The Hit List - The grand unfollow

I’ve spoken about the Instagram impersonation accounts many times. Yet, they persist. When I was on my book tour, a number of them appeared, which meant I was now stuck wasting precious time filing reports and whatnot.

I have better uses for my time, trust me.

A few months ago, my friend and fellow author, Tess Whitehurst (she’s ridiculously talented by the way), unfollowed everyone on her Instagram page. Why? To make her page slightly less appealing to the scammers. More importantly, this would help her followers spot the imposters.

Here’s why: if she doesn’t follow anyone and suddenly you a request from someone claiming to be her, you know right away…it’s not Tess. This intrigued me so I checked in from time to time to see how it was working out. While it didn’t get rid of the scumbags altogether, the problem seemed to minimize.

So after dealing with way too many in the past week (including a new one yesterday), I’m following suit. I’ll be unfollowing most people on my IG account (I was following about 1500 accounts). The only ones I’ll follow going forward will be fellow authors, publishers, a few businesses I frequent, and a close friend or two. That’s it.

If someone follows you on Instagram claiming to be me and offering to read for you, it’s not me (I don’t even read for the public). Beware – and ready to report and block those jerks.

Until Instagram fixes the imposter problem, many other authors and service providers may be forced to do the same. I’ll let you know how it goes.

In the meantime, don’t become a victim of impersonation accounts on Instagram. It’s not me.

xo
Theresa

PS A few folks are confused about my new policy. They assume I’m removing them as followers or that they won’t be able to access my content if I unfollow people. None of that is true. I’m not removing followers and you can still see everything I post even if I don’t follow you.

Other stuff:

I’m excited about the Kickstarter for the Wide Open Tarot Deck.

Well, this is a bummer: Social Media Was a C.E.O.’s Bullhorn, and How He Lured Women.

In case you decide to fly: U.S. Airlines Are Cutting Thousands of Fall Flights—Here’s What to Know.

How to create tarot and astrology mandalas.

The Slenderman case still boggles me: Why Did Two 12-Year-Olds Try to Murder a Friend?

Wisdom from Tara McMullin: You Can’t Grow an Audience Like You Used To (and That’s Okay).

The Death Penalty Case That Went Too Far: Oklahoma is set to kill Richard Glossip, but he’s almost certainly innocent.

The doors just opened for Gala Darling’s The Vortex: ICONIC.

From Well + Good: The 5 Best Times in Your Life To Book an Astrology Reading, According to an Astrologer.

I love this: My Mom Has No Friends The loneliness of growing older made bearable with playdates.

Truth: Monkeypox Impacts Us All — But Stigma Will Hurt LGBTQ+ People Of Color The Most.

YUP: The Secret to Having “It All”? A Society That Actually Supports Women.

RIP Anne Heche: The Jagged Life of Anne Heche.

OMG j’adore: The Shi*ty Craft Club Is A Safe Space For The DIY-Challenged, Plus 4 Items We’re Obsessing Over This Fall.

The Glam Witch, Michael Herkes, joined me on Tarot Bytes to talk about misconceptions about tarot readers.

From Mind Body Green: Pulled The Queen Of Swords In A Tarot Reading? Here’s What To Know.

Also from Mind Body Green: 4 Steps Astrologers Want You To Take This Week (Before Mercury Retro Strikes).

How To Use Astrology In Dating, According To The AstroTwins.

NEED: Affirmations for Happiness: 200 Positive Affirmations for a Joyful Mindset Every Day.

Start your day off right: Good Morning Intentions: Sacred Rituals to Raise Your Vibration, Find Your Bliss, and Stay Energized All Day.

I’m always intrigued with ceremony: The Book of Ceremony: Shamanic Wisdom for Invoking the Sacred in Everyday Life.

Can never have enough self-care: Burning Bright: Rituals, Reiki, and Self-Care to Heal Burnout, Anxiety, and Stress.

Dreaming of this tarot deck: Radiant Wilds Tarot: Navigate Inner Desert Dreamscapes.

No matter how difficult your astrology chart may be, no matter what cards you’ve been handed, you can turn the beat around. I show you how with my new book: Twist Your Fate: Manifest Success with Astrology and Tarot.

Wanna make your own tarot deck but don’t know where to start? Here ya go: Create Your Own Tarot Cards: A step-by-step guide to designing a unique and personalized tarot deck. <-Cards are included!

For the young ‘uns and the young at heart: Tarot For Kids.

Elevate your tarot skills with: Tarot: No Questions Asked: Mastering the Art of Intuitive Reading.

Prefer to listen to your tarot lessons? Check this out: Tarot: No Questions Asked: Mastering the Art of Intuitive Reading is available as an audiobook.

Astrology can seem like a big ole puzzle. Let me help you put it together: Astrology for Real Life: A Workbook for Beginners (A No B.S. Guide for the Astro-Curious)

There is an audio version if you prefer: Astrology For Real Life.

If you’re jonesing for a new tarot deck, I’ve got one for ya: The Uncommon Tarot: A Contemporary Reimagining of an Ancient Oracle.

Sick of the negative news 24/7? Shut that out with a box of crayons and The Tarot Coloring Book. MUCH BETTER.

Learn how to navigate the tough stuff with Tarot For Troubled Times.

Classes

Astrology for Beginners. Want to learn how to do Astrology? Want to walk into a dinner party… pull up someone’s Natal Chart… point to their Sun, Moon, and Rising signs… and explain what those mean? If you’re like “Heck yeah, I wanna know how to do that!”… then this class is for you: Astrology for Beginners. This is a LIVE online class. 5 weeks. Thursday evenings from 7 PM CT/ 8 PM ET starting September 15th. Early bird special pricing ends June 15th!

Join my Patreon Community! I am serving up extended card of the day interpretations, astrological tidbits, community tarot practice, political astrology, early sneak peeks at horoscopes….and more. Higher tiers get access to live classes, replays of previous classes, mentoring, and more.

How to Use Tarot For Decision Making and Problem Solving. Change is inevitable. You will go through many cycles and personal transformations in your life. You might feel lost or unsure of your true purpose or next move. It’s how you respond to change and its inherent challenges that matter. Tarot can connect you with your intuition to help illuminate the path forward. In this class, I’ll walk you through the basics of tarot reading and I’ll teach you my four favorite spreads for making decisions. (Psst…I’m a horribly indecisive person – tarot is my go-to when I’m stuck in analysis paralysis!). This is an evergreen course. Sign up any time, and go through the lessons at your own pace. Learn more and sign up here.