everyday magic for anxious times
supportive practices for moments of chaos, transition, and upheaval
Raise your hand if you often find yourself worrying about the future, lacking trust in your decisions, feeling untethered and adrift, or struggling to maintain some sense of balance and order in an ever-changing, increasingly unstable and unjust world (👋🏻)
Each day seems to bring another reason to feel overwhelmed, under-resourced, and disconnected from our bodies, our purpose, and those around us — but it’s in times like these that our unique voices, our art and creativity, our ability to connect with one another, and our beautiful, expansive visions of what’s possible are needed more than ever. So how can we navigate through the chaos and uncertainty — pushing past fear, doubt, confusion, grief, and discomfort — so that we can work on building the future that we so desperately crave?
The answer will be different for everyone, but I’ve been reflecting on some practices that bring me solace in times of heightened anxiety and intense emotions. Some of them help me come home to myself and remember my reasons to keep going, some make me feel less isolated by reminding me that my struggles are not mine to bear alone, and some simply acknowledge how difficult it is to sit with what’s present, which is sometimes the best medicine for the moment.
I wanted to share them with you here — I hope you find these practices supportive, and that they help you come up with your own personalized tools for navigating tough times.
connecting with the elements
I find that the elements (earth, water, fire, and air) are a nice place to start: from earth highlighting the importance of connecting with the natural world to water reminding us to soften and operate from a place of love and care, the wisdom that they have to offer is invaluable. The next time you’re feeling like you need a little something, try turning to the elements to identify what might best support you in the current moment.
With your physical, mental, and emotional states in mind, ask yourself what might be out of balance and in need a little boost: do you feel uninspired and in need of some fiery energy? Do you feel stuck in your head and like you need to come back down to earth? Try to identify which element or combination of elements might make up the ideal prescription for your current situation, like a customized dose of medicine for your soul. Here are some ideas to get you started:
You might benefit from earth energy if you’re feeling ungrounded; you’re navigating feelings of instability from big life changes; you’re experiencing louder-than-usual mental chatter or spiraling thoughts; you’re focused on the past or future rather than the present moment; you’re feeling disconnected from the world around you; you’re having trouble connecting with or staying present in your body
You might benefit from fire energy if you’re feeling burnt out and running on fumes; you’re not inspired or excited by the things that usually light you up; you’ve lost sense of your purpose or feel disconnected from the work that you’re meant to do in the world; you’re craving the spark of a new adventure or creative endeavor; you want to jumpstart or breathe new life into a project; you need a little push to take action on something; you want to act boldly and move through the world with confidence
You might benefit from water energy if you’re feeling self-critical or judgmental and want to be more compassionate; you’re struggling to feel or express your emotions; you’re experiencing rigid or black-and-white thinking and could use some flexibility; you want to deepen your sense of self-love or love for others; you’re craving community or meaningful connection; you’re ready to slow down and tend to your needs; you want to deepen your capacity for being of service, caretaking, or holding sacred space for yourself or others
You might benefit from air energy if you want to open up to new perspectives and ways of thinking; you’re experiencing creative blocks and need some fresh inspiration; you’re ready for new ideas and insight to come through; you want to stay open to wisdom and guidance from the universe or your guides; you’re ready to share your voice or speak your truth; you want to express yourself in new ways; you want to hone your communication skills
Once you’ve gotten clear on what energies you might benefit from, think about some activities that make you feel connected to the specific element(s) you’ve chosen: taking a walk in nature, placing your bare feet on the ground, or tending to your garden might help you get a much-needed dose of earthiness; lighting candles or a bonfire, engaging in creative play, or taking a risk and trying something new might stoke your inner flame; getting vulnerable with a loved one, giving yourself time to rest or reflect, or soaking in a warm bath might help you refill your cup with water energy; journaling or brainstorming, reading a thought-provoking book or researching a topic of interest, or having a meaningful conversation with your peers might help you tap into air energy.
