191: Taking aligned action

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Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of Cani Crystals, the podcast. I hope that you're all doing well. As I sit here and record this, we are just a few days away from Manifest 2025. Which is our gigantic live event right here in Newcastle on Monday the 16th of June. And I'll be honest with you, I'm wet with excitement, absolutely dripping. Obviously I've been running around like a headless chicken for the last few days just making sure that all the last-minute prep is sorted. And do you know what, I'm gonna blow me own trumpet here. I'm always telling you lot to celebrate your wins, so I just want to take a quick moment to celebrate me own. Because when I first dreamed up this idea of hosting this huge event, I had no event planning knowledge. I wasn't entirely sure how I would build a website on me own to host ticket sales. I wasn't sure how to market it. Wasn't sure how to get speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, or even design and print brochures, lanyards, pens, roll-up banners. You name it, I've done it, the whole shebang. And I remember going to me friend Nikki's house one Saturday afternoon. And we were sat there in her garden having a cuppa and a catch-up, and I just said, "I think I'm gonna run an event next year. Actually, no, scrap that. I don't think I'm going to run it, I am going to run it." And that night I came home, I sent out a few emails, made a few enquiries, and the next day I built an entire website from scratch, and then I launched it the day after. Yes, it wasn't perfect, but it allowed me to do everything I needed it to. And I remember sitting down with a blank spreadsheet open, And I just thought, okay, I'm going to get clear here. I am going to write down every single action that I need to take to make this event happen. And you know what? I wrote down 255 actions. Yes, 255 actions. Things like booking travel and accommodation for speakers, designing the presentation. I mean, even down to teeny tiny little tasks like designing and printing tote bags for the VIPs, deciding what's going to go in them, the running order for the event, making sure I've bottled water for speakers in the green room. And I remember looking at these 255 tasks feeling really overwhelmed, and because they were all marked in red basically, because none of them have been actioned yet. And I just thought to myself, "Nah, I need a team to pull this off." Well, guess what? As of today, 251 of those tasks are now green, and I've done it all bar 2 of those tasks myself. 2 of those tasks were to do with marketing, and my PR rep Claire, she helped with that. Everything else has been me. Now, reflecting on the last 12 months, I could have just sat back and thought, "Yeah, this'll all be fine. I'll manifest it. I'll manifest everything going well. I'll visualize. Everything will work out in the end." But if I'd have just done that, I wouldn't be sat here right now with just a few days to go, with a sold-out event, and everything planned out meticulously the way that it is. Because this is the truth about manifestation that I think a lot of people tend to gloss over. You can't just sit on your hands and hope that the universe will deliver. Don't get me wrong, I'm the first person to say that visualization, affirmations, subliminals, high vibes are crucial, but without action, you're just daydreaming. Manifestation isn't just about doing nothing and expecting everything, and I'm going to say that one more time for all those people at the back: manifestation isn't about doing nothing and expecting everything. Because it's a co-creation. It's you meeting the Universe halfway. It's you showing up, taking the first step, proving that you're serious about what you want, and when you do that, that's when the Universe steps in and meets your energy. Now let's be honest, it would have been very easy, very easy for me to say, "Well, I've written it on my vision board, I've said my affirmations, I'll just wait and see what happens." I could have done that. I could have. But if I hadn't opened that laptop, sent those emails, made that spreadsheet, and got to work, this event wouldn't exist. There would be no banners, no speakers, no tote bags, and definitely no excitement. So I want to ask you this today: what dream or goal have you been sitting on just waiting for a sign? What have you been hoping will just, in inverted commas, work itself out in the end? Because sometimes the sign you're waiting for is you deciding to start. To just take that one small step. So maybe it's writing the social media post, sending the email, making the phone call, setting the alarm, Googling how to build a website, whatever it is. That first action creates momentum, and momentum is magic. The amount of times in this last 12 months that I've had to watch a how-to video on YouTube, for example, how to build a website, how to create a roller banner, how to create a photo wall, how to run an event, how to host an event, how to create merchandise, how to build a brand. YouTube should be paying me at this point. I've almost completed YouTube, basically. Let's not forget, energy flows where attention goes. So if you want something, don't just think