5. Does Manifesting Work? A Practical, Guide to Manifestation for Beginners With Kourtney Koenitzer
- Brittany Miller
- Apr 17, 2023
- 12 min read
Updated: Jan 16
Does manifesting work — and if so, how do you turn it from a vague idea into a repeatable practice that actually brings your manifestations to life? Whether you call it prayer, placebo, quantum physics, or manifestation, many people report real, measurable shifts in their lives when they begin using intention, journaling, and small daily rituals. This article breaks down the why, the how, and the concrete steps you can use today.
If we haven't met yet, I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.
Meet Kourtney
After working with a conscious parenting coach through the Jai Institute and working closely with energy healing to support her own journey,Kourtney developed a passion for supporting others on their journey and turned it into into Niyama Love, a St. Thomas based business, and the offerings available today.
In addition to being a mom and small business owner, she is a Reiki Master Practitioner & Teacher, an Ohana Generational Healing Practitioner, Yoga Teacher, Manifestation Coach, and Meditation Guide, and she's joining me today to outline the different Chakra's and how they impact business owners.
Table of Contents
Why You Keep Asking Yourself "does manifesting work"?
Some of the pushback around manifestation comes from how it's presented. When people expect instant miracles or promise a formula that guarantees a luxury car overnight, skepticism is fair. But when you ask, does manifesting work as a tool to change your actions, focus, and subtle energy — the answer shifts. Does manifesting work in the sense of helping you spot opportunities, shift beliefs, and create small alignments that lead to meaningful outcomes? Yes, and that's what this article will focus on: practical, repeatable steps rather than magical thinking.
From engineering to energy: a story that helps explain the question
Imagine someone who spent years in manufacturing engineering — someone used to data, graphs, and measurable outcomes. Now imagine that same person slowly exploring meditation, yoga, and energy work during a career detour. When they began trying practices like meditation and energy healing, they wanted evidence. That curiosity led them to study the mechanics behind interventions and to connect the dots between belief systems, family history, and physical health.
Why mention this? Because this is Kourtney's story, and one of the best ways to answer does manifesting work is through the lens of a curious, evidence-minded person who then runs real experiments. They find that manifestation practices sometimes produce measurable results — from unexpected financial inflows to better relationships to changes in chronic health symptoms — and that the key isn't magic but alignment, reflection, and consistent small actions.
What manifestation really means
Manifestation is a broad term that often means different things to different people. At its core, manifestation is the practice of aligning your thoughts, beliefs, and actions with a desired outcome.
Manifestation as focus: You decide what matters and you orient your energy and attention toward it.
Manifestation as belief work: You examine the internal stories that either support or block your desired outcomes.
Manifestation as action: You take small, practical steps that line up with your intentions.
These three components — focus, belief, and action — are the foundation for answering does manifesting work in a way that makes sense for busy, skeptical people. It isn’t magic that bypasses effort — it’s a combination of mental clarity, emotional alignment, and targeted action. Manifestation emphasizes present-tense thinking, gratitude, and removing internal blocks that unknowingly push results away.
Kourtney reads a powerful quote:
"Witches call it spells. Christians call it prayer. Spiritualists call it manifestation. Atheists call it placebo effect. Scientists call it quantum physics. Everyone is fighting over what it's called and no one is denying its existence."
The evidence side: does manifesting work according to science?
When people ask, does manifesting work, they often mean: "Is there any scientific reason to think this will change my life?" The short answer: parts of manifestation map onto established scientific ideas.
Placebo effect: The placebo effect shows how belief and expectation can cause measurable changes in health and experience. If your mindset shifts, your nervous system responds.
Neuroplasticity: Repeated thoughts and behaviors create neural pathways. If you practice seeing yourself as confident, your brain adjusts and makes confident actions easier.
Epigenetics: Environmental and psychological factors influence gene expression. Research shows trauma and famine, for example, can leave generational marks that shape physiology and behavior — and there is growing evidence that belief and environment can influence gene expression in meaningful ways.
Books like Becoming Supernatural by Joe Dispenza and The Biology of Belief outline how thought, emotion, and environmental signals interact with physiology. Those flows of evidence help answer does manifesting work: not as proof of magic, but as evidence that intention plus repeated practice changes perception, biology, and behaviour.
Real examples that make the question clearer
Here are a few practical examples that show how manifestation practices can produce concrete results.
Small, fast win: Someone wrote a name in their morning journal asking to connect with a certain person. That same day they called on a whim — and the person answered on the first ring. The act of writing it down and mentally committing prepared them to act at the right moment.
Financial alignment: A business owner started changing language and focus from "I have no money" to "I am open to abundance." Shortly after, an unexpected tax credit and a large return landed — a result of administrative reality plus mindset alignment and subtle adjustments in follow-up and decision-making.
Health shift: A person dealing with a long-term thyroid issue discovered links between childhood belief systems (like "be seen and not heard") and throat-chakra expression. By addressing those belief patterns through energy work and consistent inner work, they reduced medication and saw improvement — a complex interplay between biology, belief, and behavior.
