Despite my ‘woo woo’ (i.e. spiritual) beliefs (as described by someone who I love very much), not all the magic/magick I engage in is of the New Age kind.
My favorite kind is the ‘everyday’/common kind that leaves you with a smile on your face and warm glow. The kind that when you happen to think about years later, the memory still makes you smile, makes you feel grateful, and/or reminds you that the world isn’t an all bad place.
It is the type of magic that is accessible to pretty much every single person.
Today I am sharing some of my favorite ways to add magic to my everyday.
Get the Necessary Done
Admittedly, this first one doesn’t feel magical or cozy. Some days I just want to binge watch TV and not move from the sofa (and sometimes, that is what I do). I’m also still amazed how much clutter my little family can accrue, and some days it feels like all I’m doing is setting the house ‘right’.
But, there really is magic in this step.
When I take the time to organize and clean my home, I find I am less distracted. My home also feels more peaceful.
Taking care of myself (making time for exercising, eating right, wearing a nice outfit for the day etc) means I’m actually able to fulfill the various roles in my life (i.e. Mother and Wife) to the best of my ability.
Maybe more importantly, and at the risk of sounding like a popular cosmetics brand, taking care of myself reminds and reinforces the message to me that ‘I’m worth it’. As someone who has struggled with postpartum depression and low self-esteem in the past, it is always helpful to have this reminder.
Random Acts of Kindness
Have you ever received an unexpected compliment? How about when someone leaves a quarter in the cart at Aldi’s (if you shop there)? Ever received an unexpected gift?
These may not seem like major, grandiose gestures, but the lady who told me that I was a great parent when she watched how I handled my kiddo’s meltdown in a store will never know how much her words meant to me on a day when I was sucking at everything.
And while a quarter in the cart at Aldi doesn’t seem like a big deal, it certainly feels like it when you can’t find a single quarter.
This study supports the idea that the giver underestimates the impact their actions have on the receiver of their kindness. So to quote someone famous ‘If you can’t see the light, be the light’ (this has been attributed to many people online, so I’m not actually sure who said it).
If you can’t find the magic in your own life, help create it in someone else’s.
Not sure what you can do? Check out this site for ideas.
Drink Tea
Despite being a big tea drinker, I didn’t think about how magical it was until I saw this Reddit post discussing Iroh from The Last Airbender:
To make Tea, you need all 4 elements to work together to it succeed, you need the clay for the teapots and cups, the water for the substance of the tea, Fire to heat up the Tea and the air blown on the hot tea to cool it so you can drink it (even if you leave it out to cool naturally, it would get cold and taste worse to drink). If you take one element out, tea is either impossible or worse without it.
Reddit – u/pat_speed
This post got me thinking about how if we take the time to look, the beauty and magic of nature is astounding. It definitely made me appreciate all the different elements that went to making my mug of happiness.
So whether you you enjoy herbal teas, a good old cuppa, or a cup of delicious chaa, add some magic to your day with a cup of tea.
Cozy Reading
Personally, one of my favorite activities is cozying up under a blanket and reading while it is raining and miserable outside.
Thankfully I don’t have to plan my reading around the weather. It may sound odd, but YouTube has a multitude of videos that feature cozy scenes with a rainy/bad weather soundtrack. Playing that in the background while I read always boosts the magical experience.
Any activity that gets me off my phone is one that I appreciate, but reading in a way makes it a multi-sensory experience feels magical to me.
Play Music
Music, for me at least, is a fast mood lifter and booster.
The music I have on in the background typically reflects the mood I am trying to set in my home, and anything that can get that done quickly is magical to me!
I tend to watch the news in the mornings, and I feel I need something quick and fast to clear the (what usually is) doom and gloom. There is evidence (check out this abstract) that music helps reduce stress, and after listening to the morning news, I need all the positivity I can get.
While I enjoy listening to all types of music, my favorite is definitely listening to classical or instrumentals (this Bridgerton Instrumentals via YouTube) is currently my favorite to listen to, but I am listening to a lot of Kidz Bop recently (thanks to the kiddo).
Do Something Creative
My real first creative hobby was cross-stitching. It was partly something to do while I waited for my permission to work to arrive from the US government.
And at the risk of sounding odd, it was also something to do while I watched TV. I found no matter what I was watching, I would end up scrolling on my phone at the same time. I needed to keep my hands busy.
Cross-stitching led to embroidery, which led to knitting (and then a feeble attempt at crocheting), sewing and quilting. I’ve now started to dabble in paper crafting, and I think it is a matter of time before I attempt junk journaling.
I know plenty of people who stick with one hobby, but I have found engaging in creative activities has opened up new worlds, people, skills and personal traits for me.
I have become more conscious about gift-giving (I try to make and personalize gifts where possible), I have come to accept that I have to go slow to really master a new skill, and I am able to personalize my home. It is really satisfying when I make something knowing that there is nothing else in the world quite like it.
The confidence boost I get from successfully completing a project alone is magical! But to be able to hold and give away something beautiful that you worked towards to someone you care about feels pretty magical too!
Send Snail Mail
When was the last time you received some personal, handwritten mail?
In this digital age when everything is so instantaneous, I know how much it means to me when someone takes the time to sit down and write me a letter. It’s rare, but on the occasions it has happened, I have been genuinely surprised, and I have it stored as a keepsake.
Sending snail mail is something you can get creative with too! There is so much vintage stationery available at places like Etsy, eBay, or even your local thrift store/charity shop, you can really personalize the mail to your or your intended receivers taste.
Popping in a small keepsake or too is always fun too. I have received tea, stickers, bookmarks, post-it notes, and even recipes in regular mail which I wasn’t expecting, and it is always a sweet, pleasant surprise!
Who could you send snail mail to today?
Bake
Going to a bakery is a lot of fun, and something I will encourage a majority of the time.
However…
Filling your home with the aroma of something you are baking is simply magical.
Whether you are baking from a box mix or baking from scratch, filling the air with aroma and the anticipation of delicious you have helped to create definitely adds to the enchantment in your home.
Need some baking ideas? I can’t think of anything more inspirational than The Great British Bake-Off (known as The Great British Baking show here in the USA and available on Netflix here).
Use the Special China
I think Gretchen Rubin put it better than me…
This is my list of what I consider to be everyday, accessible magic to everyone. Is there anything you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!
If you would like to watch videos of how I am trying to add cozy magic to my everyday life, follow at the following places to see the creative activities I get up to:
Incidentally, you can also share of my projects you try with me on there! Just use my tag @cozymagichome and use the tag #cozymagichome.
As always, may your day be filled with cozy magic.
Blessed Be!
Amrita