Money is not a Bad Thing

I wasn't going to post today, but I just can't help myself. I recently saw a post on Facebook that said, "Does anyone need anything today?" When someone wrote "a few $million," the person who asked the question responded, "Oh, I never ask for money. It always comes at a price."

How sad! I know that many people are raised in homes where they are told that money is evil (the quote is that it is the ROOT of all evil, by the way), and similar stories about how it is somehow better and more noble to be poor than to be rich. Give me a break!

I've been poor and homeless, and I've been really well off (with my husband and I making a good 6 figures a year). Let me tell you something flat out: there is nothing Noble about being broke. It's that simple.

It is much easier to advance spiritually when I have extra money around than when I am working 3 jobs 85-100 hours a week. Do you really think I had time to meditate or reflect on my inner state of being when I was too busy trying to scrape up something to eat because it had been two or three days since my last meal?

So please, for the love of whichever God (or Goddess) you may feel like worshipping, stop focusing on lack. Stop telling people that there is something wrong with making money or having more than enough. If I don't have enough, there is no way I can help anyone else. The Universe is a vast and rich place, and there is enough for everyone. In fact, there is more than enough. There is no terrible cost to having money. To think so, in my opinion, is a tragedy.

When we can all realize that and concentrate on how much we have, we will see that money is not a bad thing. In fact it is very, very good.And you can take that to the bank! ;)

Be Someone's Hero

Yesterday I got put on a blog list by The Tarot Lady. This is what I would consider a BIG DEAL. Theresa has been in the Tarot community for quite a while, and many, many people look up to her.

So the fact that she mentioned my Tarot blog is pretty awesome. The fact that she mentioned it so soon is amazing. I only decided to quit my job and become a full-time Professional Tarot Reader at the beginning of this month. In fact, I was still working until around the 14th or so. My first fair isn't even until next week (although I have been doing readings pretty much every day since I started).

But here I am, out for everyone to see. Her blog gets a lot of Tarot traffic. I am SO excited about this. I also put in an article for the Tarosophist International Magazine, and I'm pretty sure it's going to get published. LOTS of publicity off that as well. How did I get so lucky?

There are a lot of people out there willing to help us newbies along, if you are willing to put yourself out there and do the work, that is. But no matter how hard you work, you can't do it alone.  It's not all "luck," it's about help. And lots of it.

So today's post is really about being a Super Hero. What have you done to help someone else today? Who can you reach out to and lend a helping hand? If you are new, too, you still may have some contacts that someone can use. Help pull someone along a little, because I'm sure someone helped you as well.

You don't have to be an actual Super Hero to help someone out.
But they will think you are one.
If you don't believe me, check out this quick story here.

Taking the Day Off

Please enjoy this musical interlude while I take some time off today to rest and relax. I have a lot to do to get ready for the fair in a few days, not the least of which is to make sure I'm energetically ready to sit in the hot sun for hours a day and do Tarot readings. ;-)

Also, check out some of my favorite blogs:
Tarot Dame
How to Have Amazing Relationships
Punk Rock Psychic


There are some amazing blogs out there, but these are the ones I check into every single day, no matter how crazy things are.

I should have mentioned this site as well:
The Tarot Lady
I actually follow her on Twitter more, but hey, today's blog post is pretty awesome. :-)

When I'm banging my head against the desk, I go here:
I Need Help With WordPress.
Have a great day!

Trust Your Intution

Yesterday I got a fun reminder to listen to myself and my Inner Guidance. I had to go for a drive, and for some reason I thought, "I should throw that Casting Crowns" CD in the player. Now, many of you have probably figured out that I'm not Christian. But I do listen to some Christian music every once in a while, especially when it's about God in general, and not too Jesus-y or fundamentalist. I especially LOVE JJ Heller.

To me, she is the embodiment of what people "should" be - not overly preachy, but very strong in her convictions. And above all, respectful of others. She also lives what she believes, and that is very beautiful. If you are looking for some good positive music, no matter what your religious or spiritual bent, I cannot recommend her enough.

But back to the story: I spied my old Casting Crowns CD, and thought, "What the hey." They do tend to get overly-preachy, and I wasn't particularly in the mood for that, but the main thought that ran through my head was, "Trust Your Intuition." So I did.

