How to Vibe (creating + changing your vibe 101)

I don’t know why, but these photos are a total vibe…

As clever Lloyd Christmas famously once said, “I’m gonna hang by the bar…put out the vibe”. Whatever did he mean? And are vibes even a real thing?

This post covers all those questions and more. This is the guide on how to vibe.

Let’s get to it.

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Indeed, What Is “To Vibe”?

“It’s a vibe.”

“I like their vibe.”

“You give off a chill vibe.”

These states of being, as colloquial as they may be, are baked into our DNA and social psyche.

But what does it all mean?

For starters, vibes are frequencies – some high, some low.

So to vibe means to resonate in a frequency that’s totally and authentically you (or where you want to be). It is to live in a state of flow.

Though, tapping into (or creating) this vibe can be tricky business.

But it’s also fun and a great way to practice self awareness and personal development (i.e., there are benefits).

Here are some noteworthy perks I’ve felt by becoming more vibe “aware”:

• Boost your self awareness

• Find and connect with more people who resonate in your vibe field

• Learn more about what you value and what you want

• Align with your purpose more intently

• Improve your intuition

• Boost your EQ and empathic skills

• More easily live in the present moment

How to Vibe (faqs + 4 golden rules)

Before jumping into the tips and strategy sections, let’s cover a few FAQs.

Are vibes real? And if so, how do we feel them?

I don’t want to come across too woo-woo or anything, but we all emit a unique and dynamic energy field that flows through different frequencies (there’s real science to back that up).

Put another way, we have energy signatures and we’re constantly bouncing off of each other.

So, are vibes real? Indeed, it would appear so!

We can pick up on different vibes (frequencies) using intuition and feeling.

What does vibing mean?

Vibing is to experience or give out a higher or lifted energy that can be felt. Dancing, laughter and having a good time with friends are all examples.

It’s generally positive.

What does it mean to raise your vibe?

For me, raising your vibe means to raise your frequency and energy level.

For example, if you’re sitting in a lower vibe (such as anger), shifting your perspective to gratitude or laughter could be a way to raise your vibe.

(easier said than done, for sure)

But letting go of any heavy vibes holding you down is a great starting point. And for letting go, I’ve found leaning into the lower vibrations and sitting in them — embracing them — helps me.

Then, everything feels less forced.

How do you keep your vibes high?

For me, it’s a combination of awareness, practice and going easy on myself (i.e., it’s okay to feel like sh*t sometimes – we’re human and it’s part of the duality of everything).

I also like to surround myself with high-vibe people and consume more high-vibe content that’s motivating (as I slowly turn off the news…).

My environment also plays a big role in living in this state of being.

I mean, I just feel better in spaces with natural lighting, plants, minimal aesthetics and a solid cafe scene.

How do you develop or give off good vibes?

I’ve found the best way to give off better vibes is by not trying to. It’s similar to not imposing your ways on anyone or anything.

Listen more than you speak, read the room and don’t try to control circumstances.

Rest assured, the right people will pick up on your good vibes.

What are some examples of good vibes?

I suppose “good” can mean something different for everyone.

But here are some examples of what I would deem solid vibes:

• Creative vibes

• Optimistic energy

• Excitement and happiness

• Altruism

• Empathy

• Laughter

• Love

How do you vibe with someone?

Naturally.

If your frequencies and energies are aligned, you’ll naturally vibe with that person (we’ve all felt this before).

When you don’t vibe with someone, it’s probably a phasing issue (like in music production).

So if you’re struggling to vibe with someone, you may need to shift your own vibes to better align with theirs (*if such a new vibe suits you and your goals).

So on that note, let’s look at how to be a vibe and how to change to or create a new one.

How to Be A Vibe (4 golden rules)

Whether you’re trying to vibe higher or with a particular person, learning how to tap into your inner energy is a soft skill that takes some self reflection and practice.

So here are some key tips to learning how to vibe.

Know the Different Types of Vibes

Knowing how to vibe starts with knowing the different types of vibes out there.

Vibe awareness is step one.

