Life can be a truly magical experience – and it should be. What’s more, the world at large is constantly overflowing with fascinating sights, sounds, opportunities, and potential experiences – more than anyone could take in over the course of an entire lifetime.
It’s quite tragic, then, that so many of us end up feeling as though we are living what Henry David Thoreau described as “lives of quiet desperation,” with one day seeming to more or less blend into the next, and with few of those standout “magic moments” seeming to crop up.
While milestone events such as a wedding certainly tick all the right boxes, in addition to allowing you to enjoy the process of choosing wedding dresses by Ronald Joyce, it is possible to create more magical moments on a small-scale everyday level, as well.
Here are a few tips for experiencing magic moments more often in life.
Be present to actually notice and appreciate the moments you are experiencing
There’s a convincing idea out there, which proposes that the reason why kids are so energetic and excited about the world has a lot to do with the fact that everything appears “new” to them, and so they are constantly having their attention drawn back to the present moment.
Various practices – particularly savouring and certain “mindfulness” practices – have been developed in order to replicate this sensation in adults, but perhaps the key thing is to actually be present enough to experience the magic contained in each moment.
If you can enjoy your morning coffee for its own sake, and savour each sip, as opposed to daydreaming about work before you’ve even left the house, you will likely find that a lot more magical moments seem to unfold before you.
Try new things often and avoid repeating the same sequences day in and day out
Whenever we venture out into the unknown and try out new hobbies and pastimes – or even just visit a new destination on vacation – we expand our sense of possibilities beyond our own established mental models and preconceptions.
If you find yourself simply carrying out the same habitual routines and sequences day in and day out without any variation, on the other hand, there’s a risk that you will lock yourself into a series of mental maps that are overly limited and restrictive.
As the authors Chip and Dan Heath note in their book “The Power of Moments,” simply doing something that stands out from your ordinary routine can end up having a very powerful impact on your life as a whole, in one way or another.
Pursue what makes you feel enthusiastic
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The scholar of mythology Joseph Campbell is arguably best known for his famous catchphrase that people should “follow their bliss.”
In coining this phrase, he referred to ancient spiritual and mystical traditions, and argued that doing the things that cause us to feel a sense of “bliss” – or in other words, doing things we feel very enthusiastic about – is a major component to living a meaningful life.
Success is not guaranteed when you “follow your bliss,” of course. But the path is certainly likely to be a lot more memorable and exciting.