Hey Reader,
For the last few months, I’ve been in what I lovingly (and not-so-lovingly) call “the sads.”
It’s that unexplainable heaviness — where nothing is technically wrong, but everything feels off. The kind where getting out of bed, answering messages, and pretending to be fine takes everything you’ve got.
Eventually, I realized it wasn’t just burnout or a bad week. My medication wasn’t working the way it used to. My mood was swinging between numb and miserable, and I could feel it bleeding into everything — my patience, my productivity, my energy, my people.
Old me would’ve just said, “Well, this is my life now,” and kept pushing through. But this time, I refused to believe that.
I reached out to my doctor, adjusted my meds, and within a couple of weeks, I felt like myself again.
Not fixed. Not perfect. Just balanced. Steadier. Like I finally had my feet under me again.
Since then, I’ve been less bitchy, less “woe is me,” and way more me-me.
And it hit me — this is strength.
Not pushing through, not pretending, not muscling my way out of the dark. But recognizing something wasn’t working and being brave enough to ask for help.
Weekly Tarot Card.
Strength isn’t about taming a lion with brute force — it’s about meeting your wildness with compassion instead of control. It’s patience, resilience, and trusting yourself. Especially when you’re tired of fighting.
In the Fool’s journey, the Chariot was about control and momentum. But Strength? It’s about what happens when you can’t control everything — when your power comes from calm, not force.
If I imagine the Fool's meeting with Strength, it goes something like this:
The Fool shows up, armor dented and tired, saying, “I can’t keep going.”
Strength smiles, pets the lion beside her, and says, “You don’t have to fight harder. You’re allowed to rest and still be brave.”
Strength reminds us that gentleness isn’t weakness — it’s wisdom. It’s the moment you decide that caring for yourself is the strong thing to do.
A Powerful Question.
Where can I show myself compassion instead of demanding more strength?
See ya next time.
Here’s to strength that doesn’t need to roar.
