What Is The Law Of Attraction? A Complete Guide (2024)

The law of attraction stems from the principle that like attracts like, says Christy Whitman, a master-certified law of attraction coach in Scottsdale, Arizona, the founder of The Quantum Success Coaching Academy and author of The Desire Factor.

“Thanks to the contribution of Albert Einstein’s famous equation, E = mc2, we now understand that matter and energy are inseparable, and that energy is the basis of everything in our tangible universe,” she says. “Everything that manifests in the physical world does so by a process of resonant energies being drawn together.”

Whitman explains that it’s like when a C chord is struck on a piano. “Every other key that is tuned to the chord of C quivers in response to the note that’s been sounded, because frequencies that resonate at a similar vibration are magnetized together,” she says.

This is the basis of the law of attraction, which states that the energy we broadcast out into the universe is joined by and gathers to itself energies that are harmonic or resonant in frequency.

The basic philosophy behind the law of attraction is that energy precedes manifestation, explains Whitman. As such, positive thoughts may bring positive results into a person’s life, while negative thoughts bring the opposite.

“Whatever we direct our powerful focus upon within the invisible realm of our thoughts, beliefs and emotions eventually manifests into outer form,” claims Whitman. Thereby the law of attraction says the state of everything in our external world—our bodies, our relationships, the robustness of our careers and our finances—is a direct reflection of our internal state.

“When we’re focused on what’s missing, what’s unjust or on all the ways we’ve been wronged, we not only continue to find evidence of wrongdoing, but we hold ourselves in a victim mindset that deprives us of our power to think and feel on purpose,” adds Whitman. Conversely, the law of attraction says if you don’t like the quality of the experiences you’re drawing to yourself, you can change them by adjusting your vibrational output, which means shifting your mood, attitude, words, thoughts or perspective.

As an example, imagine you are selling your house and you feel anxious about people going through your home, because someone might steal something—that is a negative output and like a boomerang will give an equal reaction of vibrational energy, claims Whitman. You might find that someone moved something, stole something or the energy in the house feels off. However, if you are tending to your energy and the fear or anxiety around selling your home, and trust that the perfect buyer will come, in the perfect timing, and that you are excited about your next move or the money that will flow in, then you are sending out positive vibes.

“The energy, attitude, acts and emotions one puts out into the world are more likely than not to attract similar or resonant energy, attitudes, acts, vibrations and emotions,” says James Michael Nolan, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist, law of attraction coach and former president of Southwestern College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “This is not unrelated to the common notion of karma, you reap what you sow, or what goes around comes around.”

The History of the Law of Attraction

Principles behind the law of attraction can be traced back to ancient philosophers, says Nolan, including Hermes Trismegistus and the Hermetic Teachings, which were written as far back as the first century. “So, this is not by any means new or ‘new age-y’ thinking,” says Nolan. “It has been around a very long time, across all major religions and many philosophical schools.”

There are various ways people look at the law of attraction, explains Nolan. On the one hand, there are people who ascribe to the more scientific sounding explanation of vibrational energy. While the other, more metaphysical worldview of this concept isn’t based on a logical, linear explanation at all, and instead relies on intuition, faith and trust, according to Nolan.

While there isn’t concrete science definitively proving the law of attraction, there is a wealth of information backing up the concepts that form this theory.

A small, 2018 study from Negros Oriental State University found that participants who underwent a 29-day training on the tenets of the law of attraction reported significantly higher levels of happiness and gratitude after learning these principles when compared to the control group^[1]Albina A. The Law of Attraction Positive Thinking and Level of Gratitude towards Happiness. CMU Journal of Science. 2018;22:15-22. .

Optimism has also been shown to positively affect not just mental health, but also physical well being. In fact, a round up of optimism studies appearing in the journal Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health found that people with more positive dispositions were less likely to suffer from depression or anxiety disorders, as well as have a 50% less chance of cardiovascular mortality for men between the ages of 64 to 84^[2]Ciro, C., Rotondo, A., Lensi E. Optimism and Its Impact on Mental and Physical Well-Being. Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health. 2010; 6: 25–29. .

Additionally, a study from 2009 in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B showed that the ability to imagine a hypothetical situation before it occurs may actually afford greater accuracy in predicting its outcome^[3]Hassabi D., Maguire E. The Construction System of the Brain. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. 2009;364(1521):1263-1271. . And a 2005 review from the American Psychological Association found that happy people (i.e. people with a “positive affect”) were more likely to find success across many life levels, including marriage, friendship, income, health and career^[4]Lyubomirsky S., King L. The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affect: Does Happiness Lead to Success?. American Psychological Association: Psychological Bulletin. 2005;131(6):803-855. .

There’s also a natural science behind the law of attraction theory, explains Whitman. When looking at the idea of energy particles and attraction, much of this stems from quantum physics, she says.

At a base level, quantum physics says everything is made up of particles/atoms. Even a rock, which appears inanimate, is made up of vibrating particles that cannot be perceived through the naked eye. One concept of quantum physics that connects to the Law of Attraction is the “Observer Effect,” which describes an oft quoted phenomenon encompassing electrons. In certain situations, making a measurement of an electron’s path fundamentally changes how that electron behaves. Believers in the Law of Attraction point to this phenomenon as evidence that putting your focus on a thought or outcome —positive or negative—brings that energy together.

There is a great deal of overlap between the law of attraction and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), solution focused therapy and positive psychology, says Nolan, adding that studies on the various aspects of positive thinking suggest it is linked to the following health benefits:

• Better overall health
• Leading a more joyful life
• Better coping
• Fewer negative emotions
• Increased stress hardiness
• Greater happiness
• Increased physical health
• Longer lifespan
• Greater social support
• Increased relationship satisfaction

The National Institute of Health backs up some of these claims, explaining in a 2015 article that “a growing body of research” continues to connect a positive mindset to health benefits such as lowered blood pressure, a reduced risk for heart disease, healthier weight, better blood sugar levels and a longer life—although researchers still can’t be sure if it’s truly the positive mindset, or another factor driving these benefits.