I popped in the CD and went happily on my way. About 4 songs in I was kind of humming along and thought, "Wow, this is really good." So I turned the volume up. Then the next song came on, and I realized, "Wait a minute! This isn't Casting Crowns!" It was a CD I thought I had lost months ago! I must have put it in the wrong CD cover by mistake.

So I turned up the volume some more and went even more merrily on my way!
Always trust your intuition. You never know what fun and unexpected surprises you may get along the way!

Follow Your Own Path

A couple of people have told me lately that I am "lucky" because I am going along on my spiritual path at such a young age. Many people say that they did not start looking for meaning until they were in their 40's, 50's, or beyond. Because I started on my quest at a very young age, some people seem to think I'll go further because I have more time left (possibly) or that my life must somehow be magical and blessed. Or something like that.

It seems that I was practically born to live a life of spiritual pursuit. From the time I was three years old, I remember sensing that there was something more to life, and that the way the people around me lived wasn't all there was to it. I started reading my first Holy Text (the Christian Bible) at age 6, and have since read it through several times and done an intensive line-by-line comparison using three different texts.

I have spent thousands of hours reading spiritual literature and religious texts from all over the world, including the Qur'an, the Dhammapada, the Mahabharata, and others. I have studied ancient polytheistic pantheons to modern nature-worshipping paths, and many in-between. Because of this, I am where I am today, and I have come to the conclusions that I currently live.

That doesn't mean that my way was better. In order to study and learn and grow, I chose the life of a Hermit. Even though I worked and went to school and talked to others, all of my free time was spent in study. I sacrificed friendships and relationships. I will never have a Prom or a Homecoming or any number of memories that most people collectively share. High School and College generally annoyed me as I was always looking towards the future. While people in their 20's generally spent much time drinking, partying, and cavorting, I was spent bent over a book, praying, and meditating.

So don't envy my path. If you are just starting your spiritual quest, and you are in your 40's, 50's, or 60's, be happy that you have lived your life, and that you have many wonderful memories and friendships. Chances are you have a lot of support and connections in your life. This is the area where I continue to struggle.

Instead of living a balanced life, I let some areas (mainly relationships) suffer in order to pursue a different area. Now I am at the point in my life where I have to go back and learn how to make all of those connections and do all of the things I missed. But that's okay. We are all where we are, and I think we should be happy, and grateful for that. It is now time to revel in the present instead of lamenting the past or seeking the future.

Here's hoping we all find balance in life.

And if anyone wants to take me to Prom, let me know. :-)

On Top of the World!

I am just feeling on Top of The World!! I just did an amazing Tarot reading for a paying client in a different format, and it worked beautifully. But that wasn't the best part! The best part was that when this person contacted me, I was very nice and firm about saying that I no longer did free readings. Then I directed them to my payment link. This person actually had every intention of paying, but that's not the point. I have never been able to do this with such integrity and confidence.

I also made almost as much today as I used to make in my old job. Yes, I CAN REALLY do this! I have my spot reserved for the Benton County Fair to read Tarot and sell jewelry next week. And I already have one person who is going to come get a reading! EDIT: Make that 3 people who have reserved readings! :-)

It's like I'm looking in a mirror and going, "Wow - where did this person come from???" Blessings to everyone. And go for your dreams!

Fake Deadlines

Apparently I've got some fake deadlines running around in my head. Any of you who know about my other blog now I have moved it to its new site. Or rather, I had someone else move it for me. :)

I have SO many things I want to do, and I want them all done NOW. Or preferably, yesterday. So what do we do when we're pulling our hair out and insisting that we have to get everything done right away? Is it really going to be the end of the world if I can't figure out how to change my theme today? (That answer actually could be yes, because I really don't like the way the website looks, and that makes me unhappy.) But really, what can I wait to do until tomorrow?

I have spent tons of hours the past few days working on things and getting my life in order. Yes, I did take an afternoon to go to the beach, but I also came home and worked on things. I haven't really taken a day off completely. I spend hours and hours on the computer writing content, and when I'm not doing that I'm reading the book I promised I'd review on my blog. Or doing Tarot readings for others.

The problem with striking out on your own is that it's easy to over-do it. Especially if you have a good plan in place and a lot of definite tangible steps that you want to do. It's easy to get burnt-out, and I definitely want to avoid that at all costs.

