We often try to avoid obstacles and challenges on our manifestation journeys, but what if these experiences were actually a positive thing? What if the roadblocks you encounter are actually signs your manifestation is close? Below, you’ll learn how to identify the different types of obstacles you may face on your path and how to respond to them in order to make your manifestations come even faster than you imagined.

Can Obstacles Be A Positive Sign In Manifestation?

For most of us, it isn’t very common to walk into a situation wanting to face an obstacle on our path to getting what we want. Even if you’re able to see how an obstacle or challenge might serve your highest good, you likely don’t look forward to them.

And in manifestation, these experiences can be especially difficult. When you face a roadblock preventing you from getting what you want, it’s common to believe that this means your manifestation isn’t working.

But what if it was the exact opposite?

What if encountering an obstacle in your manifestation journey is actually a really, really good sign from the universe?

What if this means your manifestation is actually closer than you can imagine?

This is the truth when it comes to encountering obstacles and challenges in manifestation:

As you continue on your path, you will face obstacles. You will have difficult moments. You will encounter roadblocks that seem to prevent you from moving forward on your journey.

But these moments aren’t something to fear; they’re something to lean into.

Because in time, you’ll come to realize that these experiences aren’t really obstacles at all. In fact, they’re usually the very opposite:

They’re opportunities to gain a new perspective and open your eyes to the unseen possibilities all around you. A chance to receive your manifestation even faster. Promises of something more that you had never even imagined for yourself.

And more than anything, they’re often actually signs that your manifestation is close. Closer than you can even imagine. Closer than you even thought possible, if you only choose to step forward in faith instead of sinking back in frustration.

So let’s get some clarity on common obstacles you’ll likely experience at some point in your manifestation journey, why you shouldn’t fear them, and how to react when you experience a roadblock or challenge that seems to prevent you from getting what you want.

Common Signs Your Manifestation Is Close

So why shouldn’t you fear obstacles on your path? Why, in fact, should you greet these experiences with an open mind and an open heart?

Because often, these challenges you face are actually signs that your manifestation is close.

So let’s identify the different types of obstacles you may face and how to respond to them. I’ll tell you now: if you can learn to respond to challenges with a positive mindset (i.e. respond to a potentially difficult situation with a high vibration), your life will expand in ways you never dreamed possible. This is exactly the thing that makes someone a master manifestor: finding obstacles in opportunities, growth in challenges, and gratitude in hardships – and trusting your path, no matter what challenges arise.

Common Obstacle: Losing Something

I once worked with someone who wanted to manifest financial prosperity. Specifically, she was hoping she’d get a raise in the job she’d been in for over five years. However, not long after she started her manifestation journey, she lost her job (through no fault of her own). Initially, she was distraught. This felt like the very opposite of the life she was trying to build.

But you know what?

Not long after, she unexpectedly received a job offer from someone she knew from her church. This person reached out to her because they thought she’d be a perfect fit for an open position in their company. Not only did she start making more money than even a raise at her old job would’ve given her, but her new job brought her more fulfillment in the first week than the old job ever had. 

This is the miracle of manifestation. Sometimes, when it feels like we’ve lost something, the Universe is actually clearing space for something new to show up. Our path may not look exactly like we thought it would, but if we allow it to unfold naturally, it may just turn out even better.

Common Obstacle: Your Past Shows Up Again

This is a big one, and it’s important to not run away if this happens but rather lean in. If your past shows up again (through a repeated experience, an encounter with someone you have history with, or maybe even suppressed memories that have made their way back to the surface), it’s likely because you’re at a place in your life where you can now let this thing go. You’ve been suppressing old energy within; now, you have the chance to set yourself free.

For instance, if an ex-partner shows up in your life, it isn’t necessarily because you’re supposed to reunite with them. You may still be clinging onto old energy from that relationship. Maybe you haven’t quite forgiven them for something. Or it’s possible you haven’t forgiven yourself.

If the past shows up in your manifestation journey, view this as an opportunity to free yourself from the chains holding you back. Let go so you can move forward.

Common Obstacle: Fear

One of the first obstacles I encountered was a deep fear of my own intuitive guidance. You see, I knew that to manifest the life I desired, I had to make a change. My intuition was telling me it was time to quit my full-time corporate job to dedicate myself entirely to my website and freelance writing career. But I was terrified of making this leap.

This is a common experience for many of us. You may receive inner nudges to do something that you’re not sure you can do. You may experience worry, anxiety, and fear. But still, every cell of your being will tell you that this is the right move to make.

I resisted my intuition for several months before it finally grew so loud, it could no longer be ignored. But as you can probably imagine by now – it all worked out even better than I ever dreamed. This is one of those challenges that only gets better by leaning in and doing the hard thing. Once you do this a couple times, you won’t be as scared of your intuitive guidance, because you’ll have your past experiences to help you make the leap. Once you see that nothing bad happens when you follow your intuition, it gets easier. 

