Manifesting

I’d been manifesting for years before I knew it was called that. It occurred to me at one point in my 20s that I had achieved pretty much all of the life goals I’d ever wished for aloud — they just hadn’t turned out quite as I hoped. Still, inspired by that realization, I rattled off a long, detailed list of qualities I wanted in a man. Shortly thereafter, I met a man that checked off almost every box…but again, it didn’t turn out as expected. (We’re divorced now.) Turns out there were a few things I was unaware of that should have been included in that list.

Be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it.

I manifested again while we were house hunting. After stalking RedFin, Trulia, and Zillow for a while, I described in detail my dream house — an informed, educated manifestation this time. A few years later, I bought a house that for the most part filled the bill. So far, so good. I think I’m getting better at this manifesting thing. (I’m almost afraid to say that. But I do love my house.)

I don’t believe that saying things out loud magically makes them appear. But I do believe that thinking deeply about what you want and need and committing it to list form, either verbally or in writing, sets you up to wait for the best option rather than settling for something that’s a bad fit. In that spirit, allow me to manifest the job I’m looking for.

1. 100% remote, with absolutely no required travel
2. Flexible full-time hours
3. Salary commensurate with my education and experience
4. A stable position with a financially stable employer
5. A truly family-friendly employer, who understands I can parent my kids and still do great work
6. Opportunities for advancement
7. Unlimited PTO — and the opportunity to take it
8. Leverages most, if not all, of my skills
9. Work in a field of strong interest to me — education (K-12 ideally, bonus points for learning disability content) would be nice, as I am deep in that space as a homeschooling mom already, but I have other passions too
10. A supportive environment, where people help each other learn and grow — I’ve had enough micromanagement to last a lifetime, thank you
11. Good benefits — bonus points for a home office allowance

This list may change over time, but right now this is a good summary of what I’m looking for. Will I get all of these things? Probably not. But a position that meets the top five and includes a sufficient amount of the rest would be great.

I’ve spent a good deal of my professional life settling because I was unaware of my worth, or was aware of it but was so desperate I would take work that was beneath me because I needed the income. Now I am in a position to be choosy, and make deliberate career moves. I can be patient.

(But I am really quite tired, so sooner would definitely be better than later, please and thank you.)