North Atlantic Books Archives < Arwen, Professional Joy Seeker

How Will You Recharge Today?

What if we are afraid that in accepting help–much less asking for help–we are admitting to failure?

Today’s card reminds me that we can only give so much. Sometimes we must stop and fill ourselves back up. I see caretakers and parents and teachers and so many others who do,do,do for others and rarely allow others to give back.

“No, that’s okay. I’m fine.”
“Oh I’d rather you gave that to the children, the animals, the planet.”
“Please don’t worry about me. I have it all under control.”

Then I read this quote from Lissa Coffey in her daily Wisdom email.

“We put such expectations on ourselves! And look at the expectations we put on our children, our parents, and all the people in our lives. We are human. We are here to learn. We are going to make mistakes, it’s all part of the process. When we relax our expectations and just go with the flow – approach our challenges as lessons rather than failures – then our experiences in life are more meaningful.”

And I had to wonder if this doesn’t go hand-in-hand with giving and not receiving.

Stick with me…I’ve got a point.

What if we are afraid that in accepting help–much less asking for help–we are admitting to failure? Let’s explore that though, okay?

If I say to you, “I have a toothache, please send Reiki”, do you think, “Oh that Arwen. If she would just brush more/floss more/eat fewer sweets, she wouldn’t need Reiki.”?

Do you think I am a terrible person because I have a toothache?

…

Yeah. So! Why do you think I or anyone else who loves you would think you were a failure because you lost your job, had a house fire, overspent your bank account?

Sure, if it’s constant, then there is an issue but I don’t think that issue is that you are a failure. And that’s not what this post is about.

This is about learning to stop. Learning to fill yourself up. Learning to say, “I need some me time right now.”

The Sage of Chalices (Queen of Cups) from the Sirian Starseed gazes at an overflowing cup. She relaxes in water and is a part of that water. She knows that by taking time out of nurturing others she recharges herself to go back to that important work.

Important work needs people who know how to stop and refill.

How will you stop and refill this week? Put it on your list and don’t skip over it because of someone else’s crazy. That will wait. You will be of no use to those who REALLY need you if you don’t.

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

A great tool I’m using to help me realize where I need to recharge and refill is this workbook+planner.

Or maybe you just want to get some of the free goodies she offers.

Sage of Cups, Sirian Starseed Tarot, North Atlantic Books 2012

Athletes, Energy & Release

This figure is releasing beautiful orbs. I like to think of them as thought bubbles. You know, like in a cartoon. In each one is something that I’ve said where someone else could hear.

Today’s card reminds me to ask myself one simple question each day. What do I want to release into the world? Now this isn’t a question of loss or of what I want to let go of. That’s a good question too but this is different.

This is the energy I want to put out in the world. This gorgeous card from the Sirian Starseed has been haunting me. It’s the first card that I cut to when I first opened the deck. It’s turned up when just randomly shuffling. So, I think it has something to say to me.

I don’t look at the book until after I’ve thought about the card. I show you how I study/learn/read tarot in my free book. If you want that book, just sign up for the newsletter and it’s yours.

But back to the question. This figure is releasing beautiful orbs. I like to think of them as thought bubbles. You know, like in a cartoon. In each one is something that I’ve said where someone else could hear.

So I have to think, “Were my words positive?” “Was I being negative?” “Was I focused on the good or the bad?”

What did I just release into the world.

Now this isn’t about shame or blame. I screw up. We all do. No one is perfect. For me, the reason I’m here is to make me a better human. So I accept that sometimes I call a customer an idiot or curse at another driver. Life happens.

So I start my day with “what do I want to release into the world” as a focus for myself. Just like any athlete, I have to have a goal in mind. A marathon runner doesn’t just wander into the road thinking, “I’ll just run until I’m tired.” They set a goal and work to achieve that.

What is your goal today? What do you want to release into the world? What thoughts will you try to spread to others? How will you rise higher?

Seven of Orbs, Sirian Starseed Tarot, North Atlantic Books, 2012

Get yours here.

Seek Joy, Y’all. Be a joy athlete and pass it on.

Candles, Torches & Flames

So I realized that my flame is on all the time. I’m always lighting other candles only sometimes they aren’t candles so much as torches for other angry villagers.

Today’s card is a reminder of a favorite quote. This whole thing today was sparked by my good friend, Jee. Jee’s been on a similar journey to me. Life-changing events brought about by simply focusing on the positive. I mean Jee went from a job worrying every day if not every hour about the next dollar to one with so much potential for growth that it’s astounding. Now. Had my friend focused on the negative, well, I don’t know what could have happened but I do think Jee would be unhappy and possibly unemployed. Instead, because Jee focused on that unicorn that poops rainbows, success!

And today, Jee said, “So I love seeing all the ”thankful” posts in my feed, but I am wondering why y’all cant do that year round from time to time. Dont cram all your thankfullness in to 30 days…there are 335 other days you could be posting positive, fun to read updates. 🙂 I love you all…..and am grateful for all the love you let me share with you! Make your day great!!”

Don’t cram all your thankfulness into 30 days. THis reminded me of that favorite quote of mine.

“A candle loses nothing lighting another candle.” Father James Keller

Look at this gorgeous card from the Sirian Starseed Tarot. She is lit up. She is so passionate about being alive that she has lit other flames just by being herself. What a gift! What a joy! Imagine how many lives she touches this way. Imagine how many you could touch.

I will tell you a story. I was so positive yesterday. I went to work and turned into BITCHZILLA. All because I’d let myself go to work excited about a chili cook-off only to find out it was ALL GONE. The morning crew had left nothing for the afternoon crew other than cornbread and crackers. Seriously.

And I went from Joy to Bitch in about 2 seconds flat. I moaned. I whined. I let EVERYONE know how pissed I was.

Yeah–joy-seeking missile? Not so much. More like shit-spreading back hoe.

UGH!I had a choice. I could have snacked before going to work. I know I have blood sugar issues. I know I get cranky if I don’t eat. So it was totally my responsibility to manage that. Instead, I chose to vent about how selfish the entire world was.

So not pretty, but I do want to keep this real with y’all. I noticed that more of my customers (I work in tech support for the “pays my insurance” job) were crankier too. Hmmm…do you think my energy was doing that? I do!

So I realized that my flame is on all the time. I’m always lighting other candles only sometimes they aren’t candles so much as torches for other angry villagers.

So when I saw Jee’s post today, it reminded me (more like smacked me right between the eyes) that I need to focus on my joy more. Like any athlete, if I stop practicing, stop working, stop seeking, then I run the risk of falling back to that negative self.

Oh hell no! 😀 I am a joy-seeking missile, y’all. I want to light you up and everyone I meet with joy not ugly.

So seek joy, y’all. Pass it on!

Seven of Flames, The Sirian Starseed Tarot, North Atlantic Books, 2012
(Caution, this is a HUGE deck so shuffling normally is out of the question.)