• Don a flower crown. You can make it yourself or buy a ready-made version! No matter the day or season, a flower crown always makes me feel absolutely magical. If you have allergies or sensitivities, artificial flower crowns are just as magical!
• Highlight your mobility aid. I remember when I first got a wheelchair, I was really self-conscious about it. My best friend came over and painted it purple for me! Before the pandemic, she’d take me on walks in my chair, and I got loads of compliments on it. Instead of trying not to draw attention to yourself, celebrate the things that give you a higher quality of life. That wheelchair allowed me to get out into nature rather than staying stuck in my bed all the time. That was definitely worthy of celebration!
• Decorate your health aid. Put a pretty sticker over your feeding tube. Paint butterflies on your cast. Attach a little flower to your hearing aids, or hang strings of beads from your glasses. Fill your life with beauty—even the parts that might not feel beautiful at first.
• Remember that your flaws aren’t. Seek out role models who have the same or similar conditions as you and allow yourself to see them as magical, so that you can see that in yourself too. Highlight your vitiligo. Draw flowers around your moles. Look for shapes and constellations in your scars, like you would find in the clouds above. Notice how your body mimics beautiful patterns found in nature.
• Ask for help. If you don’t have the energy or ability to dress up as the faerie royalty you are, see if a friend will come help you!
• Embrace beautiful scents. A little floral perfume or essential oils nearby can instantly transport me to fairyland. You deserve the pleasure of smelling something lovely, whether you wear it for others to enjoy too or not.
• Know that nobody has to witness your magic for it to be real. I still sometimes put on sparkly makeup and a crown when I’m confined to my bed, even though nobody else will see me. It makes me feel magical, and that is reason enough.
• Remind yourself that you are worthy of feeling special. It can be hard to get past the blocks of insecurity that come from visible disabilities or health conditions, but you are just as magical and worthy as anyone else. Remind yourself of that from time to time. You deserve magic because you are magic.
