Finding the Positive for July 4 – 6

Dragons and Other Beverage Beasts Oracle, Mari Mali Oracle, L'Oracle des Esprits Guides, and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate Allan

July 4 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is the Milkshake Monster combined with the affirmation “Even while you feel rotten to the core, your light shines bright.”

I wouldn’t consider the Milkshake Monster to be rotten to the core, but he’s definitely messy. Like all milkshakes?  He also probably tastes pretty delicious.   There’s lots of foods like that, yeah?  Barbecue wings, melty ice cream cones, juicy Hawaiian chicken burgers… all messy.  All delightful.

So are you.  Even when you’re a mess.  Even if you’re tired or struggling, snotty or overwhelmed by chaos.  Even when the chaos of what’s going on around you splatters all over you.  You’re still someone’s shining light.

DECK USED: DRAGONS AND OTHER RARE BEVERAGE BEASTS AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

July 5 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is the Jasmine card combined with the affirmation “You have conquered every single bad day of your entire life. Today will be no different.”

Jasmine is well known as an aromatic plant, and is used in aromatherapy to reduce stress, improve mood, and reduce food cravings. In fact, in my home, I use a slight hint of jasmine oil inside the front door to help ease people’s stress when they step over the threshold.

That said, though, this plant has a lot more to offer that people don’t often realize. It has medicinal properties that lend it to use as a topical agent for helping to reduce breast milk production, ease some skin disease symptoms, and speed up wound healing. It can also be used to flavor beverages, candy, baked goods, puddings, and frozen dairy desserts, for one. (If you haven’t had frozen jasmine custard? Oh my god, you’re missing out.)

The one property that this plant has in common throughout all of it’s different uses? Is its gentleness. It is light and delicate on the senses, and in all the ways that it can be incorporated into use in our lives.

The message here between the Jasmine card and today’s affirmation is a reminder to be kind with yourself.  Be gentle with yourself when things go awry.  You’re a survivor and you’re going to make it through.  There’s no need to make the experience worse than it already is by being rough with yourself or cruel in your thoughts to yourself.  Be gentle instead, and you’ll make it through those difficult days just a little bit easier.

DECK USED: MARI MALI ORACLE AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

July 6 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was fifteen minutes long (or possibly a few minutes shorter than that, since I dozed off at the end before the chime brought me back).  It was a self-directed meditation that focused upon the graphic included with today’s cards that states “Anything you lose by speaking your truth isn’t a loss: it’s an alignment.”

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Today’s card is the Peacock card titled “Beauty” combined with the affirmation “It’s completely okay if you cry today.”

In the book for this deck, the passage for this card is all about the beauty and peace all around you, it talks about harmonious energies and how the beauty of the world around us can lift our spirits.  When this is combined with the affirmation for today, what I am drawn to is that feeling of peaceful ache that comes after you cry.

I mean, at least that’s what happens when I cry, usually.   There’s the big emotion and the clashing chaos of tears and hiccuped breaths and snuffles.  Like a pressure cooker letting out its steam, the cry pushes the emotions up and out, spilling them everywhere and making a mess.

And, after all that?  There’s a moment of silence.  A moment of peace and tranquility.

The cards for the day are a reminder of that moment of tranquility, and that even if you don’t -want- to cry?  Sometimes that moment of peace that comes afterward makes it all worth it.

DECK USED: L’ORACLE DES ESPRITS GUIDES AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

Finding the Positive for July 1 – 3

Fairy Herbal Deck, Puppy Garden Tarot, Botanical Blessings Oracle, and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate Allan

July 1 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and was one of the #DailyCalm sessions from the Calm app.

The session’s topic for the day was about interconectedness, and used the example of a blueberry where when you hold the berry in your hand you look back on how it came to be there from the growers to the planters, the cows that provided manure, the plants that the cows ate, etc.  The purpose of the session was to bring to light how looking at the complexities of intercontectedness of just a single blueberry, we see just how interconnected we are with the world around us.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌱    •    ◈    •    •    •

Today’s card is the Dandelion card combined with the affirmation “There’s no need to be so hard on yourself; you’re managing as best as you can.”

Dandelions are, in my opinion, one of the most under appreciated plants in the world. People by the droves seek to kill them, banishing them from their lawns, driveways, and roadsides.  And yet, they are safely edible, an antioxidant, and an immune booster.  They are also used to detoxify the liver and gallbladder, as well as assist kidney function.