a guided meditation for centering + support
My go-to guided meditation is also based around the four elements, and I find that it helps me zoom out and remember that I have more support surrounding me than I might realize. Feel free to adjust or add to it as you see fit. ↓
🜃 Earth: Bring your attention to your root chakra, located at the base of your spine (you may also want to visualize the color red, which is associated with this chakra.) This particular energy center is associated with themes of safety, security, groundedness, and our basic needs. Take some deep breaths, notice the feeling of the ground beneath you, and try thinking or speaking the following (or your own variation on these phrases):
I am connected to and supported by the earth beneath me, which acts as a solid foundation to build upon. I am safe, secure, and resourced. When I feel ungrounded, disconnected from the world around me, or stuck in my thoughts, I can return to this place; the earth is here to hold me and offer me a stable place to come home to.
🜂 Fire: Bring your attention to your sacral chakra, located just below your naval (you may also want to visualize the color orange, which is associated with this chakra.) This particular energy center is associated with themes of desire, drive, creativity, and passion. Take some deep breaths, visualize a steady flame burning within you, and try thinking or speaking the following (or your own variation on these phrases):
I am connected to my inner flame, which energizes and fuels me on my path forward. I am lit up with creativity, passion, and the confidence to pursue the things that excite me. When I feel depleted, uninspired, or disconnected from my purpose, I can return to this place; my inner fire is here to remind me of my resilience and encourage me to keep me going.
🜄 Water: Bring your attention to your heart (you may also want to visualize the color green, which is associated with this chakra.) This particular energy center is associated with themes of love, care, softness, and compassion. Take some deep breaths, visualize a stream of cool water flowing through your body, and try thinking or speaking the following (or your own variation on these phrases):
I am connected to my heart, which invites me to stay soft and tender. I move through the world with compassion, treating myself and others with love, kindness, care, and grace. When I feel self-critical, judgmental, or closed off from those around me, I can return to this place; my heart invites me to soften, loosen my grip, and embrace the sweetness that life has to offer.
🜁 Air: Bring your attention to your crown chakra, located at the top of your head (you may also want to visualize the color white, which is associated with this chakra.) This particular energy center is associated with themes of wisdom, inspiration, divine guidance, and intuition. Take some deep breaths, visualize an open channel connecting you to the cosmos, and try thinking or speaking the following (or your own variation on these phrases):
I am connected to the universe / my guides / my intuition [or whatever language resonates with you], which is an ever-present source of wisdom, guidance, and support. I know that I am never alone — as I’m connected to everything around me — and I stay open to whatever wants to come through. When I feel lost, directionless, or stuck, I can return to this place; my connection to the universe assures me that the answers I seek will be revealed in time.
tarot for tough times
If you work with the tarot in any capacity (or if you own a deck that’s been sitting somewhere collecting dust — no shame!), I highly recommend turning to it when you’re navigating challenging circumstances. The tarot can be such a beautiful and powerful source of guidance, perspective shifts, and unconditional support when you’re feeling lost or overwhelmed.
Sometimes pulling a single card is all it takes to get what you need, whether that’s some new insight, the push to take action, or a little nod from the universe that you’re on the right path. If you feel called to pull a card but aren’t sure where to start — or if specific questions feel too daunting when you’re sitting with fear or anxiety — more spacious, open-ended prompts can be helpful. I often find myself returning to simple queries like “what would the universe / my intuition have me know right now?” or “what should I pay attention to in this moment?” Sometimes I’ll even begin my tarot pull by letting my deck know that I’m showing up with complicated or intense emotions.
I also like turning to specific archetypes for support when I’m feeling lost, anxious, or alone — the fact that they exist within the tarot reminds me that everything I’m currently going through is some form of a universal situation, feeling, or challenge that many, many others have also experienced at some point in time. Finding the archetype that matches my energy or speaks to my current circumstances really helps to dispel that I’m-the-only-one-who’s-ever-felt-this-way feeling!
