Reinventing Yourself

“Distance and difference are the secret tonic of creativity.
When we get home, home is still the same. But something in our mind has been changed, and that changes everything.”

— Jonah Lehrer

Greetings friends,

I have been talking to friends and students about the major changes, and life choices they made in their life. I’ m talking positive change.

Have you ever wanted to reinvent yourself? Perhaps you’ve thought about going away to an exotic land? Or just starting life all over as a new person? From the stories I’ve gathered from successful people, they had some commonalities.

Things you must experience for yourself.

  1. You will be taking a journey to a far off place. A place with potential for ” new beginnings.”
  2. You will feel odd and out of your comfort zone much of the time.
  3. You will encounter people and teachers that will change your way of experiencing life.
  4. You will return with a renewed sense of purpose. All your friends and family will be better off for it!

The art of re-inventing yourself

I have had the opportunity for radical reinvention a few times in my life — and I look forward to more!

The first time I had this experience, I was going to Japan to perform and study. I was 16 years old and was hired as an opening act for the Fania All Stars; a Latin Salsa super group. I had the extraordinary opportunity to perform magic and to explore the exotic mysteries of the East. I fell in love with Asian culture. I encountered mask theater, Kabuki, and Japanese classical magic. I was forever transformed by this encounter. Everything about me was changed, including my fashion sense, aesthetic, and my approach to magic theater.

Masks

“So fake it till you make it.
Make it till you master it.
Act if it is so and watch it all come true!”
— Billy Bardo

Dream bigger dreams – Fake it till you make it!

I dreamed of being a famous, world-touring magician. In my early 20’s, I left New York City, and went to Montreal for a few years. No one knew the “old me,” so I could just pretend to be a “young famous magician.” It worked! I even fooled myself into believing it! When I came back to NYC I was a new person.

  • I had taken risks and survived to tell the tales!
  • I had new experiences to draw from.
  • I had new wild and wonderful stories to tell and blend into my new shows.
  • People I met actually believed in the “new me!” I did it — and you can too!

Now I get to help others all over the world master the art of creating their own future. Many of my students cross over from the “normal world” into the magical world… and it is my pleasure to help them dream bigger dreams! Yes you can live your dream life. And please know that there are folks like us here to encourage you and help you along your way!

If you have plans to reinvent yourself… Please consider me your own personal “dream coach!” http://www.magicalwisdom.com/about/consulting

5 Steps to Reinvent Yourself

Melissa Kirk is an inspired writer. She says that change means reinvention. Each time a major shift happens in our lives — leaving a job or a relationship, moving, losing a loved one — we have to take control of who we will become or we risk never reaching our full potential. Melissa says that these are 5 steps she has identified to reinvent yourself:

1. Create a vision for your future.
Sit quietly, close your eyes, and imagine the people, places, or situations that you need to leave behind.  Now imagine the future that you want, whether it’s simply a feeling, a group of people, or a situation such as a wonderful new job. Imagine how it will feel to be in that new place. Picture the sun coming up behind your future, the warm glow of the light on your face. Stand for a moment and silently voice your appreciation of everything that came before. Once you’ve thanked the past, turn toward the sun, and with compassion and gratitude, imagine yourself walking away from the past and into the future.

2. Write about your reinvention.
Imagine a scene from it or write about how you’d like it to play out. Where are you living? What do you do in the mornings, afternoon, evenings? Who are your friends? What do you spend your days doing?

Continue writing for as long as this exercise feels invigorating and exciting. Write scenes, dialogues, lists, plans. Make the future come alive. Write about how it will feel to be there. Keep your writing somewhere where you will look at it occasionally. Feel free to add to it.

3. Surround yourself with visual reminders of the life you’d like to create.
If it’s a new job in a particular field, put objects or images from that field someplace where you’ll see them every day. If it’s a home, find a picture of a house that you love and put it near your front door. It can be anything that reminds you of what you’re moving toward.

4. Now that you have a vision of your future, break it up into workable tasks.
What do you need to do — every day — to create that vision? Look for work? Meet new people? Search for a place to live in your chosen town? Make it specific. Make a list of everything you need to do and a schedule for when you’ll do it. Then do it and commit to keep doing it, one day at a time.

