Is the Universe Waiting for You to Ask Differently?

You’ve lit the candles.

You’ve said the affirmations.

You’ve even written out your dream life on your vision board with colour-coded pens and heart-bursting hope.

You’ve visualised, journaled, “trusted the timing,” and declared to the universe (sometimes loudly, sometimes in quiet desperation), exactly what you want. You’ve asked. Multiple times.

And yet… nothing. Or, perhaps, not quite nothing, however definitely not what you asked for.

Sound familiar?

I’ve been there too, and truthfully, I still find myself there many times. Despite all the tools I know, all the knowledge I’ve gathered, I’ve still stared up at the sky with a clenched jaw, wondering what more I need to do.

I’ve lit those same candles, whispered those same affirmations, tapped the scripts on repeat, and listened to subliminals throughout the night religiously, and still felt like the universe was giving me the silent treatment. I know what it feels like to want to scream, “Why isn’t this working?” I know the sting of feeling abandoned, forgotten, like the only one struggling while others seem to manifest with ease. I know what it feels like to throw a tantrum and stamp your feet at the silent treatment the angels are giving you. Believe me… I know…

However, lately, I’ve been sitting with a different question, one that has softened the ache and opened a doorway. What if it’s not that the universe isn’t listening… rather that it’s waiting for me to ask differently?

And now, I’m inviting you into this exploration with me. Because what if, just what if, how we’re asking, what we’re focusing on, and the energy behind our words is quietly shaping what we manifest? Not metaphorically… energetically… subconsciously... repeatedly.

It’s easy to believe that asking the universe for what you want is as simple as saying the words:
“I want more money”, “I want love”, “I want to live a more fulfilled life”.

You’ve probably said something similar - out loud, on paper, maybe whispered through tears when no one was watching. And in those moments, your heart was genuine. Your desire was real. Yet still… the thing didn’t come. Or it came twisted, half-formed, not quite right. And you were left wondering, “Did I ask wrong? Did I do something to block it?”

Here’s the thing: the universe doesn’t respond to words the way people do. It’s not listening to your sentences, it’s tuning into your signal. It feels your energy. And energy is shaped by far more than the words you say. It’s shaped by your beliefs, your hidden fears, your emotional tone, and the stories looping silently beneath the surface.

For example:

• When you say “I want more money”, the frequency that often comes through isn’t desire, it’s lack. A deep noticing of not enough.

• “I want to find love” might sound hopeful, yet the vibration often carries loneliness, the sting of past disappointments, or the quiet ache of feeling unworthy.

• “I want a more fulfilled life” can hum with dissatisfaction or even self-judgement, a sense that something is missing, or that you’re somehow behind.

The result? Even though your words ask for expansion, your energy echoes what’s absent. And that’s what the universe responds to. Not out of cruelty, rather out of precision. You don’t attract what you say you want, you attract what you believe is already yours… or not.

This is where the real shift begins.

Don’t kid yourself. You’re not unique, and you’re certainly not broken. Because we’ve all done it - in the quiet moments, the desperate moments, the hopeful ones too.

You’ve whispered to the stars, scribbled intentions in journals, lit candles and said the affirmations with a trembling kind of faith.
You’ve asked for “something better”, yet deep down, never defined what better actually meant.
You’ve prayed for “something new”, while secretly fearing the unknown and clinging tightly to the familiar.
You’ve affirmed “I am abundant”, while your heart raced at the sight of an empty bank account or another unexpected bill.

It’s not that you’re doing it wrong. It’s that, like so many of us, you’ve been sending mixed messages. Conflicting energy. A hopeful yes tangled with a silent no. And the universe? It listens not to your words, it listens to the vibration underneath them.

This is where it gets quietly, exquisitely powerful. The universe doesn’t play favourites - it responds to frequency. Every single time. If your spoken desire says “I’m ready”, yet your energy hums with “I’m scared,” “I don’t deserve this,” or “What if I fail?”, the universe takes the stronger signal as truth. And more often than not, that signal is coming from the stories you didn’t even know you were telling.

That’s why clarity is magic. Why specificity is sacred. Why emotional alignment is the bridge between wishing and receiving.
Because you’re not just scripting your dream life… you’re teaching the universe how to read your soul.

So, pause for a moment and ask yourself: What signal am I really sending out?
And more importantly… what do I want it to say instead?

You’re probably asking yourself, like I have so many times, “What does it really mean to ask differently, Viv?”

Well… it means stepping out of the energy of lack and fear, and speaking from a place of trust, even if your current reality hasn’t caught up yet. Unlike what so many gurus and experts tell us, it’s not about pretending everything is perfect – fake it till you make it. Rather, it’s about choosing words that carry the vibration of already-ness rather than absence. It’s about crafting your desires not as desperate longings or weary complaints, rather as confident invitations, ones that the universe can respond to with clarity.

Think of how we usually ask: “I want to stop feeling stuck”. Can you hear the heaviness in that? The focus is still on the stuck-ness. What if, instead, you shifted the request to: “I’m ready to feel supported and creatively energised”. Can you feel the difference? One is rooted in what you’re trying to escape. The other is grounded in what you’re ready to receive.

