Hello, hello friends. Welcome to another episode of Tarot Reflections, your weekly tarot pulls for self-reflection and introspection. How are you doing this week?
Before I dive into today's episode, I have two little announcements to make. First, if you're in the Chilliwack, BC area you need to join us for the Passion Potluck! The Passion Potluck fosters community connection and celebrates the joy of passion. We're gather together on August 11 to share in a potluck and end the evening gathered for passion-filled dialogue lead by the lovely Nina Zetchus. We'll engage in a conversation on floating to pause and rest. And I cannot wait. More than 75% of the seats are already saved, so if you want to be part of the evening be sure to get your spot at the link in the show notes.
The second announcement is the launch of my new newsletter: Permission to Thrive! It’s your weekly permission slip to do what you need to do to strengthen your mental health and cultivate the life you want to live. I'll also leave the link to subscribe for that in the show notes.
Now today, I want to talk about goals. Specifically, how being connected to your goals supports and strengthens your mental health.
I never thought much of goals growing up. In school, you learn about SMART goals, but the way my teachers would prescribe the rigidity of following the SMART model, it felt icky. And it would be so focused on school and traditional career expectations, I never connected with it.
But then in 2013 I took a goal setting workshop that not only inspired me, but it completely changed the direction of my life.
It taught me how to create a vivid vision for the life that I want. It taught me how to set balanced goals that explore all aspects of my life, not just my education and career. And it taught me how I can find inspiration and motivation in my goals to bring energy to my life.
Holding on to my goals has given me strength during some of my hardest battles with my mental illness. Meditating on my vision fills me with joy and makes the struggle a little easier to experience.
Mostly because my goals give me direction. They give me a plan, focus, and purpose. They remind me of the meaning I find in life. Taking one step closer to those goals, even if it's a small step, gives me a strong sense of accomplishment.
That is the power of goals. That is the power of creating goals that connect you with your purpose. Of crafting goals that guide you on your path in life.
Like I said, goals have given me something to hold onto when my mental illness is high. But they also help keep me steady when my mental illness is low.
Managing life with mental illness can be a full-time job. My eating disorder, in particular, requires frequent effort. It can be hard to keep up the effort. To not give in to the illness.
On days where it gets particularly tough, I look to my vision and goals. I look to them as a reminder of why I keep fighting. Of why I don't give in. Remembering my why makes it easier.
Now onto today's reading.
If you're new to the podcast, I’ll be asking the deck one question: ‘What does the Universe want us to know for this week?’. I’ll then pull one card from my tarot deck to answer. As I dive into the message from the Universe, it’s your time to look inward.
Reflect on your gut reaction to what you’re hearing. What thoughts immediately pop into your head. Reflect on if any of the messages start to hit you like a punch in the gut. And reflect on how the message is encouraging you to take action moving forward.
Then I’ll pull a mental health card for the week. This is the message you need to hear to strengthen your mental resilience. And just like before, this card is meant to inspire reflection and inspiration towards action. It’s your mental health message from the Universe.
This week, I'm pulling from a new deck that recently came into my life. And I am so in love with it. This week's message comes from the Modern Witch Tarot Deck.
And our message for the week ahead is delivered through... the Ten of Swords. Which is kind of weird because I just drew this exact card while having brunch with a girlfriend this weekend to help explain how the tarot works. With this new deck. So, the Universe is really telling me to explore the message it brings.
With the Ten of Swords, there's a sense of despair in the air. A longing and a loneliness. It's as though we are being crushed under the pain of defeat. Crushed by a feeling of failure, of mistake. This is a week where we may feel like we've hit rock bottom.
But when we hit rock bottom, it's up to us to pick ourselves back up. We have the power and the strength to get back up off the floor. That power won't be found in the past, in what was. We can't repeat the steps of what brought us here in order to get back up again. We must look forward, to what comes. And to how we get there.
And our mental health message for the week is from... the Two of Cups Reversed.
We are headed towards an unbalanced week and a feeling of disconnect between ourselves and those most important to us. Be on the lookout for breakdowns in communication and feelings of tension.
This card is a warning for us and for our mental health. To prepare for the unease that accompanies a lack of balance in our relationships.
There's another message this card might be bringing us in its reversed form. A different kind of warning. A warning of someone who may have recently or is about to enter our lives for the first time. Be cautious with this person, on how much you let them in. They may be there to drain your cup without ever intending to refill it.
This was a heavy, kinda scary message for the week. So I decided to pull one more card. This card comes from the Aligned Guidance Affirmation Card Deck by Pleasenotes Goods. The affirmation I pulled for us to hold onto this week is "I Embody The Success I Desire." Read into this message what you want. I'll include a photo of it in the show notes as well.
That's everything for this week. If you don't already, be sure to subscribe or follow Tarot Reflections so you don't miss an episode. I'd also appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review. Don't forget to also subscribe to Permission to Thrive at the link in the show notes! And as always, you can send me a DM on Instagram at meganmentally.
Until next time my friends.