite quotes, and this is from Jess Extra and she said,
you know, whenever I'm setting a goal, I really asked myself,
if nobody saw me do it, what I still want
to achieve it. I'm like, yes, Girl'm like that is
it right? It's like, is it true to you or
are you seeking that external validation or whatever it is,
(07:46):
or is it just ego based? And there are certain
things on your vision like I have fun with this, right,
Like include the things and have the fun, but really
pay attention to what your heart is really drawing you towards.
And it's funny as I've always done a vision board,
and then I went through a season of my life
a few years ago after I had my kids where
I really just lost my vision. I really could not
(08:08):
see what was next, and it was a super frustrating time.
And I literally remember just pinning anything on my vision
board that I just felt that spark. It was like
I don't care what or why, I just want to
see what that is and from that the vision form
and I was able to see that clarity. So I
(08:29):
think there's two ways to do a vision board. There's
one to see with the clarity and know exactly what
it is and see that picture, and also to kind of,
when in doubt vision boarded out, you know, go on
those little wonder hunts, see the things that are sparking
joy in your life and the things that you feel
gratitude for, and put those on your vision board. I
think oftentimes we can lean so into the future that
(08:51):
we forget about where we are right now too, So
it's important to include things that you're also grateful for.
So using the guide and going through and saying, okay,
let's say relationships. I only want to feel when I
am like my true online self and I am in
that relationship that makes me feel that way with my partner,
with my family, with my friends, right, And so it's
(09:12):
more about the essence of what it is than it
is the specifics about what it looks like. Like, yes,
you can put the patty, you know, the guy with
the six pack and like all the specifics on it,
but it's more about like how do you want to
feel when you're hanging out with that human like? That
is what we're going after. Yeah, paying attention to how
we feel is huge, and I will say that I
(09:33):
think my vision board and focusing on it and praying
about the things on it and working towards the things
on it, which working being a key word. Doing all
of that the last three months definitely has me more
in tune with what I'm feeling, and I feel more connected.
I actually even have comfort if it's not working out
(09:53):
exactly like I've laid everything out, because I know it's
going to unfold how it's supposed to, and maybe it's
just not time for the specific thing that I have
on there, and it feels good being at peace with that.
And also, I made my vision board with friends on
two different occasions, and that whole experience with them was
fun and felt good, and it feels good to catch
(10:15):
up with them about things that are happening and unfolding. Overall,
I just really feel like my vision board has only
added positivity to my life. So there's definitely, at least
for me, this mind body spirit thing happening. One of
the things that has come up for me. If I'm
being honest, is I resisted the like mindset work for
(10:36):
a long time, and I was like, it's more than mindset.
It's like in my body, like I physically resist certain things.
And so that's why it's the vision board and the
vision Board Kit was kind of born from this. It
was I want a practice that makes me just feel better,
like feel at ease and feel excited and be able
(10:59):
to step in to the abundance that I know is
around for all of us. And it really is like
stepping into that. And so the tool of being able
to do that and have the vision Board Kit, but
also the community and the support around that to bring
your vision to life is it's just so powerful, Like
(11:20):
there's nothing that makes me happier is seeing other women
bring their their visions to life and support others to
do the same. What about a daily manifestation practice. Now
there's the activity of the vision Board Kit and doing
that and then looking at it every day, but how
do we go take a step further? So it really
is like you said, stepping into you that worth right.
(11:43):
So actions for your vision are super important. But I
think we can get that misconstrued sometimes, right, like, yes,
you need to like make the phone call, and you
need to do the audition, and you need to put
yourself out there and do all the things. But also
it's about like the tiny new things, right. It's like
somebody wants to take your spot in line, are you
(12:05):
going to let them do that? Or are you going
to say, hey, like I was here first. You know,
It's like those little moments where you can show up
in your worth or you can step back, that are
super super powerful. It's when you're faced with a trigger
or you're faced with something. You know, you had a long,
really hard day and then someone cuts you off in traffic,
(12:26):
and it's like the immediate response is to just like
lose your mind, and it's will you take a beat
and just be aligned and be in that your version
of yourself living that vision. And so that's why I
find the vision board so helpful. It's like when I
look at mine, I'm like I can see myself as
the person I am living in that vision, and then
(12:48):
how am I going to work with that on a
daily basis. The other thing is making note of every time,
like manifestations can be big, huge things like landing on
over stages, bananas, finding your partner, moving into your dream home,
lending your dream job, whatever it is. But it's also
like every single day there are tiny moments of joy
(13:10):
and I know you practice this and you love to
see me of gratitude, and it's really making a note
of those because the more that you do that, the
more that that expands in your life, and those grow
into some of the most beautiful, meaningful manifestations. Here's the thing.
