The Real Secret Behind the Law of Attraction | How Your Brain Shapes Your Reality

What if I told you that your brain has a built-in system that literally filters your reality based on your beliefs? That the real reason the law of attraction works — or doesn’t — is hiding in your own mind?

Stick with me, because once you understand how this one part of your brain works, you’ll realize you’ve had the power to shift your reality all along.

Let me ask you something: Have you ever felt like you were doing everything right with manifestation? You were visualizing, saying affirmations, staying positive—and yet, nothing seemed to change? I’ve been there. And it’s frustrating.

That question led me down a rabbit hole: “Is the law of attraction even real?” And if it is, why isn’t it working the way people say it should?

Most of us have heard about it through pop culture—books like “The Secret”, viral TikToks, Pinterest boards. It sounds simple: think good thoughts, get good things. But life isn’t always that linear.

And that’s because this “law” isn’t just about the universe hearing your wishes and snapping its fingers. It’s about how your mind processes, filters, and interacts with the world around you.

When I started digging deeper, I realized: the law of attraction is very real—but it works through mechanisms that are both spiritual and scientific. And the bridge between the two? Is something called the RAS.

What is the RAS?

The Reticular Activating System—RAS for short—is a network of neurons located in the brainstem that plays a fundamental role in regulating arousal and sleep-wake transitions. It enhances the attentive state of the cortex and facilitates conscious perception of sensory stimuli by projecting to the thalami and then diffusely to the cerebral cortex.

So, in short, your RAS acts like a gatekeeper for your conscious awareness. Think of it as the bouncer at the club that is your brain.

Your brain is bombarded with millions of pieces of information every second. Sounds, sights, sensations, conversations, memories. If you tried to process it all, your system would overload. So your RAS steps in. It filters information and only lets in what it deems “important”.

But here’s the kicker: it decides what’s important based on what you already believe and what you focus on repeatedly.

Here’s a simple example. Say you’re thinking of buying a red Jeep. Suddenly, you start seeing red Jeeps “everywhere”. Did they magically appear? No. Your RAS flagged them as important, so now they enter your conscious awareness.

Your RAS filters your reality like a search engine. If your internal query is, “Life is hard,” it will deliver evidence to confirm that. But if you input, “Opportunities are everywhere,” your RAS starts pulling examples that match.

The RAS isn’t woo-woo. It’s biology. But if you understand how to program it, it becomes a powerful tool for conscious creation.

Beliefs – The Secret Programming Language for the RAS

Let’s talk about beliefs.

Your RAS doesn’t filter reality based on truth. It filters based on what you believe to be true.

And that’s powerful. Because our beliefs—especially the subconscious ones—become the lens through which we experience reality.

So if you believe:

“I’m not good enough,”
“Love always ends in heartbreak,”
“Making money is a struggle,”

Then your RAS will constantly validate those stories. Not because they’re facts—but because your brain is wired to prove your beliefs “right”.

And the problem is, most of our beliefs were installed in early childhood—through our family, environment, experiences, and trauma. We rarely question them. But we live our lives according to them.

Here’s something personal. There was a time I believed I had to struggle to be successful. That hustle was the only way. So I burned out. I overworked. I rejected ease. And it wasn’t until I reprogrammed that belief that things began to flow.

The good news? Your RAS is programmable. You can change your beliefs. You can create new filters.

Through repetition, emotional energy, and intention, you can start to rewire the way your brain sees the world.

So here’s a journal prompt for you: What’s a belief you’ve been living with that you never consciously chose?

How to Shift to a Favorable Reality

Now let’s get practical.

How can you use all of this to actually shift into a reality that feels aligned, abundant, and empowering?

Here are seven steps to consciously work with your RAS and create your desired reality:

Clarify Your Vision
Be as specific as possible. Your brain needs a clear GPS destination. “I want to feel happy” is vague. Try: “I want to wake up each day excited to work on my passion project, earning $10,000 a month in income.”

So, right now, pause and write down ONE specific thing you want to attract right now…I’ll wait.

Identify and Reframe Limiting Beliefs
Ask: What belief is standing in the way? Then gently challenge it.

Example:

Limiting: “I never follow through.”
Reframe: “I’m learning to build momentum one step at a time.”

Choose reframes that feel believable—not fake.

Reprogram Through Repetition and Emotion
Repetition is how beliefs are installed.

Use tools like:

Affirmations — but speak them with emotion. Feel it.
Visualization — not just seeing, but feeling the outcome.
Scripting — journaling in the present tense as if it’s already real.

Take Aligned Action
Your RAS will start pointing out opportunities. But you must move.
Whether it’s making a phone call, applying for a course, posting that video—action aligns energy.
Watch for Clues and Synchronicities
Synchronicities are like winks from the universe. Your RAS notices them because your focus is shifting.

That podcast you stumbled on? That message from a friend? Pay attention. Take notes.

Track Your Progress
Start a journal. Celebrate small wins. Track mood shifts, new ideas, changes in behavior. Your brain loves feedback.

This creates momentum and reaffirms that change is happening.

Surround Yourself with Empowering Inputs
Your environment matters. Feed your mind with content that expands you.

Unfollow accounts that drain you. Tune into voices that remind you of your potential. Hang out with people who reflect your future, not your past.

Closing Thoughts

So yes—the law of attraction is real. But it’s more than wishful thinking. It’s about understanding how your mind shapes your world.

Your RAS is your internal navigator. It listens to your thoughts, your focus, and your feelings. And it adjusts your awareness to match.

When you change your beliefs, you change your filter. And when you change your filter, you see opportunities, relationships, and pathways that were always there—but now, you can act on them.

Reality begins to mirror your inner shifts.

So don’t worry about controlling the outside. Go inward. Upgrade your inner dialogue. Nourish your emotional state. Plant new beliefs.

And then—watch the magic unfold.

You are always manifesting. The real question is: are you doing it by default, or by design?

If this message landed for you, let me know in the comments.

What’s one belief you’re committed to rewriting today?

You’re one belief away from a new reality. Let’s do this.

Cynthia A. Murungi

Hey there! Welcome to thehealseekers, a space created to expand women's consciousness in metaphysics, psychology, and self-development. I hope you find inspiration here!