215: If they can have it, so can you
28 Nov 2025 · 38 min
Mart Tweedy explains expanders: people or examples that prove to your subconscious a goal is possible. She breaks down five types (full, fragment, bridge, reality, envy) and shows how to find them in real life, social media, and books. Your subconscious needs this evidence to believe change is real.
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Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of Connie Crystals, the podcast. I hope that you're all well. My name is Mart Tweedy, I'm your host, and just before we quickly jump into today's episode, I just want to tell you about something really special that starts this coming Monday. If you've ever felt like December comes around and your energy just scatters, so maybe you feel rushed, overwhelmed, emotionally drained, so by the time Christmas comes you're absolutely bloody exhausted like I usually am, then this was made for you, okay? I've created something called the 25 Days of Manifestmas, and it's essentially a digital advent experience for the soul. So for 25 days, from the 1st of December right through until Christmas Day— because yes, I'll be scheduling something to go straight to your inbox on Christmas Day— I'll be sending you all a daily digital tool to help you feel calm, grounded, and energetically aligned. So every single morning at 6 AM, you'll get a new surprise drop into your inbox. So some days it might be a meditation, some days it could be a subliminal, a ritual, a journaling page, a self-soothing nervous system reset, a reflection practice, or something completely unexpected. Now the beauty of this is that every single thing that you will get has been designed to take less than 10 minutes, so it's gentle, it's peaceful, and it's easy to weave into your day. And they've all been made bespoke-ly just for this digital calendar experience as well. So For me personally, it's not about doing more, it's about feeling more aligned. So it's about choosing not to rush through December in that blur of stress, but instead to consciously create a calmer, more magnetic, and more connected version of yourself. And honestly, it's £10 for all 25 days, so you are going to get 25 digital resources for just £10. Obviously, you don't need to be awake at 6 AM, that's just the time it's going to go out, 6 AM GMT, which is UK time. It will go into your inbox, but you don't need to be up at that time. If you miss a day or you fall behind, there is no stress. It will also be available to you whenever you want to download it or go back to it at Cani Crystals Academy as well. So quite honestly, once this begins, it won't reopen. Okay, so we are starting this on Monday. The doors will close on Sunday evening at midnight. So if your soul is craving a softer, more intentional December this year, you can join me type in cannycrystalsacademy.co.uk/manifestmas, or you can click the link in my bio across any of my social media pages. You'll see it straight at the top, okay? So let's get into today's episode anyway. So today I really want to talk about a concept that has just been brought to my attention this last week, okay? So I was, um, having a call with Tamu Thomas, who is an incredible TEDx speaker. She teaches neuroscience about when it comes to manifestation. How to calm your nervous system, how to avoid burnout. And basically, I was booking her to speak at Manifest next year. Now, something that she said to me during that call really stood out, and I did a lot of research about this afterwards, okay? And this is what we're going to be talking about today, because while I was on that call with Tamu, she said, 'Do you know what's really, really weird?' And I said, 'What?' And she said, 'You're my expander.' Now, for me, I was like, 'Expander.' I was like, 'You're going to have to elaborate on this because I have no idea what you're talking about here.' She said she had basically called out to the universe and said she wants more opportunities, she wants to be seen more, and she basically said to me that I was the one that was helping her to expand in that. And I thought, 'Okay, I can kind of get on board with this. I can kind of see where she's going,' because a lot of people tell me that I have massive connector energy. And what I mean by this is that I'm really good at connecting people. So, for example, there was a few months ago, I got contacted by a company called Be Sleepy who was selling amethyst-infused mattress toppers and amethyst-infused pillows. As we were on the call, myself and Charlie, I said to him, "Do you know, I've got some friends here that would really, really benefit from this. They would be able to talk about it on their podcasts as well." 'And if they had good experiences, they would be able to showcase your brand.' And straight away he was like, 'Give me their names.' And I was like, 'Okay, Francesca Amber, Emma Mumford.' And I just started listing off loads of people's names, and he got in touch with them, and he's since worked with those people. And I remember he said to me, 'You have great connector energy.' So when Tamu told me that I was an expander, I was like, 'Okay, I can really get on board with this.' So I want to talk to you today about what an expander actually is, and why you need one in your life. Okay, so let's imagine for a second that you are scrolling through Instagram on your phone and you see somebody who is absolutely living the life that you keep visualizing on your mood board. So what I mean by that is they are doing the work that you love, they've got the lifestyle that you want, maybe even living in the kind of home that you've secretly been pinning to your Pinterest