Sugar Babies, breaking rules, and creating magic. Not the abracadabra kind of magic, but a magic full of unique surprises and something different in everyday life. This is what Christina Tosi spoke about in her TED talk last December. Her vision rang true to so many of us sitting there listening and I’m excited to share her with you today. 

I talk to people, friends, family, and clients about returning to the things that brought you joy as a child. The things that caused the corners of your mouth to turn up and your cheeks began to hurt because you were enjoying the experience so completely. 

Did you love to color? Maybe the world and possibilities of make-believe made your heart soar. Perhaps cuddling with your favorite stuffed animals or building fantastical contraptions with blocks, bits, and bobs was pure freedom and magic to you.

I love this quote from Christina’s talk: “As a kid, breaking rules only got us in trouble. Right? But as adults? It’s a different story. Breaking the rules, pushing boundaries, challenging the norm. Asking, ‘Why?’ ‘Why not?!’ It does something to us. It shakes us from sleepwalking and it makes space for magic to sneak in.”

Why, as adults, do we see less of this magic? The wonder of how things work and the enchantment of the world around us seems more lost as we “grow up.” It seems this loss of magic is just an unfortunate byproduct of “adulting.” Who says it’s supposed to be that way?

I listened to her joy in sharing her kind of magic and was absolutely inspired to dream of a multitude of other ways to create magic. I believe it’s in life’s moments. The small and large. The special moment, relishing the letdown at the end of a day, the surprise that creates a twinkle or a tear. Watching your kids sleeping peacefully as an exuberant day draws to a close, a picturesque drive, a sunny day on the patio.

What new ways can we find and create magic in our lives? How can we reclaim wonder and joy? 

For Christina, “Breaking the…rules became my daily ritual.” I hope we can all embrace her thinking and break the rules by seeking out the moments of magic that exist every single day.