A Magical Salute To Some Special Ladies!

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The best is yet to come!

I wanted  to celebrate International Women’s Day with a heart felt thank you to the two very special ladies in my life – my wife and daughter.  Two women who have excelled in creating their own magic and in making the world a better place.

My wife Suzanne is very recently retired from a very remarkable carrier in Education.  She has been a Teacher, Special Education Consultant, Vice Principal, Principal, Special Consultant to the Ontario Ministry of Education, and for the last five years as Superintendent of Education in charge of Special Education and Twenty First Century Learning for the Halton Catholic District School Board.

Superintendent of Education, Special Education Services

She has spent her whole life in improving the education and quality of life for so many people she has touched.  And still she has found the time to remarkably, and unselfishly, impact the lives of myself, our daughter and our families.  Thank you so much.

The other special lady in my life is my daughter Jacqueline.  Just in the process of finishing her grade 12, she has excelled at becoming a Nationally competitive synchronized swimmer, a continued honour roll student, and a smart, funny and very gifted young lady.

That’s her in the bottom middle with her BOSSC team mates.

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She has gone from daddy’s little girl  – to an amazing magical assistant and gifted artist – to a beautiful and talented young woman who has touched the lives of so many others.

Both are currently away in Florida as a week long, intensive, final training camp is underway in preparation for the upcoming National Synchro competitions in Quebec.  However they are so much in my thoughts and heart right now.

My wish in celebrating this special day for women everywhere, is that you too are graced in having special ladies in your life that continue to make the world a better place.  A magical place.

Remember Real Magic is nothing more than coming up with simple, effective solutions to complicated problems, and then doing something about it! But Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus!

Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!

 

A Magical Salute To Some Special Ladies!

http://www.magicalmotivator.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Screen-shot-2013-09-30-at-20.07.34.png

The best is yet to come!

I wanted  to celebrate International Women’s Day with a heart felt thank you to the two very special ladies in my life – my wife and daughter.  Two women who have excelled in creating their own magic and in making the world a better place.

My wife Suzanne is very recently retired from a very remarkable carrier in Education.  She has been a Teacher, Special Education Consultant, Vice Principal, Principal, Special Consultant to the Ontario Ministry of Education, and for the last five years as Superintendent of Education in charge of Special Education and Twenty First Century Learning for the Halton Catholic District School Board.

Superintendent of Education, Special Education Services

She has spent her whole life in improving the education and quality of life for so many people she has touched.  And still she has found the time to remarkably, and unselfishly, impact the lives of myself, our daughter and our families.  Thank you so much.

The other special lady in my life is my daughter Jacqueline.  Just in the process of finishing her grade 12, she has excelled at becoming a Nationally competitive synchronized swimmer, a continued honour roll student, and a smart, funny and very gifted young lady.

That’s her in the bottom middle with her BOSSC team mates.

canvas

She has gone from daddy’s little girl  – to an amazing magical assistant and gifted artist – to a beautiful and talented young woman who has touched the lives of so many others.

Both are currently away in Florida as a week long, intensive, final training camp is underway in preparation for the upcoming National Synchro competitions in Quebec.  However they are so much in my thoughts and heart right now.

My wish in celebrating this special day for women everywhere, is that you too are graced in having special ladies in your life that continue to make the world a better place.  A magical place.

Remember Real Magic is nothing more than coming up with simple, effective solutions to complicated problems, and then doing something about it! But Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus!

Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!

PS:  To see some other remarkable women who have made the world a better place check out:  http://lifestyle.ca.msn.com/living/inner-you/10-women-who-changed-the-world-12

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEST ED’S!

Helping To Celebrate A 65 Year Old Magical Spirit!

On Sunday, July 21st, 2013, I had the great honour of performing a special magic show at Honest Ed’s 65th Birthday Party!  And what a Party it was.

David Mirvish (Ed’s son and now the Mirvish impresario) welcomed the crowd which included police chief Bill Blair, local politicians and dignitaries, and hundreds of customers; all of who were treated to free hot dogs, cake, live entertainment, theatre tickets (courtesy of the Mirvish theatre empire) and other giveaways, and bargains, bargains, and more bargains.

For those of you not it the know, Honest Ed’s is a landmark, “truly one-of-a-kind”, discount store located in midtown Toronto that sells everything from twine to wine in a most unusual way. It is named for its creator and proprietor, Ed Mirvish, who opened the store in 1948 and oversaw its operations until his death in 2007.