board or putting on your vision board. And something in your brain tells you, hang on a minute, if they can do it, why can't I? So that moment right there is expansion. That is your subconscious going from, mm, sounds nice but not realistic for someone like me, to, oh my God, this actually could be possible for me as well. So an expander is simply someone who proves to your subconscious that what you want is real, that it's available, and that it's ultimately achievable for you as well. Not just in a general sense, but specifically for somebody just like you., and that is the key. Because it's not about admiring someone's big flashy lifestyle, it's more about seeing someone whose story, whose background, whose personality, whose challenges or circumstances reflect your own in some way or another. So when your brain recognizes those similarities, it files the message as evidence. So it's not fantasy, it's not daydreaming, it's now possible for you as well. So your subconscious your subconscious mind, it's very literal. It doesn't deal in wishful thinking. It doesn't care how badly you want something. It just deals in proof because it needs to recognize, you know, people like me can do things like that. And that's why sometimes visualization or affirmations, they feel a little bit empty because they are just bouncing off a subconscious mind that doesn't yet truly believe those things are possible for you. So expanders become the proof that your subconscious needs. So they help you access that feeling of, oh my God, this actually is possible for me. This isn't just positive thinking or fairy dust. It actually exists, and I've seen it firsthand with my own eyes. So it's living, breathing evidence. It's kind of like that see it to believe it mentality. And I think once you start to believe it, you can start to call it in as well. So in manifestation terms, an expander bridges the gap between where you are now and where you actually want to be. So you don't need to know the exact how or how it's going to happen, but you do need your subconscious to say, "Yes, I now believe that this is available," and that's when things start shifting for you. So an expander, they're not necessarily someone famous or wildly successful. It's not going to always be someone with millions of pounds in the bank or thousands of followers online. It's simply someone who shows you that what you want is not only possible, but it's accessible, and most importantly, possible for you as well. So your subconscious doesn't get inspired by distant, untouchable perfection. It gets activated when it sees someone that is relatable, real, maybe a bit like you, achieving the very thing that you're wanting to manifest. And that is the power of expanders. How amazing is that? Like, once your mind believes that it's possible, you stop chasing from lack and you start calling it in from truth. And that's where the magic begins. So just before we move on, I really want to dig a little bit deeper as to why your subconscious needs more proof before it can manifest. Because now that we know what an expander is, I want to talk about why it even matters. Why can't we just journal, visualize, light a candle, say our affirmations, work with our crystals, and wait for the DPD driver to drop off our dream life at the door? It doesn't work like that, because your conscious mind, it might be manifesting, but your subconscious mind is the one that's driving. Okay, so your conscious mind is the part of you that says, "I want financial freedom. I want to build my own business. I want a deeply loving, healthy relationship." And it means it. It genuinely means it. But your subconscious is the part of you that's whispering underneath, "But people like me don't earn that kind of money. I've never seen a relationship like that work in real life. I wasn't raised around success, so it's just not me." And that is what determines what you actually allow into your life. So this is the key: you don't manifest what you want, you manifest what you believe is possible for you. And your beliefs, they don't live on your vision board or in your affirmation notebook or your journal. They live in your subconscious, right here in your head. So think of your subconscious like— it's almost like a well-meaning but slightly overprotective security guard. That's the only way I can put it. So it's constantly scanning, is this familiar? 'Is this safe? Is this realistic based on what I've seen before?' So it's not trying to cockblock you, it's trying to protect you. It only allows in what it recognizes as possible, safe, and available. So when you try to manifest something wildly outside of what your subconscious has ever seen or experienced, it starts to go, 'Mm, that sounds lovely, pet, but we've got no evidence that this is real for us. Try again.' And this is why expanders are so, so powerful in your life. They give your subconscious that missing evidence resistance. They gently show it. Look, someone similar to me, with a background a bit similar to mine, with similar struggles, similar quirks, a similar starting point, they've actually gone and done this. So maybe, you know, I can as well. When your subconscious starts to see that proof, it relaxes its resistance. So it's no longer seeing your manifestation as risky or unrealistic or not you, and instead it slowly starts to shift into, actually, "this is starting to look possible for me." And then eventually that'll turn into, "this feels like it could be mine." And then finally it could be, "this is my next reality." Yeah? So it starts to really, really snowball. Let me give you a quick, simple analogy of this. So imagine you are sat in a cold