The law of attraction suggests that our thoughts and beliefs influence our experiences and outcomes, it claims that through manifestation and focusing on the positive that what we want will magically appear in our lives. All we have to do is think positively, feel good all the time, and truly believe in ourselves.
This simplistic view has a long list of problems hidden underneath the surface that can be harmful to our mental health, especially for people facing certain disadvantages from birth. I believe that the law of attraction is inherently exclusive, and is designed particularly so that privileged people benefit the most.
It’s easy to think positively, feel good, and believe in yourself when you have money and aren’t facing adversity. Naturally, when things are going well, it’s easy to create more positivity. But what happens when we encounter challenges, failures, and setbacks? What about systemic barriers and inequality that are present in our lives on a daily basis? How can someone who is trapped in abusive relationships, struggling with mental health issues or past trauma, simply think their way out of their situation?
There are 5 main ways that manifesting and the law of attraction can be a harmful trap that we need to be aware of before we simply attempt to force ourselves into a positive state. Here are the 5 things to be aware of so you don’t get stuck in a harmful manifesting trap:
1. Believing that our thoughts create our reality can lead to a sense of blame when things don’t go as expected.
This belief suggests that negative thoughts lead to negative outcomes. For those facing mental health issues like anxiety and depression, which are becoming more common due to the pandemic and other collective traumas, negative and intrusive thoughts can be particularly prevalent.
In addition, it is important to note that 1 in 3 women experience some form of abuse in their lifetime, and this number increases for people of color and LGBTQIA+ individuals. Men also experience abuse, although at a lower rate. These factors, among others, contribute to mental health and the ability to think positively and believe in oneself.
The emphasis on positivity in manifestation can lead to a sense of victim-blaming for those who struggle to achieve it perfectly. This implies that they are not manifesting correctly or thinking positively enough, which can contribute to feelings of self-blame and shame. It also suggests that they are responsible for the abuse, trauma, and mental health issues they have endured because they are unable to think positively and change their situation. This dismisses the real struggles and challenges that people face.
Therefore, it is important to approach manifestation and the law of attraction with awareness and empathy for yourself, especially when struggling with mental health issues or other challenges in life. If you are facing any of these things, it is important to know that you did not create the abuse and trauma you have experienced, and your circumstances are not the result of your own thoughts. Adversity is a very real part of life that anyone can face, regardless of how positive they try to be.
2. Manifesting can create unrealistic expectations for what we can achieve in our lives.
When we are presented with countless examples of our ideal life in media and how easy it is to attain them, it can make us feel like we aren’t good enough when we don’t achieve those things.
The media you consume can create ideals that aren’t actually in alignment with your true self. No marketer or influencer actually knows what is best for you. Often, we don’t even know what is in our highest good even though we may think that we want some result or experience.
I have desired the perfect relationship so much that I stayed in an abusive situation, desperately trying to transform it into the ideal twin-soul relationship. I have also wanted to go on spiritual retreats that didn’t work out financially, causing me to feel like a failure. Later, I discovered that the group exhibited cultish behaviors. At one point, I was so desperate to make 10k per month in my business that I acted inauthentically and burned myself out physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.
These situations have taught me that I don’t always know what’s best for me and that it’s easy to fall victim to comparisonitis. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and I wasn’t a failure for not being able to manifest those things. And neither are you. In fact, it was through the adversities and challenges that I faced that I was able to create a life that brings me true happiness and fulfillment.
While it’s important to have goals and aspirations, it’s also important to be realistic and recognize that we may not always achieve what we think we want, no matter how much we manifest or think positively. Sometimes the things that will bring us happiness and fulfillment are right in front of us and sometimes they are just on the other side of the challenges we are facing.
3. Privilege inherently makes manifestation easier.
If we are privileged this can lead to a sense of entitlement. Often, the people we perceive as successful and abundant are inherently privileged but we don’t see their privilege. When these people talk about their ease of manifesting, they usually leave out their privilege in the process. This leaves those who fail to achieve the same successes feeling like they are not enough.