There can be some potential pitfalls to the law of attraction mindset. One of the biggest dangers is expecting something to show up simply because you’ve started wishing for it.

“When that thing does not show up, it is too easy to get the message, ‘You did it wrong. You did not actually align with the allegedly desired outcome, so of course it did not show up,’” says Nolan. That can get pretty circular and may cause someone to blame themselves for not being a ‘good enough manifestor,’ he continues.

Critics also worry that people may start to blame themselves for negative events that are outside their control, like accidents or illnesses. When subscribing to the law of attraction theory, it’s important to keep it realistic. “The average person does not believe they could have a golden castle on Mars with magic elephants, nor do they believe the government will send them a trillion dollars,” says Nolan. “That’s wishful thinking—when there is not even a remote chance of one having the agency to affect such outcomes.”

Positive envisioning, on the other hand, is aimed at possibilities that really could happen. “If one envisions themselves as wealthy, owning their own company and a fancy red car, going to Paris or Jaipur at the drop of a hat—well, those things actually do happen for a fair number of people, so one might reasonably envision them as a possibility, even if one cannot yet identify the path to get there quite yet,” says Nolan.

When using any manifestation tool, however, it’s important not to set your aim so high that you can’t imagine or accept the outcome you want to accomplish, says Whitman. For example, visualizing having a million dollars in the bank if you’re currently in debt may trigger doubt and disbelief, not inspiration and gratitude.

“The goal is to embrace the sensation of what it feels like to do, be or have the outcome you’re working toward,” says Whitman. “It’s the shift in your energy—not your imagination or your words—that energizes and magnetizes your desires to you.”

The other significant difference to note between wishful thinking and positive envisioning is that there needs to be action. Nothing is going to change if you’re just sitting on your couch asking the universe to send you good outcomes.

“If we spend all our time visualizing, meditating and ‘acting as if’ without taking action in the physical world, we are not doing our part in the manifestation equation,” says Whitman. In other words, set goals, embrace challenges, take chances, get support—but don’t expect things to come to you just because you believe they will.

Even if you’re not 100% convinced the law of attraction is something you should buy into, there are still ways you can leverage this mindset

“If you walk into a room and say, ‘What the heck are you looking at, pal?’ or say ‘it is so good to see your beautiful smiling face!’ you have pretty effectively created your own reality for the next few minutes,” says Nolan. When you come in with a certain energy and attitude, then you can probably expect the same or similar in response.

If you decide that you’d like to see how the power of positivity might play out in real time, here are some other suggestions from Whitman and Nolan for ways to ‘raise your positive vibes’ and work the law of attraction into your daily routine:

• Commit to a daily practice of energy alignment. Try meditation, spend time in nature or with children/pets, exercise, sing, practice deep breathing, journal or listen to inspiring or uplifting books, podcasts or music. “Practices like these will support you in restoring your nervous system and clarifying your energy field,” claims Whitman.
• Curate your social media field. Block negative people and threads, or at least stop following them. “Create the social media ‘feeds’ that serve you, uplift you, make you feel better, inspire you,” says Nolan. “Your emotions are your internal GPS, telling [you] what feels good and what does not—use them.”
• Keep a gratitude log. Gratitude is one of the highest vibrations in the universe, because it prompts us to focus on the abundance we already have, which expands us and increases our capacity for more, claims Whitman. One easy way to practice this is to write down one thing you are grateful for each day, and then list five reasons why you are grateful for that person, place or thing.
• Minimize your interactions with negative people. That doesn’t mean you have to ignore bad situations when they happen or always put on a happy face (i.e. “toxic-positivity”), but it does mean you can choose not to join in “ain’t it awful” conversations, says Nolan. When it’s not possible to avoid negativity, he says positive internal self-talk can help you stay in an uplifted place.
• Watch your word choices. “Our words have power, and with every word we speak, we are either creating a reality we desire, or a reality we dread,” says Whitman. “To use the law of attraction to manifest your desires, always speak in favor of your desires, never against them.” For example, instead of saying “I’m worried things aren’t going to work out for me,” try shifting it to, “every action I take leads me closer and closer to things I desire.”
• Prepare your energy field before entering difficult situations. When you’re about to head into a tough conversation or event, carve out time to prepare your mood beforehand. “Imagine filling yourself up with the energies of joy, expansion, clarity and ease,” suggests Whitman. “Take a few deep breaths, and literally feel these energies expanding your consciousness and raising your vibration.” The higher you raise your frequency ahead of time, the easier it will be to sustain it.
• Engage your power of focus. There are only two basic positions you can take in relation to anything in your life. You can either focus on what you perceive is going wrong, or on what you perceive as going right. Whitman suggests asking yourself: “What do I want?” “Why do I want this?” “How do I believe I will feel once I accomplish this?” When you understand that what you focus on expands (i.e focusing on good things increases the likelihood of more good things coming), Whitman says, “you discover that the most empowering thing you can do is to focus on your positive aspects.”

The law of attraction is founded on the premise that the quality of our most prevalent thoughts, moods and attitudes determines the quality of what we manifest in our lives. This encourages us to deliberately guide the direction of our own thoughts, and to choose our perceptions, moods, attitudes and expectations on purpose, says Whitman.

And, in the current world where we’re bombarded with negativity on a daily basis, a little positive hope doesn’t feel like a bad thing to try to attract.