Prominently located on the corner of Bloor and Bathurst Streets Honest Ed’s runs the whole length of the block and looks more like an old time theatre than a store. The exterior is covered with huge red and yellow signs advertising the name of the store, lit up like a theatre marquee with over 23,000 light bulbs used.   But the “electricity” does not stop there.

The interior is over 160,000 square feet of thousands of bargain priced items ranging from house wares to clothes to grocery items, and a whole lot of fun!

You see amidst the regular merchandise are the store’s unique decor consisting of posters and photos from old films, stage productions (many from Mirvish’s theatre productions – Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Disney’s The Lion King, Mamma Mia, etc) as well as of actors and musicians who performed in them.

Plus the walls are crammed with autographed pictures of show business personalities such as Frank Sinatra, Liberace, Lauren Bacall, Jimmy Durante, Celine Dion and countless others (many personally dedicated to Ed Mirvish himself).

For lovers of unusual memorabilia and collectible antiques there are also many unique historical items, which once were part of Ed’s former World Famous Restaurant and Market Museum, that are for viewing and for sale.

And every piece of store signage, inside and out, is hand-painted with puns and slogans such as “How cheap can a guy get? Come in and find out.”, “Only the floors are crooked”, and “Welcome, don’t faint at our low prices, there’s no place to lie down!”

Bottom line – Honest Ed’s is an extremely magical store that is not only a unique selling environment, but a “one-of-a-kind”, live, entertainment experience.  And here lies the real magic!  This is the magic of Ed Mirvish.

The magic started in 1948 for Ed after years of smaller, unsuccessful, entrepreneurial ventures and then working his way up in the grocery business.  With the help of cashing in his wife’s $212 insurance policy, his unique business sense of what the customer really wanted, creativity and imagination, and his “never give up” attitude, Honest Ed’s was born.

Originally stocked with all kinds of odd merchandise purchased at bankruptcy and fire sales and displayed on orange crates, this unique no-credit, no-service, no-frills business was an immediate success. Honest Ed’s (billing itself as the world’s biggest discount department store) gradually expanded to fill an entire city block and it was soon bringing in millions of dollars a year!

The business kept expanding and the rest, as they say is history – an artist’s village, restaurants, theatres, and a magical legacy of giving the customer what they want AND always giving back to the community.

Now I could go on to write an entire book on Mr. Mirvish’s ideas, deeds and accomplishment, but no need to, as Ed has written a couple of great ones himself (http://honesteds.sites.toronto.com/index.html).

But what I would like to say is that Ed Mirvish, and Honest Ed’s is a great reminder that if you really pay attention to what the customer wants and needs, give it to them in a fun and honest way, and really strive to make your customer into a valued member of your family, you will succeed.

You will have changed someone’s life in a positive way and created a life long memory.   You will have made magic happen!

Happy Birthday Honest Ed’s!

PS:  Honest Ed’s Company Motto – “The nicest people in the world pass through our doors: our customers.”

PPS:   Honest Ed’s and the Mirvish Empire are not overnight sensations or the result of simply throwing money at something to make it happen.  It is careful planning, observation and constant action (and a whole lot of elbow grease).  Remember Ed only started with $212 and a dream.  What can you do?

THE MAGIC BOX

Keeping Our Passion Alive!

I am often asked why I do what I do.

To be honest the vocation of a “magician” in not typical, nor is it easy. And sometimes I wonder myself, why I do what I do. (Especially after all these 30 plus years doing this:)

I am sure you also, from time to time, wonder about the different elements that drive you in your life.

Are you making a difference? Will what you do be remembered?  Will what you do be passed down?

There is no “magic trick” employed here. But there is a magic word. The word is “passion”.

Passion is ultimately what drives us and what keeps us alive. But more than that, it can make us immortal as our legacy and memory are passed on.

But sometimes we need to be reminded of that.

That we are making a difference!

The following short film is an excellent reminder of the difference we can all make.

It is called “The Magic Box” and it is by R. Paul Wilson. It takes five minutes to watch, but it is time well spent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyfM7oLIlp0&feature=youtu.be

Enjoy.

CAMP ENTERPRISE MAGIC!

MAGICAL MEMORIES

The Secret Of Immortality In Life And In Business.

The other day we were moving some boxes and came across one of our daughter’s creative writing notebooks.  A particular story of hers (written when she was 9 year old) really grabbed my attention. It’s called·

My Dog Houdini by Jacqueline Rossini

“Houdini is 10 years old. He is always 1 or 2 years older than me. He is a Lhaso Apso. His birthday is June 14th. He was born in 1995. He is a guard dog. He hates the fire alarm. He is very protective. He was named after the world famous magician Harry Houdini. He loves to sing the alphabet song with us. He loves cheese, pizza crust, chicken, tissues, Chocolate’s (our rabbit) pellets and many other things. I love my dog. When he dies I want another dog just like him.”

