A popular trend circulating social media over the past year has been manifestation. Whether it’s in the form of handwritten journals, motivational quotes or even typed out in a tweet, more people have indulged in their curiosity and joined the practice of ‘manifesting’ good things into their lives.
While this may seem odd, with people believing if they think hard enough about the things they want in their life they shall receive it, it is actually a very old concept originating in the scientific principle of the Law of Attraction. This law states you attract what you focus on. Fast forward to mainstream culture and this principle has transformed into a secret life hack promoted in books, astrology and now social media.
People have learned to practice manifestation in a variety of ways. Some examples include vision boards, intention journals and meditation. While this practice does not quite classify as religion, its methods mirror those of spirituality, so prayer is often used too. Manifesting can be done by yourself or through professional coaches and spirituality groups – making this practice very inviting to others as there’s so many different ways for how to go about it. Regardless of the means through which people choose to manifest, it always comes down to the same general idea: if you truly believe something will come into your life, the universe will find a way to bring it to you.
Manifestation and using it to make positive changes in your life usually includes the use of angel numbers – a set of repeated numbers like “222” or “9999”. They are believed to be sent from the universe when you are seeking guidance. These numbers allow you to feel connected to the universe and build enough spiritual power within your mind and soul to be used to visualize what you want in your life. Once visualized, people usually make it more concrete and tangible by writing down these numbers alongside your desires, often over and over again. Clearly, repetition is one of the key aspects of manifestation, and this is primarily because it allows the mind to focus and detach from any irrelevant or outside distractions.
I guess the main question that arises with manifestation is whether or not it really works. Is it really possible to will yourself a better life?
There is no singular answer to this. It is completely up to each person’s interpretations and beliefs. While manifesting may not be scientifically proven, the same goes for a lot of things people believe in whether it be religion or superstitions. It is your decision to believe in and practice what you’d like to. What we do know for sure, is that the mind is a very powerful thing. Manifesting a good job for yourself or happy relationships in your life may not have the ability to magically bring them to you, but by honing and focusing on only positive thoughts, you can actually teach yourself to be a much more optimistic person. And who knows, perhaps this new optimistic outlook could give you the courage and drive you need to achieve success and happiness.
In my personal experience as someone moderately interested in manifestation, I have read a few articles about how it works and encountered a lot of thought provoking ideas. I had perceived manifestation as a more superstitious mentality, however, the more I read, the more I realized it was actually centred around altering your thought processes. If you teach yourself to believe that your life will figure itself out and that you deserve good things to come your way, you may just find yourself worrying and stressing less. When I thought about this, it made a lot of sense to me. I recognized that the majority of the stress I was experiencing and my worries were caused by my overthinking and my pessimistic outlook on life and myself.
I decided to give manifestation a try and made journaling a part of my daily routine. It may not involve angel numbers or repeating my dreams and desires, but I always try to keep my language positive and verbalize what I want. If I’m worried about school, I write down my feelings and often include some form of an affirmation like ‘I’m going to graduate and do well because I deserve good things to happen to me.’ This simple little sentence actually calms me down and I find that I feel much more optimistic and lighthearted.
After nearly a year of this habit, my thought processes has completely transformed. I find that I truly believe my spoken words of affirmation and that the things I manifest will happen to me. This has greatly improved my mental health and has made me a much better and healthier version of myself. Who would’ve thought that a social media trend would lead me down the path of a more positive outlook on life.
If you’re curious about how to manifest, I strongly recommend starting off small. Start keeping a daily or weekly journal. Try and block out negative and pessimistic thoughts by combating them with positive affirmations. Read a couple articles for more information and answers to questions you might have. While this is not even remotely close to modern interventions for mental health, it is a small way you can try and bring more positivity in your life.