The 7 of Wands - triumphantly defending yourself; holding off all attackers; confronting your problems; facing adversity; dealing with challenges. All of these terms can be applied to the 7 of Wands. It is a card of triumph over adversity, or at least being willing to attempt to triumph over adversity.  Wands are usually associated with the element of fire, inspiration, energy, passion, feeling, enterprise, ambition, matters pertaining to the "spark of life", and action.  The number 7 in many cultures is a sacred number (think of the 7 chakras) and is the number of divine and earthly harmony, of fate and transformation.  The 7 of Wands often symbolizes standing up for what you believe in and defending your principles. 

"You were beginning to feel a bit one-dimensional.  Now you want to explore some new aspects of yourself.  It's time to experiment a little with who you can be, try on some new hats, play around with some new roles that your might adopt.  You might explore how your function in a variety of situations or explore the variety of selves that you can be in a single situation.  You are discovering the many facets of your personality and expanding your interests." - Gail Fairfield

"The Seven of Wands is a card about being brave and taking a stand.  This card tells you to stand up for what you believe, to be firm in our convictions and viewpoints, and and to ready yourself to battle brevity.  Refuse to yield and you might come out the victor." - Dana Driscoll

When I was looking at this card it hit me that it has always represented a joyful and energetic battle; someone who enjoys a really good argument with friends.  I've often felt that in many ways it describes me.  Sometimes a really rollicking and good-natured battle with friends and/or family get my heart pumping.  And that can be enjoyable as long as everyone is on board.

What I have come to realize is that if one person is really an outgoing, opinionated, maybe even somewhat loud kind of personality and the other person is more quiet and withdrawn then it becomes less of a good natured battle and more of a bullying situation.  I have, unfortunately, engaged in my than my fair share of unintentional bullying situations as a result of my proclivity for being a tad too extroverted and outgoing.  I think I'm just having a fun, if loud, good-natured roast with someone of a like mind and eventually I realize that what I've actually done is put someone in a very uncomfortable, awkward position from which they could see no escape.  It is often unintentional and unknowing on my part but that doesn't make it any easier for the victim to bear.

This card is serving as a reminder to me that although I embrace this type of approach to life, I need to be a bit more sensitive to the fact that others do not share my boisterous approach to life.  To folks like that I come off as a loud-mouth, blustering bully and that is rarely my intent.  I shall have to keep this in mind in social situations and try to avoid making more of an ass of myself than is unavoidable.