So, what do you do? Do you limit the number of hours a day you work? Do you limit the number of activities you do in a day? Do you schedule days off? Or do you work, work, work, trying to meet imaginary deadlines because all of the deadlines are RIGHT NOW?

I think I need to schedule some things out over the next few weeks and months. Instead of trying to get everything done today (or yesterday), or even by the end of the week, I need to look at realistic goals and long-term strategies for growth.

And maybe I'll even schedule a day off once in a while.

SOS - Calling for Reinforcements

If you're anything like me, you try to do it all. You spend hours and hours learning new tips and tricks for your blog, your business, and your way of life. If you need a certain picture, you might even spend a few hours learning how to edit it in PhotoShop.

I've done this for years, and never asked anyone for help. Instead, I hunker down, put on my Secret Identity, and try to do everything. Well, that all ends now. Or actually yesterday.

I'm not putting on my super cape anymore. I'm not going to pretend that I'm great at everything. What I have realized is that I can actually save a TON of time by outsourcing what I'm not good at and concentrating on what I am good at. So, I sent out the Bat Signal, so to speak.

Yesterday I called for reinforcements. I sent out several e-mails to specific people asking for help. This is something I never thought I would do. I honestly don't think I have ever asked for help (voluntarily) in my entire life. And then I went to the beach for an afternoon of much-needed relaxation with my husband. Sure, I also spent some time working on another project, but I wouldn't have had the time to do that if I hadn't asked others to step in.

Do you play the Super Hero in your life? Do you struggle and try to learn how to do EVERYTHING, no matter how difficult it is or how many other people you know have better skills and could do it with ease? Maybe someone could give you a hand, or maybe they could take over a piece of your project altogether. Letting others contribute gives them a chance to let their Super Powers shine. What would it mean to you if you let someone else contribute? Can you give up a little bit of control in order to have more free time and be more productive in other areas?

It's great to learn new skills and to grow, but it's also great to know when to let go and let others help pull the load. Is there something you can ask for help with today? What can you let go of in your life?

Let the Sun Shine In

I've been reading a lot of blogs lately, and many of them are very good. Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of people who want to focus on the negative. Or on past hurts. Or on pain and depression or just unhappiness in general. While it's all well and good to write in order to get your pain out, and it can be a very cathartic experience, dwelling on it can really affect your life and stunt your spiritual growth.

After a decade as a psychologist, I decided that too many people spend too much time focusing on the negative. A small change in focus and perception works wonders. Continuing to focus on the negative only attracts more negative. Or at the very least, you only notice the negative because that's all you are seeing. I'm not saying that bad things don't happen. But they definitely don't happen every single day, 24 hours a day, which is the impression I get from some people.

Remember the scene in "Meet the Robinsons" when the Bowler Hat Guy is still young? After he misses catching that baseball, he becomes quite depressed and focuses only on that. He talks about how no one ever talked to him after that, and no one ever liked him. In fact, as he is walking through the hallway at school everyone is saying hi, waving to him, and inviting him over or out to play. Are you like Mr. Bowler Hat Guy? Are you caught in your own little world of funk, unable to see the happiness, joy, and connection around you?

If so, I'd invite you to take this Friday to notice the positives in your life. Take a few moments to be thankful for a few things. Notice the fresh air if it's raining, or the sun if it's shining. When I went to do the dishes this morning, I opened the curtain on the window at our sink, and was blasted by warming rays of light.

So, Let the Sunshine In!

Self-expression is a Necessary Form of Survival

I completely stole this blog from Green Briar at PaganSpace.net. I've been thinking a lot about self-expression lately, and how weird I've felt at my job (you know - the one I quit yesterday). At work I was not allowed to wear ANY jewelry at all - not even my wedding ring. I could have worn a plain wedding band, and I thought about buying one, but it didn't feel right. My ring is pretty large and has a giant amethyst in it. I also was not allowed to wear ear rings, necklaces, or even a watch (not that I wear watches much, but if I did, I wouldn't have been allowed).

