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What Everyday Magic Looks Like (hint: not a castle)

Posted by Andrea Updyke

on Feb 28, 2019, Updated Apr 12, 2023

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed that next to my name @andreaupdyke, I have added the phrase, “everyday magic”. It’s intended to be a small signal to let people know that while I am a typical mom of two in North Carolina, I try to view the world through magic-colored lenses.

Yeah, sure I’m a Disney fan and that’s part of it. But we have far more non-Disney days than Disney days and I fully believe those can be magical too.

But when you aren’t surrounded by magic makers, you often have to be the magic maker, or at least open up to the magic around you.

Guys, this can be really super hard when you aren’t on vacation. I mean that’s why we go on vacation right? To escape to magical places without stress or care or deadlines or school projects. It’s intoxicating and so alluring.

Everyday magic is not that.

It’s also not squinting really super hard to find the good in something when it just doesn’t seem to be there.

What Everyday Magic Really Is

What I mean by everyday magic is learning to be honest with yourself. Magic doesn’t equal goodness, though sometimes it’s good. Magic doesn’t have to be over the top, though sometimes it is.

But everyday magic can also be standing in front of the dishwasher for the 45th time in a week and remembering the day you wished for this life, this task. Work is hard but hard is not a synonym for bad.

A challenge is magical. Rising to the challenge is amazing. Learning new things, being willing to fail, starting over, letting go, all magical. This is because it means we grow and we hone in on what our life needs.

We begin to see what really matters and let the rest fade away.

Everyday magic looks like dreaming big but it also looks like taking the million small and boring steps to make those dreams come true.

It looks like waving to your kids every single day as they drive off to school in dad’s car because they love it.

Let’s get back to Disney for a minute.

When you think of magic, it’s sparkling transformation right? Maybe someone else making things happen or little creatures coming to life to do the work.

As I was thinking about this, I realized something. I don’t want to be Cinderella.

I want to be the Fairy Godmother.

I want to be the one who sees the need and says, I know what to do with this. I want to bring smiles and change to my everyday life and to the people around me. I can do that. I can actually DO that and I don’t even need a wand.

I am an everyday magic maker.

In my life that looks like extra stops at the donut shop or making cute St. Patrick’s Day treats. It looks like making faces at my kids through the window while I pump gas or piling on the couch for a movie night.

Sometimes it looks like a fun vacation. Sometimes it’s trolling my 10-year old by singing Let it Go at the top of my lungs.

Other times, it’s realizing that I’m the one who needs to smile so I look to my people for inspiration, extra hugs and understanding.

Sometimes, it’s sitting quietly and feeling yucky because I set a boundary and stuck to it even though it made me uncomfortable.

Everyday magic can be as simple as being able to say no. Sometimes it’s watching the people you love make magic and that is enough.

The awesome thing about everyday magic is that it’s for anyone on any day. You don’t have to take a pricey trip to Walt Disney World (though I’m all in to help out if you do) or be extravagant. You just have to be yourself.

Welcome, everyday magic maker. You’re doing the work that matters and I’m so glad you’re here.