Vacation manifested: Someone who couldn't afford a vacation wrote "we will go on a family vacation this year" into their journal and stayed open to how it might happen. A family member offered a cottage rental, and the vacation became real without a dramatic spike in spending.
Each of these examples answers does manifesting work in a different way: sometimes it's timing and action, sometimes it's a shift in perception that alters behaviour, and sometimes the combination unlocks opportunities that were previously invisible. Kourtney & I share these examples in our conversation, you can tune in here for more:
Common stumbling blocks — why people say "does manifesting work" and mean "it's not working for me"
Before you decide manifestation is ineffective, check for these common issues:
Negative phrasing: Saying "I don't want debt" or "I want to be debt free" still focuses your mind on debt. The energy goes to the object, not the absence of it.
Focusing on the how: When you obsess over how something must happen, you limit the ways it can appear.
Surface-level practice: Doing affirmations mechanically without changing underlying beliefs is like putting a bandage on a deeper habit.
Unrealistic timelines: Expecting immediate dramatic results and then abandoning practice when it takes weeks or months.
Lack of readiness: Sometimes you are not ready to receive because of unprocessed fear, guilt, or belief systems inherited from family or culture.
When people ask about the effectiveness of manifesting, they often have one or more of these blockers interfering. Good manifestation practice includes addressing these obstacles directly.
A simple 5–10 minute daily routine
Try this short routine for two weeks and treat it like an experiment. Track outcomes — what changes, what ideas show up, what feelings shift. This approach answers does manifesting work by testing it in your own life.
One-word check-in: Write one word about how you feel this morning. It grounds you and increases emotional awareness.
Gratitude / "I deserve a high five": Acknowledge one win or reason to celebrate. This reinforces self-worth and signals readiness to receive. This was an exercise I picked up after reading Mel Robbin's The High 5 Habit.
Brain dump: Spend one minute writing everything swirling in your head. Clear your cognitive load so you can focus.
Five things I have (or five things I want, framed positively): Avoid "want" as lack. Instead write "I have" in present tense, or "I am open to". For example: "I have time to play with my kids," or "I am open to abundance flowing to my business."
Say affirmations out loud: Speaking aloud engages your nervous system. Use present-tense statements like "I am worthy of abundance" or "I am open to loving partnership."
Small action step: Pick one tiny thing to do today that nudges you forward — send the message, make the call, sign up for the class.
Practicing this routine consistently will help you test the question does manifesting work for you. Keep a short log: what you wrote, one action you took, and one result (even if it's just a new idea or a shift in mood).
Language matters: how to say what you want so it actually helps
Words shape attention. When people ask does manifesting work, language is often a missing link. Here are simple rules that work:
Use present tense: "I am" rather than "I will."
Avoid negatives: Replace "I don't want to be stressed" with "I am calm and focused."
Focus on feeling and freedom: "I want more freedom" rather than "I want more money."
Be open-ended about the how: "I am open to opportunities that bring me financial ease" instead of "I will get $10,000 from X."
These adjustments help your nervous system embody the outcome rather than keeping it in the future. If you're exploring does manifesting work, start here: change the wording, observe the shift.
Belief systems, childhood programming, and generational patterns
One reason people wonder does manifesting work is because they unconsciously carry beliefs that sabotage results. Many of these beliefs form early in life and can persist for decades unless addressed.
Consider epigenetics — the study of how life experiences affect gene expression. For example, children born to parents who experienced famine show different metabolic programming generations later. On a psychological level, messages like "be seen but not heard" or "money is hard" become embedded in your mental software. Manifestation practices are more effective when paired with reflective work that unpacks and updates those beliefs.
This is why some coaches pair manifestation training with generational healing or conscious parenting approaches: you aren't just changing a sentence you say; you're changing the emotional and physiological context that runs your life.
Mindset + systems = manifested outcomes
Manifestation is rarely the lone driver of outcomes. It works best when combined with systems you can repeat. Think of it as a 3-part equation:
Mindset: Clear language, present tense, belief work
Systems: Daily routines, journaling, small action steps
Social support: Teachers, community, accountability partners
When you align these three, the answer to does manifesting work becomes personal and testable: you see changes in how you notice opportunities, how you act, and how your life shifts over time.
Practical coaching: when to get help and what to expect
If you've been trying to manifest on your own and feel stuck, consider structured support. Coaching, workshops, or group programs can help you:
Identify the root beliefs behind recurring patterns
Use guided meditations and journaling to shift internal narratives
Receive feedback on your language and practical next steps
Create accountability so small actions actually happen
Work with someone who blends evidence-based thinking with reflective practices if you prefer a grounded approach, like Kourtney who offers in person and online manifestation coaching . Coaches who integrate meditative practice, energy work, and behavioural tools often provide the bridge between "does manifesting work" theory and actual results.
Small wins build trust — start with tiny experiments
If you're still testing the question does manifesting work, choose tiny, low-risk experiments and track them. Examples:
Ask for something small and concrete: a resource, a connection, or a favour. Track responses.
Write one sentence about what you want every morning for a week and note any internal shifts.