Anyone can manifest anything like a thousand percent, but it's
(13:30):
when you manifest what is truly aligned with your heart
that is the true joy and magic of it. And
by paying attention to those moments of gratitude is how
you do that. What about signs? Are you someone that
asks for signs? What about signs? Are you someone that
(13:58):
asks for signs? I will cry, I can't you believe
you asked this question. So in this season of my life,
I had been asking specifically for a sign and so
for the past year, and I said not even year,
past month. I said out loud, I would like to
see white feathers. And I've seen them everywhere. I went
for a walk lass Monday, and I remember it like
(14:19):
it's yesterday. So I did a visualization and I was
literally and I went for a walk around the park
with my dog and I was looking for white feathers,
and at one point I saw something and I was like,
m not a white feather. It's like a funny tale
or some other or something. And then we were about
to go to the car, and my dog told me
for another loop, and so we did. Walked a couple
(14:39):
of steps and I saw her nose and sure enough,
there's a white feather. Amazing. We keep walking, I see
another one and then we're about to go and I'm
texting my husband. I'm like, Yeason easily. He said this
point he thinks I've completely bananas. And I was like,
oh my god, look at these white feathers. And then
I see another one, like attached a bush. So three
(15:01):
white feathers on the walk, and then I saw one.
I looked out the window yesterday I was getting the
kids breakfast ready, and I saw something caught my eye
out of the corner, floating down and I was like,
it's a white feather for sure. And I walked out
and I haven't picked any up until this point, but
this one, I was like, I'm picking it up and
taking it with me, and so I think that I
(15:22):
know that there's a spiritual component to that, for sure,
but I also think there's a little bit of or
there is science to that, right, Like, I'm asking to
see those and I'm looking for those signs, and so
I'm seeing them. But I know what happens when you
start to really hone in on manifesting is that when
(15:44):
you ask for those signs, and they will feel like
coincidences and they will feel like serendipity, but one hundred
percent they are your proof that you're on the right
path and you were starting to notice those things that
are going to bring your vision to life. So pay
attention to those signs. What's your sign, abe, what do
you look for? Well, my mom and dad have both died,
(16:07):
and they always show up at my bird feeders at
just the right time. My mom is a cardinal and
my dad is a blue jay, and when I see them,
a piece comes over me. And it really is often
when I need to see them, like when I need
it the most, they show up. And sometimes they even
show up to my feeder at the same time, which
is super special. And then this year I also picked
(16:31):
three numbers to be a sign I haven't personally seen
them yet, but my friend did so I'm not sure
if that counts or what that is all about, but
where she saw the numbers, it's crazy. When she sent
me the picture and I asked her details, it's really
wild because it's one hundred percent part of a dream
that I have. And I'm still waiting to see the
numbers for myself somewhere. But I don't know. Maybe it
(16:54):
was supposed to happen through my friend, and maybe I'll
see them again in another way. But again, like you said,
the signs we ask for just help us know that
we're on the right path. Yeah, it's all things to
just pay attention to, right, And I think that's the
beauty of it all. It's like getting out of our
heads a little bit and just paying attention to what
is around us all the time, just waiting for us too.
(17:17):
There's a quote I can't remember. We have it in
a quote deck that we have in our house, and
it's that there's beauty and magic all around you, just
waiting patiently for your wits to grow sharper right to
pay attention to it. In these days, that's so hard
to do, right, We're so distracted, We're on our phone,
We're doing a million different things. And that's why I
think the practice of vision boarding and just the practice
(17:41):
of dreaming and paying attention to the people and the
worlds around you who are all there, like literally waiting
to help you. Everyone make their dreams come true. Right,
we can make it feel like I mean, yes, we
need to take action, we need to overcome. It's not
going to be easy. We're going to have failures along
the way. But I love what you said that you
(18:03):
almost use your vision board as comfort when you do
have a step back, Right, It's like you can come
back to that and know, Okay, well, I'm going to
keep moving forward. This is there's comfort in this. This
is what I know is true to my heart. So
no matter what happens, I'm going to continue to move forward.
