How Manifestation Made Me A Better Financial Coach

I became a Certified Financial Trainer at age 24. At the time, I thought personal finance was mostly about getting the numbers right. 

My personal money was pretty straightforward (though I didn’t realize it then): rent, student loans, and food. I worked long hours as a H.S. band director, so I didn’t have much time–or energy–to spend much else. Budgeting came easily, and the numbers just worked.

So taking on my first clients, I admittedly did not have the life experience to understand why someone else could just “stick to the numbers” and cut back to $100 a week if their budget required it. Luckily, I quickly realized: the math isn’t the hard part. Changing habits, shifting beliefs, and healing your mindset is where real transformation happens.

This was my first clue that mindset & relationship with money matter more than math. Discovering manifestation was my second.

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How Manifestation Made Me a Better Money Coach

1. Change Comes from Habits & Mindset Shifts (Not Just Budgeting Tools)

Before I developed my own manifestation practice, I wrongly believed that manifestation was simply wanting something and hoping it’ll become true. What I didn’t realize was that once you acknowledged what you wanted, it was on you to take aligned action, be consistent, and trust the process.

It became instantly clear that assigning a budget to my clients, just because that’s what their income had room for, was like saying “I want to manifest a healthy relationship” and then never going on first dates. It was hoping without action.

And action, when it comes to personal finances, looks like habits changes and money mindset shifts. Saying you want to spend less on food is one thing. Swapping the DoorDash app for the grocery app to clip coupons is another.

This mindset work, that I learned from discovering manifestation, is at the core of real financial change. It’s not magic, it’s about intention and aligned action.

2. Progress Comes in Many Forms (Your Version of Success Might Not Look Like Mine)

I’ll admit, I had a pretty narrow definition of success when it came to financial coaching outcomes. I thought there were really only two goals:

• Decrease debts (aka liabilities)

• Increase savings (aka assets)

And when you put them together, that essentially meant increasing net worth was my only goal for my financial coaching clients.

But my manifestation practice pushed me to consider what my values are and what a happy life looks like, rather than just a “successful” one. And if that was the case, maybe my clients had values-based goals–not just my financial optimization ones.

That idea opened a world of positive outcomes from financial coaching, some of which have nothing to do with paying off debt or investing. Financial success could look like:

• Leaving a high-paying, stressful job for a lower-paying, joyful job

• Selling your house and traveling the world while working remotely part-time

• Saving a bunch to throw the wedding of your dreams

Heck, it could mean purchasing a really, freaking nice sweater–something Ramit Sethi from I Will Teach You To Be Rich says is a priority for him. 

Knowing what “success” looks like for you requires deep inner work. It requires assessing your values, goals, and priorities. It requires questioning the norm, and choosing what’s best for you. All things I do more regularly thanks to manifestation.

Not sure what your values and priorities are? I got started with a To Be Magnetic membership with daily prompts and meditations [more info].

3. Money is a Tool to Design Your Life (Not the Ultimate Goal)

My initial understanding of personal finances and especially FIRE (financial independence, retire early) was that it was an end-point. A goal that you raced toward—and once you hit that magic number, you finally got to live your life.

I won’t blame my younger self for interpreting it this way. I was in a job that, while I loved it, took every ounce of my energy. The idea of FIRE was an escape plan, and accumulating money was the ultimate goal. 

Today, I make less and I save less—but I also work less and spend more on things that light me up. My progress toward FIRE is slower, yes, and that’s okay because I’m actually enjoying the journey. 

Manifesting a life of abundance (outside of personal finance) taught me to ask: “What do I actually want—and could money help me get there?” Money’s no longer the goal, but a tool to bring my real goals to life.

So sure, it’s fun to help clients save–but it’s even more fun showing them that they can live the life they want, and money can help make it happen.

Final Thoughts: Manifestation Transformed My Approach as a Financial Coach

Discovering manifestation as a personal practice—outside of money—completely shifted how I approach financial coaching. It taught me that mindset is the foundation for lasting change, and that numbers alone don’t move people. Beliefs do.

What started as a spiritual journey into alignment, clarity, and intentionality led me to see how those same principles apply to money. Helping clients build financial plans that reflect their values, desires, and goals—not just their expenses—became the heart of my work.

Now, when I guide clients through money mindset coaching, we aren’t just chasing net worth growth—we’re creating a life that actually feels good. Because true financial transformation starts from within.

Ready to align your mindset and your money?

Schedule a FREE call to explore how money mindset work and manifestation can support your financial goals—with less stress and more clarity. ✨