The last couple of days I have wanted to go out and find the chunkiest, hugest necklaces I could possibly find and pair them with some of the ear rings I make. I feel like screaming, "Look at me! Look at me! I MATTER!" Who knew that being so restricted in my wardrobe would make me go a little nuts? I didn't have this problem when I was in the Army, but for some reason being at a civilian job (or maybe just being at this stage of my life), well, I just can't accept those types of restrictions anymore. I have come to the conclusion that, at least for me, self-expression is a necessary form of survival.

So here's one cute way to play around with your wardrobe. It's mostly geared towards teenagers or kids, but I'm sure there will be more than a few adults rocking this look soon, at least at Coven. What do you do to rock your own sense of style or to express who you are? What do you do when you are in an environment where you aren't allowed to do it?

I lifted this blog in its entirety from Green Briar:

 This Blog is borrowed from Ravenmoon thought the teenagers I have on my page and a few adults might like this post.

This purely decorative lacing forms a pentagram, or five pointed star.


Besides the "magical" associations, solid five pointed stars are found on


many flags, most notably the fifty stars on the U.S. flag. This lacing works


best with thinner or flat laces because several eyelets have to


accommodate two passes of shoelace.

Pentagram Lacing diagram 1

Faint sections are underneath


Pentagram Lacing diagram 2


Setting the bottom "corners" higher up centers the pentagram.


Pentagram Lacing picture 1

In this photo, the top "rung" has been shifted up one set of eyelets to


lengthen the top point.


Pentagram Lacing picture 1


This photo of a Pentagram Laced New Balance sneaker was sent to me by


Corey C.


More Lacing Photos Lacing Technique:
1. The lace is run straight across (grey section) and is fed into the third


set of eyelets from the top of the shoe.


2. Both ends run straight down on the inside and emerge from the bottom


pair of eyelets (skip two sets of eyelets). These mark the bottom "corners"


of the pentagram.


3. The left (blue) end forms the bottom "cross" as follows: Run diagonally


up to the right, feeding back into the third eyelet from the top on the right


side of the shoe, then run straight down on the inside to emerge from the


bottom right "corner" of the pentagram, then diagonally up to the left,


feeding a second time into the third eyelet from the top on the left side of


the shoe.


4. The left (blue) end now continues to form the top "rung" as follows: Run


straight up on the inside and emerge from the next eyelet up the shoe,


then run straight across to feed into the adjacent eyelet on the right side


of the shoe, then straight up to emerge from the top right eyelet.


5. With the top "rung" completed, the right (yellow) end now runs


diagonally up to the top middle and wraps around that rung, then runs


diagonally back down and left, feeding a second time into the eyelet at the


bottom left "corner" of the pentagram.


6. Finally, the left (yellow) end runs all the way up the inside left of the


shoe to emerge from the top left eyelet.


Features:

Decorative look

Loose fit

Harder to tighten


Comparative Length = 135%

Laced area uses more (about +35%)

Longer laces needed (about +17%)

Shortens lace ends (about −32%)



NOTE:

It may take some experimentation to get a pentagram with fairly even


points, which will depend on the width of the shoe and the eyelet spacing.


Running the bottom "corners" through the second pair of eyelets from the


bottom reduces the length of the lower points and shifts the pentagram


higher up the shoe. The top "rung" can be also be shifted higher to


increase the length of the top point.


Have Fun :)

Blessings...

~Ravenmoon~



http://www.fieggen.com

How to Get Your Message Out Without Offending Others

I've been thinking about this for some time. How can I speak my truth when I know so many people don't believe in what I believe? I was raised in a very fundamentalist Christian environment in the South United States. For those of you who don't know much about the Bible Belt, well, thank your lucky stars.

My entire way of life revolved around strict rules and regulations, severe control, and punishment whether you deserved it or not. Physical, mental, and psychological abuse are the norm, although it is given the name "discipline." After many years of this nonsense, I finally broke away, spent a decade exploring all major religions and many minor ones, and many spiritual paths. I continue that journey today.

I still cringe when people tell me they are Christian, because I know what that means for people, especially women, where I come from. I'm sure there are some who don't believe the patriarchal hierarchy is oppressive, and that's fine. I won't try to burst that particular bubble. But I have yet to meet the kindler, gentler Christian that some people talk about. With roll models like Rush and Hannity, Tea Party members who scream and rant, and pastors who declare from the pulpit that gays should commit suicide and abortion doctors should be killed, I'm not too fond of the faith. My biggest issue, though, is because of the flack I get when someone finds out I read Tarot cards.