And some things may come to life in like near
(18:25):
miraculous detail, some may not come to life at all,
and some may come to life in a way that
is more beautiful than you can ever imagine. And that
is the true magic. I think of the vision board
and creating your vision and journaling is that you lay
the foundation for things to come to life even more
beautifully than you can possibly imagine right now. And that's
(18:47):
a thing. Our life can be more beautiful than we
ever imagined, but those limiting beliefs, those are real. Like
I've struggled with the big times, So I love what
you're doing with smart cookies to combat those negative thoughts
and to empower people, especially women. I just think we
sometimes make me and it's not us, it's what we're
(19:10):
conditioned to believe, right that things need to be really hard,
that we're not smart enough, we're not pretty enough, we're
not skinny enough, or not whatever it is that devalues
our worth, and it's taking our power back. That's essentially
what it is and what we're doing here. I know
you mentioned gratitude being part of a daily manifesting practice,
(19:30):
so I would love to hear four things that you
are currently thankful for. So one of my favorite books,
I could just held it up. So this is Signs.
So I can't even believe you asked that question. That's
so funny. So this is by Laura Lynn Jackson. I
also will share another book. It's called Into the Magic
Shop by James Dody. Have you read that one for me?
I feel like you'll love it. So he's a neuroscientist,
(19:52):
and his story he grew up like incredibly impoverished and
walked into a literal magic shop, is a true story
where a woman who owned the magic shop taught him
the power of his mind and he ended up going
to medical school and becoming an incredible neurosurgeon, but didn't
include his heart in the process, so then it was
his journey to reconnecting with his heart. He's working on
(20:14):
a project with the Dali Lama right now, so that
book is incredible. Oh well, and then Signs. Just now
I popped into my head. I did an episode a
while back with Serena Dyer, Wayne Dyer's daughter, and oh
my god, I'm pretty sure she told me about the
book Signs. So now I'm taking this as a sign
that I need to read the book immediately. Amazon the
(20:35):
book immediately. Another thing I'm grateful for. We've been binge
watching ted Lasso, and I mean, I just I love
that show. Oh, the new season comes back next week.
I know we're still like a season behind, but it's
so good, so good. And then third thing, so we're
(20:56):
getting ready to it's still cold in Denver, but we're
I do like a cut flower in our backyard every year,
so I'm getting ready to plant the seeds and do
and do that so that'll be fun. And did you
follow a half big harvest on Instagram? She's like my
go too. Yeah, amazing, so good. She has a white
chicken chili soup situation that you need to make immediately.
(21:20):
Everything every recipe in our house. So super grateful, super
grateful for we do have one of the Four Things
toats in our house that I got from my husband,
and I'm trying to think, what's what's on it for him?
You got your husband a Four Things tote? Yeah, I did.
I should go get it. You love it. So it's
our dog. It's Tiger Woods, diet coke. Oh, I'm coaching hockey.
(21:41):
Yeah that's what if he put in it. I don't know.
It's stuff. He's coaching hockey, like I don't know whatever.
That is amazing. I'll send you a picture, yes, please do,
because I know of thousands of women that have a
Four Things toe and there's a few men, but they're
definitely not me. Well, they might be married, but they're
not married to women. And we've even gifted yeah to
(22:02):
some of our friends that we know would want to
carry one, so that's really cool that your your husband
loves his four Things toad And if anybody else wants
to create one, yeah, you can put whatever four Things
you want and just go to four things dot com
and that's where you can also find a four Things
Gratitude journal, which is something we made that's simple and
not intimidating. Is a way for you to start your
(22:22):
gratitude journey and journaling. And speaking of journals, the one
that comes with the vision board kits that you made.
It is so good. I really can't wait to work
through it and go through all of the amazing writing
prompts to help me get even more clear on my
vision for my life. And something that's so sweet and
fun that you're doing for my listeners is a vision
(22:44):
board kit giveaway and y'all, these kits include everything you
need to create a beautiful, intentional vision for each area
of your life. Beautifully done. Each kit is valued at
two hundred and forty nine dollars and you're giving way
too right, Yes, so we have two to give away,
(23:05):
so that'll be super special. And all you have to
do is send an email to four Things with Amy
Brown at gmail dot com and share that you're interested
in a vision board kit, and I will randomly pick
two people for Sandra to send the kids too. It's
so beautifully done. It's a canvas that's wrapped in a
neutral linen fabric. Hope I got that right, Sandra. I'm
(23:27):
looking at mine right now that you sent me. It's
so pretty. There's these gold push pins that are included.