Or maybe it’s the echo of a painful past relationship and you find yourself saying, “I just don’t want another one like that”. That’s understandable, however, your energy is still tangled in the hurt. What if you said, “I welcome a relationship built on mutual respect, joy, and emotional safety”. That’s not just a preference. That’s a prayer wrapped in self-worth.

And when money is tight, it’s so easy to plead, “I just want enough to get by”. However, even that reinforces a story of scarcity. What if you allowed yourself to say, “I welcome financial ease and stability that supports my freedom and wellbeing”. Can you feel how that opens something inside you? How it says to the universe, “I believe more is possible”?

This is the shift. This is the frequency lift. You’re not just asking for what you want, you’re becoming someone who is ready to receive it. And the universe? It listens to that energy every single time.

Another way we quietly sabotage our manifestations is through doubt, dressed up as logic, wrapped in the comforting cloak of realism. It’s sneaky. It sounds sensible. Even wise. Yet beneath the surface, it’s fear whispering, “Don’t get too excited. Don’t trust this too much. Don’t let yourself believe”.

For example, how often have you caught yourself saying, “I just don’t want to get my hopes up”, as if hope is something dangerous? Or “I’ll believe it when I see it”, not realising that this very mindset keeps what you desire at arm’s length? We throw in “Let’s be realistic”, and feel proud of our maturity, not realising we’ve just shut the door on magic and miracles.

And then come the spiritual-sounding escape hatches. “If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen” or “Everything happens for a reason”. Yes, there may be truth in those words, however, be honest: are you using them to surrender… or to stay stuck? To trust… or to avoid showing up for yourself?

Manifestation isn’t about sitting back and waiting to be chosen. No matter what you may have been conditioned to believe about the universe as a child, it isn’t a puppet-master pulling strings while you hope for the best. It’s a dance, a partnership, and it needs your lead. Your belief. Your willingness to move, even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.

So instead of stepping back, what if you stepped in? Fully. Bravely. With your heart open and your hopes intact. That’s when the energy shifts. That’s when the universe gets louder. That’s when things begin to move.

Clarity isn’t just a nice-to-have when it comes to manifestation, it’s a lifeline. It’s the moment the fog lifts and your soul finally exhales. Because when you aren’t clear, the universe can’t deliver. Vague desires send ripples, not waves. They dilute your energy. Scatter your focus. Delay the magic.

Let this land… bathe it in… breathe it into the very deepest crevices of your being: clarity invites acceleration.

Now pause. Breathe. Be honest with yourself, really honest, gut-level honest. Are you truly asking for what you want, or are you shrinking your dreams to make them more “realistic”? Are you choosing words that feel safe, socially acceptable, even modest... because something inside still fears disappointment? Still wonders, “Am I allowed to want more?”

Maybe you’ve been asking to be “successful,” yet deep down, you haven’t defined what that even means to you. Is it financial freedom? Spacious mornings? Recognition for the work that lights you up? A sense of deep inner peace? If you don’t name it, how can you claim it?

And here’s the harder truth: sometimes we speak from our wounds instead of our wholeness. We put limits around our desires to protect ourselves from potential pain. Yet that pain of staying small, of tiptoeing around what you really want… that’s the ache you’re feeling.

When you begin to name your desire clearly and bravely, everything starts to change. That’s when your heart stops whispering and starts calling. That’s when your energy becomes magnetic. That’s when alignment begins.

Clarity isn’t just about better words. It’s about coming home to the part of you that’s no longer afraid to want.

Here’s a truth bomb many of us don’t want to admit: most of us manifest from the middle, not the end.

We say we want something - love, freedom, a new life - yet our energy is tangled in the how, in the doubt, in the quiet panic that it might never happen. We want to believe… however, we’re hedging our bets. We’re half in, half waiting to be proven wrong.

“I want a new job… however, it’s a bad time economically.”
“I want to find love… however, I always seem to attract the wrong ones.”
“I want to be more confident… however, I’ve always been shy.”

Sound familiar? These aren’t just thoughts. They’re energetic handbrakes. You’re trying to drive forward while pressing the clutch and wondering why you’re stalling.

The shift begins when you stop manifesting from the question and start manifesting from the answer. Not if it happens, rather when. Not from desire, rather from embodiment.

Take a moment, right here and now, and close your eyes. Focus on one things that you are seeking to manifest at the moment and ask yourself the following questions:
What would I feel if it were already true?
How would I stand, speak, move, if I knew it was mine?
Where in my life can I begin living as if the version of me who already has this… is already here?

This isn’t pretending. It’s aligning. It’s letting your emotions become the magnet, not your fears.
When you move from “What if?” to “Of course,” you stop waiting. You become.
And that… that is when your world begins to bend.

A couple of years ago, I was caught in a loop you’ll probably recognise - asking the universe for clarity about my path. I felt there was more to me than teaching courses or reading oracle cards for clients and pets. I just didn’t know what it was, what direction my path should take next. So, I lit candles. I journaled. I pulled cards, all in waiting for a clear sign, a loud YES. Over and over, I asked: “What should I do next? Show me the way, the direction”. And still… silence. Weeks passed and nothing shifted. The stillness felt like punishment. Like maybe I wasn’t spiritual enough, not aligned enough, not worthy enough, even though I could feel something gnawing deep down at my soul. I could feel my next direction on the tip of my tongue - I just couldn’t find the words to describe it, to solidify it, to get me moving in the right direction.

