It's January, which is typically the time of year when we all start thinking about New Year's resolutions and what we might want to achieve over the next 12 months. Of course, you can set goals at any time of the year, but the first month offers a fitting clean slate and is also when we tend to reflect on the previous year and begin to look ahead to the next. From starting a new fitness routine to organising your wardrobe, New Year's resolutions can come in all forms.

I don't know about you, but I have mixed feelings about them myself. I often start the year full of motivation, ambition and good intentions once I've set my goals, but by the time March rolls around, I find that life has inevitably got in the way, routines are too easily disrupted and it can be tricky to stay on track. Sticking with a goal or a new routine can prove difficult.

This year, however, I'm willing to try a different approach. An opportunity came up to speak with Roxie Nafousi, manifestation expert and author of the best-selling book Manifest, and after our conversation, my entire perspective on making and sticking to New Year's resolutions had shifted. Scroll ahead for all the gems of advice she gave me. But first, you might be thinking: what is manifesting exactly?

What Is Manifesting?

Roxie Nafousi is the author of the best-selling book Manifest.

Let's first get clear on manifesting, which can often be understood as wishing things into existence. "Manifesting is using the power of your mind to change and create the reality you’re living in—it's a self-development practice," says Nafousi. She explains that it is often confused with the law of attraction (in which it is believed that positive thoughts lead to positive outcomes). With manifestation, she tells me, we're instead attracting what we already believe to be true. 

"A big part of manifesting is about our belief system," says Nafousi. "Our belief system not only changes what we attract into our lives, but it changes the way we feel about ourselves. And so manifesting is really about empowerment, self-belief, confidence and becoming the best version of ourselves. It's about being able to step out of our own way, take risks and go through with the things that we actually want," she says.

With that being said, there are limits to manifestation. And no, you probably can't manifest winning the lottery (sorry). "I always get asked, 'Can you manifest a specific person?' And the answer is no," says Nafousi. "You also can't manifest for somebody else, and you can't manifest something that is only to do with luck, like winning the lottery. There has to be a degree of an element of something that you have control over," she explains.

Manifesting can act as a useful framework to create goals that you'll actually stick to. "I always say that the goals are actually the cherry on top, that the actual gift of manifesting is helping us become happier," she says. Ahead, Nafousi tells us exactly how to implement manifestion into our New Year's resolutions and goal-setting practices.

1. Add Purpose to Your Goals

Nafousi tells me that getting to the real purpose behind your goal is key.

"[The new year] is this really unique time where we have this sense of a new beginning and a fresh start. And so with that energy, people are more motivated to do things differently or change things. And I think that's always a good thing. What I think can get missed is that people focus on what they want to change without really thinking about where that's leading them," she says.

Getting really granular about how you'll execute your goals with exact steps is key. "Without the focus or the purpose behind why they want to make that change, what happens is that the initial excitement of the new year wanes and the resolutions fall off," says Nafousi. "Whereas if you're using manifestation, what you're doing is focusing really heavily on specific goals. You know, why do you want to make the change?"

Nafousi breaks it down as an example for someone who may want to get ahead in their career. "So you could say, 'Okay, I'm going to get to work 10 minutes earlier every day, so I don't feel rushed because my goal is to be promoted to a particular position by the end of the year. Or, let's say, 'Because I own my own business, I want to have this many clients by the end of the year, and that extra 10 minutes is going to really add up.' Knowing why you're doing something is going to help on the days when you don't feel like it," she explains. "Resolutions are great, but know why you're doing it and what the goal is at the end of it."

2. Categorise Your Goals

At the start of the year, it can be useful to break your goals into categories. "I always suggest splitting your life into categories so that you can get a full picture of what your life is like," says Nafousi. "So you know, personal relationships, romance, work life, home life and personal development, which is more like how you want to feel within yourself," she says.

"Then, within each section, make sure that you're clarifying your goal. But really allow yourself to be as big as possible in those dreams. When you're thinking about your goals, I do think it's really important to make sure that your goals are really aligned with your most authentic self and who you actually are," she says. "Because sometimes we make goals that are based on what [other] people want for us, or what we used to want, and actually, we don't allow ourselves to realise that maybe we've changed and the things that we want are different," she adds. "And those things that we thought made us happy, don't. And so it's a really nice opportunity to also get clear on what you actually want [for yourself]."

3. Dream Big, But Be Realistic

Another of Nafousi's tips for creating goals? Dream big. "I think that it is definitely possible to dream too small," she says. "And I always say that most people will write down goals that they think are ‘realistic’, and I hate that because what is actually happening is your insecurities are running the show and they're telling you what is too big or too small, and so that's what we don't want," she says. "What we want when we're thinking about our goals and dreams is to say to ourselves, 'If fear and doubt were no object, if I could do anything, what is it that I really want?'," she says.

