Is That Weekly Salon Blow-Dry A Luxury Or A Necessity?

I had this moment last week standing in a fancy grocery store, staring at a $9 jar of almond butter like it was about to trigger a financial avalanche in my life.

Part of my brain was like, “Shantini, put that bougie nut butter down and get the regular kind like a normal person.” But another part whispered, “You literally wrote a book about manifesting anything you want, and you’re hesitating over a few extra dollars for almond nut butter?“

It got me thinking about this invisible line we draw between “necessities” and “luxuries” – and how that line silently shapes what we allow ourselves to receive.

For years, I put weekly salon blow-dries in the “luxury” category. Something for special occasions or important meetings. Now? It’s a weekly necessity for my confidence and the way I show up in the world 🤩

Same with ordering in dinner. Past-me would have hyperventilated at the cost. Present-me recognizes that having mental space and energy after a full day is actually worth every cent.

When we reclassify something from “luxury” to “necessity,” we’re actually rewiring our Manifesting Response System to receive more.

The Universe doesn’t have categories called “necessities” and “luxuries” – those exist only in our minds. 

And when we label something a “luxury,” we’re sending a clear energetic message: This is optional. This is extra. This is something I can live without.

The biggest shift happens when you start to feel genuinely safe around these expanded necessities. 

Think about what you’ve unconsciously filed under “luxuries” in your life:

💙 Tennis lessons at that gorgeous private club you drive past

💚 The premium newsletter subscription that would actually save you time

💛 That bespoke jacket that would make you feel like a million bucks

🩷 Weekly flower deliveries that would bring you joy every single day

What if some of these “luxuries” are actually necessities for your expansion?

Now, I’m NOT saying to blow your rent money on designer handbags (unless that handbag somehow pays your rent – in which case, please tell me your secrets!). But I am inviting you to question the line you’ve drawn.

So here’s a manifesting micro-challenge for you: Pick one thing you’ve labeled a “luxury” and experiment with treating it as a necessity. Notice what resistance comes up. 

Take a 1 Healing Breath when you feel that contraction, that feeling of NOT being safe around something that you believe is a luxury. 

Then choose again – necessity or luxury?

Here’s the thing about feeling safe around luxury: when we first upgrade something from “luxury” to “necessity,” our nervous system often goes into high alert. 

It’s like there’s a security guard in your energy field shouting “UNAUTHORIZED ABUNDANCE ALERT!” 

Taking 1 Healing Breath of any kind of calming energy (love, comfort, calm, relaxation) tells your system, “I am safe to receive this. I am worthy of this level of care. This expansion supports my highest good.” 

With practice, what once felt extravagant starts to feel like your natural baseline.

What “luxury” might actually be a necessity for your wellbeing and expansion as a masterful manifestor?