These flowers are chock full of vitamins A, B, C, and D as well as iron, potassium, and zinc. All parts of the plants have uses from the leaves being added to salads and sandwiches, the roots used as coffee substitutes and for tea, and even the flowers, which are used in making wine.

Combined with the affirmation for the day, this card is a reminder that there are helpers even in the most surprising of places. Who would think that a weed in the grass could do so much, after all.  Joined together, today’s affirmation and card are a reminder that you don’t have to do everything all on your own.  You don’t have to carry all the responsibility yourself.  Look to those in the wings for help instead of pushing yourself ever harder with unreasonable expectations.

DECK USED: FAIRY HERBAL DECK AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

July 2 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is the Two of Wands combined with the affirmation “It’s neat how you showing up makes everything better.”

I used to know a guy in school back when I was… well, from the time my parents moved out west when I was 10 until I graduated, so for quite a few years.  He used to get picked on a -lot- in school, and I could never figure out why. (It turns out it was because his sister was a couple grades above him and extremely popular, and she had all her friends picking on him… but I didn’t realize that until recently.)

Anyway, I used to let him hang around with me at school and sometimes after school when I’d play in the woods or whatever (my family’s home wasn’t conducive to visitors).  I didn’t really think much of it, or of them, at the time.  They were just always around, asking questions and tagging along. After I left? I didn’t really think about them much either, other than to wonder occasionally how they were doing.

And then, they contacted me the other day on social media.  In a DM, they asked if I was “real name” from “where I grew up”.  If they hadn’t identified themselves as well? I would have freaked out.  (I’ve had a few stalker issues over the years.) Instead, I knew who they were and said hi.  We’ve been talking a bit off and on since.

Apparently, in their words, I have been an inspiration to them throughout their entire life (the past 20 years), and they have always wanted to get back in contact so that he could show me all he’s accomplished and be proud of him.  It’s something he’s said multiple times, and it took me by surprise.   I have -no- idea  how I inspired him so much.  I have -no- idea why he feels that me being proud of him is the gold tier achievement of his life (which I am, incidentally, proud of him for all he’s accomplished.)

I had… no idea that I was so liked and admired by… well, anyone at all.

Today’s cards remind me of this.  They speak of making an impression on others that we ourselves are not aware of.  They speak of inspiring others through out presence alone.   They say…. never forget that there are people out there that admire you that you don’t even know about, and that see you as a guiding light in their own lives.  You are always wanted…. even on the days or weeks or years that it doesn’t feel like it.

DECK USED: PUPPY GARDEN MINI TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

July 3 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long, and was one of the #DailyCalm sessions from the Calm app.   The session today was about transforming anger into something softer and gentler.

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Today’s card is the Dill card combined with the affirmation “Tomorrow hasn’t come, yesterday is done, just get yourself through today.”

Dill (aka. dill weed) is an herb that is a good source of vitamins A and C, as well as calcium and iron, and it’s packed with flavonoids that have been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. It has also been observed to have properties that help in the prevention and control of type2 diabetes and help control high cholesterol.

What I personally know dill best for, though, is it’s ability to help ease colic in infants, digestive issues, and bad breath. These are the uses that I grew up associating with dill, and they speak of a calming quality.  A quality that lends to easing one’s anger, calming down, and cooling off.  It’s interesting that this was the card pulled today, considering today’s meditation was about this same topic.

Combined with the affirmation for today, the Dill card is a reminder that sometimes we need to focus just on the here and now. It can’t always be about what comes next, preparing for the future, and looking ahead.  It can’t all be about what we’ve done or not done, either.  Sometimes, especially during times of recovery?  Being in the present needs to be enough.

DECK USED: BOTANICAL BLESSINGS ORACLE AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

Finding the Positive for June 28 – 30

Trash Panda Tarot, Under the Oak Tarot, I Am the Artist Tarot, Look Up Look In Cards, and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate Allan

June 28 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was twelve minutes long, and was one of the #DailyTrip sessions from the Calm app.

The session spoke about how we are often much harder on ourselves than we are on others, and how it’s important to check in on that tendency now and then and turn things around.  How giving ourselves a bit of understanding and compassion can go a long way to healing internal wounds both self-inflicted as well as inflicted by others.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌱    •    ◈    •    •    •

Today’s card is the Five of Wands combined with the affirmation “You don’t have to be related to be a family.”

