Manifestation for Teens Simplified: Is It Really Worth the Hype?

Manifestation, huh? Let's be real: it is a word we've been hearing everywhere on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, but is it truly worth the hype? Can anybody, anywhere, really get what they want badly enough?

What does the term 'manifesting' actually mean? Is it just a fancy name for a wish list, some meditation and being super optimistic? Does it even work?

And most importantly, how can teenagers today apply it in their lives to bridge the gap between their present self and their vision? In this article, we'll explore what this term actually means and how it can be applied and integrated into our lives.

So, What's Really The Deal With Manifestation?

Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. --Napoleon Hill, Author of 'Think and Grow Rich'

Alright, let's dive deep into the origins of this word. The word ‘manifest’ comes from ‘manifestus’, a word in ancient Latin, which means something which is ‘clear’ or ‘bound to happen’. Manifestation, put together in simple words, means to actualise your deepest desires, be it getting straight As, clear skin, an Aston Martin or even non-materialistic things like having peace of mind, abundance of love and energy….anyways, you get the idea.

But hey, isn’t this much more like magic? Doesn’t it sound too good to be true, that you can just cross your fingers hard enough and hope for the best and BAM! Your wishes are granted, as if it were the tale of Aladdin.

However, that is precisely the part where most people get it wrong, and mistake it for toxic positivity, which basically means to keep your so-called ‘bad emotions’ suppressed and focusing only on the positive side, even when you don’t want to, which is extremely unhealthy, because it does not allow us to process our emotions properly. Though there is a fine line between this sort of behaviour and practising manifestation, they have subtle differences.

While toxic positivity gives off a ‘You have to smile 24/7 no matter what, crying is for babies, and it makes you vulnerable’ vibe, manifestation radiates a more empowering aura.

For example, let us say you failed a test. The manifesting, contemplative version of you would not ruminate and cry about what happened, instead, they would focus on the present, acknowledge and accept the mistakes, and believe that with adequate work (emphasis on "work"), they could still ace the tests, a mindset something along the lines of, " Yeah, so I really did fail my exam this time, and I did make a bunch of stupid mistakes, which I really shouldn't have made but....I really do believe that I have huge potential, and I can score much better next time, with a little more self-confidence and effort."

On the other hand, the toxic-positive version of you would say, "Ugh, so yeah, I guess I failed, but there's no way I'm getting disheartened over this, I just probably wasn't in the right headspace this time, I'll be a little positive, and I'm sure I'll get the marks the next time." In short, this is you defending, not acknowledging, your mistakes, and not self-introspecting.

Summed up, according to me, manifestation would be simply putting your 100%, (Sorry to burst the bubble, but you still have to work, you can't just sit and wish for it to happen), and believing that there is a higher entity, be it your subconscious mind, God, or The Universe, which has your back and is guiding you to the exact place that you are meant to be, and if you are zealous and ‘worthy’ enough, the thing you want will come following you, and if not, better things are coming. And just like Elle Woods from Legally Blonde said, you must always have faith in yourself!

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A Little Evidence On Manifestation

If you've read the earlier paragraphs, some of you might probably think that these are just extremely preachy platitudes and that "It's not really logically possible to ask, believe, and receive, it's almost like wishing things into existence, which is completely bonkers." And while manifestation is a very debatable topic, here are some bullet points which explain the power of our thoughts and our subconscious mind, how they shape our actions, and ultimately the trajectory of our lives.

• Neurons that fire together, wire together.

I recently picked up this sentence from "The 5 AM Club" by Robin Sharma, which rightly sums up the phenomenon of neuroplasticity. When you start thinking a certain way, our nerve cells, or neurons, get connected through small gaps/pathways called synapses. Now, these synapses are the places where the neurons communicate with each other.

Therefore, if you keep telling yourself, "I don't believe I'm good enough for this," your neurons are going to connect with that same thought, and gradually, your connections are going to get stronger and stronger, making you believe that exact thing, which might probably then actualise in your real life. This will subconsciously dim your light.