it, act on it. Be the version of you that already has it. Do the things that they would do. The universe responds to action, always. So maybe today, instead of just sitting back and asking when it's going to happen, ask yourself what small thing you can do to show that you're serious. Because I promise you, that version of me sat in Nicky's garden with a cuppa, he had no idea what the next 12 months would bring. But he decided there and then. He took action, he learned new skills, and that's when everything changed. And you know what? I'm extremely proud that I've built this and I've created this huge event myself. It's not been without its setbacks. Obviously, for those of you coming, you'll know fine well that we had to switch venues a few months ago. That was a huge setback for me, and it cost me around £15,000 in an error that I'd made. It was such a costly mistake on my part, but it didn't deter us. I could have just jacked it all in there and then and said, "Hey guys, guess what, Manifest 2025 is cancelled," but I couldn't do that to y'all. I couldn't just give up like that. So I fought and I fought, and I ended up having to switch venues. I mean, no biggie, it's literally less than a 5-minute walk from the old venue. But at that time, it felt like my entire world was crumbling. I remember sitting in me office one day thinking, "What the hell am I going to do now?" But do you know what? That moment tested me. It made me dig deep and ask meself, "How badly do I want this?" And the answer was, "More than ever." So I picked meself up, I got on the phone, I sorted the new venue, and I made it happen. And now, looking back, I'm actually grateful for that little hiccup. Because it reminded me just how resilient I am. It reminded me that when you're manifesting something big, the universe might throw you a little curveball or two just to check that you're serious. So if you're listening to this and you're going through a setback of your own right now, just know it doesn't mean your manifestation isn't working. It just means that you're leveling up. It means that old version of you wouldn't have handled it, but this new version of you, the one that you're stepping into, They've got this. They're learning new skills. You've just got to keep on going, keep showing up, keep choosing your vision even when it feels like everything's going wrong. Because I promise you, on the other side of that chaos is absolute bliss and magic. So here's the thing I really want to dive into in today's episode, because I see it so often in the manifestation world, and that is the idea that we can just think something into existence without lifting a finger. Like, if we write it in our journal, we do a cheeky visualization, we maybe say a couple of affirmations here and there, that we can just sit back and wait for it all to magically appear. Now, don't get us wrong, like I said earlier, I love a good visualization. I love setting intentions and getting into that right energy field. That's a massive part of manifestation. But if you're not actually doing anything, if you're just hoping that the universe is going to hand-deliver your dream life like Amazon Prime, you're going to be waiting a long time. And I say this with love because I've been there myself. I've had moments in the past where I've thought, "Well, I've put it on me vision board, why isn't it happening yet?" But the truth is, the universe responds to momentum, not just wishes. It needs to see that you are serious about this. It needs to see that you're willing to co-create, and co-creation means getting up off your arse and actually doing the thing. And this is something that really hit home for me when I first came up with the idea for Manifest. Like, I could have just sat with the vision in me head and thought, "Wouldn't it be nice to have a big live event?" and just left it there. But I didn't. I took that vision and I moved. I made phone calls, sent emails, Googled how to build a website. I took action even when I didn't feel ready to, even when I had no clue what I was doing. And honestly, 12 months later, I still don't feel like I'm, like, know what I'm doing. I still feel like I'm just, like, working me way around it all. But that's where the magic happens. So if you are listening to this thinking, "But I'm manifesting, I'm actually doing affirmations, why isn't it working?" I just want to gently ask you, have you actually taken action towards your goal? Even if it's just one step. Because like I say, manifestation is a partnership. The energy work is important, yes, of course it is, but you've also got to meet the universe halfway. Okay, so let's talk about aligned action because I think a lot of people hear the word action and they immediately think it has to be this massive overwhelming hustle, like you've got to be doing everything all at once, working 14-hour days, constantly on the go. But that's not what I mean by aligned action. Aligned action is about more moving in the direction of your desires in a way that feels good, even if it feels a bit scary at times. So it's about tuning into your intuition and saying, okay, Universe, I'm ready, "Show me what to do next," and then actually doing it, even if it's messy, even if it's imperfect, even if you've got no idea how it's