room with a locked radiator. You're wishing for warmth, you're visualizing warmth, you're affirming warmth. You've got your gloves on, your hat, your scarf, everything. But until someone comes in and shows you that there's actually a key to turn the radiator on, you're still going to be freezing, right? Expanders are that key. They unlock the possibility within you. They don't hand you the full manifestation on a plate, but they give you permission to believe that it's available to you. And once your belief starts to shift, everything else will start to shift as well, because manifestation is never just about that one thing.. It's about who you believe you're allowed to become as part of that. So when I was looking into this whole concept, there are different types of expanders because most people will get stuck thinking that an expander has to be this one perfect person who has every single answer that they want. Someone who's basically living your dream life right now with that exact business, the exact lifestyle that you have, the exact relationship, exact house, exact personality, star sign. You name it. But actually, that's not how expanders usually show up, and there are different types, and every single one of these is going to play a role in helping your subconscious open up to your desires. And the beauty of this is you don't need just one. You can build your expansion through different people, different stories, different examples. So what I'd done is when I'd researched this, I wrote down there are 5 different types that you need to know and I'm going to explain them in a way that makes total sense, okay? So the first is a full expander. So this is someone who is pretty much exactly what you're trying to call in and whose path feels so relatable and possible for you as well. So they don't make you think, "Wow, they're amazing." They make you think, "Hang on, I could genuinely see meself doing something like that as well." So their life feels so aligned to yours. They either share similar traits, values, struggles, background, journey, and when you see them, something clicks. So your subconscious starts to think, "So this genuinely is available to someone like me." These full-on expanders, they are powerful, but they are not essential, because number 2 on my list is fragment expanders. So think of this like building a dream life using tiny little puzzle pieces. So you might have one person showing you the relationship dynamic that you'd like to manifest. You might have another showing you a financial goal that feels attainable. You might have another person who is living exactly the kind of slow, grounded, spiritually aligned lifestyle that you want. Every single one of these people are going to expand a different part of your vision because ultimately they are all pieces of the same jigsaw puzzle. So your subconscious collects them like puzzle pieces and eventually builds the whole picture for you. So this is especially, like, helpful for those of us whose, you know, whose goals are quite specific or unique. You might not find one person who has it all, but you will find little fragments of each. Then the third one on my list is bridge expanders. So these are your stepping stone expanders. They're not where you want to end up, but they are further along the journey than you, and that's incredibly helpful and inspirational because sometimes seeing the full end result can feel a bit too far away for us to fully believe in. So bridge expanders help you stretch into that next level rather than feel the final destination. So your brain goes from, "I have no idea how I get meself from A to B," to, "Okay, I could actually see meself reaching that stage." So it's kind of like leveling up in real life, one believable step at a time. It's like incremental upgrades. Now, the fourth thing is reality expanders. So these are here to help you refine your desires but not manifest them. So these aren't necessarily people who show you what you want, but they show you what you do not want. So for example, you might look at someone and think, "I used to believe that I wanted that, but seeing it in reality, that doesn't feel aligned to me." So these expanders, they give you clarity. They help you release the things that you've been chasing because you thought that you should want them, and they help you make space for what's actually meant for you. So they help you stop forcing and start aligning. And then the last thing on the list is envy expanders. So these ones come wrapped in a little emotional discomfort. I have loads of envy expanders. These are the people who trigger you, you know, they stir something inside of you, or they might even make you feel a tiny little bit irritated. Not because you don't like them, but because they are doing something that you secretly want to do. Now, that little tuggle of jealousy or envy, whatever you want to call it, that can be one of the strongest expansion signals, because it's not jealousy in the negative sense. It's actually an emotional indicator that is saying, this is what's meant for you, this is something that your soul wants, but your subconscious, it hasn't made peace with it yet. So instead of saying, why them? I want you to start asking yourself, what have they shown me about what is possible for me as well? Because that's when envy becomes a tool for one of your most powerful teachers. Okay, so understanding these 5 types, they give you that freedom. You don't need to wait for some magical, perfect full expander soulmate to appear. Your expanders, they are already all around you. You probably just haven't been looking for them or been trained to spot them yet. But once you