I think we can all relate to a story like this. We all have special memories of loved ones, family, friends and special occasions.

And depending on the impact of the person, pet or event on our lives, the emotion can create a magical memory within. We can remember “things” and even re-experience “senses” in such detail, it is almost as if it were real again.

Yes I think we can all agree, a memory can be a very magical thing. So I have one question to ask.

How would you like others to remember you?

I like Stephen Covey’s analogy in his book “The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People”. Imagine that it is a funeral ” your funeral ” what would you like the Eulogy to remind others about you and your life? What kind of memories would you like others to have of what you did?

Have you given some thought to this, and if you have are you taking consistent actions to make this memory a reality?

If you are anything like me, and many others, life can become very, very busy with day-to-day events. As a result the really important things we would like to do, and the impressions that we would like to create, can take a backseat. And this does not just apply to our personal life.

It also applies to our work. What do we want our customers, clients or those we are to influence remember about us? What kind of memory do we want them to take away and are we succeeding in creating that memory?

If you are not as successful in establishing the type of memory you want to create, there is only one answer.

Awareness. Yes it’s that simple. And it’s that difficult.

To succeed in establishing your memory you have to be “aware” of what you want that memory to be, and then your have to be “aware” of taking actions to create that impression.

It’s like creating a magic trick. You have to first be aware of what you want the audience to see, and then you have to work backwards in putting the necessary effort, time and practice into turning the illusion into a reality.

Take a look at your life and what you want to be remembered for. Take a look at your career and your business; do others see it for what you would like it to be? If not why give some thought as to what you can do to make your memory into a reality. Ad then do it. Make your own real magic happen.

Real Magic is nothing more than coming up with simple, effective solutions to complicated problems, and then doing something about it! But Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!

PS: Why not take 5 minutes right now and give some thought to what you want your memory to be?

THE MAGIC CHRISTMAS GIFT!

Real Magic Can Happen When You Least Expect It!

It was a typical first Saturday of December in Toronto. The air was cold and brisk, and I was overworked, stressed out, cold, cranky, and very, very tired. It was all from the almost impossible schedule of performances and appearances that fate had dealt me. However, the event that was about to transpire in the next thirty minutes would miraculously change all that.

Yes, this magical event would turn a typical Saturday morning into an unforgettable, emotional memory that would quite probably last a lifetime.

Every year during the Christmas Season, once many of my regular presentations are booked, I look for ways to use my magic to help others less fortunate. It could be performing close up magic at a hospital, performing at a charity Christmas Party, or making Santa magically appear at a special event. The possibilities are endless.

And while every year I try to help as many worthy causes as possible, it is never as many as I would like it to be. Also due to the nature of my work, sometimes these plans need to be somewhat shifted at the last minute. Such was the unpleasant case this Saturday morning, or at least so I thought.

I had made arrangements to help the Rotary Club with their annual Christmas Party in support for some Easter Seal’s families. It was not an overly complicated production on my end, simply providing some close up walk about magic (something I still love to do on occasion) for an hour or so. However a change in a prior pre-scheduled event had suddenly changed my timing for their event. And as earnestly as I had tried to find a last minute replacement, it was just not possible.

My Rotarian friend who had gotten me involved told me it really was not a problem; many events had been scheduled. However I still felt bad.

Somehow, I thought to myself, if I hurried at the other function and traffic was on my side; I might at least be able to do twenty minutes or so of magic for the early bird arrivals. So I crossed my fingers, said a silent prayer and rushed.

That morning I must had been blessed. I made it just in time to both my own, and my Rotary friend’s, surprise. And as the guests arrived, with one of my eyes carefully fixed on my watch, I was able to perform for many who were starting to arrive. Together we had a great time of magic, fun and surprises. That was until I met him.

He was about ten or so years old and sitting quietly in his wheel chair, surrounded by his family and friends. He was looking around at all the goings on, in what seemed to be, an eager anticipation of how he might get involved. Together we were about to change all that.

I approached him smiling and starting into a magical routine; having a small red ball appear from his ear, vanish, and then come out of his sleeve. His eyes widened brightly and a great smile appeared on his face.

Yes the sleight of hand worked its magic as it got him involved in the fun. But this in no way prepared me for the magic that was about to follow.

Finally I asked him his name. His mother replied that he did not speak. However I can tell you that even without the use of words, his eyes, his smile and his spirit communicated so much more. So together we spent a few more minutes making magic happen.