Until one morning, exhausted by my own searching, I whispered a new question: “What am I ready to receive that I keep pushing away?” That question cracked something open inside me. It was like a door creaked open in my chest. I realised I’d been asking from fear, from a desperate need to get it right, instead of from a true, open-hearted desire to serve and grow.

And when I asked differently… the answers came. Gently. Clearly. Repeatedly.

They led clients just like you (or perhaps, it is already you?)

They led me to the work I offer today - the healing, intuitive, soul-supporting work that continues to surprise and fulfil me. I was drawn to it not because I had all the answers, rather because I understood the pain of the questions. I had walked that shaky, uncertain path. I still walk it sometimes. And I realised I could walk it with others, just a few steps ahead, holding a light, offering a hand, sharing the messages the angels and the universe poured through me.

At first, I was scared. Scared I’d let people down. Scared no one would choose me. Scared I wasn’t enough.

However, the moment I leaned in, the moment I said yes to the path that was already unfolding beneath my feet, I saw the truth: I was enough. I am enough. And this… this was what I was made for, why I have chosen to walk the earth.

Every client I’ve worked with (maybe you are one of them) has grown, softened, expanded. I’ve watched people rise. I’ve seen souls remember their worth. I've witnessed beautiful, profound transformations - not because I had the perfect plan, rather because I listened, I held space, and I trusted the guidance that flowed through me.

If you’ve ever felt the ache of “What now?” or the emptiness of asking without hearing an answer, know this: the universe is listening. However, it meets you not in your worry, rather in your willingness. When you soften into the moment, when you dare to believe you’re ready, the answers will come.

Just like they did for me.

Put what you’ve read here, what you’ve learned through what I’ve shared, into practice - not tomorrow, not someday… now. You’ve read the words. You’ve felt the stirrings. However, true transformation only comes when you act from your readiness. So, choose one desire. Just one. Something you’ve been carrying quietly in your heart, hoping the universe might hear through all the noise and half-formed wishes. Write it down. Not polished. Not perfect. Just honest.

Then pause. Look at the language you’ve used. Read it back to yourself slowly. Does it carry the vibration of trust… or fear? Does it sound like hope… or hesitation? Ask yourself gently: Is this a true desire, or one I’ve watered down to avoid disappointment? Am I holding back from clarity because I’m scared I won’t get it?

If your words carry the ache of compromise or the tremble of self-protection, it’s okay. Most of us do this without even realising.

However, now breathe. Place your hand on your heart. And try again.

Write it as if it’s already yours. Speak it with the confidence of someone who trusts the timing. Anchor into the feeling (not just the facts) of living it. Let your cells remember what it’s like to feel free, fulfilled, supported. This isn’t about pretending. It’s about reclaiming.

Because when you speak from the place where your soul already lives that desire, everything begins to shift. The universe listens differently. And most importantly, so do you.

Here’s the thing… You don’t need to beg the universe. You don’t need to shout your desires louder into the void, hoping one day you’ll finally be heard. You don’t need to prove you’re good enough, spiritual enough, hardworking enough. You’ve already done enough pretending. You’ve already spent too long twisting yourself into knots trying to be more "aligned" when, deep down, you were just exhausted and afraid.

What if it’s not about doing more? What if it’s about being clearer? Clearer in what you’re really asking for, not the edited version, not the safe version. And cleaner in the energy you hold around it, not tangled with guilt or hesitation or "what if I’m too late?” vibes. Because clarity gives your dream a direction. Emotion gives it wings. And belief? Belief draws it in like a magnet.

These three - clarity, emotion, belief - are not luxuries. They are your manifesting field.
When even one of them is off, it’s like trying to tune into a frequency with static crackling in the background. When they align, however? The signal becomes unmistakable. The universe doesn’t have to guess what you want.
It can hear you… and it can move.
Are you ready to speak that clearly? To feel that boldly? To believe that deeply?

All along, contrary to what you may have been thinking, it’s not that the universe hasn’t been helping you, it’s that somewhere along the way, the signals got scrambled. The invocations you whispered through tears, the hopes you carried quietly in your heart… they were never ignored. However, when wrapped in fear or masked by doubt, even the clearest desire can lose its way.

Your soul has been speaking, aching, reaching, yet the words haven’t always matched the truth of what you long for. You’ve asked for love while bracing for abandonment. You’ve wished for abundance while fearing it will slip through your fingers. You’ve pleaded for clarity while secretly believing you won’t know what to do with it if it arrives. Remember: the universe listens - not to your words, to your energy.

Now is the time to let that energy ring true. To strip away the hesitation, the half-asks, the second-guessing. To speak with the full voice of your becoming. Say what you mean. Say it from your wholeness. Say it like it already lives inside you, because it does.

When your request comes from alignment rather than lack, from power rather than panic, the universe doesn’t need convincing. It responds. It always has. And now… so will you.