do, everything will start to shift for you. So now that you know the different types of expanders, the big question then becomes, how do you actually recognize when there's one standing right in front of you or scrolling across your Instagram feed? Because I don't think it's always obvious. You know, expanders don't arrive with this flashing neon sign saying, "I'm here, I'm here to help you believe." Most of the time, it's just going to be a feeling or a shift, or maybe even a little jolt, like, somewhere inside of you that says, "Something about this feels different." So, things to look out for: you could feel a spark of, "That could actually be me." This is the key. Expanders don't make you feel amazed, they just make you feel possible. It isn't like, "Oh my God, wow, they're incredible!" It's more like, "Wait, I genuinely think that I could do something like that as well." So it feels attainable. Not because it's small, but because it feels relatable. Um, something about them could feel familiar to you, not necessarily in circumstances, but in essence. So maybe it's their energy. You know, we always say your vibe attracts your tribe. I always, like, get a pull from certain people, whether it's their energy, their values, their humor, their weird background story, their starting point, their personality, or maybe the fact that they've struggled with the exact same mindset blocks that I'm currently working through.. It's not about matching their life exactly. It's just about recognizing that we're all built from the same stuff. Another thing is that you might feel inspiration or curiosity, or you might even feel triggered. You know, being triggered is still a sign of expansion. Sometimes you'll see someone living your dream and you feel inspired and lit up. Other times you're going to feel that envy and that jealousy, or maybe even that resistance. And I've got a little saying here that I found on Google as well while I was researching this episode that I wrote down. And it's inspiration leaves you feeling good, expansion leaves you believing differently. So inspiration leaves you feeling good, expansion leaves you believing differently. So it creates a shift in your identity. It's kind of a subtle but really powerful move from, "That's lovely for them," to, "I can see how this could be mine as well." That's when you've found an expander. And I think the best bit of this is that your expanders, they don't need to be famous. Like I said earlier, they don't need to be wealthy, they don't need to be even your exact dream. They just need to prove to you that your desires exist in the real world and that they're available to someone just like you. So you might be now thinking, like, where am I going to actually find this Expander Mart? So this is where people tend to overcomplicate things, because they probably think that expanders have to be these celebrities or millionaires or gurus, people living in Bali, you know, eating acai bowls for breakfast, all that jazz. But that's not true at all. Your expanders are very often quite ordinary people living extraordinary truths. They don't have to be big, shiny, or wildly successful. It could be your auntie, it could be Tracy that lives next door to you. It doesn't matter who they are, they just have to show you that something that you want exists in real life and it is possible for someone like you. Now, for me personally, I often look to Francesca Amber for this, so I first met Fran coming up 4 years ago. I basically messaged her saying, I want to come on your podcast talking about crystals. Next thing I know, I'm driving to her house one Saturday morning. I meet up with her, we record the podcast, we record an episode of her podcast, and we literally got on like a house on fire. We then since met up a second time. The second time we met up, we arranged a huge like show at the Barbican, this event, this one-night event that we had, the Barbican in London. And our friendship was just born off the back of that. We then wanted to try and get together to arrange like how we were going to do this event. She ended up getting gifted this cruise around the Med for free. She took me with her. It was like she took me under her wing at a time when I felt really, really vulnerable putting myself out there. I learned so much from Fran because I could see bits of myself in her. She wasn't a full expander for me, but she was definitely an expander that taught me about business, that taught me about being able to have children as well as a wildly successful business at the same time. I learned so much from hanging around with Fran. So let's talk about where you can find yours. So, real life, you know, the most underrated place. Expanders can be right under your nose. Think someone in your friendship circle who quietly built their own business from home. Think of a mam at school who broke out of a job that she hated and she started doing something that she loves. Think of your cousin who, I don't know, healed a long-term health issue and changed their life. A neighbour who changed careers at 55 and absolutely thrived off the back of it. You might not have noticed them before because you weren't looking through the lens of expansion. So just start paying attention to people's backstories. Secondly, you could look on the online world, you know, intentionally curated, of course, because if your social media feed is currently filled with celebrities, memes, people that make you feel less than, then it's not expanding you, it's shrinking you. So curate your newsfeed. Follow people living those aligned, authentic, believable versions of what you desire. Not just perfect influencer lifestyles, but