And again the journal comes with it and it's a
guide for you. I could see families doing one board together,
like getting the kids involved, or you could even order
one and send it to a loved one as a gift.
It's really so well made and so well thought out.
(23:49):
And we can do a custom note also if you
want to send it to somebody special and have a
special note. But yeah, something to do special together and
something to do on your own. But doing it with
your family or with your girlfriends, that's such a beautiful
thing too. Well. We love a business that is run
by a woman. And yesterday, actually the eighth of March
(24:10):
was International Women's Day, so this is all very fitting.
Didn't plan that out, but I love that each kit
is made with love by you and your family. My
daughter She's I'm like, what do you want to be
when you grew up? She's like, I'm gonna make vision boards.
Like okay, go for it, girl, go for it. So precious. Now,
(24:30):
if y'all want to find Sandra on Instagram, just go
to at Smart Cookies Collective and her website is Smartcookies
dot com. And again, I just love what you're all about, Sandra,
So thank you so much for coming on. Of course
thanks maybe
Okay, cass up Road a little food for you so life.
Oh it's pretty much. It's pretty beautiful than beautiful laugh
A little mouth tighten up said he you're kicking with
(00:30):
four Amy Brown. Happy Thursday. Four things Amy here And
the past few years, I've definitely been into vision boards.
Vision boards have not always been my thing, but I'm
definitely a fan now and I'm excited to have an
expert guest joining us to talk about vision boards and
the neuroscience behind them and why why they work. Sandra
(00:52):
Graham is her name. I'm looking at her on zoom
right now. She's coming to us from Denver. But I'm
gonna give you a little backstory on her, which I
think one of the coolest things she's ever done is well,
she's been on Oprah. She landed herself on Oprah stage
after transforming her own financial situation, and she got to
go on with a group of her girlfriends because they
(01:13):
used to meet weekly, sort of like a book club,
but they were a money club and Oprah was doing
a special series on stuff like this. They would encourage
each other, empower each other, talk about investments, which is
really cool, and then they got to go beyond Oprah,
and then from there her business took off. She's a
CEO of Smart Cookies, where she does coaching. There's courses,
(01:34):
she sells these adorable vision board kits. She's co authored
two books, been featured on The Today Show, The New
York Times. The list goes on. She spent the last
thirteen years helping thousands of women achieve life changing goals.
And I love this quote from her. When we get
honest about our dreams and our money and support one another,
we become richer together. And there's nothing that can stop us.
(01:58):
And Sandra right now, because I know you're a big
believer in creating a vision and manifesting dreams. So that's
why I'm so excited to have you on. And You're
all about encouraging women, all people, but especially women, and
I love that you're rallying us together to remind us
that we deserve a full and beautiful life, like we
(02:20):
are worthy of that. And I think that's just it Amy,
Like you hit on the nail on the head with
what manifesting is like. It is one hundred percent stepping
into your worth and it's one thing to step into it,
it's another thing to embody it, and sometimes as we
go through our days, as we go through our seasons,
we can forget that. And so to have that circle
(02:41):
of support around you that can remind you of that
is insanely powerful. And that's where I've seen over and
over again with myself and for my girlfriends and the
women that I coach. It's that when you are in that,
that is where it feels like magic. It feels like
man whatever you want, manifestation, achieving goals, but that's just it.
(03:03):
It's like when you are really owning it. That's when
things are truly in flow. Now you mentioned magic, and
some people might think vision boards are wu woo again.
I used to be one of those people. But there's
neuroscience behind why it works. So let's start with that
and exactly what manifesting is. So manifesting by definition is
(03:25):
truly something that is intangible and you're making it tangible.
So whether it's a goal or a vision, whatever it is,
but it's something that isn't real yet that you are
wanting to step into and make real in your life.
