Magic is real: Where to find it and how to make it

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A couple weeks ago a beautifully illustrated IG tile stopped me in my tracks. It was a hand-lettered quote with beautiful silhouetted women holding flowers…

“Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
Roald Dahl

I wasn’t only curious about how to say his name, I was also curious what inspired him to say that. Was he a neuro-psycologist? Because it 100% aligns with what I’m learning in my NeuroCoaching program. He was an author of children’s books! Some of his hits were Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and BFG. Roald Dahl is considered to be “one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century”

The quote stopped me because of a few basic principles I’ve learned as I’ve become obsessed with learning how the brain works the last few years. I am NOT a neuropsychologist but I’m learning from a doctor of one so that I can coach others through lasting transformation in their life by rewiring our brains for success [however we want to define it].

Here’s how the quote relates to our brains, and why Mr. Dahl is accurate.

#1: A thought always precedes an emotion.

Always. Milliseconds before we feel our feelings, there is a thought that comes before it. It happens so fast it’s almost hard to imagine. Many of us go through life experiencing our emotions as a response to an external circumstance. Watching a sad movie makes us cry. Getting in a fight makes us mad. First dates give us butterflies. We fall head-over-heels for our newborn babies. And science tells us that prior to that flood of emotions, there is a thought.

#2: A thought combined with an emotion repeated over time becomes a belief.

It’s the science of neuroplasticity. The superhighway that thought energy travels along is a neural pathway hardwired in our brain. And the way that superhighway is built is through repetition of the same thought mixed with the same emotion. Our brains do this to conserve how much energy it uses! By repeating something to yourself enough times, your brain decides that it is best to automate the thought so that you don’t have to actively think about it anymore! It’s brilliant, really. Unless the thought and emotion combination is not a desirable one, that is.

#3: Our beliefs influence our decisions.

We make a lot of decisions in both our business and in our lives, and the reasoning behind each decision stems from what you believe to be true. Beliefs lead us to make decisions that we desire are considered positive. Beliefs that lead us to make decisions that lead us away from our desires are considered negative or limiting. Let’s consider some examples of limiting beliefs: 

•  Sales and selling is dirty.
•  Rich people only get rich by taking advantage of others.
•  You have to sacrifice time for yourself and your family in order to be successful in business.
•  The economy is bad so my business will suffer.
•  I’m too old to change my career.
•  Artists don’t get rich until they’re dead.
•  I’m not smart enough to do that.

Let’s pick one as an example: Sales is dirty. Maybe you have had multiple experiences in your life where you’ve been sold to and felt like you were taken advantage of. You were, your parents were, their parents where. So everywhere you look you see salesmen trying to squeeze as much out of a sale as they can. Basically, salespeople = bad.

With that belief as a business owner, you’re going to avoid selling every chance you get. Because you are NOT a slimy salesperson! Every time you smell a hint of sales, your spidey-sense highness and your subconscious sends out danger signals to keep you safe! It might look like being on a sales call and offering your service for less than what you really want. Or offering your services for free in exchange for a testimonial. Or mumbling and fumbling your words every time someone asks what you do. Or telling yourself you can’t afford to market and advertise in your business. And let me ask you this, are these actions going to get you to the desired result of financial freedom and more time with your family? Or will those results keep you hustling and grinding on the hamster wheel?

Meanwhile, also happening everywhere in all of history, are people purchasing things they need and want after simply being told about a product or service. Even to you, your parents, their parents! Ideas are being sold all the time! Did you sell your kids the idea that washing their hands will keep them from getting sick? Have you ever pitched pizza for dinner because you didn’t feel like cooking? How about this, have you ever seen an influencer on the grams with something you HAD to have? 

Your brain is not showing you the whole picture. 

Those are all examples of sales! Our repeated thoughts and emotions—hardwired in our brains—are doing their job: proving us RIGHT. 

We love being right, don’t we? Before you tell me I’m an ego-centric maniac, let’s explore this a minute.

If our brains are capable of hard-wiring thoughts and emotions repeated over time…

and we are capable of thinking thoughts that make us feel good, thoughts that align more with our desires than our fears…

and our brains show us what we believe (and love to prove us right)….

Then doesn’t it stand to reason that we can DECIDE what “magic” means for us?

Magic for me is:

•  Seeing beauty in everything and in everyone (including myself)
•  Being present with my family
•  Soul-filling experiences with people I love
•  Feeling alive, healthy and grateful as much as possible
•  Hugging my children
•  Watching them grow and become the individuals they are
•  Delicious food
•  Belly laughs
•  Driving with the heat on and windows down in spring and fall
•  Tiny rainbows in dew drops
•  Falling leaves on a dirt road
•  The smell of rain
•  The sound of birds in the morning

What is magic for you? What thoughts can you create to help you see more of it? How do you want to feel?

The Designer’s Approach was developed as a simple step-by-step way for anyone to intentionally create a life and business they love. There are SO many facets to who we are, and fulfillment comes from integrating all of them. Download your TDA Guide so that you can start seeing the results of new beliefs in every area of your life.