How to Manifest in a Journal (A Complete Guide)

Looking to discover how you can manifest your dreams using nothing but a pen, paper, and your own imagination? In this post, discover how to manifest in a journal using powerful practices you can do in as little as 10 to 20 minutes a day.

How to Manifest in a Journal

Manifestation is the practice of visualizing your dreams and desires and vibrating at the frequency of your desires as if they’ve already come true. Because like attracts like, when you vibrate at the frequency of your desires, you’re attracting the very thing you desire to manifest in your current reality.

For instance, if you vibrate at the frequency of joy, you attract more joyful experiences to unfold in your daily life. If you vibrate at the frequency of love, you become a magnet for love in all forms. And if you vibrate at the frequency of gratitude and appreciation, you attract more positive people, things, resources, and experiences to be grateful for.

Now, I should note that the definition I’ve given above describes conscious manifestation. Because the truth is, we manifest all kinds of things into our daily lives, whether it’s conscious or not.

Journaling is one of my favorite manifestation techniques because it allows me to be intentional with what exactly I want to manifest. While it’s easy to fall back into the mode of unconscious manifestation that I wrote about above, journaling allows you get clear about what you want as well as to lift yourself into the vibration of your dreams and desires. I especially like to journal in the morning as I find this allows me to set the foundation for a positive day. There’s something to be said for journaling in the evening, too, though, as it allows you to go to sleep with positive thoughts and feelings circulating through your subconscious brain.

Below, I list several different types of methods for manifesting using a journal, and I also provide you with instructions on how to get started. I like to incorporate all of these different practices into my daily journaling, and I find it helps to switch it up from time to time!

While these practices are all different, the following suggestions apply to all:

Choose compassion over judgment and authenticity over perfection.
Don’t try to edit as you write. Just allow whatever you write to be, even if it’s seemingly imperfect.
View this as essential self-care time, and try to minimize distractions if possible.
Don’t let the words solely live on the paper. Feel all of the positive emotions of what you want to manifest, and carry these high vibrations with you throughout your day.

Read below for powerful practices to manifest anything you want using nothing but a pen, paper, and your own thoughts.

You May Also Like: 50 Inspiring Journal Prompts for Self-Discovery

Scripting

Scripting is one of my favorite manifestation techniques as it allows you to truly embrace your imagination, align with your dreams, and get clear about your intentions.

So what exactly is scripting?

Scripting is the act of writing your dreams and desires in a story-like form. It’s similar to visualization, except instead of solely envisioning your dreams in your mind’s eye, you’re using pen and paper to write down what exactly it is that you want to manifest.

The key to making scripting work is to treat it like you’re writing a story in that you only write in past and present tense, as if every single one of your dreams is happening or has already happened.

Here’s an example:

I wake up in a soft bed surrounded by plush pillows and cuddled with the love of my life and our sweet cat burrowed between us. As the sun rises, so does my energy. I feel excited to experience the magic and wonder of this day! I step onto the hardwood floors and tiptoe out the door, carefully shutting the door behind me. As I walk through the house to the kitchen, I feel a sense of awe and gratitude for this beautiful home I get to call my own. It is exactly the home of my dreams: two-story with hardwood floors and giant windows that allow the sunshine to stream through the glass. I take a moment to stand in front of the sliding glass door by the dining room, and I take in the beautiful sights just outside our home.

In this script, the writer is detailing a typical day in her dream life. As you can see, it’s all written in present tense. Rather than starting with, “In my dream life, I will wake up in a . . .” the writer starts as if this moment is in the here and now.

And that’s the key to scripting: bringing the future into the present moment. Instead of a distant dream, your desires belong in this moment right now. Everything becomes tangible and real in your current experience.

Here are a few more secrets to scripting:

Don’t just write; feel. As you write about the feelings of love, peace, freedom, and abundance, don’t allow the words to solely exist on the paper; allow them to exist right now in this present moment within you. If you write about a joyful moment, let a smile gently tug at your lips. Feel that joy right now deep within. Feel freedom now. Feel peaceful now. Feel abundant now. Vibrate at the frequency of all your dreams and desires. When you do this, you won’t have to chase the life of your dreams, because all of your desires will be attracted to you.

Express gratitude. Gratitude and love are the highest vibrations you can emit. When you express gratitude now as if your dreams have already come true, you’re not only vibrating at a higher frequency, but you’re showing the universe that you have trust and faith that all your beautiful dreams are on their way.

Write what feels authentic to you. Do you prefer a small, cozy home over a giant mansion? Would you prefer a life of traveling over staying in one place? Are you dreams filled with quiet moments of peace and tranquility? Whatever you write, make sure it feels authentic and real to you. Just because someone else wants to live in a big mansion overlooking the city doesn’t mean that’s right for you. And if your dreams seem kind of out there and don’t make sense to others, that’s okay! The only thing that matters is that they feel right to you.

