Last week was challenging, and finding inspiration wasn’t my main focus. In truth, finding beauty usually comes easily to me. I often see it in the world despite crazy things happening all around us, and I prefer to look at life from a brighter perspective. But this past week I had a financial surprise, my daughter was home sick for the entire week, and I had some deadlines that were stressful. My husband and I didn’t exactly argue, but there was pressure on both sides from external stressors, and we weren’t as unified as usual. So, there wasn’t a lot of time for movie watching and book reading. I did get some writing done, but I didn’t have any extra room in my schedule. It was business and survival mode!

But this is exactly why I decided to write a weekly blog about things that inspire me. What do we do when we don’t have a lot of time to connect to the muses? How do we keep our internal spark engaged when everything around us is real life and responsibility?

This week, I kept it simple. I didn’t have a lot of time, but I had a big desire to keep my consciousness elevated and focused, so I relied on one of my new favorite things: The Universe Has Your Back card deck by Gabrielle Bernstein. Beautifully illustrated by Micaela Ezra, this 52-card set is based on Bernstein’s bestselling book with the same title. The book is great, and Bernstein’s story is powerful and absolutely worth reading. But these cards are nuggets of deep wisdom made accessible and urgent, and Ezra’s artwork makes that wisdom vivid and gorgeous. These cards are wildly uplifting and insightful. Take a moment to just consider the title itself. Isn’t it great?!

My ritual for working with the cards is simple: I take a deep breath, close my eyes for a moment, and ask the universe for the messages I need. Then I randomly pull 1-3 cards from the deck. I use them as a contemplative tool for the day, and I find the process heart-opening and revealing. Here are some of the cards I pulled out of the deck this week:

Aren’t they gorgeous? I think the quotes are extremely rich and as I stated, deep and contemplative, heart-opening, and energy expanding. I love them and I think they’re an uplifting and positive addition to anyone’s collection of spiritual go-to tools.

Do any of the cards pictured speak to you or help answer a question you’ve had lately? I would love to hear about it, or any other tool you use that helps you maintain your joy and zest for life.

This week, today, this moment – I hope I am always aligned with my truth. I appreciate the people who are sharing their truth widely so that I can be reminded of what I already know to be true. Universe…show me something beautiful today. And may I always have the integrity to access my truth from within, so that I may share it with others.

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