Some examples of vibes include:

• Chill vibes

• Higher vibes

• Lower vibes

• Focused vibes

• Distracted vibes

• Romantic vibes

Practice Intuition

Intuition and vibing go hand in hand.

Intuition is a form of vibe reading and we all have innate skills in this area. I mean, we all know how to read a room.

I believe we tend to suppress or ignore these skills though.

So practicing your intuition is an awesome way to learn how to vibe. Here are some quick tips:

• Practice meditation

• Try intuition exercises (like trying to predict the outcomes of events)

• Tap into yourself by practicing sensory awareness

• Try journaling and intuitive writing

• Practice awareness for intuition (such as listening to your gut)

• Be patient and quiet the logical mind

Learn to Be More Carefree

Admittedly, I can (at times) be a bit too casual.

I suppose this is just my default mode (it’s the way most of my family is).

But I’ve noticed being carefree has been a huge strength when it comes to vibing.

So here are a few tips to practice a more chill lifestyle:

• Start a meditation routine

• Practice the art of detachment

• Learn how to go with the flow

• Surround yourself with more chill people

Go Easy On Yourself

We can’t be on 100% of the time. Everything ebbs and flows – vibes included.

Some days, we’ll be in the zone – completely flowing and vibing with ease.

Other days…not so much.

And that’s okay.

A truly vibacious person (yes, I made up that word) can recognize when they’re out of sorts, accept it and (without too much weight) carry on.

So off days are normal. But I’ve found it’s best to not fight it.

I mean, we’re human and it’s all an experience, so let’s embrace it – sh*t days included.

(easier said than done, but still…)

How to Change Your Vibe (or create your own)

Strategy time.

Let’s look at how to change your vibe (or create your own).

These are some practical steps worth trying.

Define Your Current Vibe

If you want to get to where you’re going, you need to know you’re starting from.

So if you’re looking to change to or create a new vibe, it makes sense to first define your current vibe.

This is a form of introspection (and can be a bit tricky).

You can try meditation and self reflection, asking friends and family or auditing the language you use when talking or writing.

The goal is to isolate an objective answer about your current vibe (even if it hurts).

So be brutally honest and try not to shy away from any harsh truths.

They may be difficult to hear, but remember, we’re changing all that anyways.

Define Your Ideal Vibe

Having a destination is just as important as knowing your starting point.

So that’s the next step – define your ideal vibe and its core characteristics.

It can help to consider people you look up to or aspire to be – great for inspiration – but I like to always bring the conversation back to myself.

So, what traits do you want to be known for?

If you could create your future dream life, what would it look like?

How do you want to make people feel when they’re around you?

Make a shortlist of your top vibe goals.

For example, a few of the key vibes I aim to give off are creativity, optimism and authenticity.

Define the Key Traits of Your Ideal Vibe

Once you’ve isolated a few key vibes you’d like to cultivate, it’s time to deconstruct them.

Let’s use my creativity vibe goal as an example.

What does a creative vibe look like? What traits does this type of person have?

For me, I would say a creative vibe is made up of things like:

• Thinking outside the box

• Suggesting innovative or unique ideas

• Dressing or acting with an artistic style

• Incorporating creative passions (like photography) into non-creative things

So try to come up with another shortlist of characteristics, behaviors and traits that your target vibe embodies.

Create An Alter Ego

We can’t  just change our whole persona overnight.

So the best solution I’ve found is to create an alter ego. It’s like a shortcut to becoming someone else.

An alter ego is like a second personality, or an alternate version of yourself.

It’s a positive psychological trick to quickly embody new ideal characteristics and lifestyle goals.

So grab your list of vibe traits and create your alter ego avatar.

Here are some things to consider:

• What are the values of your alter ego?

• How about their interests and passions?

• Practice visualizing this alternate version of yourself

• Get extremely detailed

• Imagine yourself as an actor for a role (this is basically method acting)

• Have fun with it

Embody Your New Vibe

The last step is to embody your new vibe.

You can use your alter ego as an easy segue to get into character, but the ultimate goal would be to become your new vibe without too much conscious thought.

But in time, in time…

Great things don’t happen suddenly, but one day and one step at a time.

So with that, happy vibing.

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