“I don’t chase, I attract. What belongs to me will simply find me,” said Julia Kirman, 18-year old political science major at San Diego State University. “I first heard that saying from a fitness influencer on Tik Tok. I recite it all of the time. It works wonders.”

“Before my senior year of high school started, I manifested having a great group of friends. I walked into the school year believing in my ability to be more social. Whether it was the universe answering me or not, I ended up creating bonds with awesome people. Manifestation gave me the confidence to do so,” said Brookdale fashion major, Samantha Verbel. “I like to write in my journal as if things have already happened. I see a lot of people on social media manifesting things into real life, so if they can do it, why can’t I?”

“#Manifestation” has over 15 million views on Tik Tok. A multitude of spiritual influencers on the platform suggest that popular life struggles such as a mediocre love life and an unrewarding career can simply be solved through trusting that the universe will inevitably allow your dreams to come true.

Manifestation offers the idea that by mentally visualizing your highest self, you can decide your own future. It can be done through speaking your dreams out loud, journaling your thoughts, or even burning sage over a piece of paper after writing the same wishful sentence over and over again.

“I made a vision board,” said Lisa Cohen, a 53-year-old mother of four. “I brought out my crayons and drew pictures for each of my four kids and their present goals. It wasn’t long before I had to take the pictures down and replace them with new ones. It was all coming true.”

Cohen proceeded to talk about the potential downsides of manifestation. “If you’re looking to experiment with manifestation, it is important to know it is just as possible to manifest a negative outcome if you are thinking negatively. We all have our down moments and that’s totally okay, but try to remind yourself that there is a bright side. If you believe the future is bright, it’ll be bright.”

“Every single person on this planet is living their own individual reality within a collective reality. You have the power to consciously create quite literally whatever life you want. How could you not be absolutely delusional in what’s possible for you? Not only do you deserve a magical life, but it’s your birthright. Allow yourself to live the reality of your dreams,” said professional mindset coach and hypnotherapist, Jillian Eileen.