Retreat reflections on manifesting
The First Step of Manifestation: Intention
I just returned from our women’s retreat, and I’m still carrying the energy of it with me. These weekends are always a reminder of what’s possible when we step away from daily life and create space to reconnect with ourselves.
So much unfolded—the conversations, the laughter, the quiet moments, the breakthroughs. That’s the magic you can only feel when you’re there.
But, I do want to bring you into the experience in a small way. Over the course of the retreat, we talked a lot about manifestation. And not the wishful-thinking, vision-board version, but the real, grounded kind. The kind that’s less about controlling outcomes and more about aligning with yourself.
We started with the very first step: intention.
Why Intention Matters
When it comes to manifestation, clarity is everything. If you don’t know what you want, it’s hard to call it in.
At the retreat, I gave this example: imagine walking into a travel agency and saying, “I want to go somewhere fun.” The agent is going to blink at you and ask, “Okay… where? The mountains? The beach? Another country?” Without specifics, there’s no ticket to book.
Life works the same way. Vague desires bring vague outcomes.
If you say, “I just want to be happy,” the Universe doesn’t know if happiness means a new relationship, a fulfilling career, or more free time in your week. But if you say, “I want to be in a career where I feel creative, supported, and financially abundant,” now you’re giving your energy an exact destination to move toward.
Intention is like setting your GPS coordinates. Without it, you’re just driving in circles.
A Moment From the Retreat
One of the most powerful moments on retreat was when we went around the circle and named intentions out loud.
It wasn’t about “things.” No one was saying, “I want a new car” or “I want a house with a pool.” Instead, the women were naming deeper desires: peace, freedom, confidence, a sense of belonging. The room got quiet. You could feel how clear and honest those intentions were. And as soon as they were spoken, the energy shifted—because clarity creates momentum.
My Own Lesson in Intention
I’ve experienced this in my own life too.
When I first opened the studio, I thought my intention was just “to have a yoga business.” But that wasn’t clear enough, and it left me spinning my wheels. It wasn’t until I got specific—“I want to create a space where people feel at home, where they can move their bodies, breathe deeply, and connect with themselves and each other”—that things started to click.
That clarity guided every decision I made, from the classes I offered to the teachers I hired. It was the intention that gave me direction when everything felt overwhelming.
Your Practice This Week
Here’s the part I want to pass on to you.
Take a few minutes this week and try this:
Put your phone away.
Grab a journal or even a scrap piece of paper.
Ask yourself:
“If I could create anything in my life right now, what would it be?”
“Why do I want this?”
Don’t overthink it. Write down whatever comes up first.
Because here’s the truth: intention isn’t about chasing what looks good on paper. It’s about choosing what actually lights you up inside.
Why This Step Is So Powerful
When you get clear on what you want, you’re not just giving yourself direction—you’re also signaling to the world (and to yourself) that you’re ready.
It’s like flipping on a light. Suddenly, opportunities, ideas, and people begin to show up that align with your vision.
It doesn’t mean everything happens overnight. But clarity sets things in motion. It turns vague wishing into intentional living.
Closing Reflection
So, if you take nothing else from this, remember: manifestation begins with clarity.
Get quiet. Name what you want. And let your intention be the GPS coordinates for your life.
Because once you know where you’re headed, the path begins to unfold.
xoxo, Nicole Byars