real-life stories. People who share the how, not just the highlight. So when you're thinking of people, ask yourself, does this account expand me, or does it shrink me? If it shrinks you, unfollow them, mute them. If it expands you, lean into that. The third thing is podcasts, interviews, real-life stories, because I think that podcasts like this, they are gold mines for expanders because people tend to share their journey, not just their success. And I think when you hear how someone actually got from A to B, it helps your subconscious kind of, you know, put those cogs into motion and think, "Ah, I understand this now. I can see how this could work for me as well.". It doesn't need to be spiritual or manifestation-based. It just needs to be someone living something that you want. You'll hear about their setbacks, their breakdowns, their pivots, their decisions, their fears, their breakthroughs, and that's where expansion comes in. Like last week, I was quite vulnerable and I shared about how I'm planning to basically pivot my entire business. So many people emailed me after I thought that that was just an episode of me rambling. So many people emailed me after last week's episode and said, that was gold, absolute gold. And I just thought to myself, really, that episode last week? I thought it was me just rambling. But so many people got stuff out of that because it was me breaking down, talking about how I'm going to pivot, talking about me fears, talking about all me breakthroughs. Yeah, so think about podcasts because they can really be expanders for you as well. You don't even have to have a conversation with them, you could just be listening to them. Another way is through books. Documentaries, film, media, TV? Because your subconscious doesn't make a huge distinction between fiction and non-fiction. It just sees possibility. So if you see a healthy, respectful relationship on TV, or a character healing trauma, someone building a purpose-led life, your subconscious takes note of that—not as fact, but as potential. So it quietly thinks to itself, "Relationships can look like that." people actually do that kind of work. Women can succeed in these spaces. Men can be emotionally available. So expansion doesn't always show up in real life. It often quite, you know, lands softly through stories. And another way is through communities, memberships, workshops, event spaces. I've got an amazing membership called Manifest with Mart Tweedy. We often share stories like this. You know, any space designed for growth is going to be full of expanders. I get so much from my members. Because people are actively working on themselves. They are actively sharing their journeys or celebrating the manifestations and being vulnerable about that. And that's exactly why spaces like that work so well, because it doesn't just teach you how to manifest, it surrounds you with people actually doing it. You know, real people with real stories making real life changes and real life shifts. And when you see someone in your community manifest something that you've been wanting to call in as well, I think it hits differently. It feels possible. Another way is through friends of friends. You know, one of the easiest ways to stumble upon expanders is when someone casually mentions someone else, like, "Oh, my friend left her teaching job last week and now she's running her own wellbeing retreat business." When this happens, just pause yourself and ask some questions, because expanders show up through stories. Even if you've never met this person, your mind has now seen that that possibility exists. And that is enough to start shifting your subconscious. Because really, when we think about it, expanders are everywhere. The only reason that you haven't seen them before is because you weren't looking for them. Remember when we talked about your reticular activating system, your RAS? When you start to look for something, your brain then starts to look for evidence that that is real. Okay, so you might be sat there right now thinking, well, that's all good and dandy, Mart, but what happens when nobody in my life reflects exactly what I want? And I think this is probably one of the most common things that people will object to. You know, I don't know anyone living that kind of life I want. My family just don't get what I'm doing. My friends aren't into this stuff. I'm the only one working on myself here through self-development. I feel like the odd one out in me friend group. Let me tell you something important right now. Feeling like the odd one out, that's often the first sign that you're meant to break the cycle. So you're not behind.. You are pioneering. You're not unsupported. You're being called to expand beyond your current environment, and that can feel super lonely. I think I did a podcast episode all about this, about finding your, finding your tribe, and how people often express feelings of spiritual loneliness. But I find this also incredibly powerful because I think it means that you're being asked to become something that you've never witnessed, and that is what expanders are for. You don't need to have expanders in your current circle. You just need access to expanders. So like I say, it could be online, in books, through podcasts, through communities, through stories, even through people you've never met. Your subconscious doesn't care how you access them. It just needs to witness that possibility. Think of it like putting your radio on. If the people around you are tuned to one frequency and you're trying to tune into another frequency, You wouldn't throw away the radio, would you? You would just adjust the signal. You would start intentionally