I used to be pretty skeptical about manifestation. Honestly, I still am. But I've found a mental model that makes it more palatable.

the ripple effect

Think about moving your hand through a body of water. You create ripples. Waves that extend far beyond the point of contact, pushing things away or drawing them closer. Maybe the way we respond to things — internally, externally — works the same way. There are larger-order effects to our emotional states, a kind of spiritual physics that governs what we attract and what we repel.

I know. It's woo. It's hard to back up with science. But there's something appealing about the idea that if you put out good vibrations — a good attitude, an open mind, a willingness to release control and resentment and the things that just generate negative energy — then more good things happen to you.

And I've noticed it. When I feel like I'm putting good energy into the world, I seem to get more positive inbounds. More serendipity. More openness directed back at me. It's hard to explain, and honestly, it's hard for me to fully believe. But it keeps happening.

compassion for the off days

Here's the part that matters more to me, though: I have a lot of empathy for people who can't do that. Including past versions of myself, and probably future versions too.

These states of mind are not always available to us. I can't just will good vibes into existence. I can't always decide to be in a positive mood. You have some control, sure — but it's a habituated thing. It's a practice. And it's not always easy.

I've had plenty of times in my life where I couldn't let go of a frustration, and it wasn't my fault. My frustration was perfectly valid. Perfectly legitimate. The world gave me every reason to feel that way. Sometimes the flare-up is the curriculum — but sometimes it's just hard, and that's okay too.

both things at once

The more interesting move is holding both things at once: compassion for yourself when you can't be this radiant good-vibration person, and a good-faith effort to practice it when you can. To keep the negative limited. To build something in your emotional and spiritual life that says, I don't go into the negative space, even when it feels true.

Practicing joy. Celebrating others. Open-minded happiness. Faith that things will be okay.

tuning the signal

I'm not a spiritual physicist. But there's something that feels true about it — whatever waves we put out into the world, it's like tuning a signal. Getting onto a wavelength where others on similar frequencies can reach us, can deliver experience to us. You have to get on the same wavelength to receive the signal.

So why not be on a good one, at least when you can?