And what's amazing is that in the recent years, there
had been all of this scientific research, specifically in neuroscience
(03:48):
that is showing us how this actually works. So our
brains have something called the reticular activating system or RIS
for short. We are bombarded by information on a daily basis, right,
so our brains need something to filter in what is
helpful to us to like survive. If we're going back
(04:08):
to what the basics of it are and what we
need to filter out. And so when you are telling
your brain, you're putting a filter on it of what
opportunities you want to see, all of a sudden you're
seeing that everywhere. Right, It's like, okay, I want to
get a new Red Tesla, and then all of a
sudden you're seeing like red Tesla's every freaking wear right,
(04:29):
Like that is what happens to our brain when we're
saying like, okay, I want to see that, and then
all of a sudden, you're seeing the opportunities. You are
seeing the experiences that you may have missed. How do
you not put that filter on your brain? So that's
why a vision board is so powerful. Right, You're looking
at it and then all of a sudden you're seeing
the opportunities that are going to help you bring that
(04:51):
vision to life. So it feels like magic and some
part of it, you know, I do believe in the
spiritual part of it, but I do believe in the
power of science and what our brains are actually doing
when we're looking at our vision So my vision board
this year is a lot of words. Do you think
our brain prefers pictures or our words? Okay, honestly, I
(05:11):
think it's whatever connects with you. So I am a
more visual person. Mine is almost all pictures. The key
with a vision board is to be able to feel it.
You want to have an emotional response to it. Otherwise
it's just pretty pictures or words that inspire you. But
you want to have a physical emotional reaction to it,
either excitement or maybe a little bit of fear that's okay,
(05:36):
or whatever comes up for you. But you definitely and
there are people who have vision boards that are all
words and people who have vision boards that are all pictures.
And there's no right way to do it, but doing
it in a way that connects with you is the
key to the whole process. Okay, I know you said
there's no right way to do it, but I know
(05:56):
the vision board kits that you make for people, they
come with a guy. So what's step one in your opinion, like,
according to the guide, making sure that our vision boards
are in alignment with what we really want. So I
would start with journaling first look at each area of
your life. And that's why going through the I've got
(06:17):
my guide here too, I find that super helpful because
when you're creating a holistic vision for your life, it's
important to include all different life spaces. Now, some areas
of your life, whether it's wellness or career, or money
or relationships, some of those are going to be a
(06:39):
stronger poll in certain seasons of your life, right, Like
you may have more of some goals or manifestations you're
calling in in certain areas, and that's great, but it's
super important to have a holistic view of like how
does your whole life look and feel in the long term.
Now that can feel intimidating, right, people like, oh my gosh,
like I don't I don't even know, Like I can't see.
(07:01):
I don't want to have this a grand, perfect vision
of your life. And it's certainly not about that. It's
just about including all those different areas so that you
have a really holistic vision of what you're creating and
how you want to feel. And that is the key
over and over again. It's not about how it looks,
it's about how it feels to you and is it
(07:22):
aligned with what your heart truly wants. One of my
favorite quotes, and this is from Jess Extra and she said,
you know, whenever I'm setting a goal, I really asked myself,
if nobody saw me do it, what I still want
to achieve it. I'm like, yes, Girl'm like that is
it right? It's like, is it true to you or
are you seeking that external validation or whatever it is,
(07:46):
or is it just ego based? And there are certain
things on your vision like I have fun with this, right,
Like include the things and have the fun, but really
pay attention to what your heart is really drawing you towards.
And it's funny as I've always done a vision board,
and then I went through a season of my life
a few years ago after I had my kids where
I really just lost my vision. I really could not
(08:08):
see what was next, and it was a super frustrating time.
And I literally remember just pinning anything on my vision
board that I just felt that spark. It was like
I don't care what or why, I just want to
see what that is and from that the vision form
and I was able to see that clarity. So I
(08:29):
think there's two ways to do a vision board. There's
one to see with the clarity and know exactly what
it is and see that picture, and also to kind of,
when in doubt vision boarded out, you know, go on
those little wonder hunts, see the things that are sparking
joy in your life and the things that you feel
gratitude for, and put those on your vision board. I
think oftentimes we can lean so into the future that
(08:51):
we forget about where we are right now too, So
it's important to include things that you're also grateful for.
