Winks From the Universe
Why the smallest signs carry the most joy
Pay attention people! There are signs arriving to you almost daily.
This post couldn’t come quick enough. I haveee to share my little secret that brings me SO much joy in my life. And it’s so simple!
I’m sharing this because I truly believe life gets more magical when we decide to pay attention.
In order for you to catch these signs, you do need to believe in the magic. You must trust that such simple happenings or things can be a sign!!
So why am I dying to share this with you today?
It happened again! As it does. Just about daily. It makes me smile every time and I feel joy fill my body each time. Who wouldn’t want that?!
So what happened? One of my two favorite signs from the universe appeared.
I logged on this morning and, because I’m human and curious, I checked out how my Substack was performing after my latest post. And There. It. Was!
My sign!
My profile has had 171 views in the last 30 days.
171 — a combination of 1s and 7s.
Of fricken course. Yipeeee! 😄☺️
17 is my lucky number. It arrives in any combination of 1s and 7s but most often as 17.
Why 17? I have no idea, but I have to assume it is derived from my birthday which is 7/11… or was that also part of the magic?
After all, I was an emergency c-section 1 month early because maybe my soul reallyyy wanted those 1s and 7s in my birthdate and August wouldn’t cut it?? haha we won’t fully go there this time ;)
My other favorite sign is a penny! Yes, a 1-cent penny, which — if you haven’t heard the news — the production of pennies was officially shut down forever this month. That means the last penny ever produced will have the year 2025 on it. I can’t wait to find one! I’ll be sure to report back :)
Pay attention to the subtle things
I didn’t seek out these signs intentionally. As I began to grow in my spiritual practice and calm my nervous system, I became more present.
And look, I’m not perfect. No one is; I still scroll on my phone and watch TV before bed.
The biggest unlock was when I started to look at all pieces of my life as little symbols, signs, pings, and info about this magically cosmic universe. What if everything — or anything — had subtle meaning to us?
The more you explore the potential that we are all cosmically tied together — from the elements, the animals, the objects, the people, and so on — the more you can open your mind to the possibility that that penny in your path IS a sign.
Or when I ring up at a store and the total is $17.17… maybe this isn’t just a coincidence?
I can’t remember what finally clicked for me, but I just started to notice the number 17 was appearing more and more in my life. So the next time it appeared at random, I felt excitement. That excitement felt like the reaction the universe had been waiting to receive! As more excitement came forward, and as I started to tell my friends about it, the more 17 appeared.
Once I realized 17 felt impactful for me, I looked back on my life and noticed patterns. My high school soccer jersey was 17. I started one of my most impactful jobs on April 17th.
What do these signs mean?
For me, these are subtle little nods from the universe that I am exactly where I’m meant to be. I am on track. I am aligned. The universe is paying attention. I am paying attention.
I never really take it further than that. They’re subtle. They’re sweet.
They ignite joy within me.
My heart feels like it expands and lights up each time I see a penny or any combination of 1s and 7s.
It really doesn’t need to be more than that.
Simple.
Effective.
Joy-inducing.
How fun?!
My favorite one I saw the other day while driving:
I mean c’mon! How epic that something so simple as 177 can spark so much joy on a simple drive home… then pair it with “YAY.” Epic. Magic. SO fun!
Do not obsessively search for it
Magic avoids pressure; it arrives in softness.
There are some similar themes here to the forcing, gripping, and making something happen as I shared earlier this week.
I love a lucky penny. I find them often and randomly.
BUT, when I seek it out, I do not find it.
When I walk around with my eyes down scanning the ground for a penny, it won’t be there.
When I step out of my car in an area that makes sense for a penny to be — so I give it a quick scan, hunting, reaching for a penny to appear — it won’t.
The moment I stop looking, it appears.
I recently told you about my trip to Maui. What I didn’t share is that when I pulled up to my friend’s house there were 2 pennies stuck in the window of her garage next to the driver-side door. I found 4 more pennies during my time on Maui.
This last week alone, I found multiple pennies dailyy from Wednesday to Sunday — 5 days in a row!
And on that 6th day, I soo badly wanted to keep up the streak that — you guessed it — none appeared.
So I let it go.
And on the 7th day, I went on a walk and caught up with a friend on the phone… I found two pennies throughout the walk!
We must release our obsession and our gripping for some specific thing to occur in order for us to be on the right path, making progress in our career, or feeling like we’re doing the right thing.
Time and time again, I am reminded that forcing things is out of alignment for me. That needing to find a penny or see 17 as a permission to feel happy, at ease, on the path, and progressing… leads to a block.
When we hold things that tightly, we block the universal energy from flowing through us freely and openly — and without attachment.
It is only when we tap into that surrender, trust, and openness that the magic returns.
P.S. While writing this, I took a quick break to update information on my car insurance policy and the number 17 appeared 🥰
Have fun! Play with it! Ask for the signs!
The most important rule — maybe in all of life?? — please have fun with it! It really isn’t that serious. It’s simple. It’s fun.
They’re fun winks from the universe.
They appear when you stop reaching and digging for them.
When you relax into flow, ease, and stay present, they appear unexpectedly.
Then, when they appear, it sparks this little jolt inside of you. It’s like the little child in you comes alive and you’re in awe of this beautiful life. It’s like the joy children feel seeing bubbles blow past.
It’s nothing more than that. Just a fleeting moment of joy, awe, and a little child’s squeal inside… then you continue on.
The more you allow life to spark that joy inside of you, the more the universe will send it to you.
And if you still aren’t convinced… I highly recommend giving this book a read. (Warning: I cried every single damn chapter because it was sooo emotionally touching and beautiful.)
The universe is always sending you messages if you are present enough to notice them and curious enough to allow simple happenings to be full of magic.
What tiny things already show up in your life that might be little winks from the universe?
I just realized that this is my 17th post on substack 🥹😍 of course!!!!