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"Manifesting" is the self-care buzzword of the moment. This mystical practice of positive visualization is the latest internet wellness craze. On TikTok, the hashtag #manifesting has millions of views. So, what's it all about?
Manifesting is the practice of thinking aspirational thoughts with the purpose of making them real. Put more simply, it's thinking about anything you want and having it come to life. But can you really manifest your dreams, and does the power of positive thinking do more harm than good?
Click through for a reality check.
Manifesting is the practice of thinking aspirational thoughts with the purpose of making them real.
A self-help exercise, manifesting is all about believing in something in order to see it come your way.
The concept is simple enough. First you focus your thoughts on a desired outcome—through practices like mindfulness, visualization, and meditation.
The theory is that by thinking hard enough about the future that you want, you'll end up believing that you already have it.
Manifesting this future is to see your wishes come true by mentally visualizing them. In other words, you literally think your personal goals into existence. But is this just "wishful thinking"?
Manifestation techniques are based on the laws of attraction of New Thought spirituality.
The New Thought movement has its roots in the United States in the 19th century.
The movement succeeded "ancient thought"—accumulated wisdom and philosophy from a variety of origins, including ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Taoist, Hindu, and Buddhist cultures.
Individuals who embrace New Thought philosophy share a set of beliefs that include positive thinking, the laws of attraction, healing, life force, and creative visualization.
And it's in the 19th century that the laws of attraction, or manifesting—the belief that our thoughts can influence the material world—entered the public consciousness.
To manifest is to create a vision of the future. It's about putting energy and intention into making that vision a reality.
Taken further, manifesting requires aligning your thoughts, emotions, and actions accordingly in order to achieve your vision.
Manifesting involves intention, mindset, and, directed action. You have to be clear about your goals, and you need to know exactly what you want.
Manifesting is about wanting something enough that you start taking the steps towards making it happen. This could mean seeking out a new partner or a better job, for instance.
To meet your soulmate, for example, you develop a detailed picture of what that person would look like. Visualize the reality by thinking about qualities, characteristics, values, and suchlike.
Translate your vision into words by journaling or using a notes app. Writing down your goals helps maintain focus and a positive mindset.
You may prefer to make your voice heard by shouting your intentions and affirmations out loud.
Using a vision board helps you clarify what you're looking for. This is where you can place pictures of items you want to manifest. Focusing on a vision board fosters motivation and improves chances of success.
Once you've set your goals and visions, then it's about taking the steps to get closer towards them. But manifesting your dreams is no walk in the park.
Manifesting a career change, for example, still requires plenty of legwork. You'll still need to network with people in your new field, and how about brushing up on your interview techniques?
Manifesting is more than just taking control over your destiny. This mystical practice is also an exercise in self-exploration and figuring out what you want in life. But there is a downside to all of this.
The most obvious and potential negative aspect of manifesting is that it can be somewhat psychologically addictive. This is because you want to do all the things you can to make sure that your manifestations take place.
And if practiced from a place of anxiety or fear, manifestation can become an obsession. Furthermore, it can promote depression.
Another problem with the idea of manifesting is that it doesn't take into account people whose thoughts can be inherently negative—those with anxiety, depression, or other mental health diagnoses.
Compounding this issue is the paradox that a lot of the teaching around manifesting urges followers to banish negative thoughts. If you're possessed of a negative mindset, bad things are going to happen, you're told. This kind of instruction can come across as fear-mongering.
Common manifesting mistakes include expecting instant results, and being unrealistic in your goals. Critics of manifesting maintain that the practice relies too heavily on thought, rather than actually carrying out that desire.
Those same critics suggest that real change can only occur when a person takes action.
While there is nothing wrong with having a positive mindset (indeed, there is some science behind it), positive thinking alone will not actually change your material circumstances.
Generally speaking, however, positive thinking, one of the core concepts of manifestation, can be beneficial to your overall mental well-being.
And looking at manifesting from the other side of the mirror, the practice is perhaps best regarded as accepting oneself and believing in a higher good, ideals to strive for rather than seeking to manifest things from a selfish, egotistical standpoint.
See also: Everyday things you didn't realize are harming your mental health
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LIFESTYLE Positive thinking
"Manifesting" is the self-care buzzword of the moment. This mystical practice of positive visualization is the latest internet wellness craze. On TikTok, the hashtag #manifesting has millions of views. So, what's it all about?
Manifesting is the practice of thinking aspirational thoughts with the purpose of making them real. Put more simply, it's thinking about anything you want and having it come to life. But can you really manifest your dreams, and does the power of positive thinking do more harm than good?
Click through for a reality check.