However, it's essential to get clear on how you'll make it happen and what purpose it serves. "Let's say you were thinking about having a certain amount of money next year. Don't just think of a number out of thin air just because it sounds good. Try to be real with yourself on it. What is it you want that money for? What's it going to give you? What's the purpose behind it? Is that actually going to bring you happiness and contentment? I think there needs to be meaning behind the goal. If you feel that, for example, having a certain amount of clients will bring you joy, or having a big house will bring you joy, put it down. But don't go big just for the sake of it—be intentional." 

Nafousi shares how she put this into practice when writing her first book. "Before my first book came out, no one had read it. And I put things like 'Sunday Times best seller' and 'multiple languages'. At the time these were all completely outlandish, but they were huge dreams and they did happen," she says. "I had a very strong purpose behind it—purposes that I truly wanted; as many people as I could possibly get to read it across the globe and positively change their lives. So there was a real intention behind it."

4. Know That Goals Don't Have to Be Huge

When we think about New Year's resolutions, it's easy to think we have to set huge or overwhelmingly ambitious goals. But this doesn't have to be the case—goals can also be small rituals that enhance or bring joy to your life. 

"In 2023, my goals weren't all these crazy big career goals. Although there were some, mine were things like work-life balance, and that was the thing that I was focusing on. I think everyone should have a goal; everybody needs things to work towards, but they don't all have to be these big things that need a certain energy behind them. It could be that you want to get really good at a hobby," she says. It could be that you want to make more me-time in your week or get back into reading again—anything that makes you feel joyful. "Your goals can be whatever you want, but just make sure that there's a real purpose behind them," says Nafousi.

5. Practice Self-Compassion When You Fall Off Track

Fallen off the bandwagon? Or maybe one week was a total flop? It happens. What matters is how you bounce back, says Nafousi. "Firstly, sometimes you just need to let yourself have that time to be 'off'. You don't have to be motivated and 'on' all the time, so make sure you've given yourself enough compassion first," she says. "Once you feel like you've had your time of retreating and feeling sorry for yourself for a little bit, then we have to kick ourselves up the ass and re-energise ourselves with that clarity of what our goals are. What do you want to achieve? Why do you want to achieve them? What are they going to bring you? What change do you want? I find that is always helpful."

Nafousi calls these tricky moments "tests from the universe". "You're going to have bad days and you're going to have shit weeks. But you know how to pull yourself out of it. You know how to make that into a positive experience. You know there's levelling up on the other side," she says.

6. Reward Yourself

Are you keeping on track with your goals? Or maybe you've achieved a huge milestone? Celebrate it, says Nafousi.

"I think being able to celebrate yourself and give yourself rewards when you've done things for a certain amount of time is really key in manifestation," she says. "Let’s say every day that month you did do that thing on your New Year's resolution list. Really take time to feel proud of yourself," she says. "Think about that feeling of pride. Reflect on what that has actually done for you, how [it's] made you feel, how it's helped you to progress and then how you can reward yourself for [it]. It's a really nice way to reinforce good habits."

Shop Goal-Setting and Manifesting Books and Journals:

Next Up: 6 Simple Morning Rituals That Can Make You Feel More Productive

It’s nearly impossible to be anonymous in our hyper-connected world. While millennials have been flouted as early adopters of technology to a detrimental degree, Gen Zers were born into the age of digital media. They know that what gets published on the internet stays on the internet. That’s a fact of the 21st century that many young people have embraced, including actress, singer, and activist Amandla Stenberg. 

Stenberg is many things, but she’s certainly not your average starlet. The 22-year-old began her career with Disney at age 4 and burst onto the young Hollywood scene as Rue, the beloved tribute from District 11 in the first Hunger Games movie. More recently, Stenberg played Starr Carter in the fantastic 2018 adaptation of The Hate U Give, which garnered even more visibility for her as a voice of Gen Z and as an activist in the broader Black Lives Matter movement.

After a year of keeping busy behind the scenes amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stenberg is back in the spotlight, starring as Alana Beck in the film adaptation of Broadway smash hit Dear Evan Hansen. A confident, hyper-involved, type A valedictorian, Alana follows in the footsteps of Grease’s Patty Simcox and Election’s Tracy Flick—with a notable twist. Alana has always been played by a Black woman, as originated by Kristolyn Lloyd when the show debuted on Broadway in 2016. Stenberg considered this critical casting element as she stepped into the role. "Within the Black community, conversations about mental health are not normalized culturally,” she explains. "There’s a societal pressure to prove yourself, especially if you have the experience of being the person in your family to achieve upward mobility or the child who carries the responsibility in your family.” With this insight top of mind, Stenberg embraced the opportunity to dig deeper into her character’s psyche through song.

