By Mary Ann Faremouth, CPC
I was doing my weekly shopping at a local store I enjoy in Houston, Central Market, when a magazine on the rack seemed to beckon me to pick it up. As I opened the special edition of National Geographic titled “The History of Witchcraft,” one headline really got me thinking: “Any Way, Shape, or Form. Some Witches Can Change Shape at Will.” And I smiled thinking that, as a recruiter, I wish lately that I could wave a magic wand and change the happenings in the job market with the unprecedented talent shortages and challenges we are facing. And then I began thinking about the tradition of the holiday upon us, Halloween, that lets us become anything we want to be. What if we decided to carry that mindset beyond Halloween? What if we could make our own kind of magic without needing to become a sorcerer or wizard with a magic wand? Would it even be possible?
The answer is yes. As J.K. Rowling has said, “We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already. We have the power to imagine better.”
We all can imagine our lives to be better and, through that imagining, make our own kinds of magic. The lifestyle philosophy and brand The Simply Luxurious Life has defined magic similarly to luck: “the fruition of good news, wished-for dreams, goals pursued with dogged perseverance, and anything that to the onlooker, the outside world, who doesn’t know the behind-the-scenes tale, would describe as magical or unbelievably awesome.”
Even with the many changes and challenges present all around us, we can all create our own magic. But we must be determined to make it happen, rather than living passively and waiting for everything to just get better or fall into place. As Oprah Winfrey said, “I believe luck is preparation meeting opportunity.”
We must prepare to make the magic happen. Let’s go through a series of steps to ponder to bring our own version of magic into our daily lives:
1. Conduct a Re-evaluation.
Instead of fixating on what you cannot do at this time, flip your focus and ponder what abilities and gifts you possess that bring you joy. Reflect on the achievements, accomplishments and accolades that are unique to you and your special gifts and talents. What do you do with ease and grace? Are you a good organizer, a natural at public speaking, a super creative person who can take the ordinary and make it extraordinary? Are you a great problem solver? Capitalize on your unique skills and what you truly enjoy, and you might just manifest magic in your life.
2. Wave Your Magic Wand.
Imagine that you could wave a magic wand and be anything you wanted to be. What would that look like? I often ask this question of new clients in my consulting practice, and it’s interesting what information I can glean from their answers: their passions, interests, happy experiences and more. The question often helps me understand the types of positions that would resonate well with them. Asking yourself questions of this nature can lead you to awesome discoveries that could help you take an important step in the right direction.
3. Be Brave and Dive Into the Unknown.
We can learn so much about ourselves when we try new things. Have you ever taken a class you thought would be too difficult or stressful, only for you to enjoy the people you met and the ideas you learned that expanded your awareness? Sometimes, when we dive into the unknown and move outside our comfort zone, we open whole new worlds and get a new lease on life. I took a trip to my father’s homeland of Malta for the first time a couple of years ago, which inspired me to write a short story in a new genre that ended up winning a prize and getting published. It was a magical moment when I accomplished something I probably would not have tried without the foreign travel experience.
4. Give Yourself Time to Master the Process.
A teacher I greatly admired in grade school used to say, “Practice makes perfect.” This might sound simplistic, but there is much wisdom in the statement. Taking the time to practice your networking or interview skills can help you feel more confident when speaking with a company about an open position. Or perhaps you need to practice even just broadening your perspective on your talents, to understand that you are more capable than you realize. If you feel like you are going in circles trying to find the magic that is missing from your life, seek out the help of a mentor or coach who can help you take steps to find the wizard inside you.
5. Move Forward With Quiet Abandon.
We need to move forward, or hunt for, the magic we have within and then share our full potential with the world. Actively going after what we feel could enhance our lives, instead of focusing on the “lack,” can set us on a journey to more fulfillment and joy. The world welcomes those brave souls who have the magical attitude of, “Yes, I can make a valuable contribution to the bottom line” as opposed to, “I’m not sure I can handle that task” or, “I’m too afraid of failing to take that class in a totally new area.” Make sure you are enacting a positive attitude on your journey. It makes all the difference to companies as well as friends and family.
Mary Ann’s award-winning first book Revolutionary Recruiting has been listed by Book Authority as Number #1 Best 100 Recruiting Books; #1 Best Seller, Non-Fiction, Amazon (2019); Top 20 Recruiting books, Recruitics; Readers’ Choice finalist (2019), Houston Literary Awards; Best Non-Fiction (2018), Best Cover (2019), and Best Self-Help (2018), Authors Marketing Guild. This was followed by “Revolutionary Reinvention”, a workbook for job seekers giving advice on how to rediscover your skills and passions and reinvent your career. Her most recent book is “Revolutionary Results” , a collection of life lessons about relationships, integrity and contributing to the world.
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