"Ooh, you're going to Hell. I'll pray for your soul." Or, "repent now and clear the Devil from they life" are generally the responses I get from cross-wearing patrons. I've hemmed and hawed about joining blog hops or other sites because a large number of people on them share fundamental, or as they say, "conservative" values. Although I'm not sure how condemning people to Hell and judging them is conservative.

So how can I get my message out without offending those sweet sensibilities? How do I explain to people that there is nothing inherently evil about Tarot or readings cards? How do I point out that the cards do not "predict" the future, but rather help us take an honest look at ourselves, our lives, and point out where we are lacking and need improvement, just as speaking to a therapist or pastor does? The answer is: I can't. So I'm going to stop trying. If people want to rant and rave at me, then that's their business. I can let all of that negativity roll off and continue my search to find like-minded positive people.

And who knows? The other day I did friend one Christian guy who is open-minded and isn't a yeller. I'm sure there are others out there. Somewhere.

I'm an "As Seen on TV" Junkie

I admit it. Every time I see some new gadget or gizmo on one of those infomercials I want it. Not the infomercials where Billy Mays screamed at you (I've had enough of people screaming in my life), but most of the other ones. Although I have tried Oxi-Clean. It's pretty awesome stuff.

My husband likes to tease me about my "As Seen on TV" obsession. There was actually a store by that name at a mall in Seattle, and he dreaded going there. I could spend hours looking through all of the gadgets. Fortunately, he did not let me.

Brent (that's my husband) used to tell me what cheap junk all of those things were, and how much of a waste of money it always was. And then one day I brought home a TableMate.

TableMates are about the coolest little gizmos ever. We don't really adjust the height of ours much, and I don't recommend them if you are going to have to adjust the height repeatedly, but to just pull them over to the couch or something, they're pretty magical. I do adjust the top of mine and sometimes angle it to use my laptop. But, they do not "fold up easily" as the advertisement says.

After that, I pretty much had permission to bring home what I wanted (within reason). I think I've kind of made a convert out of him.
At least, that's what I like to tell myself.




My next little gizmo to bring home was a fold-able pasta strainer. I must say I really love this thing because it takes up almost no space in the cabinet. I hate those giant strainers. I've got nowhere to keep them in my kitchen. Sure, plastic might kill you. But while you're still alive you can enjoy all of the convenience and easy storage of the pasta strainer.

 

     Just the other day I saw my next new gadget. I'm so excited I can't wait to figure out when I'm going to order it.  If I order it off television (or the internet) I get two of them, but I have to pay extra shipping and handling - which usually adds up to the cost of the item anyway, so I'm not really saving any money. I think I'll check out my local Fred Meyer's and Bed, Bath, and Beyond, both of which have a small "As Seen on TV" section. 

I'm especially excited about this new purchase because it's not made of plastic. I despise plastic China-made cheap lead-filled products, so I try to keep from buying too many of them. I won't buy anything that you cook hot items in such as the Pasta Boat. I can only imagine how much Bisphenol A (BPA) you ingest from that. I also don't "cook" in a microwave and stay away from those products, too. Anyway, the new product is called the Chef Basket!

I have bought two (not just one - TWO) metal steamer baskets in the past year, and they're terrible. They have a tiny little metal ring, as if that does anything to help you get it out of the water. My husband and I eat tons of steamed veggies most nights, and I can't wait to be able to just pick them up and pour them on our plates! I'm really tired of burning my fingers and dropping vegetables.

I just absolutely can't wait to try this thing out. And throw away that stupid steamer thing we currently have. I only hope it holds enough veggies as you turn it inside out to keep them out of the water. But we'll see.

So as you can see, "As Seen on TV" products are my guilty little pleasure. But they just make life so much easier and so darn fun! What's your favorite product? Did you buy the two for one special or find it at your local store? Did you buy one that absolutely bombed and was a waste of money? Don't worry. I won't tell anyone your secret. My name is Michelle, and I'm an "As Seen on TV" junkie.

Trying to Put on a Happy Face Today

3 more days to go, and I need a little encouragement today.
I love Penny Marshall. If you only watch this starting at 3:30, it's worth it.  :-)

Happiness Is...

