On Friday, May 24, my wife Kellie and I went to see Chamber Magic at the Waldorf Towers in New York City. If you like magic, (which you do because you are on my list) you should definitely go and see the show: http://www.chambermagic.com. As we were walking in, we overheard the dialogue between two friends behind us, Tim and John. Tim was asking John how Steve Cohen (the magician) had a market for the show and if it was any good. John said, “Well, Steve has appeared on Letterman and has been featured on TV several times. Try to figure out how he does his tricks.” We sat in the second row right behind Tim. He was skeptical before Steve even walked on stage. Toward the end, he even started playing with his cell phone. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the magic performance, I was annoyed by Tim’s behavior. Why even bother to show up?

My favorite saying in magic originates from Joseph Dunninger, one of the most famous and proficient mentalists of all time. It goes: “For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, none will suffice.” There are some magic spectators who are never satisfied. People’s attitude toward magic is often very similar to their attitude toward life.

The simple trick to seeing magic in your life is to suspend your disbelief and make a conscious choice to focus on your life’s positive aspects. This may be difficult at times, but it is always possible. A positive attitude starts with your thoughts and ends with your words and your actions. You have undoubtedly heard this before and it seems very simple, but you will be surprised how easy it is to forget it. Something you can do very easily is to use positive language. For example, instead of saying, “Don’t forget to call your mother,” say, “Remember to call your mother.” Instead of saying, “Don’t run,” simply say, “Walk.”

An open mind and a willful suspension of disbelief do not only enable you to see magic during a magic show – they enable you to see the magic in your life.

As always, please respond. It’s always great to hear from you.

Talk to you soon!

Nana