Manifesting is a bit like Marmite – surprisingly polarising and endlessly debated.
For some, the concept sits in the same bucket as crystal healing or astrology – they see it as a little too mystical, all too wishful. For others, it’s a principle to live by. But wherever you sit, one thing is worth getting straight: manifesting isn’t just pseudoscience. It has roots in a well-established area of cognitive research known as neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to grow and change throughout life.
It’s neuroplasticity which underpins the four-step manifestation method to how to manifest, shared by neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart in her book The Source: Open Your Mind and Change Your Life. A former psychiatric doctor and lecturer at MIT, she has built a reputation (and a 700,000-strong online following) for being able to translate neuroscience into something simple, practical and no-nonsense.
Viewed through her lens, manifesting isn’t about expecting your dream life to land neatly in your lap; it’s about shifting the way you think and act so you naturally move towards your goals. In fact, it’s less about the outcome at all, and more about your mindset – something a Psychology graduate like me can absolutely get behind. I’ve seen throughout my life how a subtle mindset switch can spark meaningful change both internally and externally. And the research echoes that: a 2023 study found that people who believed in manifestation and personal power, and who used techniques like visualisation and positive thinking, reported higher self-perceived success, stronger aspirations, and greater optimism about the future.
It got me thinking, as an inconsistent manifester myself: how much could I shift simply by sticking to Dr Swart’s method for a month?
The results? They’ve been transformative.
To discover the steps and read my experience, keep scrolling. And for more brain-training content, head to our guides to gratitude journaling, training your brain to enjoy exercise, plus how I fared when I brain dumped like Mel Robbins for two weeks.
A Month of Dr Tara Swart’s Manifesting Routine Left Me More Confident Than Ever.
What’s the science behind manifesting?
Here’s the thing about manifesting: it isn’t magic or wishful thinking. It’s not really about the external changes that occur at all. Instead, it’s about how you feel about yourself, your life, and the world around you, and how you choose to view your future.
“From a neuroscience and therapeutic point of view, manifesting is the process of training your brain to notice, believe in, and act on the opportunities that align with what you want,” says cognitive hypnotherapist Charlotte Melki.
You’d think that would come naturally, but as Melki explains, it doesn’t. That’s because our brains are wired for survival and are more tuned into potential threats than possible opportunities. “This can become a downward spiral,” Melki adds. “The more we notice the negative, the more the brain filters reality to confirm it.”
This is where the science of selective attention and negativity bias comes in.
Our brains have evolved to focus on threats or challenges because, from an evolutionary standpoint, paying attention to danger helped us survive. Research shows that when we’re constantly bombarded with negative thoughts or stressors, our brains prioritise them, often making it harder to notice opportunities that align with our goals. In fact, one study found that people with a heightened negativity bias are more likely to interpret ambiguous situations as threatening, leading to increased stress and reduced well-being.
Manifestation, Melki explains, interrupts that cycle. “It helps your Reticular Activating System, the part of the brain that decides what information is important, tune in to what you actually want to notice.”
It’s not about forcing outcomes, she says. “Manifestation is about teaching your brain what to expect, and watching your behaviour follow.”
While there isn’t a wealth of peer-reviewed research specifically on manifestation, there’s a large body of evidence around related concepts like neuroplasticity, selective attention, and the power of positive thinking. Studies show that our brains are constantly adapting based on our thoughts and behaviours, with practices like visualisation and positive affirmation actually rewiring neural pathways. Together, they indicate that manifesting could shift how we process and respond to opportunities.
In essence, manifesting is about more than just imagining a new reality. It’s about retraining your brain to recognise and act on the possibilities that already exist.
What are the benefits of manifesting?
Besides all of your wildest dreams coming true (kidding, kind of not kidding), what benefits could manifesting bring to your life?
1. A clearer sense of purpose
Manifesting starts with clarity. To manifest, you first have to get clear on what you truly want from life, and what might be holding you back from achieving it. Once you identify these two things, you’ll have a clearer sense of purpose and can begin taking steps to remove the barriers standing in your way.
