Protect yourself from others’ projections.

If you want a quick, but powerful, manifestation book, I highly recommend “Becoming Magic: A Course in Manifesting an Exceptional Life” by Genevieve Davis. One concept that stood out to me in her series of books was her explanation of dark magic. When we hear “dark magic,” we might picture a witch creating a curse with an evil laugh. Davis explains it as something much simpler and more common in our daily lives: the negative impact of our words.

Our words are so powerful – they can cast ‘spells’ that affect how we, and others, feel. When we use them negatively, it becomes a type of dark magic, bringing down another person’s energy. We all experience this. You might share an update about trying a new restaurant, watching a favorite movie, or going on a recent vacation, and hear responses like, “The service at that restaurant is terrible,” “That movie had the worst ending,” or “That place is so overrated.” Even if their intentions are harmless, these comments can still affect us.

To protect yourself from others’ projections, try this powerful trick: silently add “for you” to the end of their statement.

For example, if you mention that you’re about to travel to Hanoi, Vietnam, and someone says, “That city is so dirty and way too busy!” quietly think, “for you.” (I’m using this as an example because this happened to me all the time while traveling.) It’s easy to get caught up in other people’s experiences, but this simple addition helps you separate their opinions from your own. I happen to LOVE Hanoi and am so glad I never let anyone’s opinion of it dampen my time there.

Here are a few more examples:

• “That book was such a slow read.” (“for you…”)
• “Starting a business is so risky.” (“for you…”)
• “Running is so boring.” (“for you…”)
• “The world is a sad place.” (“for you…”)

It’s no secret that everyone has different opinions about everything! For instance, there’s a cafe nearby that I frequent all the time because I think it’s really cozy and I am really productive while there. But many people I’ve talked to are not fans of the cafe at all. They think it’s really uncomfortable and never go. It would be easy for me to get caught up in their opinions and be swayed to not go, but then I quietly remind myself, “The cafe is uncomfortable…for you.”

Start paying attention to conversations. How often are people projecting their doubts or discomforts onto you? Remember, you don’t have to take it on. Their experiences and opinions are theirs alone. So next time someone casts their dark magic your way, just add “for you” and keep thinking what YOU want to think!

On a Personal Note…

Hellooooo! I hope you’ve had some magical weeks recently because it’s been pretty exciting over here! This past weekend was very exciting, as it was the finale of the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival! This has been a month-and-a-half-long festival with huge firework shows every weekend. Countries were competing against each other for the best fireworks and the finale was China vs. Finland.

Ninh and I got tickets to a rooftop buffet to watch the show, and it was incredible! It was so fun to see the panoramic view of our city filled with beautiful firework displays. Finland had a show with fireworks I have never seen before and the whole crowd was constantly “ooohing” and “ahhing.” Finland ended up winning. What a finale! 🎆

Sending lots of magic your way,
Andrea