Hi, Subscribers. I am Stacy Casson, and I write this blog to get ready for the week ahead. This blog uses the power of Play to guide our daily lives. Play can help you grow personally and professionally, and it helps power up your creativity, problem-solving skills, and overall well-being. Let’s set ourselves up for success and inspiration, and remember to find joy in every step of our development.
It’s time for an accountability check-in. I have not yet started that painting, but I did complete one transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_a1Gk10JtbaJIWJDrN_DM791pvIEnnTFYE_p7LvDCk4/edit?usp=sharing. I’ve done an excellent job of taking vacation, and even though I was tempted to do one report today, I decided it could wait. This is Day 3 of being off social media. I may have upped my Sudoku playing since I do miss the daily games on LinkedIn. “Oh nooo. My streak,” said in the most sarcastic deadpan voice ever. Oh! I cooked dinner for the kids on one of my days off. It was Char Siu Chicken, Goma Broccoli, and white rice. The chicken was a little overcooked because my meat thermometer was busted, but they enjoyed it. I don’t often get to cook, so I was a little nervous. What were your wins this week?
This week, I’m changing my deck to “Black Tarot” written by Nyasha Williams and illustrated by Kimishka Naidoo.
I’ve been thinking about my “why” this week. Whilst working on the first transcript, my guest was also trying to figure out the problem they solve for others. What is the problem I solve for others? I’ve never seen this card before. It’s the Nine of Knives. It’s a surreal depiction of a person with their head in a blue couch while nine eyes look on. I get the sense of someone being like the proverbial ostrich with their head in the sand. They might be hiding from what others think about them. In traditional tarot, knives are like swords, which are often related to our thinking and mindset. I can help people who are overwhelmed. This person is in the comfort of their home, yet not comfortable in their head. When I was exploring my why, I think the card reminds me to lean into the fact that I am often a calming and grounding presence for others. I can help the mountains to be seen in their true light as molehills. Do you make mountains out of molehills? What has been the impact?
Why does this work matter? The Five of Baskets (reversed) depicts a person dejected about the baskets of eggs they dropped while ignoring the bounty remaining in the fields. My kids have given me feedback in the past, saying I always tend to focus on what could go wrong. Funny enough, when people share their ideas with me, I always focus on what could go right. It’s easier to be optimistic when your self-doubt isn’t a factor. We need to honor our feelings and our grief. When things don’t go your way, it hurts. However, if we dwell on it for an extended period, we miss out on the bounty around us. We become the person in the first card, hiding away, worried about what people think. If you think you won’t ever get a new job, you don’t apply for other jobs and miss out on potential opportunities. Overwhelm costs us joy, happiness, and abundance. If we only focus on the dumpster fire, we don’t see all the people who are carrying water to quench the flame. We forgot our power and our collective power. Humans are not rational beings. Me: “It’s not responsible to go out for coffee every day. We have nice coffee at home.” Also me: “I’ve been craving a boba tea, let’s go.” People don’t do the rational thing; they do the emotional thing. Do you act out of emotions or logic? A combination? Which one is winning? Does there have to be a winner?
What am I missing? The Three of Baskets depicts three Black women dressed in white having a picnic. They are relaxed and having a lovely time together. I am a direct person and very task oriented. I think I’m missing the importance of building relationships, or I overcompensate, and everyone is my friend. The author of the deck discusses giving and receiving. I know that receiving is a challenge for me. My kid offered to take me out to lunch today. Will I accept this gesture or whip out my card? I am a busy person, so I think everyone else is too, and they want to get in and out quickly. Yet, I think the humans in us appreciate the inefficiency that allows for personal interactions. I think most people hate automated voice routing and prefer being able to express ourselves instead of fitting into a box. I don’t take a cookie-cutter approach to my work, but I also do not like to linger. My hyper independence robs me of interconnectedness. What about you? Do you prefer efficiency or the human touch? Do they have to be mutually exclusive? I think our person hiding in the couch needs patience and support, and to feel safe enough to see the abundance and opportunity around them.
What is a way forward? The Son of Baskets depicts a couple sitting on a bicycle, intimately facing each other. I don’t think sitting on the handlebars will be comfortable in the long term. Sons are like pages. These are people beginning their learning journey. In my life, I view this as providing support until the person can ride their own bike. We don’t have to separate; we can ride the path together, confident in our abilities to navigate. The author of the deck notes that self-love attracts the relationships you would like. Sometimes, I find myself with my head in the couch, worrying about what people think. I cry over spilled milk. When I surround myself with good people, I see the abundance of time and joy. I also interpret the Son of Baskets as someone being kind and loving to another aspect of who they are. Or new love could be awaiting our person who is hiding in the couch. What do you think? Is it as simple as the world needing more love? It does seem to be in short supply these days. Dear reader, I do love you, in a special platonic kind of way. 😊 Namaste
If you want to infuse more play into your life to navigate the challenges, my current offerings are listed on my Link Tree. I also urge you to share your experiences and strategies with the community. Your voice is valuable to this journey, and your unique path can inspire others.
Picture Descriptions: Nine of knives: A person has his head in a blue couch while nine eyes look on. Five of baskets (reversed): A person is dejected over dropping a carton of eggs. There is an abundance of eggs and other fresh food in the fields. Three of baskets: Three Black Women dressed in white enjoy a leisurely and luxurious picnic. Son of baskets: A couple sits facing each other on a light-blue bicycle in an intimate embrace under a tree. The bike has a basket. She wears a yellow-orange dress. He wears a beige cap, white shirt, and tan pants.