Say one affirmation out loud daily and mark mood changes on a scale of 1–10.
These micro-experiments are low-cost and high-information. They help you build confidence that your focus and actions influence outcomes.
What manifestation is not
To avoid disappointment and answer does manifesting work honestly, be clear about what manifestation is not:
It is not a shortcut that replaces work, planning, or skill-building.
It is not a guarantee that a desire will manifest exactly how you imagined it.
It is not a moral judgment: wanting things doesn't make you selfish.
Manifestation tools you can try right now
Here are simple tools that combine attention, language, and action:
Morning journal: one-word check-in, gratitude, brain dump, five positive statements
Affirmations out loud: present tense, feeling-first language
Vision list: concise, vivid statements of what you want to experience
Micro-actions: schedule one 15-minute step toward your desire each week
Reflection: weekly review of what shifted and what didn't
Kourtney's been a guest on Go Get Great many times beacuse of how much wisdom she has to share, if you're enjoying this conversation make sure to check out theses ones as well:
How to measure whether manifesting works for you
Turn "does manifesting work" into an experiment with clear measures:
Pick 3 outcomes you can track (mood, one action taken, one external result).
Commit to a daily 5–10 minute routine for 14-21 days.
Record baseline and daily notes — mood score, action taken, any tangible shifts.
Review at day 7 and day 14. Ask: did anything change? How did my attention shift? What opportunities arose?
Data helps answer does manifesting work for you. Small wins accumulate and reveal patterns you can iterate on. It may take some time to refine your "I am" affirmations or journaling prompts before you actually manifest what you desire, especially if you have blocks to move though as we mentioned above. Consistency is key!
When manifestation and spirituality intersect
People come to manifestation from many paths: religion, science, therapy, or curiosity. The language changes — prayer, ritual, spells, placebo, quantum physics — but the underlying experience often overlaps: focused intention plus aligned action.
If you're wondering does manifesting work across spiritual or secular contexts, consider this: different traditions offer different metaphors. What matters is finding language and practice that matches your values so you can be consistent and honest with yourself.
Final thoughts: answering does manifesting work for yourself
Does manifesting work? The most honest answer is: sometimes — and often more than people expect — when you treat it as a practice that combines clarity, belief change, and small actions. It's not magic that bypasses effort, but it is a powerful method to change attention, recondition habits, and open you to opportunities you might otherwise miss.
If you're curious, try the short daily routine and treat it like an experiment. Track results. Be patient. Be open to unexpected ways your desires arrive. And if you want support excavating deeper belief patterns or speeding up your learning curve, seek a coach who respects both evidence and inner work.
FAQ About Manifesting
Does manifesting work at all — or is it just wishful thinking?
Manifesting is not empty wishful thinking if you combine it with reflection and action. When you clarify your desire, shift limiting beliefs, and take consistent small steps, the probability of achieving your goals increases. Treat it as an experimental practice: test, measure, and iterate.
How quickly will I see results if I try manifestation?
Speed varies. Some small manifestations (a returned call, an unexpected favour) can happen quickly. Larger shifts (career changes, health improvements) usually take weeks or months and involve belief work, consistent routines, and practical action. Start with micro-experiments to build momentum.
Does manifesting work for money and abundance?
Yes, but focus on the feeling and freedom you want rather than a specific dollar figure or method. Reframe to open opportunities rather than dictate how money must arrive. Combine mindset shifts with financial systems and concrete actions.
Can skeptics make manifestation work for them?
Absolutely. Skeptics often respond well because they approach it like an experiment. Use measurable practices, track outcomes, and evaluate the results. If you're someone who values evidence, choose resources that emphasize measurable changes in behaviour and physiology.
What if I tried manifestation and it didn't work — what now?
Revisit your language and readiness. Are you using negative phrasing? Are you asking for the how? Do deeper belief patterns need attention? A coach or structured course can help you identify blocks and design targeted experiments.
Does manifesting work for health issues?
Manifestation can support health by reducing stress, changing behavior, and supporting mindset shifts that improve outcomes. It is not a replacement for medical care. Combine health-focused manifestation practices with appropriate medical support.
Can children learn manifestation practices?
Yes. Simple practices — gratitude, feelings check-ins, and small intention-setting — can boost emotional awareness and decision-making in kids. Teaching children healthy belief systems early can reduce lifelong self-limiting patterns and answer the deeper question of does manifesting work across generations.
Want to keep exploring?
If you're curious to go deeper, look for short courses or workshops, like Kourtney's that combine journaling, meditation, and coaching. Or try the 14-day experiment above and share your results with a friend or coach. If you started out asking does manifesting work, you now have a framework to find your personal answer — and the tools to make it part of your day.
Try it, track it, and let the evidence guide you.
Episode References
Journaling Workshop by Niyama Love
How Are You... Really? by Jenna Kutcher
Manifest Magic by Niyama Love
Connect with Kourtney
Come say hi!
Give us a follow if you're ready to take life from good to great, you'll be the first to know when we share more about motherhood and business. If it really resonated, the kids and I would do a happy dance if you left us a review 💗. ~ Brittany
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