So using the guide and going through and saying, okay,
let's say relationships. I only want to feel when I
am like my true online self and I am in
that relationship that makes me feel that way with my partner,
with my family, with my friends, right, And so it's
(09:12):
more about the essence of what it is than it
is the specifics about what it looks like. Like, yes,
you can put the patty, you know, the guy with
the six pack and like all the specifics on it,
but it's more about like how do you want to
feel when you're hanging out with that human like? That
is what we're going after. Yeah, paying attention to how
we feel is huge, and I will say that I
(09:33):
think my vision board and focusing on it and praying
about the things on it and working towards the things
on it, which working being a key word. Doing all
of that the last three months definitely has me more
in tune with what I'm feeling, and I feel more connected.
I actually even have comfort if it's not working out
(09:53):
exactly like I've laid everything out, because I know it's
going to unfold how it's supposed to, and maybe it's
just not time for the specific thing that I have
on there, and it feels good being at peace with that.
And also, I made my vision board with friends on
two different occasions, and that whole experience with them was
fun and felt good, and it feels good to catch
(10:15):
up with them about things that are happening and unfolding. Overall,
I just really feel like my vision board has only
added positivity to my life. So there's definitely, at least
for me, this mind body spirit thing happening. One of
the things that has come up for me. If I'm
being honest, is I resisted the like mindset work for
(10:36):
a long time, and I was like, it's more than mindset.
It's like in my body, like I physically resist certain things.
And so that's why it's the vision board and the
vision Board Kit was kind of born from this. It
was I want a practice that makes me just feel better,
like feel at ease and feel excited and be able
(10:59):
to step in to the abundance that I know is
around for all of us. And it really is like
stepping into that. And so the tool of being able
to do that and have the vision Board Kit, but
also the community and the support around that to bring
your vision to life is it's just so powerful, Like
(11:20):
there's nothing that makes me happier is seeing other women
bring their their visions to life and support others to
do the same. What about a daily manifestation practice. Now
there's the activity of the vision Board Kit and doing
that and then looking at it every day, but how
do we go take a step further? So it really
is like you said, stepping into you that worth right.
(11:43):
So actions for your vision are super important. But I
think we can get that misconstrued sometimes, right, like, yes,
you need to like make the phone call, and you
need to do the audition, and you need to put
yourself out there and do all the things. But also
it's about like the tiny new things, right. It's like
somebody wants to take your spot in line, are you
(12:05):
going to let them do that? Or are you going
to say, hey, like I was here first. You know,
It's like those little moments where you can show up
in your worth or you can step back, that are
super super powerful. It's when you're faced with a trigger
or you're faced with something. You know, you had a long,
really hard day and then someone cuts you off in traffic,
(12:26):
and it's like the immediate response is to just like
lose your mind, and it's will you take a beat
and just be aligned and be in that your version
of yourself living that vision. And so that's why I
find the vision board so helpful. It's like when I
look at mine, I'm like I can see myself as
the person I am living in that vision, and then
(12:48):
how am I going to work with that on a
daily basis. The other thing is making note of every time,
like manifestations can be big, huge things like landing on
over stages, bananas, finding your partner, moving into your dream home,
lending your dream job, whatever it is. But it's also
like every single day there are tiny moments of joy
(13:10):
and I know you practice this and you love to
see me of gratitude, and it's really making a note
of those because the more that you do that, the
more that that expands in your life, and those grow
into some of the most beautiful, meaningful manifestations. Here's the thing.
Anyone can manifest anything like a thousand percent, but it's
(13:30):
when you manifest what is truly aligned with your heart
that is the true joy and magic of it. And
by paying attention to those moments of gratitude is how
you do that. What about signs? Are you someone that
asks for signs? What about signs? Are you someone that
(13:58):
asks for signs? I will cry, I can't you believe
you asked this question. So in this season of my life,
I had been asking specifically for a sign and so
for the past year, and I said not even year,
past month. I said out loud, I would like to
see white feathers. And I've seen them everywhere. I went
for a walk lass Monday, and I remember it like
(14:19):
it's yesterday. So I did a visualization and I was
literally and I went for a walk around the park
with my dog and I was looking for white feathers,
and at one point I saw something and I was like,
m not a white feather. It's like a funny tale
or some other or something. And then we were about
to go to the car, and my dog told me
for another loop, and so we did. Walked a couple
(14:39):
of steps and I saw her nose and sure enough,
there's a white feather. Amazing. We keep walking, I see
another one and then we're about to go and I'm
texting my husband. I'm like, Yeason easily. He said this
point he thinks I've completely bananas. And I was like,
oh my god, look at these white feathers. And then
I see another one, like attached a bush. So three
(15:01):
white feathers on the walk, and then I saw one.
