The Power of Believing in the Unbelievable: Finding Magic in the Ordinary
Believing in magic helped me heal, love deeper, and find joy in everyday moments. From fantasy worlds to spontaneous backyard sunrises, I’ve learned that real-life magic is everywhere, you just have to notice it. Here's how I found it, and how 12 Questions for Love can help you too.
My deep and pure belief in magic has always been something essential in my life. It’s helped me survive, grow, and laugh through the messiest, weirdest, most beautiful parts of being human. I’m not talking about card tricks or pulling rabbits out of hats. I’m talking about real magic. The kind that shows up quietly, when you’re not looking, and suddenly takes your breath away. But I also believe in ACTUAL magic hehe.
For example, you can call me crazy if you want, but I fully, sincerely believe that when I die, my soul is going to Hogwarts. Yes. Hogwarts. I’m serious. I’ll have my robe, my wand, and I’ll finally be able to have pumpkin juice for breakfast without anyone judging me. As wild and ridiculous as that may sound, it’s one of the most comforting thoughts I carry with me.
As someone who has struggled with mental health issues for most of my adult life, I can say with confidence that my belief in the unbelievable has been one of the most important parts of my healing process. Without the stories and “imaginary” worlds I’ve adored, I honestly don’t know if I’d still be here. Harry Potter. Lord of the Rings. Studio Ghibli. Attack on Titan. Charmed. These aren’t just shows or movies or books. They’re lifelines. They’ve helped me build a relationship with hope when everything else felt hopeless.
They also taught me a lot. I learned about courage and kindness and sacrifice. Most importantly, about how love can save people. About how darkness never lasts forever. These stories helped me grow up. And at the center of every single one of them is the same thing. Magic.
We are all surrounded by magic every day. And most of us are just too busy, too tired, or too grown-up to notice.
Free Will Is the New Magic Trick
Recently I saw this trend going around where adults are suddenly realizing they have free will. They post something like “I’m an adult, I can eat cake for breakfast and nobody can stop me” and it’s followed by hundreds of people cheering them on in the comments like they just discovered a hidden superpower.
I relate to this trend deeply. Especially since I moved in with my then boyfriend, now husband, Ian. Something shifted when we moved in together. Suddenly we had this shared realization that no one was watching. No rules. No bedtime. No permission slips. And we leaned into it.
We stayed up all night and watched the sunrise from our backyard. We plated little meals from our garden like we were on a cooking show. We had cocktails in the middle of the week just to celebrate a good moment. We threw a two-person party in our garage with beer pong and silent disco headphones. We adopted two tiny guinea pigs. We danced in the kitchen. We made weird food just because we were curious.
It is chaotic. Beautiful, hilarious chaos. And it makes me feel alive. We remember that life is short and full of surprises and it’s okay to enjoy it just because we can.
Magic lives in that feeling. In the freedom. In the silliness. In the joy of doing something completely unnecessary and totally wonderful.
Magic Is in the Details
I feel magic when we tell the story of how we met and our voices still shake from the nerves we had that day. I feel it when we kiss in the middle of making dinner or when I smell bacon and coffee from the bedroom and know he’s up early making breakfast for us. I feel it in the way the golden hour makes his face look like it was carved by sunlight. I feel it in the adorable and addictive squeaks our guinea pigs make when they hear the fridge open.
Magic shows up in tiny moments that could easily slip by unnoticed. In the way he grabs my hand when we cross the street. In how we laugh too hard at the same movie lines. In the silence between us that feels soft and safe instead of awkward. In the way a book can make you cry with just one sentence.
None of this is flashy. But all of it is magic.
Real Life Still Happens
Believing in magic doesn’t mean everything is perfect. There are still hard days. There are still messy mornings, stress, therapy appointments, unanswered texts, awkward conversations, and big feelings. But believing in magic helps me stay open. It helps me keep looking. It helps me see beauty even when things feel off.
Sometimes, the most magical thing you can do is believe that something good might be waiting around the corner. Or that you’re allowed to enjoy something even if it doesn’t “make sense.” Or that your story is still unfolding and something wonderful could be coming next.
A Little Book of Everyday Magic
One of my favorite things about 12 Questions for Love is that it turns something as simple as a conversation into something unforgettable. It’s not just a book. It’s a doorway. It opens up space for connection, for vulnerability, for closeness. And that, to me, is magic. Real, breathing, emotional magic that happens right here in our very real world.
You don’t have to go to Hogwarts to believe in something bigger than yourself. You just have to start paying attention. Look for the flicker. The moment. The feeling.
Or if you’re not sure where to start, try asking a question. Or twelve ;)
Regina Zuniga
The Skin Deep Digital Content Specialist