Steps to Begin Scripting

Find a quiet spot where you won’t be disturbed. I think 15 – 20 minutes works well for scripting, but you can take more or less time depending on what works best for you. I like to have a special notebook or journal on-hand for this practice.
Before you start, take a moment to connect with your breath. Take a deep inhale and a long, soulful exhale. Connect with your inner self. What are your dreams? What kind of life do you envision for yourself? What feels true and real to you?
Put pen (or pencil) to paper and begin writing. Envision that you are living a day in your dream life. Write all the details of this day as if it’s happening right now. Remember to use the present tense!
As you write, allow yourself to feel the positive emotions connected to your words and desires. What’s the primary emotions you feel during this ideal day? Joyful? Peaceful? Loving? Abundant? Truly embrace these feelings as you visualize and write.
Express gratitude! Show appreciation for this beautiful life you’ve created. Express gratitude to the universe for supporting you and loving you in your journey. Let the feelings of true appreciation vibrate within.
However you choose to end your scripting entry, carry the positivity with you even after you close your notebook. Let a soft smile lift your lips. Continue to express gratitude throughout your day. Walk through your day feeling the same feelings you felt in your visualization. Know that you are a magnet for all of your dreams and desires.

Scripting Prompts

Write about a day in your dream life. Where do you wake up? How do you feel as you greet the day? What do you do on this day? Who are you surrounded by? Be as detailed as possible, and remember to express gratitude for all that you have.
Write about your dream vacation. Where are you? Who are you with? What do you do? Write as though you are on this vacation right now, and use all of your senses to describe your experiences.
Write about the phone call that changes your life for the better. Who is on the other end? What do they say? How do you feel? Who do you tell the good news to? How do you celebrate? What does this phone call mean to you, and what does it mean for your future?
Write about the ideal day in your dream job. Where do you work? What do you do during the day? How do you interact with others? Why is this job so perfect for you?
Write about your dream date. Describe the person you’re going out on a date with. Where do you go? What do you do? How’s the conversation between you? How do you feel? Describe what you feel when you look into this person’s eyes and the love that flows within you. Open your heart and let this be the beginning (or continuation) of a beautiful love story.

5 x 55 Method

This another popular way to manifest in a journal and is completely different from the scripting method.

While scripting involves creating the story of your dream life, the 5 x 55 method focuses on just one sentence.

One sentence written a total of 275 times.

Let’s break it down a little further:

The 5 x 55 method is a manifesting practice in which you narrow down what you wish to manifest to a single sentence or affirmation. Like scripting, this sentence is written in present tense, as if your desire has already occurred. And also like scripting, this method often involves expressing gratitude for your dreams and desires coming true.

Once you have that sentence, you will write that sentence 55 times for 5 days straight.

So Day 1, you write your sentence in a journal or notebook 55 times. Day 2, you write that same sentence 55 times again. Day 3, same thing. And Day 4 and Day 5, also the same.

Here are some examples of the types of sentences you might write for this practice:

“I am so grateful for the extra $500 I received this week!”
“My heart is filled with so much joy and gratitude for the job offer that fell on my lap this week.”
“I feel so happy and grateful for the synchronicities that aligned and brought me together with the love of my life.”

The key with this practice is to truly feel the emotions you’re expressing in your chosen affirmation. So if your affirmation expresses feelings of joy and abundance, feel those emotions as you’re writing your sentence. Feel deep appreciation for this dream coming true in your reality.

Another important and often overlooked component of this practice is to carry these feelings within you throughout your day. So if you desire to manifest financial abundance, carry the feelings of abundance and prosperity with you as you walk through this day. You don’t want to simply write down your affirmation 55 times and then forget about it until tomorrow. You want to become the very embodiment of your dreams.

Related: 55×5 Manifestation Affirmations: Examples & How-To

Steps to Complete the 5 x 55 Method

Choose an affirmation that encompasses what you wish to manifest into your reality. Be specific. For instance, if you wish to manifest money, choose a dollar amount (i.e. $500 or $1,000) that you want to manifest. Be sure to express positive emotions and gratitude in your affirmation.
Find a quiet spot where you can sit uninterrupted for 15 to 20 minutes. If you’re using a notebook, you may want to number the lines beforehand or mark the 55th line so you’ll know when to stop.
Begin writing your affirmation 55 times. As you do this, feel the positive emotions you associate with this manifestation. Feel gratitude and appreciation for this manifestation coming true.
When you’re done, continue throughout your day as if your dreams have all come true! Continue to vibrate at a high frequency.
Repeat this practice for five days straight. Then let it go, feeling at peace knowing your manifestation is already coming true.

Journal Prompts

Not sure what to write about? Turn to journal prompts for guidance! A journal prompt is a question or statement designed to help you get in touch with your inner self. Usually, you’ll respond to the prompt in a long-form journal entry.

I love journal prompts because they often inspire thoughts and ideas I likely wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. For manifestation purposes, journal prompts are often designed to help you align with your intentions, lift your vibrations, express gratitude, and feel all of the positive emotions of your desired manifestation.