Yesterday my husband took me out for breakfast, and this is what we ended up next to in the parking lot. I could hardly keep myself together while I was taking the picture. I don't know why, but this was so completely unexpected that I am still laughing about it.

What outrageous and unexpected thing has made you laugh today? It's Sunday, so I propose we all post something positive and funny that makes us smile.

And if you can beat a Pepto-Bismol-colored Hummer, you deserve a prize.

Opening your Blog for Comments

A couple of days ago I learned that people on WordPress can't leave comments on my blogs easily. Yesterday I figured out how to fix that, so I thought I would share it with everyone who has a Blogger blog. (I just like saying Blogger blog.)

Go into your blog and click Settings on the Task bar. Click Comments. The second thing says "Who Can Comment?"  Click Anyone - even Anonymous Users. Scroll down and click Save Settings, and you're done.

Then go read some of the posts about keeping Spammers out. You will have to monitor your comments more, but isn't it worth it to let others in? Of course, Blogger does also have anti-spam measures as well that will help. I am still learning a ton of things about blogs and blogging in general, and I can't thank everyone at the Ultimate Blog Challenge enough for all of their help and support the last couple of weeks. I'm still wondering if the group will keep going once July is over. Are they going to keep the Facebook page up for us or is there some way people are going to continue to connect? I hope to continue to see a lot of people I have met lately.

Happy Blogging!

Yesterday I Took a Nap

I have been so tired with my job(s) lately, and very overwhelmed with the number of things going on in my life. So yesterday I took an afternoon nap. And it was SO good. The laundry still got done (mostly, I'll throw in the socks in a minute), and the dishes all got done. The animals were fed, the house is relatively clean, and the world didn't explode. I had a lot more energy to do things, and I was probably a lot nicer to my husband last night as well.

Have you taken the time to take a nap lately? On a sunny afternoon with the windows open to let a cool breeze in, I don't know if there's anything better than a little down-time. Even if you are at a job where you can't take a nap (yesterday was my day off), what can you do to nourish yourself? Take 5 minutes to meditate, or 10 minutes at lunch for a relaxing stroll around the block (I'm not talking about power walking and exercising here, just a nice little stroll). What are some other things you can do to bring a little peace and joy to your day?

Finding Creative Joy in Every Day Tasks

Today we had to make a huge order of sub sandwiches at work. They were at least a foot long, and each one had to be cut into 6 pieces. At first the manager wanted to wrap them (in plastic wrap) like we usually do, but I pointed out that there was no way I could wrap them once they were cut into pieces. I decided to use little toothpicks to hold them together, cut them, and arrange them onto platters.

I realized there were several different types of sandwiches: some were ham, turkey, and roast beef, some were all ham, some were all turkey, and some were all roast beef (my apologies to the vegetarians out there). Since we had several different colors of toothpicks, I assigned each type of sandwich one color so that once they were sliced they could be identified.

I thought this was pretty ingenious. I know how many meetings, conferences, and general gatherings I have been to where the food is just kind of thrown together, and you aren't sure what you are getting. People spend more time touching, picking through, and even smelling the items (yes, I've seen this) than they do paying attention to the presentation or networking. Then you see Mr. Mayonnaise Fingers going around  touching everything, licking his fingers, and touching everything again. Even if you try to beat him to the food, you may not get something you want because you couldn't identify it quickly enough. Admit it - you have rushed ahead and grabbed something when someone with less than stellar hygiene was headed towards the buffet.

My manager rolled his eyes and said I was "weird" and that no one would notice. But is that why I did it? No, I didn't exactly expect kudos. I thought ahead, put myself in other people's shoes, and realized that I could possibly help out - and it wouldn't even cause me any inconvenience. Plus, I found a certain creative outlet in the monotony of my day.

From color-coding toothpicks to putting mustard on a sandwich in the shape of a heart, what creative outlets do you take advantage of in every day simple tasks? Or what ones are passing you by? It may only take a few extra moments to slow down, have fun, and do something playful to let your creativity shine. Whether or not anyone else notices, finding ways to be express yourself will nourish your soul and bring you a lot of joy. Even if you are only making sub sandwiches.

