That Time I Gave Birth Two Weeks Early and Guess Who Showed Up

Again and again, you’ll hear me talk about this truth: thoughts become things. I even have a Celtic knot on my left wrist to remind me. Am I perfect? Hardly. I let my thoughts run wild sometimes, heading straight for the negative. 

When I was younger, I practiced what I now call reverse manifestation. That’s my own term, but you’ll see what I mean. 

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Where attention goes, energy flows.” That includes positive and negative energy. Here's how I’ve manifested things in both directions. 

Let’s start with the “I would never” list (aka the reverse manifestations): 

1. “I will never pierce my belly button.”
   Around 2012, I did just that. 

2. “I would never get plastic surgery or Botox.”
   In 2006, I got plastic surgery. Now I get Botox twice a year. 

3. “I would never live at the lake—people drive too slow.”
   In 2020, we moved to Choctaw Lake. 

4. “I don’t want to date anyone who lives far away or who’s older.”
   In 2002, I started dating—and later married—my husband who lived 90 minutes away and is 11 years older than me. 

5. “I don’t want to live in London. The grocery store doesn’t even have cilantro.”
   In 2012, my daughter and I moved here. 

The list could go on. Years ago, I realized what was happening and decided to stop saying “never.” I also started catching myself when I was focusing on what I didn’t want. But let’s be real—sticking to the positive and focusing on what you do want? Not always easy. It’s often much simpler to identify what we don’t want. This damn human experience. 

But here are a few positive manifestations that came to life: 

1. The house we live in now—I wanted to live in it since the first time I saw it 15 years ago. 

2. The chair in my living room—I decided I wanted a new chair, and within 24 hours, a friend texted me to ask if I wanted hers. 

3. Houseplants—I wanted more. Suddenly, they were everywhere. Now I have more than 10. 

4. A friendship I wanted to deepen—It took years of wanting it, but now we’re closer than ever. 

5. Money—Over time, I’ve manifested several unexpected sums. 

Now for the most dramatic reverse manifestation of my life: 

My ex-sister-in-law was giving birth to her first child. My ex-husband and I were there, and we briefly met her doctor. Let’s just say—like too many doctors—his bedside manner was… not great. Something about the whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth. 

I said out loud:

“I would never want him to deliver my baby.” 

Fast-forward a few years. I became pregnant and was fully on board with a natural birth—no epidural, no interventions. I chose a midwife I really liked. At my first appointment, I saw the list of doctors in her practice—and there he was. Yep. That doctor. I met with him once for a routine checkup and left thinking, so glad I’m not going with him. 

We took natural childbirth classes, made a birthing plan, and prepared for our midwife to be there coaching me through the birth—because, unlike doctors who walk in just to catch the baby, midwives stay with you and support you through labor. At some point, the midwife told me she’d be going on vacation two weeks before my due date. I was a first-time mom—what were the odds I’d deliver early? Well, on September 9, 2005, two weeks before my due date, I went into labor. We called the hospital. “Your midwife is on vacation.” 

Somehow, I held strong to my plan. No epidural. A natural birth. But after 14 hours of labor, it was time—and guess who walked in? Yep. Dr. Never-in-a-million-years. How. Is. That. Even. Possible? My first child. Two weeks early. While my midwife was out. And he was on call? If you don’t believe that thoughts become things—go ahead, explain that one. 

After she was born, I told that story a million times. Eventually, I realized what I had done. Since then, I’ve tried to focus only on what I do want, and when thoughts of what I don’t want creep in, I do my best to catch them quickly. Being aware of our thoughts and feelings is everything. They shape our lives. They influence our health. Our relationships. Our overall well-being. 

So I ask you:
Where can you clean up your thoughts?
What are you experiencing in your life that you’d like to shift? 

Make a list. Start with just one thing.
Then change your words—or your perspective—around that one thing. 

I’d love to hear what you come up with.