---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a kind of magical thinking about…"
description: "\"There's a kind of magical thinking about these kinds of things. Throw away those bad photos before the \"magic\" attaches to them, so the good ones stand..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/gretchen-rubin-867_kind_there-s-a-kind-of-magical-thinking-about_2908269.png"
---

#  There's a kind of magical thinking about these kinds of…

![“There's a kind of magical thinking about these kinds of things. Throw away those bad photos before the &quot;magic&quot; attaches to them, so the good ones stand out.” quote by Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/gretchen-rubin-867_kind_there-s-a-kind-of-magical-thinking-about_2908269.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/gretchen-rubin-867_kind_there-s-a-kind-of-magical-thinking-about_2908269.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/gretchen-rubin-867_kind_there-s-a-kind-of-magical-thinking-about_2908269.png)

> “There's a kind of magical thinking about these kinds of things. Throw away those bad photos before the "magic" attaches to them, so the good ones stand out.”

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Discarding negative images helps positive ones become more prominent, reinforcing a hopeful mindset.

**In simple terms:** Remove bad photos to highlight good ones.

Key Takeaway

Eliminate negativity to boost positivity.

Themes

self‑care positivity mental health

Mood

reflective optimistic

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- personal organization
- social media
- home décor
- creative projects

Key Concepts

cognitive bias visual focus

Questions to Reflect On

- What emotions do you associate with the photos you keep?
- How could you address the root cause of negative memories?

A Different Perspective

May overlook underlying issues by focusing only on visuals.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Magical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magical/) [Magical thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magical-thinking/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Standing out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing-out/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [I think I'll try to keep working in film for a little bit. There's something still kind of magical about it, that I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-think-i-ll-try-to-keep-working-in-film-for-a-little-bit-there-s/)

[Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/)

> [“The world is entirely magical, the only illusion is that it isn't...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-andal/the-world-is-entirely-magical-the-only-illusion-is-that-it-isn-t/)

Lydia Andal

> [Just think for how long humanity was controlled by mystical, magical thinking - the diseases and suffering that led to. We managed to survive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/just-think-for-how-long-humanity-was-controlled-by-mystical-magical/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [“In my book (and this is my book!) magical thinking is the alchemy that you can use to visualize and project yourself into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/in-my-book-and-this-is-my-book-magical-thinking-is-the-alchemy-that/)

[Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/)

> [“Perhaps it is a child's magical thinking. But you cannot know a place until you know the stories it tells about itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-wallace/perhaps-it-is-a-child-s-magical-thinking-but-you-cannot-know-a-place/)

Sean Wallace

> [As a person, I do ascribe to a lot of magical thinking myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/as-a-person-i-do-ascribe-to-a-lot-of-magical-thinking-myself/)

[Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/)

> [Everyone has this notion of the Middle Ages - certainly the early Middle Ages - as being this very superstitious era. I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-griffith/everyone-has-this-notion-of-the-middle-ages-certainly-the-early/)

[Nicola Griffith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-griffith/)

> [We can no more tolerate neutrality and benevolence toward every conceivable form of discourse, including that of magical thinking, than we can lump together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-onfray/we-can-no-more-tolerate-neutrality-and-benevolence-toward-every/)

[Michel Onfray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-onfray/)

> [In Hollywood, primitive magical thinking exists side by side with the most advanced technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hortense-powdermaker/in-hollywood-primitive-magical-thinking-exists-side-by-side-with-the/)

[Hortense Powdermaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hortense-powdermaker/)

> [“A real story requires a kind of magical baptism to link the world on this side with the world on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/a-real-story-requires-a-kind-of-magical-baptism-to-link-the-world-on/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [There's just something that is kind of magical that happens when we sing live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-callaway/there-s-just-something-that-is-kind-of-magical-that-happens-when-we/)

Liz Callaway

> [Makeup can be pure fantasy--it can transform you into any kind of magical creature, whether that's a superhero or a retro Hollywood icon or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-alba/makeup-can-be-pure-fantasy-it-can-transform-you-into-any-kind-of/)

[Jessica Alba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-alba/)

> [Everyone has a kind of magical system that they employ in the hopes that this will open up the channels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/everyone-has-a-kind-of-magical-system-that-they-employ-in-the-hopes/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [My kids are fanatical about 'Scooby-Doo,' and I think that the creators of 'Scooby-Doo' somehow tripped across some kind of magical hypnotic formula that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/my-kids-are-fanatical-about-scooby-doo-and-i-think-that-the-creators/)

[Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/)

> [When you're an actor and you can set your arm on fire, you feel kind of magical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-englund/when-you-re-an-actor-and-you-can-set-your-arm-on-fire-you-feel-kind/)

[Robert Englund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-englund/)