The truth is, creation takes hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Over night success is a largely unobtainable myth. It’s more likely that your success will be obtained over years. Co-create your life with the Universe is a consistent, daily practice that evolves over time.
Generating the resources to support yourself financially so that you can pursue your passions can take years of savings, mountains of debt, and very careful budgeting to achieve. Using your unique gifts to contribute to society is rewarding but it can also trigger feelings of inadequacy and a wounded ego. Behind every success there is a reality of challenge and adversity that most of us face.
4. Focusing all your energy on manifestation can distract you from the real issues and challenges you may be facing in your life and in the world.
Let’s face it, it’s fun to focus on the positive, it feels good to feel good, and we all want to believe in ourselves.
Putting all of your attention on developing a positive mindset and trying to feel good can leave you in a state of denial and neglect. You might spend money you don’t have in an effort to create something you desire, neglecting the mountain of debt accumulating. Perhaps, like me, you’ve done everything you can to feel good in a relationship that isn’t supporting you, denying the real problems that exist.
While it’s important to have a positive outlook and a sense of hope, it’s also important to recognize and address real issues and work towards creating positive change. This is the only way that true transformation can happen. Sometimes things have to get worse to get better and the only way out is through.
5. When you put your energy into manifesting it can create a lot of pressure on yourself.
You may feel like you always have to be positive and creating the next best thing in your life. Doing so completely misses the point of being present and grateful for the good things when they do happen.
This pressure is harmful, it’s exhausting and can lead to burn out and feelings of guilt and shame. Instead, of always focusing on manifesting and what’s next, try to focus on the good that exists right now. Perhaps, the your happiness truly is right in front of you right now.
While manifesting can be a powerful tool for cultivating abundance and positivity in our lives, it’s important to approach it with a critical and mindful perspective, and to recognize the potential harm it can cause if not approached with care and awareness.
When we approach manifesting and the law of attraction with empathy and understanding of the problems that impact manifesting we are more easily able to generate more happiness, success, and fulfillment.
Remember, that it is important to approach manifestation with a balanced and realistic mindset, and to remember that manifestation is not a substitute for hard work, dedication, and perseverance. While manifesting can help you attract abundance and positivity into your life, it’s important to also take action towards your goals and put in the effort to make them a reality.
No matter what your situation is, I want you to know that you are already abundant. You are a powerful manifestor and you are always co-creating with the Universe especially through the challenges and adversity that you face. Manifesting is just a piece of the puzzle when it comes to co-creation with the Universe. When you want to bring something into existence what is really going to make it happen is hard work, dedication, and perseverance.
Life isn’t perfect and we are going to face challenges. When you experience what you don’t want, you also learn what you do want. Even though manifesting can become a harmful trap, it is still beneficial to focus our thoughts and energy towards what we want.
This can help you stay focused on your desires and generate happiness from within, ultimately helping you move forward in life. By learning to focus on the positive things that already exist in your life, you can become more resilient in the face of challenges and setbacks, while maintaining a sense of hope and optimism.
It is important to be mindful of the problems with manifesting so that you can have more compassion for yourself when you do face setbacks. Remember that while a positive mindset is helpful, real change is made through your choices and actions.
Embrace the abundance that already exists with you and embrace the challenges and adversity, let it all encourage you to see things through and work towards your desires. It is then that you will attract more positivity, abundance, and the things you want into existence.
Are you ready to learn how to generate happiness from within, stay true to yourself, and move forward emotionally, physically, and spiritually? Working with energy and your intuition can help you to co-create your life with the Universe, support yourself financially to pursue your passions, and use your unique gifts to contribute to society.
Through frequent Intuitive Healing Sessions we can work together through the obstacles that you face in creating the life you desire. Investing in yourself in this way is one way of doing the work it takes to bring what you want into existence.
