The first time I came across the phrase “aura farming,” I was scrolling Instagram late at night, exactly when I should have been sleeping. I landed on a short reel of a woman baking bread, watering plants, and stacking books on a shelf — all very cozy, very intentional, very #cottagecore. It looked like she was building a tiny, dreamy world for herself one aesthetically pleasing task at a time.
When I dug a little deeper, though, I found something completely different: a viral “boat dance” inspired by an 11-year-old Indonesian boy who became internet-famous for his impossibly cool dance moves on a racing boat during a traditional Indonesian festival.
And honestly, I was stumped.
I could not figure out how a cozy bread-baking reel and a wildly confident boat dance belonged under the same trend. So I kept swirling through the hashtagged chaos until the meaning finally clicked. Your “aura” is your overall vibe, your presence, the energy people feel from you. “Farming,” in video game language, is about collecting points and leveling up. Put them together, and “aura farming” basically means building or performing the kind of presence you want to give off.
It sounds ridiculous at first. But the more I think about it, the more I believe we could all use a little “aura farming” right now.
Yes, the trend can seem steeped in vanity. Plenty of Reddit threads describe “aura farming” as the thing characters in video games or movies do when they show up just to look cool without moving the plot forward — like a villain dramatically waving a cape for no real reason. But to me, “aura farming” also sounds a lot like manifesting.
Of course, leave it to the youth to rebrand the ancient art of manifesting as a brand-new internet concept. Still, there is a reason “fake it ‘til you make it” has stuck around for so long. When I am trying to feel better, live better, or simply get through the day with a little more intention, acting like the person I want to become can actually help me get there.
If I want to be the kind of person who wakes up before my kids, I can start pretending I am that person. I can set the alarm, make the coffee, and move through the morning like I have always had my life together. Then, one day, maybe I really am that person.
If I want to live a softer, slower life, I can light the candles, play the soundtrack from The Holiday, and act like my home is already the peaceful little sanctuary I keep saying I want. And suddenly, look at me, farming an entire aura out of wax, music, and denial.
If I want to be the cool, chic, effortless one in my friend group, maybe I just have to wear the clothes, stand a little taller, and stop waiting for someone else to give me permission. Wham bam, there I am, apparently becoming stylish through sheer commitment to the bit.
That is what makes the whole thing feel surprisingly useful to me. If aura farming is about presenting the vibe I want to have, then is it really so different from manifestation? In a world that is constantly telling me how to optimize my habits, improve my mindset, and crush goals A, B, and C, maybe there is something freeing about simply acting like the version of myself I am trying to become.
It reminds me of that little quote that floats around wellness pages: I do not have to be “that girl” because I already am “that girl.” A little cheesy? Absolutely. Also a little helpful? Unfortunately, yes.
The truth is, everyone around me is faking it ‘til they make it in one way or another. Not everyone who wakes up at 5 a.m. is naturally a morning person. Not everyone who starts a hobby is good at it right away. Not every parent finds it enriching to sit on the floor playing Barbies, and not everyone genuinely loves making small talk in the grocery store line.
But people still do these things. I still do these things. I wake up and try to be kinder, more patient, more thoughtful, more capable. I try to make the day a little easier for the people around me. I try to move through the world like someone who is good, smart, successful, and maybe even a little bit cool. And honestly, wanting to feel cooler counts too. Wear the colorful glasses with the funky cardigan. Why not?
So yes, maybe I am “aura farming.” Maybe we all are. And maybe it is not such a bad thing to spend a little more energy pretending to be the kind of person I want to become. Because while I am pretending, everyone else is simply seeing me as myself.
Inspired by this post on Scary Mom.