all going to work out. So when I decided to run Manifest, I didn't suddenly have all the answers. I didn't know where to start. I didn't have a team. I certainly didn't feel qualified, and I still don't. But I just kept taking one step after another, one email, one phone call, one Canva design at a time. And every little step gave me more confidence, more clarity, and more momentum. Do you know when I first started all this, I just had a Canva subscription for £10 and that was it. I bought me website URL for £10. I mean, yes, to book the venue and the speakers, that's cost in excess of around £50,000, but guess what? They don't need paying until afterwards. And for this event, even though I made that mistake that cost me £15,000, I'm lucky enough to have just managed to break even this week. It's taken a year, but I've broke even. I've made the same amount in ticket sales than what it's cost me to run, so I'm not losing any money anymore. And you know what? I'm happy with that, because for me, this was never about making a quick buck, or the money, or whatever you want to call it, you know. For me, this was all about community and getting everyone together in one room to have one hell of a manifestation party. And I held on to that vision as to why I was doing this the whole way through. That is aligned action. It's not about ticking everything off your to-do list in one afternoon. It's about being open to the next right step and being brave enough to take it. And this is the thing: aligned action often starts with something really, really small as well. Maybe for you it's writing a post. Maybe it's looking into a course. Maybe it's putting yourself out there in a way that you've been scared to do in the past. Whatever it is, when you take that step, you are saying yes to the universe. You're ultimately saying, "I believe in this vision. I believe in myself. Let's go!" So if there's something you've been manifesting, whether it's a new job, a relationship, more money, better health, just ask yourself, "What is one small thing that I can do today that brings me closer to that?" And then I want you to actually go and do it. You don't need to know all of those 255 steps right now. You just need to know the next one. So let's talk about one of the most practical things that I did to get this whole thing off the ground and something you can do too starting today. I made that list of actions. Now I'm not just talking about a scrappy to-do list with 3 vague goals on it. I'm talking about sitting down, opening a fresh spreadsheet, and brain dumping every single action that I could possibly think of that would get me from idea to sold-out event. And let me tell you, that list ended up being 255 actions long. Why? Because success is in the details. Clarity creates momentum. And you don't have to have a big goal like a live event to do this either. You can do this for anything. Maybe you're launching a small business. Maybe you want to buy your first home. Maybe you want to manifest more abundance, more peace, more freedom. Whatever it is, get it all out of your head and onto paper. Or onto a spreadsheet. So when it's written down in front of you, you stop feeling overwhelmed by the idea of it all. You start seeing what you can actually do. You might think, "Oh God, I've got no clue how to get from where I am to where I want to be." But the second you start writing it out, your brain starts kicking in and starts solving problems. You realise there is a path. And the best bit, you don't have to do it all in one go. You just start ticking things off one by one. And every time you tick off a task, no matter how small, you're building momentum. You're telling the universe, "I'm serious about this," and that is really powerful. So maybe after this episode, just sit down and ask yourself, "What is my goal right now? What are 10 little actions that I could take to move closer to that goal?" So start there. You don't need 255, just 10. That's more than enough to get you going. Okay, so now let's shift your gears a little bit and talk about something I think we all need to do more of,, and that's what I mentioned at the start, celebrating your own wins. Now, I'm not just talking about the massive Instagram-worthy wins like, "I hit 6 figures this month," or, "I just bought a house." I'm talking about the little wins as well, the ones that often go unnoticed but actually matter just as much to us, okay? Because here's the thing, every time you acknowledge and celebrate a win, you're reinforcing a message to the universe saying, "I love this. More of this, please." So you're lifting your vibration in turn. You're shifting your mindset from "I'm not there yet" to "Look how far I've already come." So you'll have heard me say at the start of this episode, "I'm proud of myself," and I am. I want to normalize saying that. It's not big-headed. It's not arrogant. It's empowering. If I'd have waited around for someone else to clap for me, I'd still be sat in silence right now. So you know what? I clap for myself. And I want you to do the same. Maybe you finally sent that email that you've been putting off. Maybe you showed up for yourself and you journaled this morning. Maybe you just got out of bed when everything felt really, really heavy this