Is It Possible to Manifest Your Dream Life?
My thoughts on manifestation.
Manifesting - the idea that you can achieve anything by consciously thinking about it - has become popular in recent years. But does it work?
My journey with manifestation began in 2012 when my mom suggested I read The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. Initially, I found the concept a bit far-fetched, but I was intrigued and curious to learn more. After reading it and watching the documentary, my interest in self-development was piqued and I continued to read other books that promised to change my life. Many friends and family thought it was all a bit woo-woo, dismissing self-help enthusiasts as naive, and anyone caught in the “self-help” section at the library or bookstore was seen as some desperate loser. Yet, I felt like these books were helping me. Looking back, I still think they did.
But clearly, I am not living my dream life. While my life has transformed significantly over the years, I’m not at all where I had hoped I would be at this point. Vision boards, gratitude lists, and visualization aren’t enough. I’m not stupid; I know nothing gets done without taking action. (You can’t just think about winning a million dollars and never play the lottery.) There had to be something more to it that I wasn’t getting.
Then, I discovered To Be Magnetic through their podcast Expanded.
During a transitional period in my life, while studying fine arts an hour away from home, I became hooked on podcasts and Expanded quickly became my favourite. TBM really opened my eyes to what manifestation is through a scientific lens, with expert guests and interviews with their members who have had miraculous life changes through their work. I decided to sign up for the app and started with the How to Manifest course, which laid the foundation for my journey.
Determined to focus on my love life, I enrolled in Unblocked Love. At the time, I was single and ready to meet my ideal partner. The course helped me uncover subconscious patterns sabotaging my love life, like not believing I was deserving of love and the toxic traits I myself brought into my relationships. The course also guided me through writing a manifestation list of what traits I’d like for my ideal partner to have; I wrote down simple things like, “loves the outdoors” and “handyman” while also focusing on more serious traits such as kindness, being open-minded, and accepts me for me. With these new insights and a clear manifestation list, I re-entered the dating scene.
Dating had its challenges—awkward encounters, disappointing dates, and mismatched connections, but I went into it with a new mindset. I decided that the moment someone showed a trait that was opposite of what I was looking for, I would move on. So, I persisted, guided by my vision of the perfect partner. Eventually, I met someone who fulfilled every item on my list, even if I didn’t realize it right away. I now feel certain that soulmates exist, and I’ve found mine.
This success boosted my confidence in manifestation, so I set my sights on career success and financial abundance. However, despite a year of effort, progress has been slow. I landed a job, but it didn’t meet many of my expectations, especially regarding my salary. Nevertheless, I’m grateful for the opportunity and supportive colleagues; I really do love my job but we live in a capitalist nightmare and I need money to survive and thrive. But through this process, I’ve realized I have a lot of mental blocks related to my career and money that I still need to work through. (Like my many negative associations with money and those who have it.)
While it's disheartening that manifesting a dream job isn’t as straightforward as writing a list, I’m committed to addressing these internal obstacles. With just under four months remaining in 2024, I’m challenging myself to dedicate my efforts to my goals and manifestations fully. Why not give it everything I’ve got and see if I can truly manifest my dream life? Or at least get myself back on track and start making headway.
Love,
Cole Nemeth