THIS one is for those who have been feeling helpless or hopeless recently; for those who feel like everything they are faced with is a lose-lose situation; for those who feel even the right decision brings wrong and unfair outcomes and consequences. This is personal for me, because even I feel this way at the moment so I have been asking myself a lot recently – when things feel so wrong, can we manifest good things into our lives?

Manifesting is the practice and belief that thinking positive and aspirational thoughts will bring them to life. So yes, thinking yourself into a better life. They say it can happen based on true and unwavering belief, which can cause unintentional and intentional action.

Of course, some scientists debunk it based on extreme cases. For example, if you have a terminal illness, you cannot manifest your way back to good health. Some also believe that it aids in complacency because it may unintentionally cause people not to act because they believe just thinking may be enough. There is nothing that doesn’t come with criticism, but you have to take what you believe and leave the rest. It is always better to have faith than not, no? It still brings forward great results, so let’s focus on that.

I look at it as an underestimated tool for setting and achieving goals. It is also critical in self-awareness as you cannot envision what you want in your life without knowing what you want in your life. The whole idea was coined by an Australian television producer Rhonda Byrne, when she published the book “The Secret” in 2006. It was initially met with laughter from critics but ended up selling over 30 million copies worldwide and is among the most popular and successful self-help books of all time. I can see why, because it brings forward an idea of hope, one that is so alluring that it tells people to believe that your thoughts are your only barrier and, therefore, we can control our only obstacles. Who wants to believe we are powerless over our own lives?

It’s more around us than we think. These essential oils, sage, crystals and everything else became common and gave people something to believe in. I myself wear a ring with a labradorite stone because it is believed to aid in healing from within and ward off outside negativity. I wear it every day because not only do I desperately want that to happen, but I mean, what if, right?

So, let’s go into how we can manifest. First and foremost, which should be obvious, only think and want to manifest positive things; things that make you feel physically and mentally healthy. Be as specific as possible with these things. If you need help with this, you can try meditation or music- whatever generates passion and good vibes.

As important as it is to know what you want, it’s equally important to know why you want it. What do you think it’s going to bring to your life? Why do you think it will be beneficial? How do you think you will feel when you have it? If you are not sure yourself, use those questions to guide you.

Now, ask the universe for it and envision it as though you already have it. Change the words “I wish” to “I will” or “I do”. There are a few ways to do this. Some use scripting, which means writing it out. That has also been shown to be more beneficial. Seeing it in writing also makes it seem more plausible or achievable. Others use mediation to clearly think it, some use prayer, some use vision boards, some write a letter directly to the universe. There is no right or wrong way- do whatever feels right to you.

Surround yourself with the right people. It doesn’t make sense to think and act positively when those around you are being negative or especially telling you that you cannot achieve something. You may want to be around people who are attracted and interested in who you are becoming or want to become; those may not be the same people around you right now.

Focus on yourself only. Stay away from any unnecessary drama or thinking negative thoughts about others. Manifesting is only deserved when there is positivity all around.

Trust and believe in the process. You may have heard of the “Law of Attraction” and that’s exactly what we are believing in when we believe in manifestation.

In order to stay focused and not lose hope, acknowledge and celebrate any progress at all. Even if things aren’t happening as quickly or severely as you want it to, a baby step in the right direction is still a win.

This goes into showing gratitude, not only for any progress but strong gratitude for what you have before you even started the process.

Finally, while this whole thing is about hope, there is some realism at play. You can think positive thoughts, but it does require proactive steps towards your goals. It won’t happen overnight, and it won’t happen if your behaviors remain the same. Your thoughts, emotions and behaviours need to be positive, healthy and proactive.

Final Gabrielle Bernstein, an author of multiple books regarding manifesting claims that mmanifesting is co-creating because it’s a collaboration between you and the universe. This means that knowing what you want is only half the battle, and one will not see any results without action. But these can be even the smallest actions to make a part of your routine. In her book, she gives an example for those who want to make a major career change, a small action would be to start networking with people in your new or desired field and practice for what the job interview would entail. Another small action? Try and think the way your future successful self would be thinking. Reframe your thoughts to already being someone who already has and feels your goals, dreams, and desires.

I’ll end this column with something that Oprah often says Energy is everything and the energy we put out in the world is the energy we get back. If you want more love in your life, set your intention to be more loving. If you seek kindness, focus your energy on empathy and compassion.”

Thanks for reading, everyone. Please continue to send column topics to caitlinvieira@gmail.com