"The Universe Has Your Back."

Erica and Erin trace this phrase from its New Age roots to its Instagram glow-up, digging into how “the universe” became a rebranded higher power for people who’d rather not talk about God. What looks like faith might actually be a filter for avoidance, especially when it’s used to explain away failure or justify a $10K group program that never delivered.

From prosperity gospel to “trust the process” culture, they ask: Is this cliche (belief) helping people heal, or is it a cosmic cop-out?

Transcript

The Universe Has Your Back

Trash Talk — Episode 11 | May 20, 2025

Episode Summary

In this episode, Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas dig into the popular phrase “The universe has your back.” They unpack its origins in spiritual and manifestation culture, explore its use as comforting but sometimes manipulative messaging, and discuss how to reclaim agency and community support beyond spiritual bypass and magical thinking.

Table of Contents

• Intro
• Main Topic 1: The Rise and Roots of “The Universe Has Your Back”
• Main Topic 2: The Pitfalls of Spiritual Bypass and False Assurance
• Guest Interview Highlights
• Key Takeaways
• Call to Action

Intro

Erica and Erin kick off by exploring the widespread use of the phrase “The universe has your back” — from spiritual coaching to Instagram bios and even retail ads. They question what “the universe” really means and whether it truly supports us or just our credit cards. This episode digs into the phrase’s history and impact in coaching and wellness culture.

Main Topic 1: The Rise and Roots of “The Universe Has Your Back”

Erin shares how Gabby Bernstein’s 2016 bestselling book popularized the phrase, blending law of attraction, pop psychology, and wellness trends. Erica recalls encountering the phrase in the early 2010s personal development scene, where it felt gentle and trusting compared to traditional religious language.

They trace the phrase back to earlier spiritual and manifestation traditions, including The Secret (2006) and New Thought movements from the early 1900s. The “universe” often stands in for a higher power but remains deliberately vague and inclusive.

Both reflect on the overlap with organized religion’s language—trusting the process, letting go of control—and how the phrase can echo prosperity gospel ideas promising that “everything happens for a reason.”

Main Topic 2: The Pitfalls of Spiritual Bypass and False Assurance

The hosts discuss how the phrase often becomes a spiritual bypass—a catchall excuse that abdicates personal responsibility and critical thinking. They highlight how it can be used manipulatively by coaches and leaders to shift blame onto the individual when things don’t go as planned (“you’re just not aligned enough”).

Erica and Erin share how this mindset conflicts with human neurobiology, which thrives on community and co-regulation, not blind faith in invisible forces. They emphasize the confusion, shame, and isolation that can result when people rely too heavily on “the universe” instead of grounded action and support systems.

They cite research on toxic positivity and how these platitudes can worsen distress and reduce help-seeking. They warn against magical thinking that stalls real growth and strategic action.

Instead, they propose a reframe: view the universe as reflecting momentum, not controlling outcomes. Trust the process but pair it with awareness, pattern recognition, and, importantly, community support. The mantra “move your feet while you pray” captures this balance of action and faith.

Erica highlights polyvagal theory’s insight that safety and healing happen fastest in trusted social contexts—not through isolation or vague external forces.

Guest Interview Highlights

• The phrase “The universe has your back” gained mass popularity through Gabby Bernstein’s 2016 book, rooted in earlier spiritual and manifestation traditions.
• This phrase often functions as a spiritual bypass, discouraging personal accountability and critical thinking.
• It can be weaponized by coaches and leaders to deflect responsibility and avoid addressing program flaws.
• The mentality fosters confusion, shame, and isolation, clashing with human needs for community and co-regulation.
• Toxic positivity phrases like “everything happens for a reason” can worsen distress and inhibit help-seeking.
• The reframe: treat the universe as a co-founder of your journey, backing momentum combined with action, awareness, and community.
• “Move your feet while you pray” captures the necessity of grounded action alongside faith.

Key Takeaways

• “The universe has your back” is a comforting but incomplete phrase that often masks deeper dynamics in wellness culture.
• Spiritual bypass can abdicate agency and critical thinking, leading to shame and isolation.
• Magical thinking can stall real growth and distract from necessary action.
• Community support and grounded strategies are essential to navigating life’s challenges.
• A healthier approach is to trust the process while actively engaging with your surroundings and people.

Call to Action

If this episode made you think, laugh, or nod along, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen. Your feedback helps like-minded listeners find us, and we love reading your thoughts. Connect with us on LinkedIn or visit the Trash Talk website for more episodes and resources.

Show Notes & Links

• Follow Erica Breuer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericabreuer/
• Follow Erin Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamerinthomas/
• Visit Trash Talk Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2451264