To start with journal prompts, you can check out my post, 10 Journal Prompts to Manifest Your Dream Life.

I’ve also linked to a few more websites with high-vibe manifestation journal prompts below!

Steps to Using Journal Prompts for Manifestation

Find a list of manifestation journal prompts that resonate with you. Google and Pinterest will be your best friends here! You can also check out my blog post with journal prompts I linked to above as well as the ones I linked to below. When you find some you want to use, I’d recommend saving them somewhere they’ll be easily accessible when it comes time to journal.
Find a quiet, safe spot where you can journal for fifteen to twenty minutes without distractions. You may choose to take more or less time depending on your preferences.
Choose the journal prompt you want to work with. Now, all you have to do is answer the prompt! Know that there’s no right or wrong way to respond to the journal prompt as long as it feels authentic and true for you. Also, if you find yourself straying from the prompt, that’s okay! You’re not being graded here. If you find that your inner flow is taking you elsewhere, follow it and see where it leads. Finally, set aside self-criticism and self-judgment. No matter what, choose to have compassion and love for yourself during this process.

Here are a few more journal prompts to help you get started!

Inspiring Life Dreams’ 50 Manifestation Journal Prompts for a Beautiful Life
Court’s Universe Daily Journaling Prompts for Inner Growth & Manifestation
The Millenial Grind’s 50 Journal Prompts for Manifesting
Samantha Warren’s 10 Law of Attraction Journal Prompts to Manifest Your Desires!

Gratitude

As I mentioned above, gratitude and love are the highest vibrations you can emit. Your journaling doesn’t have to be specifically manifestation-focused in order to attract your dreams and desires. Instead, you can focus on gratitude, knowing that the more you feel grateful for all that you have, the more wonderful things you attract into your reality to be grateful for.

Gratitude journaling can take many different forms. You might choose to have a separate journal dedicated to listing things you feel grateful for every morning. You can also free-write journal entries in which you express gratitude throughout your writing.

Again, journal prompts can be super helpful to help you get started. For inspiration, you can check out my post, 53 Gratitude Journal Prompts to Cultivate Joy Within.

I won’t list steps here because gratitude journaling can take many different forms, but like other practices, make sure to dedicate enough time to sitting quietly somewhere you won’t be distracted. And again, let yourself feel the positive emotions of what you’re writing. Express sincere appreciation for all that you have and all that’s coming.

Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be grateful. When you choose to focus on appreciation for all that you have rather than focusing on scarcity and all that’s seemingly going wrong, you invite more beautiful and positive moments into your daily experience.

Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations are present-tense statements that are designed to uplift and encourage while boosting self-belief and supporting your overall wellbeing.

They’re also a powerful tool in manifestation.

Why? Because the quickest way to manifest anything into your life is to feel the emotions of your desired manifestation right now.

Positive affirmations are near-instant vibration raisers. They allow you to feel the positive emotions of your dreams and desires right now in your present-day experience.

So how do you use positive affirmations to manifest in a journal?

Decide what it is that you want to manifest. Are you looking to manifest a loving relationship or financial prosperity? Whatever it is that you want to attract, connect with the feeling associated with that manifestation. If you’re looking to manifest love, choose affirmations that connect with the feeling of being unconditionally loved, exactly as you are. If you want to manifest money, choose affirmations that are connected with feelings of freedom and abundance.

As you sit down to write, focus not just on the words of the affirmations but on the feelings they inspire. Like a gratitude journal, an affirmation journal can take many forms. You may choose to have a separate journal purely dedicated to positive affirmations. (I actually have two journals. In one, I free-write for about twenty minutes every morning. In the other, I write three positive affirmations and three things I’m grateful for.)

You can also dedicate an entire journal entry solely to positive affirmations. I’ve written positive affirmations for twenty to thirty minutes straight, and when I’m done, I always feel strong, inspired, and empowered.

If you want, you can also throw in some Future Pacing Affirmations in there. A Future Pacing Affirmation is similar to the type of sentence you created in the 5 x 55 method: it’s an expression of gratitude for your dreams and desires already coming true. Here are some examples:

I am a successful entrepreneur making $10,000 a month. Clients are lining up to work with me, and I am continuing to achieve more success every single day.
I am married to the love of my life. We live a beautiful, quiet life in the countryside with acres of land and a house large enough to grow our family. My partner loves, protects, and supports me unconditionally. I feel so grateful and lucky every single day to live this life.
I am a thriving college graduate. I graduated at the top of my class, and now companies are fighting with each other to hire me. I’m getting six-figure offers and that number is only going up!

Here are some blog posts to help you get started in using affirmations in your manifestation journal:

What are your favorite practices for manifesting in a journal? Have you had success using a journal to manifest your desires? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!

For more manifestation tips, plus a daily dose of positive affirmations and self-love, be sure to connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest!

Zanna Keithley

Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.