Are 'how to manifest' memes the defining memes of 2020?

According to Google Trends, the search term “how to manifest” has steadily risen in the last five years, not to mention those viral “Shut up I’m manifesting” memes—that, as writer Rebecca Jennings put it in Vox, were “aamong the defining memes of 2020”—along with tons of self-proclaimed manifestation “experts” on TikTok.

What is manifesting and does it really work?

“Manifesting,” or the practice of thinking aspirational thoughts with the purpose of making them real, has never been more popular. Shut up, I’m manifesting! The latest internet wellness craze is thinking your way to a better life. Whether it works or not isn’t really the point.

Is manifesting demonic or Christian?

The whole thing can feel vaguely Christian at times (the angels, for one), and at others be deemed demonic (e.g. witchcraft). Like many New Age-y practices, manifesting comes with its fair share of paradoxes, where if you think about it too hard, none of it makes any sense.

Is manifesting a form of magic?

“IInstead of thinking about manifesting as a form of magic, think of it as a practice of becoming aware of where your attention is going, noticing the nature and quality of your thoughts, and recognizing the power you have over your own internal experience and actions,” Dr. Fournier says.