I'm a Big Girl Now

   Tonight a lady I knew came up and showed me a picture of her boyfriend and asked, "What do you think?" I think I felt like I had gotten kicked in the stomach. What do you say to someone when such a terrible feeling washes over you and you want to start screaming, "Run away! Run away now!" and you know you are right?

Fortunately, she was actually asking my advice (and no, I didn't jump up and down or scream). I tried to ask her questions and lead her to her own answers and conclusions. In the end, she asked me to do a Tarot reading for her, even though the cards only confirmed what I had already felt and knew.

Part of the reason I become a mental health therapist so many years ago was because I thought it would be like this. People would come to me with their problems, and with gentle guidance and reassurance, I would try to help them figure out what they already knew. This would lead to greater discovery and hopefully change in their lives. Unfortunately, psychology is a medical-based business, and it looks at what is "wrong" with a person before it looks at any of the positives (almost exclusively in many cases).

Tonight I realized what I already know: intuition and Tarot helps WAY more than psychology ever could. Hopefully I am able to help more people discover the good in themselves. What do I call myself? Spiritual Counselor? Advisor? Tarot Reader Extraordinaire? (Hehe, maybe not). I do have a Master of Divinity and can register as a Pastoral Counselor in my state. I just may do that. Until then, I was so happy with the way things turned out this evening. I hope to do many more readings for people in the very near future. I finally believe in myself and my ability to help others. I'm a Big Girl now!

I Quit

Today I quit my job. It was a bad job, and I don't want to go into details, but trust me on this. It was just bad. When I told my boss he said, "Oh? So you're just gonna give up?"

Give up? No. I need to let this go so I have space for something better in my life. This is what I said to him, and I was (and still am) completely serious. He was dead silent. I think he wasn't sure if I was being a smart alack or pulling his leg or what, but it's true. Sometimes you have to let things go in order to allow room in your life for something better. Other people may say you are quitting, but there's a huge difference between quitting and letting something go that is no longer serving you, or worse, damaging you.

This doesn't just apply to jobs. If you are looking for something such as a collectible or a certain object, try making a space for it. Get rid of clutter and broken objects or things that no longer serve a purpose in your home. This is one of the easiest ways to improve the energy in your home, and you will be surprised by how often the desire object magically appears.

If you are looking for a new job or career path, it isn't always necessary to let your current one go. After all, we all have bills to pay. But you may be able to let go of extra projects or certain things while you are sending out your resume or beginning your own business. 

It is also important to create a space for your relationships. If you are looking for a new love in your life, don't keep the old one around just so you won't be lonely! Not only is this damaging to the energy you are sending out, and thus the type of people you will attract, but it is not fair to the other person. Let them go with love and wish them well, and you will have space for someone new. Some people have had success by cleaning out a bottom drawer so another person will have room to put things or even making space in their closet. Most people seem to just leave room in the bathroom for someone else's stuff.

What are you holding on to that is no longer serving you? What do you need to "quit" in order to allow more love and better things in your life? When people call you a quitter how do you react? Do you get defensive and start believing the negative voices in your head, or can you listen to your True Self and find your own path to happiness?

Here's hoping I can.

Starting From Where You Are

Now that we are on Day 11 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge, I finally feel ready to get started on this blog again. I have been keeping up at my other site Amethyt Tarot and I haven't felt rushed or behind at all, so I guess it is time to bring this blog into the challenge as well. While I'm not planning on going back and "making up" the first 11 days worth of posts (though you never know, I might), I do plan on starting from where I am and going on from there.

So I guess that will be what today's post is about. I am starting from where I am. Right in the middle of the challenge. According to some people, I am already behind. For many people who have fallen "behind" in the challenge, they feel rushed, guilty, and somewhat overwhelmed. Some people have even thrown around the word Failure. How does calling yourself a failure serve your Higher Purpose?

I can struggle and sweat and try to "keep up" (just who am I keeping up with anyway?) or I can start from here, forget about the past, and move forward. Isn't that a great life lesson for today? Enjoy where you are and don't worry about the past.

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While it is great to set goals and intentions and work towards progress and the things you want in life, it is also important to find a balance. I haven't decided if I will update this blog enough to end up "winning" the Blog Challenge. If I feel like I have things to write about, I might. If I don't, then I'll guess you'll see one post a day. Until then, breathe deeply and enjoy where you are.