Alana’s presence is secondary in the stage performance, serving mostly as a vehicle for comic relief. However, fans of the original will be delighted by the new life that Stenberg breathes into her character with an expanded role and original solo. "I remember reading the script and already feeling very connected to her, thinking this girl is super cool and weird,” Stenberg divulges, noting that it was easy to draw parallels between the two. "I was a super–type A student,” she shares, "Like, really hard on myself and intensely academic. My grades felt like life and death for me.” In addition to the pressure of being a 21st-century teen, Stenberg had to contend with the pressures of coming of age in Hollywood, a double-edged sword hardly imaginable by the students in Dear Evan Hansen’s high school setting. 

Through close partnership with screenplay writer Steven Levenson and creators Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Stenberg penned "The Anonymous Ones,” which reveals Beck’s internal struggle with anxiety, perfectionism, and climbing the ladder of success. "When I was cast, [Pasek and Paul] came to me pretty immediately and said, ‘We have this opportunity to expand this character on the screen and to explore her more. So who do you want her to be? What do you want to communicate through her?’ and invited me to collaborate on the song,” recalls Stenberg, who appreciated the ability to explore her character emotionally through the power of music.

Stenberg was in her element writing the song with Pasek and Paul, which was executed not just over Zoom but also across time zones, with two-thirds of the team stateside and Stenberg in Denmark. (She is half Danish.) "A lot of our Zoom sessions were late at night for me, which I loved because I’m a night owl. It was just me and Ben Pasek and Justin Paul and many, many cups of tea. We spent nights debating over lyrics, and there were many moments of spontaneously breaking into ‘Kiss From a Rose,’ by Seal. That’s musical theater work,” she explains with a note of playfulness. "Bursting into song or just genuinely being foolish was preordained, and I’m proud of how it turned out.”

Not only does the song specifically shout out the use of Lexapro, a common prescription antidepressant, but it also prompts listeners to take stock of their personal struggles and coping mechanisms. "We decided to focus on her journey with mental health,” Stenberg explains, astutely noting that, whereas Evan has this feeling of isolation throughout the film, this was an opportunity for Alana to bring in another perspective, one which not only subverts the type A character archetype but also lifts the veil on what it’s like to feel pressure and worry as a young Black kid. "That was something we talked about a lot in the construction era of the character,” shares Stenberg. "Pasek, Paul, and Steven Levenson and I talked about how it feels to be a Black kid with that weight on their shoulders who is struggling with depression and anxiety.” This is something Stenberg knows a thing or two about from her personal experience growing up in the limelight. In writing "The Anonymous Ones,” Stenberg empowered her character to communicate the anxieties that bubble under the surface. Though the song is not lyrically complex, the message is strong: "It’s a challenging process and experience to be a human being and to be vulnerable to other human beings,” explains Stenberg. "I hope that people connect to it or feel seen by it. That was the main priority for me—that the kids who already have a connection to the [Broadway show] feel further seen and understood by the song.” 

Although Alana’s vulnerability is simultaneously unexpected and striking, Stenberg’s version of the character is not a foil to Evan Hansen, the titular character and antihero protagonist reprised by the inimitable Ben Platt. Rather, Beck is a mirror, reflecting the usual coming-of-age trope: Appearances can be deceiving. "There are actually tons of people who feel similar [to Evan], and Alana reveals herself to be one of those people, even though you might not assume that about her,” she clarifies.

The film, which is equally heavy as (if not more so than) the original show, debuted on September 24, but Stenberg and I caught up earlier in the month over Zoom. Between the New York Fashion Week frenzy and preparing for her trip to the Toronto International Film Festival, she talked with me about Dear Evan Hansen and her character as well as her personal style and, crucially, her passion for speaking up about mental health. "It was really exciting for me to play a Black girl with anxiety and depression,” she shares. "It has taken years for me to arrive at the point where I can seek out the help and treatment that I need because that treatment is not super normalized. So to play a Black girl that’s on meds was really gratifying.”

It’s no coincidence that we sought out Stenberg for Who What Wear’s October cover (in addition to her expanded role in the highly anticipated film, it is Depression and Mental Health Screening Month), so it was wonderful to be able to have a conversation that was refreshingly candid, vulnerable, and a bit therapeutic. We called in from our respective dwellings in Brooklyn, and Stenberg elected to make this a video-free interview. That’s just one way she chooses to set boundaries and preserve her stamina during this busy period of publicity and high visibility. 

