How to manifest: from creating your vision to capturing your thoughts

Manifesting was in the spotlight this year. With over 8.2 million posts tagged #manifestation on Instagram and a huge number of celebrities are fans: Megan Fox revealed that she has “manifested” her fiancé Machine Gun Kelly.

It has become part of our lexicon, on screen and in real life, with many books on the subject on the way. These include Roxie Nafousi’s Manifesto: Dive Deeper, a sequel to her January bestselling debut, Manifesto: 7 Steps to Living Your Best Life. Nafousi’s book sparked interest in the subject – and not just because supermodel Bella Hadid owned a copy.

Part of the appeal is the concept. “Manifest” means to make something happen by using your thoughts (and actions) to create the life of your dreams. But there is probably another factor – a desire to return to power.

“In a world that is becoming increasingly unpredictable, ‘manifesting’ can bring a sense of hope and a sense of control over our lives and our future,” says Dr. Elena Touroni, consultant psychologist at the Chelsea Psychology Clinic.

“The idea that we can change our reality and fulfill our deepest desires is appealing.”

“Understanding what success means to us and getting clarity on how it feels is the beginning of the manifestation process,” says Simon Alexander Ong, life coach and author of Energize.

“It’s all about energy. When you focus your mind on what you desire and support it with a heightened energy state, disciplined consistency and actions, anything becomes possible.”

It’s no surprise that so many celebrities have used visualization to project their personal and professional dreams. Demi Lovato, Megan Thee Stallion, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande and Niall Horan of One Direction have all embraced this technique.

But it’s not all about wishing and receiving, says Victoria Jackson, mindset coach and author of Manifesting For Beginners.

“A common misconception about manifestation is that you just ask for something out loud and it will come the next day,” she says. But life is not Amazon Prime. If it were that easy, we’d all have everything we ever wanted. Manifestation is consciously choosing what you want to attract into your life and understanding how to take targeted action to achieve those goals.”