I looked out the window yesterday I was getting the
kids breakfast ready, and I saw something caught my eye
out of the corner, floating down and I was like,
it's a white feather for sure. And I walked out
and I haven't picked any up until this point, but
this one, I was like, I'm picking it up and
taking it with me, and so I think that I
(15:22):
know that there's a spiritual component to that, for sure,
but I also think there's a little bit of or
there is science to that, right, Like, I'm asking to
see those and I'm looking for those signs, and so
I'm seeing them. But I know what happens when you
start to really hone in on manifesting is that when
(15:44):
you ask for those signs, and they will feel like
coincidences and they will feel like serendipity, but one hundred
percent they are your proof that you're on the right
path and you were starting to notice those things that
are going to bring your vision to life. So pay
attention to those signs. What's your sign, abe, what do
you look for? Well, my mom and dad have both died,
(16:07):
and they always show up at my bird feeders at
just the right time. My mom is a cardinal and
my dad is a blue jay, and when I see them,
a piece comes over me. And it really is often
when I need to see them, like when I need
it the most, they show up. And sometimes they even
show up to my feeder at the same time, which
is super special. And then this year I also picked
(16:31):
three numbers to be a sign I haven't personally seen
them yet, but my friend did so I'm not sure
if that counts or what that is all about, but
where she saw the numbers, it's crazy. When she sent
me the picture and I asked her details, it's really
wild because it's one hundred percent part of a dream
that I have. And I'm still waiting to see the
numbers for myself somewhere. But I don't know. Maybe it
(16:54):
was supposed to happen through my friend, and maybe I'll
see them again in another way. But again, like you said,
the signs we ask for just help us know that
we're on the right path. Yeah, it's all things to
just pay attention to, right, And I think that's the
beauty of it all. It's like getting out of our
heads a little bit and just paying attention to what
is around us all the time, just waiting for us too.
(17:17):
There's a quote I can't remember. We have it in
a quote deck that we have in our house, and
it's that there's beauty and magic all around you, just
waiting patiently for your wits to grow sharper right to
pay attention to it. In these days, that's so hard
to do, right, We're so distracted, We're on our phone,
We're doing a million different things. And that's why I
think the practice of vision boarding and just the practice
(17:41):
of dreaming and paying attention to the people and the
worlds around you who are all there, like literally waiting
to help you. Everyone make their dreams come true. Right,
we can make it feel like I mean, yes, we
need to take action, we need to overcome. It's not
going to be easy. We're going to have failures along
the way. But I love what you said that you
(18:03):
almost use your vision board as comfort when you do
have a step back, Right, It's like you can come
back to that and know, Okay, well, I'm going to
keep moving forward. This is there's comfort in this. This
is what I know is true to my heart. So
no matter what happens, I'm going to continue to move forward.
And some things may come to life in like near
(18:25):
miraculous detail, some may not come to life at all,
and some may come to life in a way that
is more beautiful than you can ever imagine. And that
is the true magic. I think of the vision board
and creating your vision and journaling is that you lay
the foundation for things to come to life even more
beautifully than you can possibly imagine right now. And that's
(18:47):
a thing. Our life can be more beautiful than we
ever imagined, but those limiting beliefs, those are real. Like
I've struggled with the big times, So I love what
you're doing with smart cookies to combat those negative thoughts
and to empower people, especially women. I just think we
sometimes make me and it's not us, it's what we're
(19:10):
conditioned to believe, right that things need to be really hard,
that we're not smart enough, we're not pretty enough, we're
not skinny enough, or not whatever it is that devalues
our worth, and it's taking our power back. That's essentially
what it is and what we're doing here. I know
you mentioned gratitude being part of a daily manifesting practice,
(19:30):
so I would love to hear four things that you
are currently thankful for. So one of my favorite books,
I could just held it up. So this is Signs.
So I can't even believe you asked that question. That's
so funny. So this is by Laura Lynn Jackson. I
also will share another book. It's called Into the Magic
Shop by James Dody. Have you read that one for me?
