Twinkly lights. Sweet treats. Festive parties. Holiday traditions. This truly is a magical time of year.

I’ve been thinking a lot about magic recently. Specifically, how to maintain a sense of magic in daily life even when the normality of an everyday routine kicks in. You know that feeling when you’re visiting a place for the first time and you find yourself soaking up every sound, every sight and every experience? Or how about at the height of the holiday season when houses and storefronts are decorated full of lights, hot cocoa and cookies are abound and holiday movies are on repeat? It’s easy to feel sensations of awe and wonder on vacation or during a holiday season, but how do we keep the magic of the season alive all year round?

Here are a few practices I love for cultivating more magic in everyday life. I hope you’ll try these out and then, I hope you’ll develop your own set of magic practices. Only good things will come from more inspired and creative ideas in this world.

Intuitive Walk

This is one of my all-time favorite activities! Spend an afternoon in a neighborhood you’ve never been or don’t visit often. Resist planning ahead. The key to discovering the magic of a new place is to do it without an agenda. You are not here to check things off your “to visit list.” Instead, allow yourself to wander. Browse local stores, take a book to a coffee shop, sit and chat with someone at a cafe. Walk in whichever direction you are feeling safely called and pop into the places that seem intriguing to you. Keep your senses open to whatever new and unexpected experiences may come your way.

A Whole New World

Try something you have never tried before. The task is as simple as that – try something you have never tried before. You can make this as fancy or as DIY as you want. I personally love to go on YouTube and look up activities I have never tried before; boxing, origami making, cross-stitch. No need to overthink. Simply pick any activity that sparks your interest and try it out! If you want to dig a little deeper, spend time afterwards reflecting or writing about the experience of trying something brand new.  

Re-imagine Your Space

Move your furniture, add a plant, paint your walls, refresh the art hanging on your walls. You don’t have to change your entire home. (Although you can if you want!) Pick one thing to change or add that will bring a bit of fun and newness to your living space. This can be a very energizing process and is also a great way to practice non-attachment. I love this quote by Bertrand Russell which says, “It is the preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly.”