Vision boards, Octavia Butler’s diaries, the law of attraction—#manifestationtok has been around for a while now. It almost sounds too good to be true, but propelled by the belief that the life you want can be realised through intentional thought patterns, manifestation has become a powerful ritual that can potentially alter the course of your life.
While it might intersect with spiritual practices like tarot cards and meditation, manifestation has also been backed by psychiatrists and neuroscientists. Since manifestation is all about how your thoughts translate to real-world circumstances, the concept of neuroplasticity—or, the brain’s ability to rewire itself according to your thoughts—echoes that. Either way, it’s clear manifesting is as real as it gets.
And for Roxie Nafousi, it changed everything. Almost eight years into her manifestation practice, she is now a self-development coach, inspirational speaker and bestselling author. She’s even launched a podcast and her very own fragrance house, Alia. Having travelled the globe and published her third book, Confidence: Eight Steps to Knowing Your Worth, this is only just the beginning for Nafousi. Ahead, she shares her journey with Vogue Singapore—and what it truly means to manifest a life you love.
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How or where did you first hear about manifestation?
I first heard about manifesting in May 2018, at what I now call my rock bottom. I was twenty-seven, battling depression and addiction, completely lost and overwhelmed by shame. A friend sent me a podcast episode about something called manifesting, and I remember sitting in a nail salon listening to it, feeling like something inside me had just shifted.
I went home, opened my laptop and typed into Google, “What is manifesting?” and I did not stop reading, researching and absorbing everything I could. For the first time, I felt hope. Not because I thought magic would fix my life, but because I realised I was not stuck. I could change my thoughts, and if I could change my thoughts, I could change my reality.
What was the moment that made you realise manifestation is an essential practice in your life?
It was when I saw how quickly things began to shift once I changed my mindset and applied the steps. I did not just visualise; I became clear in my vision, I confronted my fear and doubt and I aligned my behaviour. Within weeks of committing to the practice, I met a man named Wade and a year, to the day, our baby boy Wolfe was born. My entire life was transforming before my eyes, and so was I.
What’s one thing that you do whenever you need a quick confidence boost?
Self-doubt is often just a very loud story. And I’ve realised I don’t have to keep reading from that script. When I feel it creeping in, I pause and ask myself, what story am I telling right now? Is it that I’m not ready, not good enough, not experienced enough? Or is it simply that I’m about to grow?
Confidence, to me, is about rewriting the narrative in real time. Instead of “I can’t handle this,” it becomes “I’m learning how to handle this.” Instead of “I’m behind,” it becomes “I’m building.” The story you repeat becomes the identity you live from. So I consciously choose the one that expands me.
What’s one affirmation, message or ritual that has been particularly helpful to you right now?
The question I come back to again and again is: Who do I want to become? In step 1 of my 7 step guide to manifestation, I write that when you visualise your future, you must not only visualise what you want, but the person you want to be. How does she feel? How does she behave? What habits does she commit to? Right now, my ritual is reconnecting to that version of me and reminding myself that she already exists within me, dormant, waiting to be brought to life. That shift alone changes everything.
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How has practising manifestation changed your life?
It has changed every inch of it. I went from being in the grip of addiction, with no direction and no self worth, to building a life filled with purpose, stability and joy. But the biggest change is this: I no longer feel powerless or hopeless. I understand that I am the designer, curator and architect of my life. That makes me feel so empowered, and gives me the motivation to be the change I want to create in my life.
After so many years of practising manifestation, is there any part of it that you still find challenging?
Yes. Letting go of fear at deeper levels. Step two: Remove Fear and doubt, is not something you complete once. It is ongoing. Fear and doubt can resurface in new forms as you expand. I still have moments where I have to catch my thoughts, reframe my perspective and consciously choose empowering language. The difference now is that I am aware which means I can heal those parts of me when I notice them rather than allowing them to unconsciously control me.
As a podcast host yourself, what do you wish more people would talk about within the manifestation space?
I wish more people would talk about self-worth and healing. Manifesting requires you to believe you are worthy of receiving and worthy of peace, love and success. If we are not doing the inner work to remove limiting beliefs, no amount of vision boards will change our lives. The real work is internal.
You’ve also launched a fragrance line, Alia. What role does scent play in your personal wellness journey?
Scent is emotional. It bypasses logic and connects directly to memory and feeling. Manifestation is about creating a feeling first. And fragrance allows you to anchor yourself into a state. If I am stepping on stage to give my big live show, I choose a scent that embodies confidence and power. It helps me access that version of myself more quickly. Wellness is not only about meditation and journaling. It is also about sensory rituals that elevate your vibration and ground you in who you are becoming.
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If you had to sum it up, what would you say manifestation is truly about?
Manifestation is about becoming the person who can hold the life you desire. It is the meeting of science and wisdom. It is mastering your thoughts, raising your self worth and trusting in the universe.
If you could go back in time, what would you say to a younger version of yourself?
I would tell her that change is not only possible, it is inevitable. I would also tell her that the shame she carries will one day become her strength. And I would tell her that the power she is searching for externally has always been within her.
Is there anything you’re working on that you’re excited about?
I am working on my next book which I am so excited about! I am also expanding my live shows globally, and I’m planning a show in Singapore! I am so excited. But more than anything, I am excited about continuing to evolve as an individual. As I always say, with each sunrise, we rise into someone new.
