What People Get Wrong About Manifesting, According to Content Creator Cyrus Veyssi

If you're into manifesting, a new year means a renewed focus on everything you want the future to hold. But if you ask content creator Cyrus Veyssi, anyone leaving out one particular aspect of manifesting is doing it all wrong.

Followers of Veyssi know very well that the beauty and lifestyle influencer loves an affirmation. Sometimes the affirmations are humorous—"You don't have to date an idiot." Other times, they're more pointed: "They're not smarter. They're louder." But regardless of the delivery, Veyssi loves affirmations so much that they've released an entire book of them.

On this week's episode of "Nice Talk", Veyssi opens up about their new book-journal, Honey, and explains why affirmations are the "fuel" that powers manifesting.

"For the longest time, I myself doubted the power of writing down affirmations and even journaling. Like, I was not that person," Veyssi tells editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike. "When I started to write, I realized how important affirmations are to creating the version of yourself that you want."

Honey features 30 affirmations written by Veyssi and 30 blank pages for people to write down their own, which Veyssi strongly encourages.

"Manifesting is not enough, you guys. It's not," they continue. "I always say it's like manifesting is the vehicle and affirmations are the fuel."

Veyssi recognizes that affirmations and manifesting aren't for everyone.

"It's one of the things where it's like, if it works for you, it works for you," they go on. "And I think that when people ask me about confidence, and people ask me about mental health and how to navigate it, I'm not a professional, right? I don't have that background. All I can say is from what I've understood in my life, manifesting was not enough."

Veyssi's content runs the gamut from testing new makeup, to their "Bonding with my Straight Dad" series, to their "Bougie Gay Uncle" comedy videos. They were inspired to release Honey after seeing just how deeply people connected with the affirmations they shared on social media.

"People really do enjoy both the silly affirmations of, like, a reminder to delete your ex's number out of your phone because it's been three months, to, like, how important it is to be single instead of settling for someone that would make you crave your solitude."

Veyssi, who self-published both physical and digital versions of Honey, hopes to release additional affirmation books in the future—especially given how many other affirmations they've written down that were not included in this first journal.

"I could write an entire affirmation book for people of color. Write an entire affirmation book for queer people." But, with this first version, they asked, "How can I launch with something that a mother who is 60 in Minneapolis can read and resonate with, to a teen, who is in high school and is having difficulty?"

For more from Veyssi—including the two affirmations they suggest adopting in 2026—check out this week’s installment of Nice Talk. The episode is available everywhere you listen to podcasts.