When the time was right, I wished him a Merry Christmas and prepared to move on; but he suddenly motioned for me to move in closer. I accommodated him, thinking he wanted me to repeat my performance. However what he did was quite different.

My new friend reached out, threw his arms around me and hugged me tightly; giving me an incredible “thank you” that I could feel in my very soul. He hugged me so tightly and yet so tenderly it brought a tear to both his mother’s and my own eyes. It was an indescribable moment of “real magic”.

He eventually did let go and I again, misty eyed, wished him a most Merry Christmas. However the magic of his heart and soul has stayed with me even to this day.

And to think this magic may not have occurred unless somehow we had come together at that precise moment. Yes sometimes God and fate work in very mysterious ways.

This is the real magic of Christmas; the caring, the sharing, and the taking of time for others that truly matter.

My Christmas wish for you is that you too will get the opportunity to share this magical spirit with those you care about. And to be thankful of how blessed our lives are in comparison to many.

P. S. From my family to yours Merry Christmas!

VISIMOTION

The Real Magic Of Applied Vision And Emotion

Let’s be honest for a second – did you do it?

Did you let everyone know you did it or did you do it in private, when no one was looking?

When asked did you admit doing it or did you just brush it off?

Maybe you really didn’t do it. At least not this time. But I bet that you have at least done it once before. I know I have.

What is it?

It’s that little thing that pops up every New Year. It’s the New Years resolution. That little promise we make to ourselves to either start doing something we know we should be doing (more exercise, eating healthier, improving our marketing) or something we would like to give up (smoking, some extra pounds, too much TV). YAWN…

If you are anything like me, while the initial intention and dedication level might be good, the end result can be the same. Lets give it another shot for next year. However this need not be the case. Not if you use the magic of VISIMOTION!

VISIMOTION is a little word I created that simply stands for “the magic of applied vision and emotion”! And while simple in concept, VISIMOTION’s power can be truly magical and can quite literally change lives!

The problem with the typical New Year’s resolution is that we focus on a “to do” or a “not to do”, and as we all know with “to do lists”, they can get very tired very fast. Unless of course you can create a real vision of what you want to achieve AND support that vision with real emotion. And herein lies the magic.

The trick is to not focus on the action, but on the vision you want to create and the way it will make you feel. The vision then fuels our emotions and our emotions fuel our actions and results. And the more detailed and emotional you can make your vision, the more passionate (and empowered) you will become in transforming your vision into a reality. It’s the magic that transforms a task into a sacred magical quest!

This VISIMOTION is exactly the same technique a magician uses in creating an illusion for the stage. You start with a beautiful picture in your mind of what you want to achieve and what you want the audience to see in every detail – the action, lighting, sound, music, etc, and then work backwards. This vision then creates an emotional need that can only be satisfied once the vision becomes a reality. But there is one further trick here that our magician knows.

The secret is to make the vision as completely detailed as possible. The more detailed in what you see, hear and feel, the easier it is to work backwards and put into action the correct elements you need in the proper order. This can drastically reduce your learning curve and time spent. So how can you use this?

Use this technique to achieve your own magic in the upcoming year in your business and your life. Create a detailed vision of what you want to achieve and make it as emotional and real as possible. Then focus on what needs to be done and do it. And like our magician, make it fun, powerful and exciting! Enjoy the process.

Right now take a moment and start creating the visions of all that you want to achieve this year and get started making your own real magic happen!

Remember Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!!

PS: Anything you can imagine can be achieved. You can dream big or dream small. Dream BIG!!

THE OTHER HOUDINI?

The Magical Power Of Belief!

If you are, or have ever been a pet owner, you know there is a special almost magical bond that develops in this kind of relationship. Such is the case with our dog “Houdini”.

At first glance, our lovable puppy seemed to be just like any other dog; affectionate, playful and carefree. However, as time and experience quickly marched on, a most uncanny “psychic” ability started to develop.

We acquired our Lhasa Apso “Houdini” as our older dog approached 16 in human years. The concept was that a puppy would breathe new life into our aging old friend and make the inevitable life expectancy transition easier to handle. In reality, it did even more.

And contrary to popular belief, it was not I who gave Houdini his name, it was his breeder. It seems the lady had been calling him “Harry”, and when she found out my profession pleaded with us to name him “Houdini”. A name, which I might add, he’s lived up to many times.

In fact, the first night he stayed over at the Vet’s, he escaped from his cage three times!! However, all these escapades could not prepare us for the magic that was to follow.

You see “Houdini” has developed a magical, almost psychic ability to open doors. Now before you think me mad, please hear me out.