Conflict happens.  It happens between friends, family, strangers, acquaintances… it just happens and its a part of life. The cards for today remind is that it’s important to remember that it doesn’t have to be the end of the world when it comes into our relationships with others.

Look… conflict in family goes hand in hand. Whether that family is by blood or through choices on who you want to surround yourself with, there’s always going to be times when the members involved butt heads with each other.  It’s a part of life and being close with others while having our own personal values and personalities.

Don’t let momentary conflicts tear apart the family you’ve built for yourself.

DECK USED: TRASH PANDA TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

June 29 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is the Temperance card combined with the affirmation “Struggling doesn’t mean you are a broken person. It means you’re the main character who is playing life on hard mode.”

It’s time to ease back off that “hard mode” setting for a bit.  Temperance is all about moderation and taking things at a more temperate pace.  Don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed and take a step back, let yourself take things a bit slower for a bit, and smell the roses.

Granted, right now I can’t personally smell the roses, as I’m in the middle of battling a summer cold, but this message is all the more important in this particular instance.  Rest is needed.  Stop worrying about all the things that need to be done and beating yourself up over them not getting done.  It’s okay to take your fever reducer and burrow under a pillow right now.

DECK USED: under the oak tarot AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

June 30 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s cards are the Six of Pentacles combined with the Horizon card, which is about what you know and what you don’t, and how we can balance the two.

“Give yourself permission to dwell in the mystery of what you absolutely cannot be certain of and give yourself comfort in what you know to be true.” I really like this quote from the back of the Horizon card.

In an oracle reading I did recently, it was pointed out that I have a habit of turning a dumpster fire of uncertainty into a forest fire of fear. Today’s cards are a reminder that there is balance, even in moments of chaos and uncertainty.

  Those stable and secure parts of your life will help to contain the chaos, compartmentalizing it into a smaller area so that it cannot spread over the entirety of your life.  The cards here are an encouragement to see beyond the panic of those moments of uncertainty,  understand that it is not taking over your life, and acknowledge where stability still lies so that you can lean into it for a better sense of security.

DECK USED: I AM THE ARTIST TAROT AND LOOK UP LOOK IN CARDS BY MARI ANDREW

Finding the Positive for June 25 – 27

Tarot of the Magical Forest, Enchanted Realms Tarot, Mibramig Tarot, and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate Allan

June 25 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is a repeat of the Knight of Pentacles combined with the affirmation “It’s okay to just do what I can today. It’s enough.”

If, yesterday, you struggled to be understanding about your limitations and the slow speed of your progress?  Here is a repeat opportunity to give yourself a break and lower your expectations to manageable levels.

These cards are a reminder that even small steps forward are still steps in the right direction.  Don’t worry about how long it’s going to take you to get there, but instead focus on those small steps and celebrate each one as its own accomplishment. The only evil taskmaster is the one in your head, and they need to be put in their place.  You can do that by being more generous to yourself and more understanding of whatever pace you need to take on the path to your goals.

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE MAGICAL FOREST AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

June 26 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is the King of Cups combined with the affirmation “I don’t know where I’m headed, but I can figure it out when I get there.”

These cards are a reminder of the joy that comes from “winging it”.

Gideon and I spend a lot of time doing collaborative storytelling (written roleplay).  A lot of our characters and stories aren’t with an end in sight.  It’s just time spent together enjoying each other’s company over the 2500-ish miles that separate the two of us.  It’s about spending time rather than accomplishing any particular goal, and this is the kind of thing today’s cards are about.

These cards ask us to look at where in life are you forcing goals into a situation or activity where just enjoying should be enough?  How can we change this into a more “smell the roses” activity instead of something to plow through in order to get to something else down the line?

DECK USED: ENCHANTED REALMS TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

June 27 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is the Three of Wands combined with the affirmation “I know its hard to cope, but here’s a gentle reminder that things usually go better than you predict.”

The message here is that the negative inner narrative in your head is not reality. Try anyway.  Even when it tells you that it won’t work or the world sucks.  Just try anyway.

It can be really hard to set out on a project or goal when you feel beaten down by the world.  Even harder when the one doing the worst of the abuse is your own mind.  It’s important to remember, though, that if you aren’t willing to take chances, there’s no rewards to be had.  So take a chance… and just try.

DECK USED: MIBRAMIG TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

Finding the Positive for June 22 – 24

French Art Nouveau Poster Tarot, Derakkusu ban Hihou Tarot, Nine Lives Cat Tarot, and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate Allan

June 22 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is The Star card combined with the affirmation “I understand that you feel worried, but you have an amazing track record of surviving crazy times.”

