Manifestation is based on the “laws of attraction” from the 2006 book, The Secret, although a version of this has been around for centuries in certain religious traditions.
If manifestation improves your mood, and a positive mood makes it easier to achieve your goals, then you could make the argument it works in an indirect kind of way.
Think about it like exercise. Is exercise good or bad? Well, it’s good if it’s done correctly and you don’t overdo it. But it might be bad if you do it incorrectly and hurt yourself, or you obsess over it. But that wouldn’t really be exercise’s fault.
A lot of people sell manifestation programs where they ask you to buy something for $20 or so, but with promises of helping you manifest thousands of dollars (or more). Don’t buy into it.
For example, if you’re trying to manifest a high-paying job but you aren’t updating your resume, looking for work, or networking, that manifestation may keep you from doing what you need to do.
You can’t manifest the love of your life to show up randomly without pursuing a relationship, and if you spend a lot of time trying to manifest love you may build up false expectations in the end.
If you do have a mental or emotional disorder, talk to your therapist about manifestation. They’ll be able to give you specific guidance based on your personal situation.
Ever heard of toxic positivity? It’s the idea that being blindly positive and upbeat can keep you from acknowledging and dealing with negative emotions. Unpleasant feelings also give happiness its value and meaning. Nobody can be happy all the time, and that’s okay!
If you have a tendency to be really hard on yourself, manifestation might make it difficult to let go and accept yourself for who you are.
There’s a balance—there are things you have 100% control over, and there are things you have no control over. Manifestation can help many people understand that. If you try to manifest a new career and nothing changes, it may be the wakeup call you need to get motivated and take charge!
For example, if you start manifesting a romantic partner but all of your visualization or freewriting is about not being alone, you may realize that you don’t need a relationship, you need a friend. Learning the value of companionship here can realign your focus.
If you’re worried about failing math class and manifestation gives you the hope you need to believe in yourself, you may score higher than you would have without the manifesting.
Daily meditation can improve your memory, boost your mood, give you more control over your emotions. [15] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Positive visualization can help reduce stress and improve your ability to sleep. [16] X Research source Journaling is really beneficial when it comes to managing anxiety, stress, and fear. It can also help you track your headspace over time to identify triggers. [17] X Trustworthy Source University of Rochester Medical Center Leading academic medical center in the U. S. focused on clinical care and research Go to source Positive affirmations may help you stick to your goals over a long period of time and encourage healthy behavior. [18] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Everything depends on your personal beliefs and attitude. If manifestation improves your relationship with the world and helps you, there’s nothing wrong with that.
