The book you need to manifest your vision board
Megan Collins of The Manicured Shelf offers her perspective on Lily King’s Writer’s and Lovers, describing it as a book that can inspire you to manifest your dream life.
The best part of manifesting is the moment when you look around and realize that you’re living the life that once only existed on your vision board.
In fact, this notion–that your past self would be so excited to see where you’re at currently–is the impetus for a recent TikTok trend where people reflect on their current circumstances through the POV of younger versions of themselves. (A little bonus digital strategy for ya!)
In thinking about my past manifestations… 1 year old me would be very excited we have a dalmatian, 8-year-old me would be obsessed with my TikTok content, 17-year-old me would think we have a cool apartment and me from 2 years ago would be impressed someone has actually asked me for book recommendations.
It was this 2020 version of me that first read, raved about, and highly recommended Lily King’s Writers & Lovers. The book that I am recommending to you all to inspire you to manifest your dream life.
From my original review on The Manicured Shelf, circa June 2020:
I always enjoy reading books about writers. This one was slow to get into but once I did, I was hooked. Like King’s Euphoria, Writers & Lovers centers around themes of motherhood, womanhood, and masculinity. Through the astute observations of protagonist Casey’s internal monologue, we see the traumatic effects of systemic misogyny. She’s dealing with the legacy of her problematic father, her conflicted feelings about her dead mother, and the choice between two men who represent very different paths in life. All of this while trying to find the confidence to not just write her book but pursue her dreams.
Without giving too much away, one of the insightful takeaways tucked into King’s well-crafted slow-burn narrative is the well-known Nike mantra: just do it.
Like Casey, I often find myself lamenting about the things I have to do or even want to do instead of just doing them. For me, starting the journey can often be the biggest mental hurdle for me to overcome. As much as I love a routine, the idea of having to slowly tackle a task over weeks, months, or even years can be so daunting that I put off starting at all. Looking back through this lens of my past self and seeing the payoff of journeys I started and completed (and sometimes am still on) can be incredibly motivating.
Whether it’s figuring out your entire life (like our protagonist Casey) or finally sitting down to write a novel (like Jamie and Casey) or finally bringing that bag of clothes in your trunk to Goodwill (like me) sometimes you just have to start.
Just start. Whether it’s reading this or any book or anything you want to accomplish, just start. And if you need any motivation, look back at all that you’ve already done because each and everything represents a time when you made the decision to just start. Your future self will thank you.