On the contrary, if you start seeing the limitless potential in yourself, it will be emblazoned and tattooed in your mind, and you will start to embody that confidence. Only 5% of our mind operates consciously, and the other 95% is under the subconscious mind. Always remember that the world outside is a reflection of the world inside.

• Plain Mental Imagination

Many celebrities and renowned performers use this to make their brains accustomed to success. For example, many celebrities you may be familiar with, such as Beyoncé, Eminem, and Lady Gaga, all of them used alter egos to embody their ideal selves or to express their creative freedom. Moreover, a study states that mere mental visualisation increased muscle strength by 35%—not through physical activity!

To gain more knowledge about this topic, I'd recommend watching this video on how to create your alter ego:

Moreover, here's a list of books that will provide you with a clearer picture of how to control your subconscious mind and manifest things into reality.

1. The Power Of Your Subconscious Mind by Dr. Joseph Murphy
2. Manifest: 7 Steps To Living Your Best Life by Roxie Nafousi
3. Manifest: Dive Deeper by Roxie Nafousi
4. The Expectation Effect by David Robson
5. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
6. Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Finally, How Can Teens Incorporate Manifestations In Their Lives?

Ah, just like Ariana Grande's song, "I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it." Let's break it down step by step for you to easily understand.

Vague Dream, Vague Result: Visualising And Vision Boards

You need to be pinpoint precise with what you want to manifest. Suppose you're visualising your dream house. What does it look like?

How large is it? How many rooms does it have? How does your dream closet look? Your visualisation isn't on a budget, so just have fun with it, but don't daydream so obsessively that it turns into maladaptive daydreaming. As I said, while thinking about the goals, you need to simultaneously think about how you're going to achieve them, and then put in the work needed to do it.

The art of manifestation, put together poetically, would be ‘to be an idealist, while also being a realist.’ Anyways, jargon aside, the best way to visualise is to use vision boards. Or use Pinterest. Seeing the life you want is the first step to creating it, as Brianna Wiest very correctly said in her book '101 Essays To Change The Way You Think'.

You can print out pictures aligning with your goal, and then make a collage, or you could just put it as your phone wallpaper. But the rule here is: you’ve got to stare at the vision board for at least 5 minutes.

Popular self-help YouTuber Tam Kaur suggests that you can do this with a daily habit that overlaps, so that you save time and do not forget to do it as well.

Journaling

This is arguably the best method ever, and it's definitely one of my favourites, because you can really get creative with it, and you get to know yourself better and express yourself in the process as well. When you write down your goals in the present tense, as if it’s already happening, your brain tends to prepare you and raise you as if you’re meant to become your ideal self, raising your self-confidence, and ultimately leading to that very object or goal you desire. Research backs it up: a study by Dr.

Gail Matthews at the Dominican University of California found that people who write down their goals are 42% more likely to be successful. And don't be shy to customise, sketch, decorate, basically add a little bit of you into your journal.

Abundance Mindset + Action + Detachment = Manifesting

That is the very simple equation for manifestation! Think of it this way, with the analogy of a garden: Your mind is an empty yard. Let the mindset be the type of things you grow there: roses(positive thoughts) and weeds(negative thoughts).

Let's say you really do plant the roses, but they need to be tended to, watered, and nourished. That is given by taking action towards your goal, which in turn actualises it. The one thing you've got to care about in the process is detaching yourself from the outcome. You should be consciously aware of what you’re working toward, but not obsess, freak and overthink about it. If you had already sown the seeds into the ground, would it make sense for you to constantly wait anxiously for the plant to blossom? Is it going to grow any faster with that? The answer is an obvious no.

Conclusion

Though manifestation remains a highly controversial and interesting topic, it is absolutely something which is worth exploring. It is not hoping on something and making a wish, it's a balanced combination of a great, resilient mindset, consistency and effort. It isn't completely spiritual, but its practice serves as an instrument for self-reflection, increasing confidence, growth, and even productivity.