| December 25, 2018 |
‘Tis the season for holding loved ones closer and reflecting on the year past. I can’t believe, once again, how much has changed in a year. With the nearing end of 2018, I am experiencing a rush of emotions. I am feeling ready for a fresh slate–a new year–to fill with meaningful people and experiences.
The last year hasn’t been the easiest for me, but it has certainly encouraged the most growth. As a chronically optimistic individual, I can find the light in darkness, the good in people, and can turn life’s challenges into my grandest lessons.
Self-growth is important to me, and a lot of my self-discovery comes through by writing, sharing, connecting, and expressing myself vulnerably. It’s cathartic to find a place for the thoughts whirling in my head on a piece of paper (or, on a pixelated screen with an relentlessly blinking cursor).
This holiday season, I have so much to be grateful for, and I’m sure you do, too! Sometimes we have to dig deep to find the magic of the season, and I urge you to do this today.
When it seems that we have lost our way,
We find ourselves again on Christmas Day.
Believe in what your heart is saying
Hear the melody that’s playing
There’s no time to waste
There’s so much to celebrate.
Believe in what you feel inside
And give your dreams the wings to fly
You have everything you need
If you just believe.
There’s so much magic in the air during Christmas time and a little believing goes a long way. On December 23, I traveled into New York City with 27 of my family members (yes, 27. I come from an Italian/Irish tight-knit family) to see The Illusionists Live on Broadway.
I believe magic is something we create. When Shin Lim was performing his card tricks, he didn’t speak. His hands danced across the table, making things appear, disappear, and reappear. I was captivated by the moment, in a trance of awe.
In retrospect, Shin Lim’s performance has me thinking about how much in life seems to divinely shift. Friends, jobs, geographical location, emotions, and material objects are constantly shifting in and out of our lives. We are met with the challenge of deciding whether or not to believe in ourselves, and our power to create the magic around us. It’s easy to lose track of time as these transitions happen right before our eyes. But when we choose to embrace our ability to create, we can intervene on what seems out of our control. We find intention & strength through letting our own hands create the magic.
This choice to believe is ENTIRELY in our own hands. When magic seems to drift away, we can find our heart, connect to ourselves, and create the magic once more.
This Christmas, I choose to believe in Magic, and create it for myself & those around me.
Today and every day, we are the vehicle of our destiny. We contain the power within us to decide how we want to live our lives, and for today and all of 2019, I encourage you to create your own magic.
Personally, I plan lay the groundwork for the magic by letting go of things I cannot control and taking wheel for the things I can. I will set healthy boundaries, be gentle with myself, speak my truth, and allow for solitude to create. I will not dull my sparkle, doubt myself, speak negatively, or neglect my needs.
For the next 12 Days of Christmas, I will share my intentions as I move into 2019. Being that today is the first day of Christmas, I’ll start with my own intention that I can always fall back on. The decision to create my own magic, be the driver of my life, and embrace the transitions as things ebb and flow, disappear and reappear.

Magic created by me.
I hope you can find your magic today and every day.
You have a sparkle within you that shines so bright,
Fellow Dreamers (and Unicorns!).