If this is the first time you’re using your intuition to make a big life change, it’s okay to use your rational mind to assist you. I always like to ask, “What’s the worst that can happen?” I’ll write a list of worst-case scenarios and gauge whether they’re really that bad. Usually, they’re not. For instance, with my website, I knew that if it didn’t work out, I could always get a full-time job again. And I realized I’d rather have the courage to try and fail than to never try at all.

Common Obstacle: Small Hiccups

For the first few months after I started publishing articles on my website, most of my traffic came from Pinterest. After consistently pinning my affirmations, journal prompts, chakra resources, and other content to Pinterest, I was starting to see my audience grow. It felt exciting to see my words make their way around the world. It quickly became my favorite social media platform.

But one day, I got an email that made my heart sink straight into my stomach: my account had been suspended due to suspected spam.

I immediately tried to log in but couldn’t. I was locked out.

And let me tell you: I was devastated.

To make it worse, it happened late on a Friday right before a holiday weekend, so even though I submitted an appeal, I wouldn’t hear back for several days. 

The next week, my account was reinstated, and they sent me an email apologizing for the mistake. But during those 72+ hours I was waiting, I was tempted to call it quits. It felt like I was doing so much and getting nothing back in return. And in a lot of ways, I felt like the Universe was against me.

What I’ve learned is that these types of challenges usually occur right before something really good is going to happen. They can also be really positive opportunities to pause, reset, and look within.

For me, this Pinterest obstacle was an opportunity to step back and reassess what I wanted in life. Did I still believe I was on the right path? Was I aligning with my higher self and following my inner guidance system? Could this be a chance to strengthen my mindset and help me to lean into faith even more?

I decided that I still had faith in my path, and as I moved forward, my website traffic suddenly started to increase faster than I ever dreamed possible.

This wasn’t the only hiccup I faced in my journey. Less than two months after I had quit my full-time job, when I wasn’t yet fully confident in my ability to manifest money, my trusty car and my barely-a-year-old laptop broke down in the same week. (I’m pretty sure it was during Mercury Retrograde.)

These types of things will happen, and I don’t want you to be afraid of these experiences. Every time it does, take it as an opportunity to go within. Align with your higher self. Make sure the path you’re on still feels right to you. If so, continue to move forward. It even helps to thank the Universe for these experiences, knowing they’re never here to harm you but rather to support you in some way you may not yet fully see.

And remember that most of the time, when you walk through these small hiccups with faith and trust, you’ll discover that your manifestation is closer than you ever imagined.

Common Obstacle: Someone Else Gets What You Want

I almost laugh as as I write this because this is another experience I encountered very early on in my manifestation journey. And for most of us, it doesn’t happen just once. For instance, let’s say you want to manifest your soulmate. Suddenly, all the other single people in your life are in relationships. Wedding invitations start piling up. Everywhere you look, you see happy couples in love. Everyone you know has found their soulmate.

Everyone except you.

Here’s what I want you to remember:

• There is an infinite amount of abundance in this world. What someone else has or achieves can never take away from your ability to receive your dreams (and vice versa). So just because everyone else is in a loving relationship, that doesn’t take away from your ability to have a loving relationship of your own. 

• In this moment, and in all moments, you are exactly where you are meant to be. Your manifestation is coming. Have faith.

• When you see someone else get what you want, your first instinct might be to feel bad. Let’s change this. Start celebrating every time you see someone else get what you want. View this as a loving wink from the Universe that your manifestations are on their way.

This is one of my favorite quotes from Gabby Bernstein’s Super Attractor, and it’s especially relevant here: “I believe that the more you see others who have what you want, the closer you are to getting it. Choose to see the people who have what you want as a reflection of what’s to come. See them as gentle winks from the Universe revealing the future to you.”

Common Obstacle: Lack Of Faith

This usually comes as a result of another obstacle or challenge you’ve faced, though sometimes, it may seem to come out of nowhere. Everything will seem to be going smoothly, and then one day, you’ll wonder if you’re crazy for believing you can actually manifest your dream life. Is this for real? What if everyone else has the power to manifest except me? What if this isn’t real in the first place? What if I’m insane for believing this is possible?

If you have these thoughts, it’s okay. First and foremost, don’t be hard on yourself. You’re in the midst of a major mindset shift, and it’s only natural to have questioning thoughts. The key here is not to suppress these thoughts. If you suppress your worries and fears, they just get trapped within you as old, stagnant energy. This creates even more fear, stress, and worry.

So allow the thoughts to come without judgment. It may help to step back and remind yourself of all the miracles you’ve received. Remember how far you’ve come and how much you’ve manifested so far. Go online and read positive stories about people who have manifested really amazing things. Feel the same excitement you would as if those amazing things were happening to you.

And know this: you’re not crazy, and you do have the power to manifest your dream life.

How To Respond To Obstacles

What Would My Higher Self Do?