“I always say, purpose guides action, and action is what differentiates manifestation from fantasy,” says Melki. “Once your purpose becomes visible, it becomes easier to take actions that serve you.”
2. Increased confidence, agency and emotional regulation
Let’s be clear. There’s no genie in a bottle making your manifestations come true. It’s all you. That’s the really empowering part.
“Manifestation isn’t about waiting for things to happen, it’s about making them happen,” says Melki. “When you start taking action that aligns with your purpose, the brain registers that as safety and competence, which boosts confidence and makes emotional regulation easier.”
Think of it like a piggy bank. Each time you take a successful step toward your purpose, your brain treats it like a coin in the jar, building a bank of evidence to support your inner capability and control over your life.
What are the four steps in Dr Swart’s method?
Now, to get down to specifics. In her book, Dr Swart outlines a practical, four-step process, rooted in neuroscience, which she uses to tap into your brain’s ability to change and grow over time, using it to help you achieve your goals.
1. Raise your awareness
The first, and, according to Dr Swart, most important step to manifesting is to become aware of the self-limiting beliefs that are blocking you from living the life you want.
“You have to know what you want and understand what is creating an obstacle to your success before you can move on to any other step,” explains Dr Swart.
In the book, she recommends writing down each limiting belief in a table, then listing the evidence that either confirms or challenges that belief. By doing so, you can become aware of the competing voices in your head and shift your thinking toward the voice you want to listen to.
2. Make an action board
If you’ve ever made a vision board, you know how easy it is to fill a page with Pinterest images and inspirational quotes, only for it to end up buried in the back of a cupboard or shoved under your bed, never to be seen again.
That’s why Dr Swart gives the vision board a rebrand. “I call them action boards, so people understand that it’s up to them to take action and seize opportunities, rather than creating a fantasy and just waiting for it to come to them,” she explains.
This step is about focusing your attention on the things you want and filtering out the distractions or obstacles that pull you away from your purpose. “You can fill it with realistic or metaphorical representations of what you want,” Dr Swart says. “What’s important is that you look at it at least once a day, visualise each thing coming true, and practice gratitude for it.”
3. Focus your attention
With manifestation, it’s easy to get caught up thinking about the future. But Dr Swart stresses that staying present in the moment is just as important for rewiring your brain for abundance and possibility.
In The Source, she explains that a daily mindfulness practice helps the brain identify your true priorities and develop emotional resilience in the face of setbacks.
This could be a no-headphones walk in nature, a guided meditation, yoga or simply sipping on a coffee with no distractions. It’s just time to be present and attentive to your thoughts, ambitions and emotions.
4. Deliberately practice
The final stage of the manifestation process is taking practical, consistent steps toward your goals. This is where accountability to yourself is crucial. As Dr Swart reminds us, this is usually where most people struggle with manifestation. “People often give up if they don’t see immediate change,” she explains, which is why it’s important to layer your goals.
“If people set lofty goals and fail to achieve them, it can be demotivating,” she says. “I suggest starting with small goals, and remaining open to manifestations you haven’t even thought of yet – something I call leaving space for magic.”
Does manifesting work for everyone?
Everyone has the power to manifest, but that doesn’t mean it will work for everyone. “It’s not about age or stage of life,” says Dr Swart. Your success with manifesting “depends on your levels of self-worth, deservingness and on your willingness to take the actions you need to have the life you want.”
So, ultimately, it all comes down to mindset, and whether you’re manifesting from a place of fear or abundance. “If you’re manifesting from fear, you’re not manifesting, you’re worrying,” explains Melki. “Fear puts the brain in threat mode, which means you’re scanning for danger, not opportunity. Manifestation works best when the nervous system feels safe enough to imagine possibilities.”
I tried Dr Tara Swart’s four-step manifesting method for a month. My outlook and motivation? Transformed.
Though I’ve only formally followed Dr Swart’s four-step process for the past month, I’ve been using some of her principles for years. It began during my training for competitive sport, when a sports psychologist suggested regular visualisation to support my performance on the track.
