I'm Ditching Manifestation—Here's Why You Should, Too
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““It’s okay to pivot our mindset toward gratitude and abundance, but that pivot itself is not enough to make what you want come to fruition.””
We’ve all heard the classic “The universe will return to you what you put into the world” kind of sentiment, but did you know that manifesting can be bad for your mental health? Listen—I’m all for speaking what you want into existence, but leaving our future up to the universe is inaccessible for some of us and harmful to our overall wellness. It can be especially harmful to those with anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD.
What Does Manifest Mean?
The idea of manifestation is believing that if we focus hard enough and have the right mindset, we can create the life of our dreams and bring good things into our life. It’s the idea that if we put happiness, success, and abundance into the world, we will receive it. Some may call it the ‘law of attraction,’ simply a way of saying you can attract what you desire by changing the way you think about things.
““...many of us cannot simply think our way into a new life. We can think about abundance as much as we want, but that alone won’t eliminate our student loans. We can put positivity into the world, but we cannot manifest away depression.””
With this belief, thoughts have enough weight to become a reality. However, many of us cannot simply think our way into a new life. We can think about abundance as much as we want, but that alone won’t eliminate our student loans. We can put positivity into the world, but we cannot manifest away depression.
Many of us with mental health struggles have tried to just “think away” our problems. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought that if I just thought hard enough, I’ll be able to just “be happy.”
““Many of us with mental health struggles have tried to just “think away” our problems. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought that if I just thought hard enough, I’ll be able to just “be happy.””
The truth is, many of the struggles we face can’t just be thought away, and we can’t always attract the lives we want. Manifestation methods don’t take into consideration the implications of mental or chronic illness, disability, systemic oppression, addiction, or trauma.
Why Should I Ditch Manifestation?
Ditching manifestation became critical for me when I realized that it impacted my OCD and anxiety. When you have OCD, you may experience “magical thinking,” which is “the belief that a thought can cause a particular event to occur or means an event has already occurred.” This belief can cause people with OCD to turn to compulsions or rituals to help “ward off” the bad things they believe to be happening.
I have what is known as contamination OCD. I’ve thought that just by thinking I may be sick, I’ll make myself sick. This kind of “manifesting” can be exhausting for anyone, not just people with OCD.
““Manifesting often blames people for not trying hard enough to change their circumstances.””
If you’re someone with a chronic illness, experiencing addiction, or any other intersection that experienced systemic oppression or trauma, resisting the urge to manifest may help you in the long run. Manifesting often blames people for not trying hard enough to change their circumstances. But the truth is, there are just some instances in life that we cannot change or think our way out of. By ditching manifestation and turning to alternatives, it may benefit your wellness in the long run.
Alternatives to Manifestation
When I say that I want to ditch manifestation, some people mistake that to mean that I want to just leave everything up to the universe and stop putting action behind what I want. That’s simply not true; I’m not saying that. What I am saying is that thoughts alone cannot change our reality. So instead, I turn to tangible action to bring about the things I want in the world.
Stay in the Present
One of the hardest parts about manifestation for me is that it brings us out of the present when sometimes, being in the present is one of the best things we can do for our mental health. If you are feeling frustrated with your life and want to make a change, taking a moment to deeply inhale, ground in the present, and try embodiment practices can have a profound effect.
What are things in this current moment that you can show gratitude for? How is your body feeling, and what steps can you take to improve negative feelings? Do you need to drink water or prioritize rest? Staying in the present instead of focusing on what you can change in the future can be a great alternative.
Ask For Help
The law of attraction discounts the importance of interconnectedness. In our hyper-individualist culture, we rarely turn to one another for help, due to the shame that often comes up. But, tapping into our network and connections can help us access the things that we want. When we have our support system to back us, we can achieve things we never thought possible. From needing someone to help you write a cover letter for your dream job to DoorDashing a meal when you simply can’t—don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Embrace Uncertainty
Taken from the golden standard of OCD treatment, Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), asks that you allow yourself to sit in the discomfort or the “maybe.” When you try so hard to manifest something, it may be because you cannot handle sitting with the uncertainty of what comes next. If you find yourself bumping up against this uncertainty, invite an affirmation in, such as, “This may happen, but I will be okay if it doesn’t.”
““When you try so hard to manifest something, it may be because you cannot handle sitting with the uncertainty of what comes next.””
Set Concrete Action Plans
Finally, set concrete action plans. If you are trying to manifest your next dream job by putting that “Open to Work” border around your LinkedIn profile picture, that may not be enough! Put the action behind it and make a goal to send out three cover letters, even to jobs that you may feel unqualified for. If you want to be more optimistic, start a gratitude journaling practice to help you notice more of the good in your life. If you need to change your fitness routine, set tangible movement goals that feel accessible to your lifestyle. In those actions, you will find the change you’re looking for.
““...set tangible movement goals that feel accessible to your lifestyle. In those actions, you will find the change you’re looking for.””
All kinds of thoughts come and go through our brains every day. It’s okay to just let them come and go without judgment. It’s also okay to pivot our mindset toward gratitude and abundance, but that pivot itself is not enough to make what you want come to fruition. That’s why I’m ditching manifestation and opting into more tangible action that makes me feel like I have control over my life—and you can, too.