I feel like you'll love it. So he's a neuroscientist,
(19:52):
and his story he grew up like incredibly impoverished and
walked into a literal magic shop, is a true story
where a woman who owned the magic shop taught him
the power of his mind and he ended up going
to medical school and becoming an incredible neurosurgeon, but didn't
include his heart in the process, so then it was
his journey to reconnecting with his heart. He's working on
(20:14):
a project with the Dali Lama right now, so that
book is incredible. Oh well, and then Signs. Just now
I popped into my head. I did an episode a
while back with Serena Dyer, Wayne Dyer's daughter, and oh
my god, I'm pretty sure she told me about the
book Signs. So now I'm taking this as a sign
that I need to read the book immediately. Amazon the
(20:35):
book immediately. Another thing I'm grateful for. We've been binge
watching ted Lasso, and I mean, I just I love
that show. Oh, the new season comes back next week.
I know we're still like a season behind, but it's
so good, so good. And then third thing, so we're
(20:56):
getting ready to it's still cold in Denver, but we're
I do like a cut flower in our backyard every year,
so I'm getting ready to plant the seeds and do
and do that so that'll be fun. And did you
follow a half big harvest on Instagram? She's like my
go too. Yeah, amazing, so good. She has a white
chicken chili soup situation that you need to make immediately.
(21:20):
Everything every recipe in our house. So super grateful, super
grateful for we do have one of the Four Things
toats in our house that I got from my husband,
and I'm trying to think, what's what's on it for him?
You got your husband a Four Things tote? Yeah, I did.
I should go get it. You love it. So it's
our dog. It's Tiger Woods, diet coke. Oh, I'm coaching hockey.
(21:41):
Yeah that's what if he put in it. I don't know.
It's stuff. He's coaching hockey, like I don't know whatever.
That is amazing. I'll send you a picture, yes, please do,
because I know of thousands of women that have a
Four Things toe and there's a few men, but they're
definitely not me. Well, they might be married, but they're
not married to women. And we've even gifted yeah to
(22:02):
some of our friends that we know would want to
carry one, so that's really cool that your your husband
loves his four Things toad And if anybody else wants
to create one, yeah, you can put whatever four Things
you want and just go to four things dot com
and that's where you can also find a four Things
Gratitude journal, which is something we made that's simple and
not intimidating. Is a way for you to start your
(22:22):
gratitude journey and journaling. And speaking of journals, the one
that comes with the vision board kits that you made.
It is so good. I really can't wait to work
through it and go through all of the amazing writing
prompts to help me get even more clear on my
vision for my life. And something that's so sweet and
fun that you're doing for my listeners is a vision
(22:44):
board kit giveaway and y'all, these kits include everything you
need to create a beautiful, intentional vision for each area
of your life. Beautifully done. Each kit is valued at
two hundred and forty nine dollars and you're giving way
too right, Yes, so we have two to give away,
(23:05):
so that'll be super special. And all you have to
do is send an email to four Things with Amy
Brown at gmail dot com and share that you're interested
in a vision board kit, and I will randomly pick
two people for Sandra to send the kids too. It's
so beautifully done. It's a canvas that's wrapped in a
neutral linen fabric. Hope I got that right, Sandra. I'm
(23:27):
looking at mine right now that you sent me. It's
so pretty. There's these gold push pins that are included.
And again the journal comes with it and it's a
guide for you. I could see families doing one board together,
like getting the kids involved, or you could even order
one and send it to a loved one as a gift.
It's really so well made and so well thought out.
(23:49):
And we can do a custom note also if you
want to send it to somebody special and have a
special note. But yeah, something to do special together and
something to do on your own. But doing it with
your family or with your girlfriends, that's such a beautiful
thing too. Well. We love a business that is run
by a woman. And yesterday, actually the eighth of March
(24:10):
was International Women's Day, so this is all very fitting.
Didn't plan that out, but I love that each kit
is made with love by you and your family. My
daughter She's I'm like, what do you want to be
when you grew up? She's like, I'm gonna make vision boards.
Like okay, go for it, girl, go for it. So precious. Now,
(24:30):
if y'all want to find Sandra on Instagram, just go
to at Smart Cookies Collective and her website is Smartcookies
dot com. And again, I just love what you're all about, Sandra,
So thank you so much for coming on. Of course
thanks maybe
Feeling Things with Amy & Kat News
Host
Amy Brown
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