How to Shift Reality

Co-authored by Jennifer McVey, Cht and Madeleine Flamiano

Last Updated: December 16, 2022 References

Would you like to visit your favorite world from a movie, show, or book? Maybe you’d like to live in a reality you’ve created all on your own. When you shift reality, you can actually enjoy both of those scenarios. If you’re curious about reality shifting, the fun and adventurous new trend on platforms like TikTok and IG, look no further. Here, we’ll guide you on your journey to your favorite reality and share the best shifting methods.

1

Find a peaceful, quiet place.

A calm environment helps you concentrate on shifting. Go anywhere that you can have some privacy, like your bedroom. Close the door and put on some music that lifts your mood and promotes creativity.^{[1]
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- Eliminate distractions so you can focus just on your own thoughts.
- Make a “shifting playlist” or play songs from your favorite movies and shows.
- Light a candle that reminds you of a fun place you want to visit, like a forest.
- Find a comfortable position to sit or lie down when concentrating.

2

Write down why you want to shift.

Make sure your motivations for shifting are healthy. Take out a journal or open up a word doc. Ask yourself about what you hope to accomplish when you shift—maybe you want comfort, happiness, or excitement. Reflect on your reasons for shifting with comments like these:^{[2]
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- "I'm bored from social distancing and want some entertainment."
- "I've been stressed from school and just want to relax for a bit."
- "I want to feel what it'd be like to be a Firebender!"

3

Choose your DR—Desired Reality.

Use your fave franchise as inspo or create your own world. You may want to go to a popular destination, like the Marvel Universe or U.A. High School from My Hero Academia. If you want, you can also design your own dimension—it can be fantastical or realistic.^{[3]
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- Think about gorgeous settings from movies that took your breath away.
- Combine worlds—for example, take elements from a novel and a show.
- Dream up an original DR. Reflect on what your ideal reality would be like.

4

Describe who you want to be in your DR.

Craft a new identity for yourself or stay the same. Think about how you want to look and what abilities you want—for example, maybe you want purple hair and telepathy. Give yourself a name and brainstorm all the qualities you’d like to have in your DR. It’s also totally fine not to tweak a thing and just be yourself—maybe you just want a change in scenery!^{[4]
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- Make a character bio—includes details like your backstory and your habits.
- Draw your "DR self" or use an easy portrait maker like Artbreeder.
- Hold onto traits you love about yourself, like funniness or kindness.

5

List the relationships you’d like in your DR.

Picture the friends, relatives, or SOs you want. Reflect on the people you want to be around and stay close to. They can be characters you absolutely love—Draco Malfoy has been a fan fave!—or individuals you wish existed. Write down info about anyone you want to regularly interact and bond with.
- "I want to travel alongside a prince who can befriend dragons."
- "I'm looking for allies who will support me through every challenge!"
- "I hope to be part of a clan that protects its planet!"

6

Decide how long you’d like to stay in your DR.

Get the most out of your trip—maybe you’d like to stay a whole month! Use a "time ratio," a formula that calculates how much time goes by in your current reality—CR—while you’re in your DR. For example, one hour in your CR may amount to a week in your DR. ^{[5]
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- Make time ratios fit around your life in your CR. For example, spend 1 hour in your CR experiencing a month in your DR, then come back for dinner.
- Treat yourself when you have more free time in your CR. For instance, if you're on spring break, you can take a couple hours a day traveling in your DR.

7

Use hashtags to find other “shifters.”

Learn from your shifting community and make new friends. Go to a social media website, like TikTok or IG, and enter different key terms into the search bar—for example, put in #shift, #shifter, #shifting, #shiftingreality. Click on videos that stand out and watch them. Write down details that inspire you and interact with other followers—that way, you can swap ideas.^{[6]
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- Look up other phrases related to fandoms you love, like #harrypotter or #anime.
- Reply to the comments of fellow shifters and share your own perspective.
- Take notes of details that thrill you, like the chance to meet a book character.

8

Fill out your script.

Planning out your adventure makes it easier to enter your DR. A “script” is a plan you create for your DR so you're clear about what you'll experience when you reality shift. Journal about the identity and relationships you already decided on for yourself. Then, map out the rules of the dimension you’re going to. When you vividly picture your DR, you’ll access it more quickly.^{[7]
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- Script when to visit your DR—maybe you'd like to see the Shire during summer.
- Express what you don't want in your script, like running into Voldemort.
- Decide what you'd prefer to leave up to chance, like quests or friendships.

9

Lie down and try grounding exercises.

