Taylor Swift was on to something with her 2020 Folklore track “Invisible String.”
The idea that individuals are intrinsically linked to each other has gained traction over the last few years, but the invisible string theory has existed for much longer. With ties to ancient mythology, the idea spotlights the concepts of fate and having a soulmate.
“The theory is that an invisible string connects people destined to meet, regardless of geography, time, or circumstances in one’s life,” licensed relationship therapist and MAN*ifesting author Jaime Bronstein tells PEOPLE. “The theory indicates that relationships happen not purely by choice but by fate.”
In 2023, the invisible string theory began trending on social media, with millions of posts shared under the phrase “The Invisible String Theory Stories” on TikTok. One user uploaded a video from her wedding, explaining how she was friends with her husband’s brother for eight years before they met.
“When we started dating, we exchanged stories from high school, and we realized we were at some of the same parties but never met,” she wrote over the clip. “In middle school, my friends would attend his band’s shows, but I never went. Now, we’re married, living 4,500 km from home.”
So what is the invisible string theory? Here’s everything to know about the concept and where it originated from.
What is the invisible string theory?
Jamie McAllen/ TikTok
‘The Invisible String Theory’ TikTok video trend.
The invisible string theory is based on the idea that people can share a special connection throughout their lives, even before they cross paths. Bronstein tells PEOPLE that this theory is rooted in fate and predetermined relationships.
“It’s the deep, unseen connection between people, specifically in romantic relationships,” she says. “Essentially, you and your soulmate are connected through an invisible string, and no matter what you do or where you go in life, you are destined to meet and be together.”
Bronstein adds that the invisible string theory pulls from various avenues, including ancient mythology, spiritual beliefs and psychological insights, to help explain “destined connections between people.”
She also says the concept is based on the idea that people are meant to learn and grow from relationships.
“People come into our lives for a reason. The goal is to be insightful and discover what you can teach and learn from each other to evolve individually and as a couple while enjoying your relationship,” Bronstein explains.
Where did the term invisible string theory originate?
The invisible string theory became popular on TikTok in 2023, but the concept has been around for years. Bronstein tells PEOPLE that it’s unknown when the term was coined, but it does have ties to ancient Chinese folklore.
“In Chinese mythology, the ‘Red Thread of Fate,’ which is closely related to the concept of the invisible string, brings people together (through an invisible red cord) who are destined to meet,” she says. “This concept has existed for thousands of years.”
What are examples of the invisible string theory?
Angie Barbara/ TikTok
‘The Invisible String Theory’ TikTok video trend.
The invisible string theory can manifest in someone’s life in several ways. One user explained that she crossed paths with her boyfriend when he attended her Quinceañera party uninvited three years before they were officially introduced.
Similarly, a different TikTok user shared that her partner was well acquainted with her family, and they also had mutual friends, but were never in the same room. When the two were invited to a Halloween party, they gravitated toward each other.
Bronstein tells PEOPLE that the invisible string theory can also apply to people who break up but end up together because of “a series of events, people, and places that brought them together again.”
Additionally, the concept can refer to people who find each other despite the odds against them. Shortly after Audrey Roberts got engaged, she realized she had coincidentally taken footage of her fiancé, Ethan Somoza, a few months before they met when she accompanied her best friend to an event.
“When the video was filmed, neither of us were looking for relationships or in the right place for one, then meeting several months later at what felt like the perfect time,” she told PEOPLE in April 2025. “I’m so thankful for all the little things that added up in order for us to meet and get to this point.”
How can the invisible string theory affect a person’s dating life?
While the invisible string theory is often a concept people think about in hindsight, it can also actively help those in the dating pool.
Bronstein tells PEOPLE that believing in the invisible string theory can help individuals “relax and extinguish ‘desperation mode.’ “
“They can eliminate the fear that they aren’t going to find their soulmate because they can trust they will,” she says. “This doesn’t mean that people should sit at home and assume their ‘person’ will come knocking on their door. However, it helps as singles are starting to show up more authentically on their dates with less anxiety.”
Read the original article on People
