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How I Manifested My Way Out of the Pit (With OCD and Intrusive Thoughts Along for the Ride)
Once upon a time, sadness was my brand. I wore it like an oversized hoodie I couldn’t take off—and honestly, I didn’t even try. I woke up every day expecting life to suck, and guess what? It usually delivered. I didn’t know that this wasn’t a normal baseline. That waking up with dread wasn’t a universal experience. That walking on eggshells through your own life wasn’t just “being cautious”—it was fear disguised as routine. Lets learn how I used Manifesting to deal with my OCD and intrusive thoughts.
The Compulsion Carousel: Around and Around We Go
I’ve got OCD with a side of intrusive thoughts—like a mental version of an unskippable ad that’s always showing you the worst possible trailer. If I didn’t do things a certain way, I believed I was unleashing some butterfly-effect chain reaction of doom. And not just any doom—my worst fears. So yeah, I guess you could say I always believed in manifestation. Just the dark side.
The idea that thoughts could become things wasn’t new to me, it just happened to be horrifying. My mental script was all, “If I think this bad thing, I’m gonna make it happen.” Cue: anxiety, fear, and a to-do list of compulsions that made me feel safe. But also very, very tired.
Hormones + Motherhood + OCD = Chaos
Having kids? Oh honey. It took everything I was already dealing with and poured gasoline on it. My intrusive thoughts multiplied faster than laundry piles with a newborn. I’d imagine tragic scenarios, then create rituals to “cancel them out.” Like if I loved an outfit, I’d suddenly associate it with something terrible and never wear it again. Cute, right?
I didn’t trust anyone with my kids (still kinda don’t—maybe that’s normal?). But at the time, it wasn’t just protective instinct. It was full-blown, compulsive anxiety.
Rock Bottom, Meet Me
2017 came in like a wrecking ball. My dad was dying of lung cancer, I lost my job, and my 12-year marriage imploded. I had nothing left in the tank. No strength, no hope, no filter. Most of my friends bailed (honestly, I was a total vibe killer), and I couldn’t blame them.
Enter: a friend who refused to leave the trenches. She handed me a lifeline in the form of a book—The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.
Manifestation… Wait, What?
At first I rolled my eyes so hard I saw my frontal lobe. But I read it. And something clicked. The Law of Attraction wasn’t about pretending bad things don’t exist. It was about intentionally focusing on what you do want, because what you focus on grows.
The book’s message? Your thoughts drive your feelings, and your feelings drive your reality. So if I wanted to feel different, I had to think differently. Revolutionary. Now to put in the action work to let manifesting overturn my OCD and intrusive thoughts into something great!
The most important thing for you to know is that it is impossible to feel bad and at the same time be having good thoughts. That would defy the law, because your thoughts cause your feelings. If you are feeling bad, it is because you are thinking thoughts that are making you feel bad.
-The Secret
The Gratitude Journal That Saved My Brain
Another friend gave me a journal that said, “Okay, fine. I’m grateful.” Iconic. I started writing in it daily. Not venting. Not spiraling. Just gratitude. Even if the day was trash, I’d write something positive—even if I had to make it up.
Gratitude became my sneaky little reset button. Didn’t matter if I believed it fully in the moment. What mattered was training my mind to look for the good. It was mental weight-lifting.
Intrusive Thought? Time to Rewrite the Script
Now, I still have intrusive thoughts (shoutout to my brain, never chill). But I don’t let them run the show. When one pops up, I say, “Yikes, that was messed up—but that’s not me.” Then I consciously pivot. I imagine something I do want. Something joyful.
Yes, I still wear the outfit I once feared. I have the overwhelming thought, acknowledge it and then push it away. And I make myself imagine the great day I’m going to have in it. That’s exposure therapy meets manifestation.
Faith + Focus = My New Power Combo
After The Secret, I found The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. Same energy, different vibe. Instead of manifesting from the universe, it’s about praying boldly and trusting God with the outcome. Either way, it’s about choosing faith over fear.
And let’s be real: intrusive thoughts feel very real. But if God is good—and I believe He is—then He knows my heart. He knows I don’t want tragedy. That matters.
Manifesting with OCD? Dangerous or Game-Changing?
Yes, I’ve read the articles warning that manifestation is dangerous for people with OCD and intrusive thoughts. I get it. It can be—if you’re still stuck in the loop of believing every thought has power. But when you realize those intrusive thoughts are unwanted, they lose their grip. Then you can use manifestation as a tool for healing, not fear.
Tools I Use to Shift My Energy
- Journaling (even on sticky notes or phone apps)
- Pinterest vision boards
- Audiobooks and spiritual reads
- Exercise (endorphins don’t lie!)
- Bible study + prayer
- A fake text thread to 1111111 ( or whatever feels good) where I send my wishes to the Universe (seriously—if that number belongs to someone, I hope they enjoy the vibes)
What Doesn’t Help:
- Complaining
- Gossip
- Rehashing trauma to anyone who didn’t ask
- Stewing in sadness like it’s a soup of identity
Final Thoughts: Your Thoughts Aren’t You
You don’t have to stay in survival mode. Yes, OCD and intrusive thoughts are part of your reality—but they don’t get to define it and you can choose to use manifestation to rewrite the story. You can choose joy. Not fake, toxic positivity. Real joy. Created one intentional thought at a time.
Now go grab a napkin or open your Notes app and write down one thing you’re grateful for. Go ahead. I’ll wait.
You’ve got this.
With love (and well-managed chaos)
Interested in the books I have listed? Click on the pictures below to snag your own copy!
