The Hit List - Pare it down

One of the interesting things about getting ill is that you realize how non-urgent some things really are. For example, when I was nursing a pretty horrible cold a few weeks back, I didn’t have the energy to blog as much as I usually do. Also: my voice was too rough for recording podcasts too.

Which meant I wasn’t as prolific as usual.

But guess what? No one seemed to freak out.

In fact, I didn’t get any flak – only support from those who knew I was not at my best. This got me thinking a bit: why on earth have I committed to such a brutal writing schedule? Why do I feel the need to blog or podcast almost every day of the week? What is the benefit of all this busyness? More importantly: how is this making me feel?

The truth: exhausted. And that’s no good.

As my next birthday quickly approaches, I know that creating a false sense of urgency over things that I “have to” do isn’t healthy for me. Sure, I love writing and all that jazz but if it’s making me anxious to the point where I feel guilty when I have a cold and can’t produce? That’s not in my best interest.

So what’s the solution, you might ask? Well, I know I have to pare things down here and there. Which means I may on occasion decide to skip a week. Maybe I won’t put my podcast up. Perhaps there will be no blog that week. Or I’ll take a full day off from any sort of work and lounge in my PJs while pondering Game of Thrones theories.

Because life doesn’t have to be full-on all the time. It’s a sure path to burning your brain to a dragon-fired crisp.

I haven’t gotten it all figured out just yet, but I’m paying attention and seeing what makes sense. What about you? How are you overdoing? Where might you trim things down so that you can feel less urgent? I invite you to think about that – and then start experimenting with doing less.

You might find that the world definitely goes on just fine. And so do you.

Stop and smell the spring flowers.

Other Stuff:

Check out this rad new tarot deck: The Heretical Fates Art Book and Deck. WOW. WANT.

Some people are too much. Check out this entitled bride asking a florist for a freebie.

From Jaymi Elford: Tarot and Poetry with the Poetry Oracle.

YAS: Amelia Quint writes about to read your birth chart for Bumble magazine.

Despicable: Students who owe lunch money in Rhode Island district will get jelly sandwiches until debt is paid.

I got a lovely mention from Blessed Be Magick: 5 Astrology Sites We Love. Yay!

Oooh, these are cool: Game of Thrones gets tarot-inspired illustrations.

I love Rachel True. Read this post to learn how she found her true calling as a tarot reader.

Americans May Spend $18,000 On “Nonessentials” Per Year, But The Term “Nonessential” Is The Real Problem.

Running Your Business By The Numbers: What Works For Tara McMullin.

Liz Worth answers the question Are Tarot Readings Better When They’re Done In-Person?

Glow girl: Moms proudly show off their postpartum bodies.

The ‘Game of Thrones’ language that 1.2M people are learning.

1 in 8 trans women has done sex work for money. Some have done it to make a connection too: I Did Sex Work to Make Money—and Find Real Intimacy With Men.

Haha gotta try this: Protect Your Library the Medieval Way, With Horrifying Book Curses.

Where Male Presidential Candidates Stand on Reproductive Rights.

Tarot reader Angie Banicki was a guest on Ryan Seacrest.

She was the “queen of the mommy bloggers.” Then her life fell apart.

Learn about the 5th house in the astrological chart.

Outrageous: This Woman Was Forced To Give Birth Alone In Jail Cell.

From B.A.P.S. to Shrill: How Black Plus-Size Women Have Shaped the Romantic Comedy Genre.

A Government Database for People Who Pay for Sex Is a Terrible, Dangerous Idea.

Check out this course from Be Scofield: Toxic Spirituality – Overcoming Teachings That Disrupt Personal Growth & Social Change.

Elephant Man: Joseph Merrick’s grave ‘found by author.

Yum: Well+Good Cookbook: 100 Healthy Recipes + Expert Advice for Better Living.

This looks cool: Amenti Oracle Feather Heart Deck and Guide Book: Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World.

Thinking about this book: A Politics of Love: A Handbook for a New American Revolution.

I agree: Happiness Is Baking: Cakes, Pies, Tarts, Muffins, Brownies, Cookies: Favorite Desserts from the Queen of Cake.

The Tarot Coloring Book is a fun, experiential way to get the tarot card meanings down!

You can preorder Tarot For Troubled Times – a book about tarot, ritual, social justice, and self-care. I co-wrote this book with the beautiful Shaheen Miro.

If you’re new to astrology, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. All that lingo! The symbols! WTF? My third book will help you sort this stuff out: Astrology for Real Life: A Workbook for Beginners (A No B.S. Guide for the Astro-Curious). You can pre-order it now!

Classes:

I’m teaching at New Renaissance Books in Portland, Oregon on July 2nd at 6:30. Tarot Cards for Shadow Work – Together we’ll explore shadow work, Tarot archetypes, Birth Cards, finding the good in “bad” cards – and the dark side in the “good” ones. You’ll come away with knowledge about your Tarot Birth Card and some suggestions for making peace with your shadow.

If you’re in the Bay Area, join Chris Zydel and me on July 7th for Brushes + Cards + Shadows An Intuitive Painting and Tarot Workshop. It will be EPIC! SOLD OUT!

Join me and Shaheen on Friday, July 26th for a Tarot For Troubled Times book launch party! Where: Free Spirit Crystals in Butler, Wisconsin. What time: 7 PM. Cost: Free!

Tarot for Troubled Times with Shaheen Miro and Theresa Reed. Learn about shadow work, archetypes, tarot birth cards, and remedies for tough times. Boston Tea Room in Ferndale, Michigan. Details coming soon!

More classes to be announced soon: Los Angeles in October!