The Art of Manifestation

New year, new me. Vision boards, journaling, affirmations, you name it. Manifestation techniques have grown popular the last few years, but does it truly increase luck and chances for success?

Yes, it works

Manifestation is not some sort of witchcraft, but it’s a way to “brainwash” yourself to believe that. At its core, manifestation is essentially rewiring your brain so that it filters out all the negative and feeds it with the positive. It’s the equivalent to using the Google search engine. When you search “Is coffee good for you?”, Google would provide you with research, websites linked to the benefits of coffee consumption; likewise, when you search “Is coffee bad for you?”, you would be shown sites proving coffee consumption to be harmful. As Francis Crawford once said, “To expect defeat is nine-tenths of defeat itself”. Therefore to have a positive, open mindset is to naturally attract success.

Not only that, manifestation sets distinct goals and establishes clear values. When dreams are materialized into something, something new has been produced by you catered to you, which is not only exclusively beneficial towards those building goals, but has also proven to be information easy to commit to memory in comparison to merely reading similar goals from secondary sources. The impacts are especially applied when said goals are written down; when writing by hand, the brain is forced to process the written information, accompanied with the visual sense of recognizing words on paper. 

Popular manifestation methods you can try this new year

1. Vision boards

Vision boards, physical and digital, are a collage of images pieced together summarizing how one would wish the new year to play out, with themes of academic success, travelling destinations, relationship statuses, etc. Because vision boards are most popularly placed in areas one would look at on a daily basis, such as on a desk, bedside table, and device wallpaper, it serves as a constant reminder and source of motivation, utilizing the visual sense to paint a clear vision of what the future could possibly bring in arm’s reach. 

2. Gratitude journaling

Gratitude journaling is the act of dedicating a short period to write down things you were grateful for that day, usually at the start of the day, which can range in significance. The aim of gratitude journaling is to create a shift in perspective, into a positive mindset focusing on the abundant resources you possess and how fortunate you are as a person through experience. This serves as motivation to pursue goals even stronger knowing that not everybody is rewarded with the same opportunities.

3. Positive affirmations

Positive affirmations are statements that promote one’s self worth and independence. Many recite, write, or read positive affirmations consistently in order to attract success and happiness. Similar to journaling, this technique is a method which cleanses the brain of negative thoughts, and replaces them with a sense of self, which drastically changes the positive attitude in which we tackle life.

Works Cited

BetterSleep. “How Do Positive Affirmations Work?” Bettersleep.com, BetterSleep, 29 Aug. 2022, www.bettersleep.com/blog/how-do-positive-affirmations-work.

How. “Travel Bug Tonic.” Travel Bug Tonic, 20 Dec. 2023, www.travelbugtonic.com/travel-blog/travel-vision-board. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.

Hu, Charlotte. “Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning.” Scientific American, 21 Feb. 2024, www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-writing-by-hand-is-better-for-memory-and-learning/.

Mittal, Sloni. “The Power of Gratitude Journal Manifestation: How Writing Your Thanks Can Shape Your Reality.” Medium, 24 Sept. 2024, medium.com/@mittalsloni09/the-power-of-gratitude-journal-manifestation-how-writing-your-thanks-can-shape-your-reality-7097682afa25.

Murphy, Mark . “Neuroscience Explains Why You Need to Write down Your Goals If You Actually Want to Achieve Them.” Forbes, 27 Dec. 2021, www.forbes.com/sites/markmurphy/2018/04/15/neuroscience-explains-why-you-need-to-write-down-your-goals-if-you-actually-want-to-achieve-them/.

Ries, Julia. “I’m a Neuroscientist. Here’s Why I Believe in the Power of Manifestation.” SELF, 9 Oct. 2024, www.self.com/story/neuroscientist-science-behind-manifestation.