morning. All of those are wins. And when we acknowledge those wins, when we take a moment to pause, reflect, and say, "Well done, me," we build confidence, we build momentum, we build that inner sense of, "I can do hard things." Now, for me, every time I ticked off something off my Mammoth spreadsheet for Manifest, I made a point of saying, "Yes! That's another thing done!" Even if it was just something tiny, because it reminded me that I was moving forward. I wasn't waiting for anyone else. I wasn't waiting for permission. I was doing things. So I want to challenge you this week. What are 3 things that you've done lately that you haven't celebrated yet? No matter how big, no matter how small. I want you to write them down. I want you to celebrate them this weekend. So say it out loud, write them in your journal, treat yourself to a cuppa and a quiet moment of reflection in your garden, tell a friend, post it online, whatever works for you. Just celebrate it, because the more you celebrate, the more you magnetize. Now, I know what you might be thinking, "Okay, Mart, I've taken some action, I've made me list, I've started doing all the things, but nothing massive's happened yet." 'Am I even making progress?' The short answer is yes, absolutely, even if you can't see the full picture yet. Because progress doesn't always look like fireworks. Sometimes it is quiet. Sometimes it's invisible. Sometimes it's happening in the background while you're busy doubting yourself. In fact, when it came to Plan and Manifest, yes, it took me a whole year to do this, but do you think that I worked every single hour of my working day on it? Absolutely not! I'd get nothing else done. Things tick away in the background. For example, when we first enquired about the old venue, we couldn't even get in for a viewing for 3 months. So I just knew to park that and put me energy elsewhere because there was nothing physically I could do to move that little action along. So let's talk about a few signs that you are moving forward, even if it doesn't feel like it yet. Okay, so one is that you might be thinking differently. So maybe you're catching yourself before spiraling into negativity. —that's growth, okay? 2, um, you're responding differently to people. So maybe something triggered you last year that doesn't hit the same now. That's healing. 3, you're getting new opportunities, synchronicities, nudges. You know, you overhear a conversation that sparks an idea, someone recommends you a book, you get a DM from someone out of the blue. That's alignment. Number 4 is that you're more aware of what you don't want. So even if you're not there yet, getting clarity on what isn't right is still a massive part of the process. And last but not least, number 5: you are taking steps, even if they're just baby ones. So every single thing you've done— the journaling, the mindset work, the admin, the awkward firsts— they all add up, they all count. I've had so many moments in the past year where I've thought to myself, "Why does this feel so hard?" or "Is this even going to work out in the end?" and then a week later something would fall into place and I'd think, "Ah, that's why!" Because sometimes you don't get the clarity until after the breakthrough. Sometimes the universe is rearranging things behind the scenes, lining stuff up in ways that you couldn't even plan if you tried. So if you're in a season right now where it feels like nothing's happening, please just hear me out. Progress isn't always fireworks, but it is always happening. Okay, trust the process, keep showing up, celebrate the little things, and know that even when it feels slow, you are still being pulled forward. So let's talk about something that is really next level when it comes to manifestation. And I know I've spoke about this before, but it's embodiment, okay? Because it's one thing to want something, but it's another thing entirely to start being the version of you who already has it. And this is what I mean when I say energetic alignment. You've got to act, think, speak, move like the future version of yourself who already has that thing that you're calling in. So, for example, when I decided to put this event on, I didn't have any of the qualifications or credentials that you might expect from an event organiser, but I didn't sit around telling myself, "Oh well, I'm not qualified. That means I'm not ready yet. I've never done this before. I'll just let this idea slide." I just became the person who hosts live events. I literally asked myself, "What would the version of me who runs a successful live event do right now?" And I did that. Even if it felt awkward. Even if I felt like a bit of a fraud some days. Even if I was Googling how to write a sponsorship proposal while eating me toast. You know, this is the energetic secret sauce. The universe doesn't give you what you want, it gives you what you're an energetic match for. So the more you step into that future version of yourself, the one who already has the money, the love, the business, the health, the happiness, whatever it is, the more your outer world will start to rearrange to reflect that. Think about it. If you're manifesting a successful business, for example, ask yourself, how does that version of me start their day? What do