Youth Incorporated Magazine

The word ‘manifestation’ has been used a lot in the past few years, and has started to gain a lot of popularity because of its meaning. But what is it, and how does it work? Manifesting something is essentially willing something that you want into existence, and it is a concept that roots in the law of attraction.

The law of attraction embodies the philosophy of how positive thoughts bring positive results and negative thoughts bring adverse outcomes. It means that our thoughts are our energy, and the kind of energy we put out into the universe is the one we will get back. 

In a way, it does make sense, and the concept of manifestation doesn’t deserve half the skepticism it receives. Although in the bigger picture, it may not make sense to simply wish for something to come true and make it happen. But that isn’t exactly what happens. To break it down simply, think about it this way: if you think of something repeatedly, then that thought consumes most of your mind and energy, therefore, to release that energy, you say that thought out loud, and because it’s in your mind, you keep saying it again and again. The combination of your thoughts and words make up your actions, which means that you start acting on the persistent thought and consciously or unconsciously, start working towards making the thought a reality. Until it does, the thought becomes a reality and you may not realize the things you did to make it happen, but only recognize the persistent thought that never left your mind. This is exactly what manifestation is, and it may often be misunderstood. 

There are a few exercises that help you incorporate the law of attraction into your life, and can also help you practice manifestation. 

Making a mood board

A mood board that contains all of your dreams and aspirations is essentially a visual reminder that helps with a positive mindset and also motivates you to work towards those goals. 

Journaling 

Journaling is just a way to recognize your thoughts and understand where they come from, and where they’re capable of going. It helps you understand if you’re a pessimist or an optimist, and can therefore help you change your thought patterns.

Actively practicing positive self-talk

Practicing positive self-talk may be difficult if you’re generally a person that is often self-critical. However, if you make it a goal for each day to actively practice positive self-talk, then it’ll be easier for you as time passes, and you will find it harder to engage in a negative mindset.

Working towards acceptance

Repeatedly thinking about the mistakes made in the past or even thinking about what is wrong in the present isn’t really productive in the long term. Yes, it does help you understand what needs to be changed but there are some things that are out of your control, and need to be accepted as they are. It takes time to learn the concept of acceptance, and hence should be worked towards from the beginning.