It’s not lost on anyone that music plays a significant role in how Stenberg takes care of her mental health. Notably, several of her past projects have featured her singing, whether in character or over the credits. The timing of Dear Evan Hansen is also prescient, aligning with Stenberg’s release of her first original single and music video that she produced and wrote herself. "I’m in this really exciting moment where I’m less afraid or, at least, feel developed enough as a musician to show that off to the world,” Stenberg emotes. Although, she is still debating over the song’s title, which she acknowledges is a critical item on her vast to-do list.

Of course, it comes as no surprise that Stenberg’s musical tastes are excitingly eclectic. Obviously, she can do musical theater, but the self-proclaimed "raver kid” describes her sound as house, emo, and alternative R&B, with a few bars of rap thrown in. "I live in New York City and DJ events and raves. That culture is inevitably intertwined in queer culture, which is really important to me and the way that I express myself,” she confides. 

Since relocating from her home in Los Angeles to NYC, Stenberg has found support and strength in her social circle, which is mostly comprised of similarly minded queer folks like herself. "I think therapy is critical for everybody. Everyone should be in therapy. That’s kind of my belief system, and it’s really normalized in my immediate community, which is nice,” she shares. "I have a really tight-knit queer community mostly comprised of people of color, and we definitely process things together. That has done wonders for my mental health. It’s also something me and my partner have removed the taboo around.” By incorporating regular talk therapy sessions into her overall self-care routine, Stenberg is able to maintain a baseline instead of seeking help solely in times of strife. She continues, "Therapy is not just something you do in moments of conflict or low moments, but rather as a continual practice that you lean on to stay actively working on yourself and your relationships.” 

Being vocal about one’s mental health needs is still challenging for many people. That pressure is magnified for those with public personas, like Olympian Simone Biles and tennis superstar Naomi Osaka. This summer, both women were at the top of their careers, performing at the pinnacle of their professions, when they chose to take a step back. Biles sat out a few events during the Summer Olympics in Tokyo following a scary encounter with the "twisties,” and Osaka dropped out of the French Open after choosing to forgo the routine press conferences. Both women cited the need to attend to their mental health as their priority.

The world—and Stenberg especially—took note. "I can’t imagine what being at that sort of critical juncture in your life, having so many eyeballs on you, and being under that amount of pressure must feel like, literally competing in the world games,” she reflects. "Deciding to be vulnerable and public about the fact that you need to attend to your mental health… I’m grateful for their bravery. It seems really terrifying.”

As a card-carrying member of Gen Z, Stenberg is also a big fan of mental health TikTok. "I see so many conversations centered on mental health and neurodivergence in general,” she recalls. "Using the internet as a place of communion to discuss the fact that struggling with mental health is normal and thinking of mental health as something you need to tend to as actively as your physical health is a cultural shift that I find refreshing.” On a more analog note, Stenberg also pursues inner peace through music, alone time, and something she and her mom call "pajama days,” which are filled with comfy clothes and marathons of I Love Lucy. Though, that could probably be translated into a TikTok trend, too. 

Given Stenberg’s busy schedule, it’s understandable that digital still reigns supreme in her universe. She loves virtual reality and uses it to keep up with her family and friends. "I’ve always been an internet person,” she acknowledges. "I used to be a blogger, and I’ve always spent time in online communities.” Interestingly, this has had a huge impact on her style, which has plenty of E-girl elements, like fun makeup and flashes of skin. "[My family] ends up spending a lot of time together in VR, like neon fairy princesses running around space. I just want to look like an avatar,” she says. "And that’s what the shoot reminded me of.”

Ah yes, the photo shoot. Who What Wear worked with stylist Rachel Gilman to serendipitously style Stenberg as the E-girl of her dreams, complete with looks from Nanushka and Elliana Capri, Amina Muaddi shoes, and early 2000s–inspired makeup by Steven Canavan. While, as Gen Zers say, "that’s the vibe,” Stenberg has only recently become comfortable with her "work style,” which includes doing red carpets and going to events. "In moving to New York, I wanted an opportunity to start from scratch and have my style be a really authentic reflection of me,” she says. So Stenberg has started collaborating with stylist Kyle Luu, who she describes as occupying the same world, personally and creatively, and she most recently donned memorable looks by Gucci and Thom Browne at TIFF and the Met Gala.

With Dear Evan Hansen, mental health, and personal style fully dissected, Stenberg and I parted ways, on to the next items on our endless to-do lists. For one of us, taking a proactive COVID-19 test before TIFF lied ahead; for the other, writing this article; and for both, checking in with our therapists.

Dear Evan Hansen is now playing in theaters.

Photographer: Phoenix Johnson

Stylist: Rachel Gilman

Hairstylist: Ro Morgan

Makeup Artist: Steven Canavan

Manicurist: Ami Vega

Set Design: Milena Gorum

Producer: Erin Abeln 

Creative Director: Alexa Wiley