In one of the servers I’m a member of, yesterday’s question of the day is if there is such a thing as “too much positivity”.  The answer to that is absolutely.  Yes.  It’s called Toxic Positivity, and takes optimism and positivity too far, creating unrealistic expectations and ignoring the negative or harmful issues for a pair of “rose colored glasses”.

I worried, when I started doing this daily mental health exercise, that it would become like that.  Toxic and ugly.  Instead, it turns out that it’s just encouraging.  There’s a great deal of negative inner talk that goes on in my head, and this daily “finding the positive” exercise helps balance that out.  It doesn’t take it away, it just makes sure that I -also- see something positive or optimistic instead of only the dark and negative.

I hope others also feel that way about it when they read it.

Today’s cards are about hope, and about trusting that even in the most painful of times that there is an end and a change somewhere ahead in the future.  That it won’t last forever, and that when things are at their roughest?  We don’t need to thrive or succeed… we just need to survive until the tides change.

DECK USED: FRENCH ART NOUVEAU POSTERS TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

June 23 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is the Eight of Swords combined with the “View From a Train” card.

The View From a Train card is about that sensation that happens when you are still and something else is moving, and it makes you believe for just a moment that -you- are moving.  Such as when sitting in a stationary train looking out the window and the train beside yours moves… and you think it’s your train moving.

Combined with the Eight of Swords, these cards pose the question… are you actually moving toward your goals and aspirations? Or are you actually standing still and stagnant while the chaos of life around you fools you into thinking you are?

The encouragement here between the interaction of these two cards is to take the time to make clear and quantitative steps towards your goals instead of just assuming that you’re “getting there”.  Open your eyes, take control, and make a conscious decision to act become true movement forward.

DECK USED: DERAKKUSU BAN HIHOU TAROTAND LOOK UP LOOK IN CARDS BY MARI ANDREW

June 24 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is the Knight of Pentacles combined with the affirmation “Just try. It’s okay if it’s not as good as yesterday.”

Progress takes time.  Sometimes? We have setbacks along the way, and that’s okay.  As long as we continue to keep our eye on the goal?  We’re going to get there eventually.

Today’s cards are a reminder that it’s impossible to be at our best every single day, and that that’s okay.  It doesn’t mean we’re failing or that we should give up, it just means we need to adjust our expectations of ourselves to fit rather than pushing ourselves so hard that it becomes impossible to meet those expectations at all.

DECK USED: NINE LIVES CAT TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

Finding the Positive for June 19 – 21

Floating World Tarot, Metanoia Marseille Tarot, Forgotten Legends Tarot, and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate Allan

June 19 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is the Page of Wands combined with the affirmation “You are not at all a ‘failed project’. You’re just going through a rough time.”

As we go through life, we learn new things, and have to brush up on old things that we once learned and now need to learn again.  Today’s card is a reminder that just because you don’t know something, or need to re-learn something, doesn’t make you a failure.

As long as you are interested enough to put effort into the process of following these moments of inspiration, that is all that matters.  Not how good you are at it, or how quickly you pick it up. Whether or not you are learning, and making sure that you are enjoying the process, are far more important.

DECK USED: FLOATING WORLD TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

June 20 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is the Queen of Pentacles combined with the affirmation “You deserve nice breaks.”

You can’t be the nurturing party all the time. Don’t hover and try to help so much. They need to know that they are expected to do all that they can first before you step in. This attitude will allow you more time to rest without being overwhelmed or needing to be on alert all the time.

DECK USED: METANOIA MARSEILLE AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

June 21 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is The Devil combined with the affirmation “You are not a burden; you’re a person with needs, and that’s completely normal.”

It can be tempting to ignore our needs, either through a desire to put other’s needs first, or a compulsion towards self destruction (or many other reasons… those are just the top two that come up for me personally).

Today’s cards are a reminder that your needs are just as valid as anyone else’s, and it’s important to not just put aside time to make sure they are being met by yourself, but to expect others to support you and your needs just as much as you support them and theirs.

A relationship, whether it be family or friend or romantic, is not a relationship if one side is always taking and the other is always giving.  There needs to be a balance of give and take on both sides, otherwise you are abusing yourself or they are taking advantage of you… or both.

DECK USED: FORGOTTEN LEGENDS TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN