A Month of Daily Mini Manifestos

For the month of February I am sharing with you one mini manifesto a day. Just for fun and food for thought. Each day I'll post to Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest so come follow along and please feel free to share if they resonate with you!

MANIFESTO: Why you should write one and how?

  

man·i·fes·to:

a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer

So what exactly is a manifesto? I hear you ask. I like to think of mine as my life anthem, the shortest little story, telling the most about myself and my ethics. The backbone of my being and the way I want to live. You can view mine here.

A manifesto is the magical point where intention meets action and good things go flying out into the world as a result. It is a declaration of what you stand for. It defines you. Writing one can help to anchor your beliefs and clarify your intentions. At the same time a manifesto can move something into being, it makes those thoughts you have ‘real’, affirming why these things matter to you. Most importantly a manifesto is a great motivation tool because it holds you accountable and triggers action.

So, if you are feeling fuzzy about a particular area of life or you want to refocus and move forward, a manifesto is the perfect starting point. Or maybe your manifesto could be a vessel to pass on advice.

Your manifesto can be on any topic you choose, you might want to consider, family, work life, creativity, bravery, your personal life, a hobby, a cause close to your heart, healthy living, New Year intentions, anything you are passionate about. I have written both a personal and a creative/business manifesto.

It is important to have a strong and clear topic or theme, this will be the core that everything else is built upon. Think about what you stand for, what you believe in, what you strive for, what you know to be true.  Maybe you are unsure at this point. Just start anyway, the act of writing a manifesto will help these thoughts unfold and unravel naturally.

The key to a great manifesto is to keep your language simple but strong and your statements short and direct. This is not a place for wishy-washyness. I feel that manifestos should steer clear of negativity, as they are about initiating positive change, but that is just my personal preference. Your manifesto must resonate with you.

The length of your manifesto is not important; it could be a one liner, or a two-word manifesto. Although I would recommend keeping it somewhere around the 10 – 20 statements mark.

The last and most important thing to do with your manifesto is to make it visible. Plaster it everywhere! Stick it to the fridge, or on your bedroom mirror, tuck it in the front page of your journal or chalk it on your walls! Just make sure it is placed somewhere you can see it everyday. You will be surprised by how soon you start considering your statements in everything you do. Share it. I promise you other people will love reading your manifesto (even if they don’t agree with it!)

Top tips:

• Keep each statement concise
• Don’t hold back
• Remember it is a declaration, so don’t just write a list of things you like - state why you would fight for these things
• Keep it real, gritty and bold
• Make it visible

MANIFESTO FOR CLAIRE LARAINE 2014

I am in a phase of transition. It feels good. This clarity. This unfolding. Claire Laraine is experiencing a slow metamorphosis. This is the very beginning. This is me anchoring my beliefs in this moment. This is my manifesto for 2014. 

If you enjoyed this you might like to read my post with tips on writing your own manifesto.

Singing My Own Song Louder: A Personal Manifesto

Not so long ago I was reading back through my journal and realised it is full of mini manifestos. I decided it was time to pull them altogether and this manifesto pretty much wrote itself. I have also recently written a manifesto for the new focus of Claire Laraine along with some tips to writing your own, check them out!

I have heaps of other manifestos brewing inside me - I feel like I might be becoming a manifesto addict! Have you written your own manifesto? Or have you got any favourites you'd like to share? I'd love to see them - feel free to share them in the comments below.