Manifesting…but, for real this time.

The other night I woke up after a dream with a thought I’d never had before.

Manifesting has to be real.

Yup. That was the thought.

Where did this thought come from? Why was I suddenly willing to believe in manifesting after all these years of dismissing it? And… what even is manifestation, really?

Over the past several days, I’ve been piecing together my responses to those questions and feeling a strong pull to share — to read and hear the opinions of others, too. But before I start, let me tell you about my history with manifesting.

If it’s not already clear: I have never believed that manifesting could work.

Trust me — I’ve tried all the methods. I’ve made the vision boards. I’ve repeated the affirmations. I’ve done the meditations. But my soul never believed that what I was physically doing would actually work. Because… how could it?

And yes — I’ve been a spiritual person for nearly 20 years now. Somehow, among all the things I believed in — my pendulum, my tarot cards, my spirit guides, my crystals — manifestation just never clicked. Apparently, I needed my own version of “scientific” proof. Cringe.

So then… where did this thought — that manifestation is real — come from?

Honestly? I don’t know. It was like I woke up and just knew. That knowing is what sent me down this mental exploration over the past few days.

Which brings us to the next question: why am I willing to believe in manifestation now?

Simple. I’m an Animal Communicator and an Energy Healer.

The work I do exists entirely within energy and the ability to psychically tune into the animal I’m working with. Everything I’ve learned and practiced over the past year is my proof that manifestation is real.

How else would I be able to start an Animal Communication session with a complete stranger — knowing only their pet’s name, species, gender, and whether they are living or crossed over — and immediately see, in my mind’s eye, their white, chubby little chihuahua waltz in to greet me?

How else would I be able to hold a full conversation in my mind with an animal (living or crossed over) and then verbalize, in real time, exactly what that animal is communicating to their human on the line with me?

How would I be able to feel, during a Body Mapping, that my lungs are tight and my throat is constricted — share that aloud — and then hear that their pet has a collapsed trachea?

And then there’s energy healing. From day one, my instructor taught me: “Intention is everything.” That intention is the magic behind scanning chakras and balancing energy centers from the comfort of my own home while the animal remains comfortable in theirs.

So… what even is manifestation?

We’ve all heard the term. But I think its meaning can be deeply individualized.

We see it everywhere — all over social media, splashed across wellness magazines while we’re stuck in grocery store lines. We all have that one friend who’s been trying to convince us for years. It feels like its popularity peaked sometime before I graduated high school in 2008, surged again during the pandemic, and probably had several cultural resurgences I’m completely oblivious to.

Anyways — this is where I take you on a bit of a school field trip. Skip to the bottom if history isn’t your vibe. No hard feelings.

I first pulled up the Oxford English Dictionary. According to their site, manifestation is a noun with seven meanings — two of them obsolete. Unfortunately, without paying a $10 fee to read further, I had to pivot to a Google search of :“Old English Dictionary Manifestation Definition.”

Google Gemini tells me:

“According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), ‘manifestation’ means the act of making something evident or the visible expression or sign of something, like a feeling, quality, or event, often implying an abstract concept made real; it also refers to supernatural appearances (ghosts/spirits) or, in modern slang, willing something into existence.”

Cool. But… I wanted more.

Next stop: Merriam-Webster. Their definition was even less helpful. Manifestation is, apparently:

“The act, process, or instance of manifesting.”

Cool cool cool. But is it fair to use the word you’re defining inside the definition?

On a third attempt, I landed on the Collins Dictionary. Better, but still lacking:

“A manifestation of something is one of the different ways in which it can appear.”

So I dug into my brain and thought about spiritual leaders. Gabby Bernstein was the first name that came to mind, and stumbling across her blog post on manifestation was exactly what I didn’t know I needed.

Honestly — just go read her post (how to manifest: the do’s and don’ts of manifesting). I won’t do justice to it beyond her definition:

“Manifesting is cultivating the experience of what it is that you want to feel — and then living and believing in that experience so that you can allow it to come into form.”

Magic. Boom. That was it.

And it’s almost where I want to leave you.

My definition of manifestation — at least for now — is this:

“Manifestation is believing — really, truly, honestly believing — that your thoughts can become real. It’s part divine magic and part having an actionable game plan to help make those thoughts a reality. And, of course, intention is everything.”

As I step into my weekend ahead, I’ll be planning what I want to manifest first — and what my game plan is to get there. Because yes, manifestation is magic… but it’s magic that requires internal work.

So tell me:

• What’s your definition of manifestation?

• Where are you on your journey?

• Are you a skeptic or a believer?

• Have you ever manifested something in your lifetime?