Stop Trying To “Manifest” Your Dream Life. Do This Instead.
In my article, The Truth About Manifestation: 6 Myths and Their Corrections, I talked about how the idea that manifestation is simply about getting our desires is a fallacy and that we are shaping (manifesting) our reality all the time through our intentions, beliefs, habitual thoughts and feelings.
In other words, manifestation isn’t just about certain instances where we get something we really want, such as a job or a large sum of money. We are constantly getting feedback (i.e. manifestations) from our external world, although I understand what people are talking about when they speak of manifestation in this way.
In that piece, I addressed manifestation myths and their corrections, but I didn’t go in-depth into what one can do to manifest their desired reality.
So here is my answer.
First of all, it may be helpful to stop using the word “manifestation.” Why? Because it tends to be associated with a desired outcome, which tends to get us in the future tense.
Secondly, instead of trying to influence your reality all the time, it may be best to get out of the mindset of “manifestation” altogether.
Instead, what I suggest focusing on are the following:
Recognizing limiting beliefs & gradually replacing them with positive, more accurate ones.
These can be limiting beliefs related to a specific area of your life (i.e. money, relationships, purpose), but it can also be due to broader assumptions you have about yourself and life. For example, some people may believe that they are not meant to have a good things and are always meant to suffer, which can unfortunately be due to false religious programming.
Some exercises that can help with this are talking to trusted individuals that can give you a higher perspective, questioning your negative beliefs, journaling, and even talking with AI chatbots. I know the last one seems silly, but there is nothing wrong with it as long as you are savvy about your privacy.
Healing trauma-based wounds (if that is a big issue, which it is for many).
This is a process, but self-education, therapy, prayer, and other activities help.
Examine your motives.
The hard truth is, sometimes the reason why we are not being blessed in certain areas of our life (or as much as we seek) is because our motives are in the wrong place. The reason why this can be a challenge is because it can be a challenge to see ourselves. Additionally, often skewed motives are covered up by what appears to be pure, so it can be easy to convince ourselves that our motives are good.
Another reason why people avoid looking at their motives is because they associate not having pure motives with being a bad person, such as someone who goes out of their way to harm others. But the truth is, one can have not-so-good motives, such as idolatry or a desire for approval, even if it doesn’t outright harm others.
My point is, don’t let the idea that uncovering unflattering motives means you are a bad person. The truth is, every human being has something to work on. It is better to be honest with the Lord about what you have going on so you can change them instead of pretend they are not there. When the Lord shows you, keep in mind that the Lord is merciful and not shaming.
Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts.
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
-Psalms 139:23-24
He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
-Proverbs 28:13
You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
-James 4:2-3
(If you are Christian) Seek God’s guidance and will in your life through regular prayer, fasting, and reading the Word.
In order to cultivate a relationship with God, we must seek Him in regular prayer time and study of the Word.
Your prayers don’t have to be perfect and your understanding of Scripture doesn’t have to be impressive, but if you have a sincere heart and a humble posture open to the Lord’s wisdom, you can gain more clarity about the direction He has for you.
Change areas in your life that are not in alignment.
Sometimes living in sin in a particular area of one’s life can be a hindrance. I understand there are many variables to this and we are not expected to be perfect. After all, sanctification is a lifelong process.
However, it can be the case that God is requiring you to clean up certain areas of your life in order for you to receive what He has for you.
Please understand, I am not advocating pursuing a transactional relationship with God: “If I stop doing these things, then God will give me this!” It is important that we follow the commandments out of love for the Lord.
Neither am I implying that God’s love is conditional and He is withholding from you out of displeasure towards you.
Rather, there are certain ways in which we need to grow, which can include repenting and turning away from our sins, that allow us to receive what God has for us. Some of these things are tangible, but others are intangible, such as a pervading sense of serenity in life.
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
-2 Chronicles 7:13-16
Live with sincere gratitude.
I am not talking about toxic positivity or settling for less than you deserve. Neither am I saying you have to repress your feelings. But it is important to nurture an attitude of contentment even when circumstances are less than ideal.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. - The Serenity Prayer
Trust in God and live in the present moment.
This point is the one people seem to have most difficulty with because it is about being God-willed rather than self-willed.
Granted, some people (i.e. non-Christians) may naturally be able to follow the nudges of the Holy Spirit even if they do not know that is who is leading them, but many people who are attracted to manifestation teachings are strongly self-willed, which manifests as control issues.
This does not mean I think we shouldn’t put in effort in our lives and leave everything to happenstance.
But what I mean by trusting in God is to be sensitive to His leadings and focus on what we can do for today, which can bring the things we desire closer to us (if that’s God’s will).
And, of course, when we are attuned to the Lord’s leading, He can also prompt us to change gears, too.
Regardless, because we surrender anxieties about the future and are living in the present moment, we can still find happiness in the Lord.
I know it can seem like I’m advocating settling in life if your circumstances are not what you like, but what I am talking about is accepting where you are and not feeding a state of resistance (which tends to push your desired life experience more from you anyway).
So it is about understanding that surrender and taking things day by day is living with faith!
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:25-34
Give us this day our daily bread. -Matthew 6:11
Passage for Study
Excerpt from Emanuel Swedenborg’s Heaven and Hell, section 278
The innocence of wisdom is real innocence because it is internal, being a property of the mind itself and therefore of our volition itself and our consequent understanding.
When there is innocence in these, then there is wisdom as well, because wisdom is a property of volition and understanding. That is why they say in heaven that innocence dwells in wisdom and why angels have as much wisdom as they do innocence.
They support the truth of this by observing that people in a state of innocence do not take credit for anything good, but ascribe and attribute everything to the Lord. They want to be led by him and not by themselves, they love everything that is good and delight in everything that is true because they know and perceive that loving what is good — that is, intending and doing good — is loving the Lord, and loving what is true is loving their neighbor.
They live content with what they have, whether it is little or much, because they know that they receive as much as is useful — little if little is good for them and much if much is good for them. They do not know what is best for themselves — only the Lord knows; and in his sight everything he supplies is eternal.
So they have no anxiety about the future, but refer to anxiety about the future as "care for the morrow," which they say is pain at losing or not getting things that are not needed for their life's useful activities.
They never collaborate with friends from evil intent, but only from good, fair, and honest intent. To act from evil intent, they say, is guile, which they avoid like the poison of a snake because it is diametrically opposed to innocence.
Since their greatest love is to be led by the Lord, and since they ascribe everything to him, they are kept away from their self-centeredness, and to the extent that they are kept away from their self-centeredness, the Lord flows in.
This is why they do not store in their memory what they hear from him, whether through the Word or through preaching, but immediately heed it, that is, intend and do it. Their intention itself is their memory. They appear extraordinarily simple in outward form, but they are wise and provident inwardly.
They are the ones the Lord was referring to when he said, "Be wise as serpents and simple as doves" (Matthew 10:16). This is the nature of the innocence called the innocence of wisdom.
Since innocence does not take credit for anything good but ascribes it all to the Lord, and since innocence loves to be led by the Lord, giving rise to that acceptance of everything good and true that leads to wisdom, we have been so created as to be in an outward innocence when we are little, but in an inward innocence in old age, to come to the latter through the former.
So when we do get old, our bodies deteriorate and we become like little children again — but like wise little children or angels, for in the highest sense, a wise infant is an angel. This is why "infant" in the Word means one who is innocent, and "elderly one" means a wise person full of innocence.