surrounding yourself with voices or stories or content or energy that reflect where you're going, not where you've been. And that's when you start to curate your reality. So by this point, you might already have like started having some thoughts as to, you know, who are my expanders? So maybe it's someone online, maybe it's someone in your circle, someone from a podcast, even a character on a TV show. You know, but here's where most people stop. They'll notice it for a moment, they'll feel inspired, they'll maybe even screenshot a post that they've seen, and then they'll carry on with their life exactly as before. Inspiration alone won't change your life. Integration is what will change your life. So an expander isn't just meant to inspire you. They are meant to help you shift how you think, what you believe, and ultimately how you show up in your own manifestation journey. So, I want you to basically study their journey, not their results. Don't just look at what they have, look at how they got there. Ask questions like, what were they doing before this? What mindset shifts did they talk about? What decisions did they have to make? Did they have any doubts or fear? What was it that helped them keep on going in times of hardship? What did they believe about themselves that allowed them to take that massive leap? Because when you start to understand how it happened, your subconscious begins building that blueprint. Not because you need to follow their path exactly, but because your mind starts thinking, if I can understand it, I can then imagine it. And if I can imagine it, I can believe it. And if I believe it, I can receive it. God, I sound like Tony Robbins or something, don't I? But I want you to also note any similarities, not the differences. Okay, so your subconscious, it loves to look for reasons why you can't have something because it wants you to play safe. So, your subconscious might be coming up with stuff like, "Well, that's alright for them, they've got money." "They're more confident." "She doesn't have kids." "He's naturally lucky." But expansion happens when you flip that. So instead you could ask, "What do we have in common?" "How are we even slightly similar?" "Where can I recognise part of my own story in theirs?" You're not meant to copy their life like a carbon copy. You are meant to see it as proof. And then build your own version from that. So one way that I've been doing that this week is I have been journaling with intentional prompts. So I've been asking myself, what is this person showing me as possible? What belief must they have about themselves to live this way? Which of these beliefs am I ready to now claim for myself? What version of me would naturally take steps towards that possibility? That right there is where the shift is going to happen. Because that expansion is going to become alignment. And I've even started to bring those expanders into me daily rituals. So I've been visualizing my version of what they've shown me as possible. I've been scripting stuff that's already happened to them as if it's already happened to me. I've even wrote myself a little tapping script, and I've been tapping on any resistance that says it's possible for them but not for me, because those doubts are always going to crop up in the back of your head. I've been saying gratitude statements like "Thank you for showing me that this is available to me as well." You're not idolizing these people. I've gotta stress that. You're not idolizing them. You're allowing your subconscious to calibrate to possibility. So, what I want you to do is turn expanders into expanders in action. The most powerful moment isn't when you spot an expander. It's when you start making even the smallest moves inspired by what they have shown you. So, it could be sending an email. Could be launching a product. It could be booking a call. Could be writing down your vision. It could be trusting the nudge. Could even be taking that leap that the past version of you would have overthought into oblivion. That's where expansion turns into embodiment. Your subconscious starts to think, "We've got to believe this is possible because look, we've already started acting like it is." And that's when your manifestation starts to step up a gear. So remember, expanders, they are not meant to be copied. They are not meant to be compared to or idolized. They are meant to be that evidence base or that activation, sometimes even a step-by-step instruction. They awaken the belief inside of you saying, "If they can have it, so can I, in my own way, at my own pace, in my own timing." Okay, so now you've got the full picture of what an expander is. You understand what expanders are, why your subconscious needs them, the different types, how to recognize them. But now we are going to turn that into something really practical and powerful, because for me, expansion isn't just about noticing, it's about collecting that information, integrating it into your daily life, and embodying it as to who you become. So when you finish this episode, I want you to write down your top 3 current manifestations. So whether it's a business goal, a money target, a healthy relationship, aligned work, whatever it is, right? Just choose up to 3. I want you to write them down clearly, specifically, and honestly. And then underneath each one, I want you to list an expander that you already have from any categories, okay? So these could be a full expander, a fragment expander, a bridge expander, a reality expander, or an envious expander, okay? The more real or relatable or believable the better this is going to be. And then I want you to note what each one is showing you, okay? So