they put on their priority list for the day? How do they talk about themselves? How do they feel about money, clients, visibility? You know, and then start doing those things now in small ways every single day. Because when you embody the energy of having it, you collapse that gap between someday and soon. And don't forget, the version of you that you're stepping into, they already exist. You're not creating them from scratch. You're not building their DNA. They are you. You're remembering them. They're already inside you. You just need to show up as that person. Okay, all right, so now that we've talked about action, setbacks, progress— what else was on my list? Uh, embodiment. Let's get reflective for a moment because integrating what we've just chatted about is just as important as hearing it. And you know me, I'm a big fan of journaling and affirmations. They help you anchor the energy, they help you get clear on what it is that you're trying to get. So if you've got a journal nearby or even the Notes app on your phone, Here are a few prompts to help you process everything that we've talked about today. Prompt number 1 is, what is one thing that I've been trying to manifest that I haven't yet taken action on? Number 2 is, what's one small step I could take today towards that? Number 3 is, where in my life am I waiting for permission instead of just giving it to myself? Number 4: What are 3 wins I can celebrate from last month, no matter how small? And the last one, number 5: Who is the version of me who already has what I want? What would they do next? And like I say, if affirmations are more your thing, maybe just try repeating a few of these over the next few days just to really ground into this energy. You could say something along the lines of: I take inspired action and trust the universe to meet me halfway. I am proud of everything I've done to get to where I am today. Every small step I take creates momentum towards my desires. I embody the version of me who already has it all. So write them out, stick one on your mirror, you know, say them while you're driving in the car, whisper them under your breath in the shower if you want to. Just make sure they become part of your frequency. Because remember, this isn't about being perfect, it's about being in motion. Because you're not stuck, you're building. Every little step counts. So just to recap on all of this episode, if there's one thing I want you to take from this, it is that manifestation isn't magic without movement. Manifestation isn't magic without movement. Because you can sit and visualize all day long, and I absolutely recommend that you do, but if you're not backing it up with action, you're just dreaming. The universe needs to see that you're serious, that you're ready, that you're all in. And don't let the size of your dream intimidate you either. Don't get stuck in, "I don't know where to start." You don't need to know the whole staircase. You just need to take that first step up it. Okay, because every single time you move, every time you send the email, you write the list, you ask the question, you show up for yourself, the universe will respond. And when things go wrong, when you hit a wobble or you make a mistake like I did with the venue change, don't take that as a sign to quit. Take it as a test of your commitment. Are you going to fold or are you going to rise? You know the answer deep down inside. You're here, you're listening to this right now. For me, that says it all. You've already chosen the version of you that wants more, more expansion, more fulfillment, more magic. So now it's just time to match that with action. So this is your challenge for the week: write down 3 things that you can do in the next 48 hours to move closer to what you're manifesting. Not giant leaps, just small aligned action. And then I want you to do them. And when you've done them, I want you to celebrate, even if you just sat on your couch giving yourself a quiet little clap. That energy matters, okay? So just bear all that in mind. So I hope that this episode has helped you. I hope if you are coming to Manifest on Monday that you are super excited, just as excited as I am. I can't wait to see you all there. If you have serious fear of missing out, don't worry, you can watch the whole thing online in our backstage area at manny-fest.uk. You've only got until Sunday evening, um, just to buy the virtual admission ticket as well. So please, please, please do not miss out. It's going to be a huge self-development day for us all. Head to manny-fest.uk to secure your place to watch us all live from the comfort of your own home. How amazing is that? And as always, if this episode gave you that little kick up the ass that you needed, I'd love to hear from you. Screenshot it, share it on your stories, tag me. I'm @canny_crystals across all social media, and tell me what you're taking action on this week. I'll be cheering you on every step of the way while you do that. Don't forget to subscribe to this podcast, follow it, comment on it wherever you're listening to it from, even leave me a little review if you're feeling super generous, and I will see you all next Friday for another episode. Speak soon, guys.

Bye!

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