Manifesting Isn’t Magic — It’s Mindset: The Science Behind How You Attract What You Focus On
When people hear the word manifesting, they often imagine vision boards, positive vibes, or asking the Universe for what they want and hoping it shows up at their door. But behind all the “woo,” there’s something deeply practical at work — your brain. Let’s get into it…
This week at Full Circle Wellness, we’re pulling back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood concepts in the personal development space: Manifestation.
Spoiler alert: it’s not magic. It’s your mind in motion.
(which is also just kind of magical, when you really think about it!)
The Reticular Activating System: Your Brain’s Built-In Filter
At the core of manifestation lies a small, powerful part of your brainstem called the Reticular Activating System — or RAS for short.
The RAS acts like a filter between your conscious and subconscious mind. Every second, your brain receives millions of bits of information — and the RAS decides what to focus on and what to ignore. It does this based on what you’ve told it is important — through your thoughts, beliefs, goals, and repeated focus.
THIS IS SUCH A BIG DEAL!!
That means if you constantly think, “I’ll never have enough money,” your RAS will filter your world to support that belief — noticing struggle, lack, and evidence of scarcity.
BUT if you start believing, “I’m becoming more financially secure every day,” your RAS will begin surfacing people, opportunities, and insights that reinforce that idea instead.
Your Brain Believes What You Repeatedly Tell It
The RAS doesn’t judge what’s true — it simply looks for proof of what you tell it is true. So if you feed it self-doubt, fear, or limitations, that’s what you’ll start to see more of. But if you feed it focused intention, positive expectation, and emotional belief in your goals, you’ll start to feel like the world is responding in kind.
This is why manifestation tools like:
Affirmations
Gratitude journaling
Visualization
Vision boards
Goal-setting rituals
…they aren’t “magic.” They’re mental training techniques. They help program your RAS to filter the world through the lens of what you want, not what you fear.
Manifestation + Action = Real Results
This doesn’t mean you just think happy thoughts and everything falls into place. I think a lot of people think it’s that simple, but I’m here to tell you that while thoughts are nice… you’re gonna need some action.
Real manifestation is rooted in alignment — not just belief, but also behavior.
You still take action.
You still show up with intention.
You still put in the work.
But now, your actions are guided by a brain that’s looking for confirmation of your success, not evidence of your failure. And that can change everything.
How to Start Working With Your RAS
If you're ready to stop manifesting by accident — and start doing it on purpose — here are a few Small Right Actions you can take this week to get going:
Write your goal at the top of your planner or journal every day.
Keep it front and center in your awareness.Say one powerful affirmation aloud while looking in the mirror.
Speak it with emotion — your RAS responds to feelings more than facts.Visualize one clear scene from your desired future every night before bed.
Feel it in your body. Let your brain get familiar with it.Celebrate “evidence” of alignment — even the little things.
A conversation, a gut feeling, a resource — say, “Thank you, more of this, please.”
You Can Do This
You are not broken. You’re just learning how to use your mind more intentionally.
Manifesting doesn’t require perfection. It doesn’t require forcing the Universe, or God, to bend to your will (because you can’t do that anyway). It simply requires belief, clarity, and consistent alignment between your thoughts, your actions, and your energy.
And the most beautiful part?
Once you learn how to work with your brain… it will work with you.
BE WELL
L