You might want to identify the card(s) that best represents how you’re feeling in the moment (ie one of my most frequent pals, The Hanged Man, feels appropriate whenever I really want to move forward with something, but I know that I need more time to work stuff out) or the card(s) that have a helpful message to offer (for me, The Empress is always a nice reminder that there’s beauty and abundance to be found just about everywhere, even when I’m feeling my lowest.) This practice allows me to tell my brain things like “I’m just in a Hanged Man phase right now: it’s part of the process, and it won’t last forever” or “in this moment, The Empress would want me to look around for signs of beauty and joy, maybe where I’d least expect to find them.” Once you’ve found the cards that resonate most, you might want to pull them out of your deck and place them on your altar or someplace where you’ll see them regularly.
Below are just a few suggested archetypal allies for navigating tough times or uncomfortable phases of life, whether you’re experiencing uncertainty, transition, or anxious thoughts.
The Fool invites us to embrace the unknown. It’s a card that encourages us to walk towards whatever it is that’s calling out to us, even when we don’t know where it will lead; to bravely say I don’t know what the path ahead looks like, but I’m taking the first step anyway. While it’s never easy to leap off of the proverbial cliff, The Fool reminds us that there’s freedom and spaciousness in not knowing; that the beginning of a new journey holds endless potential if we can step forth with open-mindedness and curiosity. This card is a perfect ally in times of transition or unclear outcomes because it represents an embracing of — rather than an avoidance of — the unknown.
The Hermit reminds us that everything we need is inside of us, and that our inner wisdom will get us to where we need to go. It’s a card of deep self-trust, which can be an invaluable tool in times of uncertainty or heightened anxiety. When we’re feeling lost, The Hermit reminds us to turn inward, where we have a deep well of intuition and a fail-proof compass to help navigate our path forward, one step at a time. It urges us to use our own metaphorical lantern to illuminate our path — because our journey is unique to us, and no one knows us better than we know ourselves.
The Eights in the Minor Arcana represent themes of movement, change, and transition, addressing the big feelings that can accompany periods of upheaval and showing us different ways to navigate the discomfort.
The Eight of Pentacles invites us to come back to the present moment when we feel overwhelmed. It teaches us that when the journey ahead feels daunting — when we find ourselves getting bogged down with what ifs or paralyzed by unknowns — we can combat anxiety and self-doubt by staying laser focused on the task at hand. This card asks us to take the next step and the next step only, to keep our heads down and do the work in front of us. It assures us that things will fall into place if we just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
The Eight of Swords shows us where we’re getting in our own way and gently suggests that when we’re feeling stuck, we might benefit from a mindset shift. It speaks to our brain’s expert ability to convince us that we’re trapped and that things will never change — when in reality, change is inevitable, and there’s often a way out of our current circumstances if we’d just consider a different perspective. In times of heightened anxiety — when we feel like we’ll be living with less-than-ideal circumstances or sitting in discomfort forever — the eight of swords reminds us to challenge those ideas and look around us for creative ways to move forward.
The Eight of Wands assures us that we’ve done what was needed of us, and now it’s time to take a step back and let things fall into place. It’s a card of forward motion and momentum, and it reminds us that after plenty of planning, preparing, and hard work, the wands that we’ve sent out into the world are on the way to their destination. We can take comfort in knowing that no action needs to be taken in this moment — to intervene, micromanage, or grasp for control now would be counterproductive.
The Eight of Cups acknowledges that change can be accompanied by immense grief, even when we’re leaving behind something that we’ve outgrown. It validates the bittersweet feelings that often accompany changing circumstances, and shows up to offer gentle support in moments of transition or tough decisions. This card witnesses the brave decision to leave our comfort zone behind and assures us that there’s something more expansive out there for us, while also inviting us to make space for the tough feelings that may come up.
There are so many other practices I could mention here, but I’ll leave you with this: I hope that you lean on whatever activities bring you a sense of comfort and joy, and that you’re able to reach out for support when you need it. I hope you allow yourself to slow down, carve out time to rest and reflect, offer yourself patience, and treat yourself with compassion and acceptance. I hope you find ways to engage with your creativity, make your art, feed your sense of adventure, explore your brilliant mind, and share your unique voice. I hope you’re able to acknowledge the fear and discomfort and frustration, and still keep going. ✷