5. Every day, go back to that vision of you walking towards your future.
Every morning or evening, close your eyes, and see yourself walking into the rising sun, toward your dreams, and reconnect with why you’re moving toward this new possibility.

Reinvention is neither easy nor always smooth. Often we encounter resistance. We don’t want to let go, even of things that cause us pain or that are obviously already out of our grasp. We often struggle with limiting beliefs or stories about ourselves that hold us back from trying new things.

Each time you find yourself slipping into old habits — isolating yourself, making excuses not to look for work, procrastinating on a task that might help you advance in your career — don’t bother wondering why you’re doing it or beating yourself up.

Just ask yourself this: “What can I do in this moment to keep moving forward?”

Then, no matter what you feel in the moment — lonely, self-critical, tired, lazy, or disappointed — do something to maintain momentum, even if it’s one small thing. There’s an old adage that says that true courage isn’t about not feeling fear; it’s about feeling fear and acting anyway.

Choose courage instead of letting your fear choose your future for you.

For more writing from Melissa Kirk http://www.joyattheheart.com/.

For More ways to reinvent yourself: http://techcrunch.com/2013/10/19/the-ultimate-cheat-sheet-for-reinventing-yourself/

“The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life.”
— Jessica Hirsche

News & Views

I still travel half the year. I love touring and I love coming home to Las Vegas. Abbi is the greatest wife, and she keeps the Mystery School and our home running in top form! April brings a few great adventures.

The McBride Magic Experience on Tour

Denver, Colorado April 4th & 5th
Mercury Theater: 7 pm show Friday April 4th. http://mercurycafe.com
All new magic lecture and Supersession workshop, Info: Chad Wonder: chad@idomagic.com

Luma

McBride’s pick of the month – Art of Darkness

Marlin from the volcano island of Hawaii will enlighten audiences with his stage production of LUMA: Art in Darkness during a ten-city tour at performing art centers across the country beginning March 28th. Ticket information and more can be found at www.lumatheater.com or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUJC18-Jyu4 to see a three minute video.

Rudy CobyFun fact:
Did you know that Rudy Coby and I were born in the same room?

Yes it is true! Both of us were born in Goshen, NY in the same tiny hospital room. We had different moms, but both of us daydreamed about magic enough to change our lives… This month we celebrate Rudy’s birthday in a BIG way! With a very special show.

Rudy and I will be at Science & Magic Week at The Magic Castle. Rudy Coby and I will be at The Magic Castle along with Marco Tempest, Chris Korn, Rafael, Kevin James, and Timo Mark.

April 21-27 2014

Rudy Coby also comes to Las Vegas at Jeff McBride’s WONDERGROUND on Thursday March 20th.

You are invited to the biggest Magic Party in Las Vegas

This month’s Wonderground will feature the premiere Las Vegas appearance of Elliott Hitchcock’s Top Secrets Magic Experience. There is only one in the world and we are proud to present it live at Wonderground.

Top Secrets Magic Experience

Wonderground, March 2014

Early Stage 8pm
Hosts Jeff McBride Tim Wise
Halls of Magic – Seen on AGT! Madcap Magic & Mayhem
Alien Warrior Comic- Out of this world comedy
Jon D’Ark- Classic Gypsy music with an edge
Cecile & Mighty- Outrageous feats of skill and daring

Diamond Parlor Magic Room 9pm
M.C. Christian Diamond
Elliot Hitchcock’s “Smoke & Mirrors Theater”
Featuring the magic of “V”

Late Stage 10pm
M.C. Jeff McBride
RUDY COBY! A living Legend of Comedy Magic
Bizzaro – For him “normal” is just a setting on the dryer
Les Contortionettes – Unique in the world, elegant, &  mysterious
Arian Black -  Scintillatingly Sensuous Sorcery

The World’s First Online Magic School offers you Magical Wisdom 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

When I am home, I am working on our new & Mystery & Mystery School
www.mcbridemagic.tv Please stop by and say hello. Our classroom is open around the clock!

We have special new programming every week! Here is a frequently asked question…

Q: How can you travel lighter and get more impact on stage?
A: “The Commando Show & travel tips”

http://virtual.magicalwisdom.com/lessons/view/56

See you on the road, at a class or online!

Jeff

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