Keeping the Magic Alive - A December Note on Resilience
The photo is self explanatory - three Disneyland headbands, worn by three girls, about 14 or 15, standing shoulder to shoulder. You can almost hear the laughter. It’s not a posed photo - it’s a moment. One that reminds me that magic is real. And worth holding onto.
December tends to tug at our hearts like that.
It’s a season of reflection and a dash of sparkle. We think about what the year brought us - the highs, the setbacks, the surprises. For small business owners, this is also the season when fatigue can hit the hardest. After months of showing up, adapting, creating, shipping, serving, trying... you might be running low on that magical feeling that got you started in the first place.
But here's a quiet truth: the magic hasn’t gone anywhere. You just might need to look at it a little differently.
Disney Knows Something We Forget
Think about Disney for a moment. Decades of crowds, lines, rain, heat, staffing challenges, evolving expectations... and somehow, they keep the magic alive. Not just for the guests, but inside the organization.
Why? Because they protect it. They embed it into the smallest details. A cast member picking up trash with a smile. A surprise character waving from a balcony. A headband placed just right on a teenager's head, creating a moment that will become a core memory.
It’s not about perfection. It’s about intention.
You, Too, Built Something Magical
If you're reading this, chances are you’re running a small business fueled by passion, values, and a desire to do good work. You probably didn’t build it for the spreadsheets or the supply chain juggling (though you’ve gotten good at both). You built it for connection. For craft. For the kind of satisfaction that doesn’t come with a clock-out time.
But the sparkle dims, especially after a long year.
The mountain you’re climbing might still feel steep. The rapids up ahead might still feel loud. But the magic you started with? It’s still with you. It just might need a little tending.
So, How Do You Keep the Magic Alive?
Here’s what I tell myself, and maybe it will help you too:
Remember who you were when you started. The dreamer. The builder. The one who believed this was possible. That person is still here.
Let yourself enjoy moments. Even during busy season. Especially during busy season. A great customer review. A silly team moment. A shared win. Celebrate it.
Bring others into the magic. Let your team contribute their ideas. Let your customers see behind the scenes. Magic grows when it’s shared.
Create space to breathe. A quiet walk. A slow coffee. Even just an hour unplugged. Refilling your own cup doesn’t take away from your business, it protects it.
Ritualize the reset. December is perfect for this. Light a candle. Write a note to your future self. Set one hopeful intention for the new year.
Magic and Resilience Go Hand in Hand
Magic isn’t just sparkles and headbands. Sometimes it’s a stubborn kind of hope. A soft but steady belief that even in hard times, your work matters. That you matter. That you can do this again tomorrow.
And that belief? It’s the root of resilience.
So whether you’re wrapping up a whirlwind year, or standing at the edge of a new beginning, I hope you pause to remember the magic you bring into the world. Not because you have to. But because it’s already part of you.
Here's to a New Year...
...with new mountains to climb, new moments to savor, and new kinds of magic waiting to be discovered.
Keep going, Sarah. You’re doing more than you know.