Since then, I’ve applied manifestation to work and personal life, and I’m a huge advocate. But like most of us, my confidence ebbs and flows, and I’m guilty of losing sight of my goals when results don’t come fast enough. That’s why I love the structured approach Dr Swart lays out – it brings accountability back, and within four weeks, I saw tangible changes.
Steps one and two
Having done some manifestation before, I was somewhat aware of my limiting beliefs, but revisiting them was invaluable. On day one, I wrote down the conversations running in my head. Externalising them gives them a new level of realism, making it easier to challenge them rationally.
Most of my limiting beliefs revolved around work and romantic relationships – coincidentally (or not coincidentally at all?), the areas where I have the biggest ambitions. From there, I created my action board, breaking it into personal, professional, and relational goals. Each goal was specific, with tick boxes to track progress. I’ve always loved lists, and physically ticking off a box is an oddly satisfying and motivating ritual for me.
Just creating the action board made me feel excited, focused, and more in control. When you know where you’re going and have a plan, there’s far less anxiety. Even if you’re not there yet, you feel like you’re on your way.
Ashleigh’s manifestations were both personal and professional, including collaborations for her run club, Sunnie Runners. This month, they partnered with Atis and Rape Crisis UK
(Image credit: Ashleigh Spiliopoulou)
Steps three and four
Step three – focusing your attention and practising mindfulness – was the hardest for me. I’m not a natural meditator, and as someone competitive, I often live in the future: thinking about what’s next, what I haven’t achieved, or what I lack. Being still and present doesn’t come naturally and often feels like a luxury I can’t afford.
But each time I practice mindfulness, I feel refreshed, clearer-headed, and less emotionally reactive. Over the past month, I’ve built a routine that works: leaving my phone downstairs overnight, taking a morning walk before checking it, fitting in a non-negotiable half-hour of Pilates or yoga, and regular brain dumps in my journal. This has been game-changing for productivity and helped me filter out tasks that don’t bring me closer to my goals.
Finally, step four: aligned action. Since starting the process, I’ve taken concrete steps both personally and professionally. I booked my first therapy session, re-joined a dating app, invested in new work technology, dedicated weekly time to passion projects, and updated my CV to send to brands I want to collaborate with.
This month, Ashleigh also launched a new women’s supper club, SOLA, with a dinner at Zephyr in Notting Hill – something which has been on her action board for a year. All guests were gifted Scene journals to bring their own manifesting dreams to life.
(Image credit: Emma Deguara)
In just four weeks, two of my manifestations have already come true, with two more moving closer to reality. There’s no magic pill or witchcraft – it’s a combination of discipline, commitment, and clarity. Harnessed together, they’ve unlocked potential I didn’t even know I had, and definitely didn’t realise I could reach so quickly.
Shop MC-UK approved manifestation tools now:
The Source – Dr Tara Swart
Dive deeper in Dr Tara Swart’s four-step manifestation method in her book, The Source: Open Your Mind and Change Your Life. With practical tips and simple, scientific explanations, it’s your manifesting bible.
Lumie Bodyclock Spark 100
Starting my day off on the right foot is key when it comes to fostering a manifesting mindset – and I’m a big fan of this Lumie alarm clock for that exact reason. It wakes you up naturally and eases you into your day. What’s not to love?
lululemon Lift and Lengthen Yoga Block
Sometimes, taking a second to sit, breathe, and process your feelings is absolutely critical when it comes to nailing your manifesting process – enter: this gorgeous yoga block from lululemon, to help make your mindfulness that bit more comfortable.
When will I see the results of my manifestations?
Manifestation is highly individual, and there’s no universal timeline, especially since goals can vary so widely in size and complexity.
“I encourage people to start with small goals they have more control over, which helps achieve quick wins and keeps motivation high,” says neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart. She notes that most things on her action board manifest within a year. “Bigger things, like marriage, of course, take longer,” she adds, but the most important ingredient is the internal shift in thinking. “As soon as people change their mindset, things in the material world tend to follow,” she explains.
Cognitive hypnotherapist Charlotte Melki agrees: “When someone stops gripping tightly and starts working with their mind instead of against it, change often happens much faster than they expect.”