Manifestation: the true belief that believing in and wishing upon one’s dream can cause them to happen simply by constantly thinking about them. The rise of TikTok has brought a variety of new trends Gen Z has been eager to follow. Dances, comedy skits and now manifestation have taken over the video app, becoming one of the most massive trends on TikTok with over eight billion views on manifestation-related content. Scrolling through my For You Page on TikTok in just five minutes brings about at least three videos discussing tarot cards, making a wish on 11:11 or claiming positive energy by liking and sharing the video. Manifestation is based on positive energy and good vibes, especially believing in yourself and in the confidence that you deserve to find happiness in your dream life.
While the belief in manifestation has been around for centuries, the official wording became trendy on TikTok after different varieties of ways to make your dreams come true began gaining traction. One method of manifestation is “3-6-9”, which essentially tells people to write the things they wants to manifest three times in the morning, six in the afternoon and nine before bed. Another method is simply interacting with a video claiming that a viewer will receive good things the next day or on a certain date after they like, comment and share the post. This method seems to take advantage of the trend, simply using it to obtain more views and followers. However, it has become popular amongst Gen Z, and many manifestation accounts have appeared, taking advantage of the trend. Yet another, slightly less popular method involves lighting candles or buying a sacred crystal to make a wish on.
In 2018, Psychology Today posted a study detailing how having a fierce belief in your goals and activities made it more likely for you to strive to successfully obtain them. The study explored the idea that confidence in our beliefs strongly influences how we set out to accomplish that, whether or not you choose to call it manifestation. This study reveals that thinking about our dreams is equally influenced by our consciousness and unconsciousness; however, whatever action that is done in person is what truly determines if our dreams come true. If a person strongly believes in himself enough to make a plan to accomplish his dream life, he is more likely to achieve it rather than someone who projects negative energy and self-doubt into their minds.
Many believe in the power of manifestation, including my roommate, who believes in religiously repeating positive affirmations before going to bed and getting a daily tarot card reading. I, for one, have never believed in manifestation. For me, it just seemed like another TikTok trend. After all, how can wishing for something at a certain time make your wildest dreams come true? I was raised in a household that prioritized hard work and commitment towards goals to succeed in life. I was taught that dreams were just that: dreams, fleeting beliefs meant to float away in the wind. Listening to so many people go on and on about manifesting their dream job or dream life seemed like a bunch of nonsense to me. I chose to believe in the science of our consciousness and the way we physically overcame obstacles in the way of our dreams. Seeing people like my roommate receive things that they had manifested might have swayed me a little, but I was always brought down to earth at the thought that they had actually worked hard to get to where they are. Regardless of your beliefs in manifestation, it is safe to say that this trend will continue to be a permanent fixture on TikTok, perhaps going as far as becoming a defining trend of our generation in the future.