Relax so you can enter a state of enhanced consciousness. Lie down on your bed and do a “body scan”—focus on relaxing all your muscles. By the time you’re done, you should feel drowsy and almost ready to sleep. You’re more likely to be in a hypnotic state, which is great for traveling to another dimension.^{[8]
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- It may also help to turn off the lights and put on some serene music.
- Grounding exercises promote positive visualization and guided imagery.^{[9]
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- Self-hypnosis allows you to focus less on your CR and more on your DR.

10

Repeat affirmations in your head.

Hypnotize yourself with hopeful phrases to access another reality. “Affirmations” are short, powerful messages that train your mind to think in a specific way. To access your DR, make up affirmations about how you’re completely capable of jumping to another dimension. Here are some fun, uplifting sayings to work up your imagination:^{[10]
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- "I shift to enter a perfect world."
- "My reality can be shaped by my mind."
- "I welcome my wildest dreams."

11

Shift realities using your chosen method.

Try TikTok's favorite techniques. These can tend to have high success rates. As a starting point, test out the most popular shifting methods out there to enter your DR. They’re really easy, and lots of other shifters have reported positive results after they’ve experimented with them:^{[11]
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- "The Raven Method": Lie down in the starfish position and count to 100 while you repeat your affirmations.
- "The Alice in Wonderland Method": Imagine that you’re leaning on a tree until someone from your DR runs by, then chase them like they’re the White Rabbit.
- "The Pillow Method": Write affirmations down on a piece of paper, then tuck it behind your pillow right before you sleep.
- "The Heartbeat Method": Listen to audio of a heartbeat while you picture lying on the chest of someone you’re dating in your DR.
- "The Train Method": Close your eyes and picture that you’re on a train ride to your DR.

12

Focus on signs you’re entering your DR.

Pay attention to physical cues, like heaviness or weightlessness. People in the shifting community call these changes “symptoms”—signs that you’re close to shifting. Your experience may be different from another shifter. Here’s a list of some common symptoms you may notice:^{[12]
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- If you visualize going down a rabbit hole, then you may feel gravity pulling you.
- If you picture astral projecting—sending your consciousness somewhere else—then you might experience a floating sensation.
- You may see a bright light, which is a sign you're close to your DR.
- Your heart might race because you're excited about your trip.
- You might think about an angel number, like 999, which sometimes represents that you’re destined to help others—it’ll be a sign from your DR.

13

Enjoy your visit to your DR.

Savor every detail, from the people you’ll meet to the places you’ll see. Immerse yourself in your DR and use your five senses. For instance, enjoy the beautiful scenery—or check out your crush!—and listen to the wind rustling through leaves or the chatter of Hogwarts students. Focus on creating wonderful memories you won’t forget and forging new friendships. You’ll have so much to reflect on and smile about, even after you’ve left your DR.^{[13]
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- Have fun with smell, taste, and touch, too—for example, lose yourself in the delicious aromas of an amazing feast, sample potions and dishes your buddies concoct, and pet a phoenix's feathers.
- Enjoy the experience of other senses, like the sixth sense or any others you come up with—maybe you can feel other people's emotions in your DR.

14

Prioritize your CR—Current Reality—when you return.

Set a time limit to be in your DR, then work on making your CR amazing. Maintain rituals that bring you joy and brighten up your CR. For example, eat a nourishing breakfast every day and try out some morning yoga. Take good care of your mental, emotional, and physical health—remember, you can’t shift if you neglect your CR.^{[14]
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Warnings

If your friend struggles with their mental health, talk to them and encourage them to seek professional help.

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Please seek help from a mental health professional if you are turning to reality shifting to cope with pain or if you're neglecting your current reality.

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Report any community that talks about “respawning” or “permanent shifting,” if it involves ending your life to transition to your DR. They’re sharing false methods of shifting that won’t work and spreading harmful information that can hurt others. if you want to stay in your DR forever, just move on from your CR and live your life normally in your DR, your past CR life will continue normally. ^{[15]
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If you are planning suicide, stop and get help by calling emergency services such as 911 or 999. If you struggle with thoughts of self-harm, call a suicide hotline to talk:
- In the US: call or text 988, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline^{[16]
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- In the UK: call 116 123, the Samaritans helpline^{[17]
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- In Australia, call 13 11 14. The suicide call back service is 1300 659 467, Beyond Blue Support Service^{[18]
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- In India, call 022-2552-1111 to reach the iCall helpline^{[19]
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- For an international directory of suicide hotlines, visit The International Association for Suicide Prevention here or Befrienders Worldwide here.
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