I am an animist viewing the world through a magical lens. My world is an enchanted place where all of nature is alive and the world is cloaked in layers of mysteries. I talk to my house and the birds and the trees. When I go out walking, I focus on the moment so perception opens to immerse my senses in the sights, sounds, and feelings. To mindfully observe the rising sun, the breaking storm, the quiet dusk, becomes a moving moment that nourishes my soul and feeds a kinship with the natural world. When I pause to observe the beauty of a flower, a stone, stick, feather, or shell, taking in the intricate details, the beauty breaks over me as the moment swells, to sweep over my senses, flooding my emotions with awe and joy. My world is an enchanting place because I have taken time to observe it as such. I have taken in its magnificent beauty and opened my mind to its possibilities.

Our reality is a projection of our mindset. It is a construct of our perception, shaped by our thoughts and beliefs. If we look at nature as a living being and develop a relationship with her, the experience becomes transformative. It wakes our awareness so that we understand that we are not separate but are part of a great web of life.

Below are some simple exercises to re-enchant your life.

Learn to Be Present
As we go about our day, our thoughts naturally zip like a busy bee going from flower to flower. Often they fixate on our negative experiences, causing us to re-experience stressful events. We spend chunks of our lives with our minds on something else as we merely function until the day is done, many of its moments lost. By mastering your mind and learning to move your thoughts to the present you will gain the ability to wake to the moment and embrace a fuller, happier, more meaning-filled existence. When we experience life, awake and aware, magic happens.

And it is actually quite easy. You only need to practice.

Anchor your awareness to the present moment by focusing your attention on your senses. Move your thoughts to what you can see, to what you can smell, to what you hear. Flex your hands as you notice the feeling of touch under your palms and fingertips. Move your awareness to your skin. Is it being warmed by the sun or cooled by a breeze? When we move our focus to our senses we become grounded in the moment.

Set a Morning Intention
Intention is a powerful tool that allows your mind to return to a goal so that you can be present with it and work on it throughout the day. When you employ an intention you are taking control instead of passively allowing the day to sweep over you. Each time you return to your intention, it grants focus and clarity, making it easier to achieve what you wished to accomplish. By setting a morning intention you are crafting a mindset with which to view that day. Through intention it is possible to shape our feelings and cultivate gratitude, peace, happiness, and wonder because your mindset not only influences your thoughts but how you perceive reality.

Gratitude is a wonderful example. Holding gratitude is a simple way to shift your thoughts to all that is positive in your life. When you meditate on gratitude and hold gratitude in your heart you become aware of all of the wonderful things in your life and your troubles lose some of their power as your blessings seem to multiply.

As you start your morning, take a moment to ask yourself what you would like to manifest during the coming day. Then take a breath as you quiet your thoughts and draw your perception in. When you are anchored in the moment, craft a phrase that concisely states what you wish to work on. It could be something like, "I am open and aware of the magic at work around me this day." Or, "I open to the possibilities, a witness to the wonders and sacredness of the world I walk through." Or, "Today holds an enchantment that fills me with love and laughter."

Hold your intention in your thoughts whenever it comes to you. You can even write it down and read it out loud whenever it catches your eye. Smile and say your intention out loud. Smiling tells your face, body, and mind that you are happy. It is one of the mind/body interactions that shape our conscious experience of emotion. Smiling contributes to our happiness and our brains believe what they hear, so smiling while you state a theme for the day is a great way to incorporate intention and psychology.

Be Aware As You Wander
The Universe speaks to us through oracles, signs, and synchronicities. If you are present, and you pay attention to the things you encounter, you will begin to notice the messages it is sending to you. Pay attention to what is occurring around you. Take note when something draws your attention or when something catches your eye or ear. Don't worry about what it means, just notice. If you are able, jot the thing that you notice down and look for patterns. Write down the symbols that seem to be the most powerful, those that evoke the strongest feelings, and those that appear most frequently. Explore their meanings. Research the symbol. If you are still unsure, try meditating on what it might mean and ask questions. "What are you trying to show me? What is the message I am supposed to be receiving? What is the lesson I am supposed to be learning? What do I need to know?" And, most importantly, be open for the answer.

When you slow down and pay attention, life fills with wonder, as mundane experiences turn extraordinary. It is in these moments one is left wonderstruck with the understanding that there is more going on around them than what can be perceived with mere physical senses. Small things take on a whole new meaning when we step out into the world aware and awake. Life becomes magical.

Don't let the hurry and worry of life take the magic out of your existence. This is your life you are missing. Be present in the here and now. Stop multitasking. If you are eating, then push away that paper, book, or phone and take a conscious bite. Be present and enjoy the flavor and texture of your food. Go outside and experience the wonder. Put away your cell phone. Allow yourself to revel in the feel of the sun, the sound of the birds, the scent in the air. When we shift our awareness back to the immediate moment we are living, it makes a way for the magical moments to find their way to us so that we may rediscover a sense of wonder and life once again becomes enchanted.