Ask yourself this question daily, in all experiences you encounter. How would your higher self respond to this obstacle? With grace or with fear? With confidence or with frustration? See if you can embody your higher self. Remember that your highest self isn’t someone you become; it’s who you already are without worries, fears, and external experiences clouding your vision. So if you can take away your worries and fears in this moment, how would you respond?

How Is This Experience Serving Me?

This can be a hard question to ask right away. When my car and laptop broke down in the same week, I definitely didn’t immediately look for the ways that experience could be serving me. But if you can train your brain to start looking for growth opportunities in your challenges, it will be easier to find them.

Where Can I Find Gratitude In This Moment?

Finding gratitude in your hardships isn’t about suppressing your frustration; it’s about acknowledging that even though things feel difficult right now, there’s still so much to be grateful for. Gratitude and love are the highest vibrations, and leaning into these feelings are instant vibration raisers. If you can start viewing your obstacles with gratitude, you will truly begin manifesting an extraordinary life.

Remind Yourself That Your Manifestations Are Already Done

The second you released your intention into the universe, it was done. This challenge can’t block you from receiving unless you give it the power to block you. I’ve come to learn that often, when a challenge arises, it isn’t here to prevent me from having my desires. Rather, it’s opening my eyes to a new path that may get me there even quicker (and have more fun along the way). So always ask yourself if this challenge is actually opening up another path for you.

Break The Cycle

You will receive the same lessons over and over again until you finally learn them. Show the Universe your growth. Show that you’re ready to respond differently this time. Instead of leaning into fear, lean into courage. Instead of leaning into worry, lean into faith. Instead of responding with frustration, respond with gratitude.

The Gift of Hardship

I want to really drive this point home because it’s so incredibly important when it comes to manifestation:

Hardships, challenges, roadblocks, and obstacles on your path aren’t something to fear.

In fact, in many ways, these experiences are a gift.

A couple years ago, when I was experiencing what felt like a surplus of different obstacles, I went into my office, closed the door, sat down, closed my eyes, and started to meditate. I don’t really remember how the entire meditation went; I’m sure I had lots of thoughts and emotions happening inside me. But when I stood up, I walked to my whiteboard and wrote this in the bottom-right corner: “The struggle is the gift.”

Several years later, those words are still there.

A big part of the reason why I’m grateful for the challenges I’ve faced is because I can share my stories. I realized early on when I started blogging that if I hadn’t had these experiences, I’d never be able to show my readers what was possible. I wouldn’t be able to inspire anyone. To provide a small source of hope. To give you even a tiny hint of comfort, knowing that my storms all passed, and yours will, too.

The Law of Polarity states that everything has an opposite, and the existence of these opposites is vital in helping us to gain a deeper perspective of our own lives.

Part of this is understanding that hardship and even failure is vital in truly being able to celebrate and feel gratitude for our successes. I have experienced fun, almost instant manifestations as well as deeper, more profound manifestations that came after a long journey filled with challenges, hard days, and having to continually lean into faith and my heart’s wisdom.

Both are amazing experiences, but the ones that came as a result of continually leaning into faith and love and choosing courage over fear – those always feel more meaningful. Those are the ones I’m most proud of. Those are the ones I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

As the Law of Polarity states, experiencing hardship will help you to love the successes a little more. Contrast is a beautiful thing. You don’t need to fear it. When you get to the other side, you are going to be so proud of the faith and courage and love you showed in all of these moments.

I want to end here by telling you about my favorite way to view the Law of Polarity. And this is through the symbolism of darkness and light.

Symbolically, light is often used to represent a universal good, while darkness is used to represent a universal bad.

But “good” and “bad” are just labels we bestow upon ideas and things; there is no moral good or bad when it comes to darkness and light.

And darkness has value and purpose, just as the light does.

Darkness is beneficial for the health of the planet as well as our own biological health. (And I like to think that some darkness is good for the soul, too.)

But it’s not just the darkness of the night that has its benefits. We all carry shadows within us, and often, we try to suppress these shadows or pretend they don’t exist. But if you look deeper, you’ll see that your shadows are kind of beautiful, too. Your grief, sadness, pain, and even the moments you get angry at the Universe are all evidence of a life fully lived. I think my inner shadows and darkness are often my greatest teacher. When I step into my darkness, I uncover my innermost thoughts and feelings; this, in turn, helps me to grow and transform.

When you really dig into the Law of Polarity, you see that often, it isn’t a situation of one side of the coin being “good” while the other is “bad.” Rather, both sides have meaningful value to offer the world.

So view your challenges not as the opposites of your successes; one isn’t morally superior to the other. Instead, discover the meaningful value both of these experiences can offer you.

Remember this: the struggle is the gift.

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Have you encountered any obstacles or challenges on your manifestation journey that ended up being positive experiences? What have been some prevalent signs your manifestation is close for you? Share your experiences in the comment box below!

And for positive affirmations, self-love tools, manifesting tips, and spiritual resources, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram. For more resources to help you manifest your dreams, be sure to check out these items in my online shop:

• Dreams, Goals & Manifestation Printables
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• 30-Day Manifestation Journal

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