ask yourself, what belief are they proving is possible for me? What part of their story mirrors mine? What permission are they giving me? What are they indirectly teaching me about alignment, timing, or worthiness? You're training your subconscious to not just admire them but to absorb them. And then I want you to think about where you still need expansion. So look at your list and spot the gaps. Maybe you don't have any expanders for someone who built a huge spiritual business while raising kids. Maybe you've never seen anyone your age that's changed career. Maybe you've never witnessed someone leave a draining lifestyle and build something aligned. Like I said earlier when I talked about Fran, she's done all three of these, okay? She built a huge spiritual business while raising her— well, she had a 4-year-old daughter at the time and two newborn twins. She was in the beauty business. She had to close during the first pandemic. She set up a podcast about the law of attraction because it was something that she was passionate about. She didn't let her age, like, dictate her career, okay? And when I was talking about leaving a draining lifestyle, building something aligned, she left that draining lifestyle of working every hour God sent doing lashes, spray tans, and now she hosts the UK's— I think it's the UK's biggest self-development boot club online. So for me personally, Fran just ticked all those boxes for me, okay? But that becomes part of your manifestation list. I'm calling in expanders who show me what this looks like in my world. I wanted someone who had built a spiritual business, someone who had changed their career and not let their age have anything to do with it, someone who had left a draining lifestyle and they built something aligned. For me, Fran came into my life. Okay, I called Fran into my life. And then lastly, just make sure that you embody that expansion, because once your subconscious believes, it gently starts nudging you into action. So it might be something like, I'm going to message someone and ask how they transitioned. I'm going to put myself in rooms where this kind of life exists. I'm going to create a version of what they have but in my own way. I'm going to stop telling myself stories like 'People like me don't do that.' And that's the magic moment. When you start becoming the proof, you begin to show your subconscious, 'This isn't just possible. I'm already living little pieces of it. It's already starting to unfold for me.' That expander energy moves from outside of you to inside of you. You stop looking for expanders and you start becoming one yourself. An expander isn't the person with the dream life. It's the person who shows you that what you want is already real and it's available and now as well. Your subconscious believes that it's ready to let it in, and just like that, you'll go from wishing to believing to becoming. That's the actual turning point in manifestation— not when something arrives, but when you finally believe that it can. So I hope that that all made sense for you. I hope that you can relate to it as well, because for me, it's been a bit of a light switch moment in my head. So just one quick thing to mention before I go this week is that I have been making such a conscious effort this last couple of weeks to try and up my social media game at the minute. Can you believe that I have sat at 21,000 followers on Instagram for the last 2 years? So, basically, when new people are following me, old people are dropping off. It's crazy. I think Instagram just hates us, basically. Sometimes my reels will get 5 likes. And I just keep on thinking, what am I doing wrong? I know that more than 21,000 of you listen to this podcast, for example, so please, I beg of you, if you are not already following me on Instagram, please go give me a follow. My username is just the word cannycrystals, all one word. I think Instagram have been doing weird things lately though because it's removed some of my followers when they've not even unfollowed me in the first place. So Charlotte Tilbury, for example, you know, the makeup lady, she followed me about a year ago and I got so excited. And then last month I went to message her and I realized that she wasn't following us anymore. And I'd hoped that I'd not upset her, but she said that she hadn't unfollowed us. So, a few of you lot have recently messaged as well to say, "Sorry for refollowing you. I didn't unfollow you in the first place, so I'm not sure why I'm not following you anymore." So, please do go and check that out. Give me a follow. Just like a couple of posts while you're there on my profile by double tapping on them, and hopefully it'll make sure that you see us again in your feed. I really do appreciate it. As always, please do share this episode with a friend, a family member, colleague, neighbor, anyone that you think would benefit from hearing it. And one last thing to quickly mention as well is that my Achieving Your Goals workshop in 2026 is available for you to join at cannycrystalsacademy.co.uk. Just click on Achieving Your Goals in 2026. It's in the link in my bio, it's in the link in the show notes as well underneath this episode. Please come, it is £22.22. You will get a full guided workbook, You will also get a subliminal, a meditation, and we will go live on the 30th of December at 7 PM to go through the workbook together. So you'll see me, I'll see you, we'll be able to chat in real time. Love it. So anyway, I will see you all next Friday for another episode. Take care of yourselves, guys. Go and find your expanders, and I'll speak to you real soon.
Bye!
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