Houdini can open a door by concentrating on it. How does he do it? He believes it will happen!!

When Houdini wants to go outside, he does not bark, scratch or draw attention to it like most dogs. He actually does the opposite.

Houdini simply stands in the room and stares at the door. Regardless if there is anyone around or not, he just stands there silently transfixed, staring trance like at the door.

If you come in and ask him “want to go outside (?)”; there is no response. Houdini just stands there and concentrates even harder on the door. He does this to the point where someone (regardless of where you are in the house) will actually feel strangely compelled to go to the door, open it and let him out!! And time is not a factor.

He will stand there for as long as it takes. It is almost as if Houdini is mentally visualizing the door opening, his going through it, and then mentally projecting his image out into the world.

I can see my old Psychology Professors shaking their heads over this one, and yes, I do know better. Animals such as Houdini do not have “psychic powers” or “mental reasoning abilities” or even “a mind as we know it.”

However, as someone who has studied animal conditioning, behavioral sciences and personally worked with dozens of animals from doves to Bengal tigers I can tell you this; it looks like something magical is happening here.

Houdini may not be aware of it but he is actively demonstrating some of the key behaviors that anyone who has achieved “what at first seems impossible” knows. This knowledge is the real secret to creating “Real Magic”!

1) Know what it is you want to have happen. Be very clear about your end result and actually visualize it happening.

2) Believe that it will happen. There are no if, ands or buts; this will become a reality.

3) Be committed to making it happen, no matter what. Get prepared to do whatever it takes and for as long as it will take. Remember there are no unrealistic goals, just unrealistic time lines.

4) Do it, make it happen. Elicit whatever skills and help you need to turn your goals into a reality.

Yes, I know there are those who will say that Houdini’s story is dribble; that this whole door thing is just coincidence, fantasy or a dog gone, self fulfilling prophecy. To others its just fun to imagine and think about.

All I know is that there is magic in believing no matter who you are, and we are not reminded enough about this!

Please keep in mind that almost everything we take for granted today, was at one time impossible. Also, remember to look for the magic in the simplest things; it’s just waiting to be discovered. Dare to dream, smile and make magic happen! Create your own magic!

Remember Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!!

PS: I have to go now. Houdini is staring at the door.

THE TWO WOLVES

A Magical Story Of Wisdom And How To Apply It To Your Life.

There is a marvelous Shaman tale that has been passed down from generation to generation that truly speaks of the potential magic inside ourselves. It goes something like this.

An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.

One wolf is evil—he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self- pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego.

The other is good — he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

This same fight is going on inside you my children, and inside every other person, too.”

They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

I first heard this tale when I was in University and its impact has stayed with me ever since. How simple, true and powerful a lesson this is; we become what we focus on.

If we constantly focus on what is good and on our positive qualities, we will eventually take on and pass on those traits. If we let those elements that are negative and destructive take hold, well we all know what will follow.

However as simple and true an insight this is, it can be difficult to constantly feed the right wolf all the time. Yes unfortunately life does have a way of forcing us into situations that can negatively impact us and cause us to feed that negativity. We can see this happen in our life, our work and our relationships.

The real magic secret here is to “never stop believing and never stop trying”! When we encounter a set back or a negative situation, we need to simply take a step back, take a deep breath, and remember which wolf we need to feed.

An approach I use is called “pattern interrupt”, and I practice it all the time. I wear on my wrist a number of elastic bands. Whenever I encounter a negative situation I pull the elastic band and let it snap back onto my wrist. At the same time I think only the positive answer to the situation.

For example in your work if the thought or feeling comes up that something “cannot be done”, when you snap your wrist make the thought inside your mind “nothing is impossible – there is an answer”. You can use this approach in every situation in life and in business; it simply is a matter of following through and coming up with the right positive response.

Technically what is happening is the snapping is shocking your system to take the focus off of the negative, and the implant of the positive thought affects your conscious mind (current mental state) and subconscious mind (which over time will affect how you feel and look at things). I personally have used this approach to break habits, solve problems and constantly empower my mental state. Try it, it really does work.

Right now put a couple of elastics on your wrist. Now for the next ten days whenever a negative situation occurs or negative thought pops into your mind snap the elastic band on your wrist and think the mantra “I am a good person – I am deserving – nothing is impossible – there is an answer”.

Or come up with something else that might be more applicable to you. But the point is try it. After all what do you have to lose? You may be surprised with the magic that it can create.

Remember Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!!

PS: Now remember you only have to do this for ten days, no longer. After all you wouldn’t want to work this kind of magic any longer, would you:)!