According to The Oprah Magazine, manifestation is the idea that a person can make something happen through the power of attention and belief. In other words, whatever you want to happen will happen so long as you think about it. Whether it’s getting a new job, finding love, or something else entirely, manifestation can apply to almost anything in your life. The choice is ultimately yours.
It’s only been this year that manifestation has garnered any attention as something people are doing. Ariana Grande referenced it in her song “just like magic” on her newest album. Meanwhile, I can’t tell you how many influencers, bloggers, and other online personalities I’ve seen preach manifestation, and how they use it for their lives.
I honestly had no clue what manifestation is when I first heard about it. So naturally, I turned to the internet for some answers. As I learned more and more, I didn’t know if it’s something I should start taking up or not. Should I attempt manifestation in an attempt to conjure up what I want out of life? Or is this yet another form of phoney science that I should simply roll my eyes and ignore?
After more and more digging into what manifestation is and how it works (or supposedly works, depending on how you want to look at it), I’ve finally come to my own conclusions on the matter. Please keep in mind that this is my opinion, and you don’t have to agree with me to any extent. I stand by it, but I’m not about to tell anyone that my opinion is the right one.
With that being said, here’s my take on manifestation. I personally believe that manifestation doesn’t necessarily work. I’m a realist- someone who accepts a situation as it is without looking at it in a positive or negative light. To me, the situation is what it is. To manifest in the hopes that good things will come my way doesn’t seem like a realistic approach to life. I’m more likely to accept things as they are without attempting to manifest for better. I’d rather make things happen than rely on manifestation to make things happen.
Something else I considered is something that I struggle with- mental health. As someone whose mental health can range from fragile yet put together to completely broken, my thoughts aren’t always positive. This is especially true when the last couple of years have been very tough on me for various reasons (and not all of them were related to the coronavirus pandemic). So for me, manifesting brings about a host of negative thoughts that are mostly kept hidden deep down. But to think about those feelings often leads to worsening my mental health. I know that’s not how manifestation is supposed to work, but I know myself well enough that that will happen to me.
The final thing to remember is that manifesting isn’t going to result in positive changes happening to you automatically. You can’t solely rely on manifestation in order for change to occur. You actually have to take the necessary steps to make change. That may sound super obvious, but it needs to be said. It’s important to make things happen instead of trying to manifest those things to happen.
That’s my ultimate takeaway on manifestation. I know it may be controversial, but I stand by it completely. Do you agree or not? Do you believe in manifestation, or do you think that it doesn’t work? Let me know what you think!
xo,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Sarah Larkin 