Finding Our Authentic Magic
Living authentically and celebrating our uniqueness.
I recently returned from a trip to Disneyland Paris with my son.
Disney has a magic unlike any place I’ve been before. The rides are exhilarating, the shows astounding and the character meets endearing. Yet, there was something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
Sitting in the sunshine waiting for the parade, my son summed it up perfectly. ‘Mummy, I love how everyone can be themselves here without caring what anyone thinks.’
Looking around me it all fell into place. It was the missing piece of the magic puzzle. Disney gives people the permission to reconnect with that child like part of them. To allow themselves to play, to discover and to express themselves.
It’s a bubble in which it’s safe to just be in the moment and absorb the enchantment. To strip away the stress and strain and the expectations of everyday life.
You can see the joy and wonder all around you, people of all ages, from all over the world, many different life stories and circumstances.
But one thing many of us have in common, is the desire to live authentically and connected to our true self.
Being brave enough to reveal ourselves as who we truly are from the heart, brings a sense of freedom and purpose.
It is a natural urge to own who we are. We are born as unique beings, fully expecting to be loved and adored just as we are.
It’s over time that the doubt starts to creep in, perhaps we’ve been moulded by the expectations of others or our society. Or we’ve picked up a few chinks in our armour.
It’s not always easy to live an authentic life. Sometimes it’s easier to camouflage our quirky character traits and foibles to protect ourselves or to fit in. It could be that’s what we need to do to survive and to find our way in this world.
But also, sometimes it feels good to let go and lean into joy. To find a safe bubble where we can connect with our inner magic — our true self. Maybe that’s a holiday, being with people that accept us for who we are. Or it could be pursuing a hobby or goal that feels good. It’s finding that connection with who we are at the core and being more of that.
Did you ever buy a stick of rock and notice when you break it apart it has writing that runs all the way through it. What would it say at your core?
If we can find a way to bring those bubbles into our every day lives — a little droplet at work, at home, then maybe Peter Pan would also describe that as ‘an awfully big adventure.’
In the few day we were there, Disney taught me to expect more from life. To embrace who I am wholeheartedly. To believe dreams are possible and to want to reach for them.
I hope you reach for yours too.
