See Magic In Everyday Utah Surroundings Today

How to Notice the Magic Hiding Right in Front of You

I’m currently on vacation and on assignment from my co‑host Dave, who told me — with the seriousness of a man handing over a sacred quest — to “see something impressive.” And let me tell you, nothing makes you realize how much you don’t notice until someone tells you to go notice something.

So, here’s what I’ve learned. Some tips on how to see "impressive things". Consider this your friendly nudge from a fellow red‑rock wanderer.

1. Keep your eyes open — literally

We’re used to big, dramatic beauty. Zion-level beauty. “I can’t believe this is real” beauty. But sometimes the impressive thing is small like a cloud shaped like a Donut maple bar or a screen door that is closed that you try to walk through. It seems simple but the first tip is to open your eyes. Its also much less painful.

2. Look for the thing that makes the ordinary extraordinary

Every place has a secret trick if you look at it sideways. A cracked sidewalk becomes a tiny canyon. A quiet neighborhood becomes a symphony of dogs who all apparently know each other. A grocery store parking lot becomes a wildlife documentary when a rogue shopping cart catches the wind.

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Ask yourself: What’s the little spark here? What’s the thing I’d miss if I wasn’t paying attention?

3. Pretend you’re a tourist in your own life

I notice as a traveler in a strange land that I notice everything. I take pictures of trees and rocks we step over. I marvel at things I haven’t thought about since 2003.
Try it. Walk around like you’ve never seen a Smith’s before. You’ll be shocked how many delightful oddities you’ve been ignoring, like that rogue shopping cart.

4. Use the “Dave Test”

Ask yourself: If Dave were here, what would he point out?
Would he say, “Look at that sky, talk about blue”?
Would he say, “That’s the most aggressively friendly squirrel I’ve ever seen”?

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Would he say, “John, that’s not a trail, that’s a drainage ditch”?
Let Dave be your internal narrator.

5. And finally… embrace the funny stuff

Some of the most impressive things are also funny. On the show we try to look at situation from different characters perspective. We just saw a hawk carrying a snake across a marsh, if we were talking about this on the show, we would probably start wondering how the snake felt about dangling so high above the ground. What would he think? "I finally learned to fly", "Oh no, this is what uncle Larry warned me about"? The more I let myself wander through dumb scenarios the funnier life becomes. If it makes you laugh, it counts as impressive.

The truth is this: magic doesn’t always announce itself.

So, whether you’re in Southern Utah, Northern Utah, or temporarily wandering around Northern California trying to fulfill a co‑host’s assignment, keep your eyes open. The world is showing off more than you think.

And Dave — if you’re reading this — mission accomplished.