Hall of Femme Honoree: Nicole Stillings on Designing and Manifesting Your Dream Life

Nicole Stillings is the definition of multilayered. She is a manifestation expert, mindset coach, and media personality who works with women to reach their potential and achieve their goals. Nicole spent 10 years researching and testing “every manifestation ritual and routine on the market” before building her own tool — The Manifest Mindset™ — that helps you find your purpose and become a magnet for your dreams.

Raised in the Midwest, Nicole moved to New York City with her own massive dreams. Through her manifestation practices, she built a successful career as an entrepreneur, international DJ and music director, and podcast host of Big Queen Energy. If that wasn’t impressive enough, Nicole also landed her dream mentor, Bethenny Frankel, who she stars with on the HBO Max series The Big Shot with Bethenny. The Hall of Femme honoree is also an advisor to female-founded companies like Out East and sits on the board of UNICEF NextGen.

Nicole is on a mission to empower the coming generation of dreamers and doers. With her Queens of Creation mentorship program and on her podcast, she encourages women to be the most fearless, authentic versions of themselves. 

Here, Nicole shares tips for manifesting your best life and reveals the daily ritual she swears by.

You have accomplished a wide variety of impressive things. How do you decide what to pursue and when?

I’ve always had a strong internal voice — some would call it intuition — and I make it a practice to listen to it daily so I am regularly receiving information from my higher self. I’ve done a number of career pivots already by 36, but I’ve always known what was next for me. It’s really about shutting out the noise and the “shoulds” of society, lowering the volume on your inner critic and having a process to connect to your higher self. I use a very specific meditation practice that I built 10 years ago and then refined during my reiki training, called Creation Meditation.  

Just to be clear, I am not special; we are all receiving signs and guidance from the universe and the spiritual realm all the time. I am simply committed to listening now because I know the cost of not getting into alignment with where I’m meant to go sooner. Simply put: it’s like knowing when you’ve outgrown something and being willing to forge through the initial fear and discomfort of the new thing. This is why I only do things that genuinely excite me and are connected to my greater purpose because I focus on that to drown out the fear.

What are some big themes that may act as roadblocks to manifestation, and which should women focus on tackling first?

Uncovering your purpose should be your number one priority until you have clarity. Focus on excitement over fear so you can build momentum towards your goals. Negative beliefs are not [the] truth; it’s your responsibility to reprogram your brain. Your brain is the best manifestation tool you could ever buy — optimize it always. Strong beliefs in opposition to your desires will kill your goals and dreams. Find tools that work for you to detach from the outcomes you’re seeking. Pick goals and dreams that come from the heart, not the ego. Raise your vibration every day before you go out into the world. Your intention is one of the most powerful tools to mold your energy.

I could go on for days! If people are really interested in developing their spiritual practice and learning how to become master manifestors, my program The Manifest Mindset™, teaches exactly that. 

Tell us about three books or articles you’ve read and would recommend. 

The Vortex by Abraham Hicks, Pussy: A Reclamation by Regena Thomashauer, and Joe Dispenza’s Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself.

When you were a young girl, what were the narratives you were exposed to about women and women's rights? 

Both my mother and father were women’s rights advocates in their own way, and one of my grandmothers was the first Alderwoman of Wisconsin. My mother was a very successful neurologist and professor at Washington University. She derived a lot of pride and joy from serving people and saving lives, and it’s just in my DNA.

Tell us about a woman who has inspired you to find balance in your life.

My best friend Ashley has always focused on alignment over action, and she was the first person to prove to me that you could reach all your financial goals without burning out. I will always be incredibly grateful for her. We met one fateful day playing soccer when we were 12 and have been soul sisters ever since. We even lived together during part of the pandemic and picked up on each other’s good habits — it was amazing how much we both grew in a short time. Also, just to brag about her a little: she’s having her first seven-figure year this year! I couldn’t be more proud.

What's a ritual in your life that you swear by?

My morning ritual. Every single day I do a process that I teach in the program called the Manifest Morning. It consists of Meditation, my Mindset Tuner, and Movement. The best part is that you can do it in 20 minutes or two hours and you will always feel better afterward. It’s really important as an entrepreneur to start your day in a high vibration and set a good example for your team and clients, so I literally see my morning ritual as part of my work now.

What's your favorite way to celebrate a win (big or small)?

I mean, who doesn’t love a good glass of rosé or some bubbly? But I also love a long massage or even just a long walk in nature. There are so many ways to celebrate — I try to do something small every day! 

You can follow Nicole on Instagram.