Magic occurs for us mortals, I assure you. Magic isn’t only in Harry Potter movies, Disney theme parks, and on Cirque de Soleil stages. Magic is very real. Magic here on earth is much more beautiful than the magic you see in movies and on stages, too. It is real, and that alone makes it overwhelmingly beautiful.
- Believe that magic occurs in the ordinary. It seems simple, but it is the one that most people get tripped up on. For magic to show up in your life, you have to first believe that it can. This involves expanding your definition of magic beyond wands, capes, magical candy shops, Fantasia, and closets that lead to a winter wonderland with queens, dwarfs, and other whimsical creatures. Yes, those things are all magical but they are not the only things that are magical. This step requires a leap of faith. You may have never experienced magic in your life. That doesn’t mean that you can’t or that you won’t. Have faith. Trust the Universe. Or at least trust me. One of my favorite experiences with magic in the natural world occurred as I was walking to work on a rainy morning.
- Believe that magic can happen around you and in you. For 25 years, I believed that magic happened in other people’s lives. I didn’t believe it could happen in mine, so it didn’t. It’s that simple. Once I started to shift my perspective and believe that magic could happen in my life, things started to change for me. I started to see little things in my life as “sparks” and things to be grateful for, rather than things that were lacking. Because I became more open to it, good things started to show up in my life. Magical people. Nurturing animals. Opportunities that channeled my creativity showed up. Love showed up.
- Believe that what you have right now is enough. Gratitude is the key that opens all doors. Magic occurs when you are content with what you have. Therefore, it only occurs to people who aren’t desperately seeking it. One way that I practice this step is by making a daily gratitude list. What am I grateful for today? Often, my friends, my family, my cats, my health, my mind, and God show up on my list. What I have right now is more than I could have ever imagined. I should also add that I once was someone who was desperately seeking magic. Here’s what I learned about magic: it does require that you put in some work. I wanted things to show up in my life without doing any of the legwork. That isn’t how magic works. The kind of magic I am talking about happens for people who live a life of hard work, authenticity, and a willingness to keep learning.
- Create a living space that is magical. Before I moved into my studio apartment, it was a small blank canvas. It wasn’t anything special. It was on the third floor of a very old brick building nestled amongst all sorts of people in an eccentric neighborhood. To the outsider, it had very real flaws in character; a leaky roof, scratched wooden floors, cracked paint, and old broken tile. To me, it was better than anything I could have imagined. It was magical. One wall was made up entirely of exposed brick. I loved everything about it including the flaws and imperfections. I created a space where magic was welcome. It didn’t much either. I rummaged tag sales and sidewalks. I listened to my heart. I painted furniture in my favorite color. I strung Christmas lights and kept them up year-round. I created my own living space where my creativity was energized, my soul was filled, and my heart was full.
- Listen to your heart and follow it. There is no magic without heart. Magic shows up when your actions are at one with your heart. What does this mean, exactly? It means that you may have to shed some parts of your life for magic to show up. Toxic friends, relationships, and jobs–all of these things are keeping you from inviting magic into your life. I can’t explain it but when you aren’t living true to your heart’s desires, magic is blocked off. I have often had people say to me “Well, I know it isn’ t right for me (referring to a relationship or job) and I don’t love it, but I am waiting for something better to come along.” My response usually sounds something like this: “The space that this is taking up in your life is preventing something else from coming along. Let go of it and you create space for the something better to come.” When you are staying in a situation that is in conflict with your true self, you are settling. When you settle, you are not inviting magic into your life. Shed the things in your life that don’t line up with your true and highest self. Let me share my experience. I once was at a job that my heart was no longer in. We all know what it’s like when you are burnt out and unhappy in a work environment. It can be very draining and discouraging. I finally made the decision to resign. I woke up one day and a strength that I didn’t know I had, wrote my letter of resignation for me. Shortly after leaving this job, I found a position online that felt like fate. It was a position that introduced me to amazing, passionate, and hard-working young people. These people would play important roles in my life and my future work. I felt energized again. I would then go on to return to the place I resigned from, in a different way. I was able to contribute to an organization that I loved, in a way that energized me. Everything happens for a reason.
- Don’t let the naysayers and disbelievers slow you down. Perhaps one of the most difficult steps, yet most important. Here is the reality: most people don’t believe in magic. Most people let money dictate their decisions. Most people, unknowingly, place limits on their own lives. This doesn’t mean that’s what you have to do. In order to invite magic into your life, you cannot let the disbelievers influence your decisions. Please re-read that last sentence. I have had plenty of disbelievers in my life. People who live out of fear of failure, fear of what other people will think, and just plain, I can tell you this: if I had listened to them, I would not have the amazing, magical life that I have today. Let your inner rebel shine. It’s OK. Truthfully, I am grateful for the disbelievers because they made me even stronger.
- Don’t mistake power and authority for integrity. Sometimes the most powerful messages can come from people who don’t have any “power”. Sometimes magic occurs in something the homeless person said on the sidewalk of Trumbull Street. Or in the eyes of the cashier at your local supermarket. The most common mistake that people make is thinking that powerful messages only come from people who are in positions of “power”. Mainstream society today doesn’t reward integrity, honesty, and love. In fact, corruption is most prevalent in positions of power. Don’t discount messages and words from individuals who aren’t in positions of power. You may hear the most powerful message from your yoga teacher, or your next-door neighbor. Be open to receiving magic in ordinary places.
- Let go of resentments and anger. Magic has nowhere to go when you are filled with anger and resentments. It shows up in open vessels. I used to have a lot of anger and resentments towards people and situations in my life. When I realized that the only person who was being harmed by those resentments was me, I made the decision to try to let go of them. I needed a fresh start to be able to experience life and all that it had to offer me. I needed to come to terms with my past, however difficult it may have seemed.
- Find a way to connect with yourself physically. This doesn’t mean you have to run an ultra-marathon or join an intramural softball team. Find ONE WAY that you can move your body physically. Maybe it’s chair yoga, or going for routine walks around the neighborhood, or playing tennis. It doesn’t matter what it is. Being in touch with yourself in a physical way is a way for you to open yourself up to the magic of the universe. Moving our bodies has countless positive affects including releasing endorphins, boosting our mood, boosting our self-esteem. My ways to connect physically are running and yoga. Not only am I able to connect with myself physically, but I am also able to connect to nature and the present moment. When we take the first steps to connecting with ourselves physically, we open up the doors for a lot of other magical things to come flowing in.
- Let It. The final step to letting magic happen in your life is just that: letting it. Letting go of control. Realizing that the universe has greater plans for you than you often can even imagine. Allowing space for magic, surprise, and mystery to happen. You know that quote “Life happens when you’re making grand plans for it”? That’s just it. Let the universe change your plans. Let magic in.
Beyond Wellness 