## More by Gretchen Rubin

> [“Second Splendid Truth One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/second-splendid-truth-one-of-the-best-ways-to-make-yourself-happy-is/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [Knowing what you admire in others is a wonderful mirror into your deepest, as yet unborn, self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/knowing-what-you-admire-in-others-is-a-wonderful-mirror-into-your/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [Being taken for granted is an unpleasant but sincere form of praise. Ironically, the more reliable you are and the less you complain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/being-taken-for-granted-is-an-unpleasant-but-sincere-form-of-praise/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [“one Secret of Adulthood is “Never start a sentence with the words ‘No offense’”? “And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-secret-of-adulthood-is-never-start-a-sentence-with-the-words-no/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-of-the-findings-that-really-interests-me-is-that-although-we/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [We all want to get along well with other people, and one way to do this is to help people feel good about themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/we-all-want-to-get-along-well-with-other-people-and-one-way-to-do/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [During my study of happiness, I noticed something that surprised me: I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/during-my-study-of-happiness-i-noticed-something-that-surprised-me-i/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [There is a preppy wabi-sabi to soft, faded khakis and cotton shirts, but it's not nice to be surrounded by things that are worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-is-a-preppy-wabi-sabi-to-soft-faded-khakis-and-cotton-shirts/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [“There are times in the lives of most of us,” observed William Edward Hartpole Lecky, “when we would have given all the world to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-are-times-in-the-lives-of-most-of-us-observed-william-edward/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [“I started thinking more about music. I thought I'd accepted the fact that, as part of "Being Gretchen," I didn't really like music, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-started-thinking-more-about-music-i-thought-i-d-accepted-the-fact/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-ve-had-something-for-more-than-six-months-and-it-s-still-not/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [“The pleasure of doing the same thing, in the same way, every day, shouldn't be overlooked. The things I do every day take on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-pleasure-of-doing-the-same-thing-in-the-same-way-every-day/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [Although we often assume that feelings inspire actions, in fact, actions also inspire feelings. By pushing myself to act happier, I make myself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/although-we-often-assume-that-feelings-inspire-actions-in-fact/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [I love finding - or inventing - ways to categorize people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-love-finding-or-inventing-ways-to-categorize-people/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [“After someone's death, how strange to see the value drain away from his or her possessions; useful objects such as clothes, or dish towels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/after-someone-s-death-how-strange-to-see-the-value-drain-away-from/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

[Explore all 346 Gretchen Rubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

## More Kind quotes

> [Money is the kind of instrument which is very speedily produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/money-is-the-kind-of-instrument-which-is-very-speedily-produced/)

[Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/)

> [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/)

[A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/)

> [One of the reasons that I do a lot of different kinds of pictures is because I learn a lot when I'm doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jason-leigh/one-of-the-reasons-that-i-do-a-lot-of-different-kinds-of-pictures-is/)

[Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-jason-leigh/)

> [I remember that the bass was turned up slightly more on the mix from last week, and I thought that was good - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/i-remember-that-the-bass-was-turned-up-slightly-more-on-the-mix-from/)

[Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/)

> [I always step on the plane with my right foot and touch the outside of the plane with my left hand. Sometimes you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-davis/i-always-step-on-the-plane-with-my-right-foot-and-touch-the-outside/)

[Hope Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-davis/)

> [Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a Townes Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/every-time-i-finish-a-song-most-of-the-time-it-s-in-my-own-head-like/)

[Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/)

> [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/)

[Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/)

> [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/)

[Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/)

> [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/)

[Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/)

> [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

> [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/)

[Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/)

> [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [You're getting into some kind of shape, cop." Aw, come on, now." Butch grinned. "Don't let that shower we took go to your head."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/you-re-getting-into-some-kind-of-shape-cop-aw-come-on-now-butch/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [You don't want to fix things that aren't broken, so that kind of stops you from make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/you-don-t-want-to-fix-things-that-aren-t-broken-so-that-kind-of-stops/)

[Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/)

> [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/)

[Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/)

Browse all 40,753 Kind quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "There's a kind of magical thinking about these kinds of things. Throw away those bad photos before the \"magic\" attaches to them, so the good ones stand out.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Gretchen Rubin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-s-a-kind-of-magical-thinking-about-these-kinds-of-things-throw/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Kind"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-s-a-kind-of-magical-thinking-about-these-kinds-of-things-throw/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/gretchen-rubin-867_kind_there-s-a-kind-of-magical-thinking-about_2908269.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/gretchen-rubin-867_kind_there-s-a-kind-of-magical-thinking-about_2908269.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/gretchen-rubin-867_kind_there-s-a-kind-of-magical-thinking-about_2908269.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There's a kind of magical thinking about these kinds of things. Throw away those bad photos before the…” — Gretchen Rubin",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Gretchen Rubin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "There's a kind of magical thinking...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-s-a-kind-of-magical-thinking-about-these-kinds-of-things-throw/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-s-a-kind-of-magical-thinking-about-these-kinds-of-things-throw/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
