YouandTheTarot

  Success is a mental game. That extends from outfoxing the competitor to transcending performance anxiety to self-forgiveness. Failure comes from listening to the "committee" in your head. Members of that committee bring up the past, mock your dreams and hammer all the obstacles out there supposedly operating against you. Together you and I identify the committee messages. Then we replace them with the realities of what you can do for employers, clients and customers. You may be an employee. You may be self-employed. I have experience with both. In the process you create a new story. Together we put that new story in your marketing materials: resumes, cover letters, interviews, presentations, client/customer communications, social media and more. About Me. I added intuitive coaching and tarot readings to my menu of services because of this: I observed how self-defeating professionals become after a setback. It could as basic as not getting a promotion or as big as the coll...

  Back in August 1981 I "found myself" in a support group whose mission was to put the fatal disease of alcoholism into remission. I kept asking the long-time members: How did this happen? A Ph.D. my MO was analysis. Obsessively I figured things out. Or tried to. The elders gave me this advice: Ditch the analysis. Focus on not taking a drink today. That's all you have to focus on. And, be there for others in their recovery. Scared, I followed that mandate. I was among the group's success stories. Currently as a tarot reader I deliver the same wisdom to worried clients. Defaulting into analysis is how they approach life's challenges. Too often that prevents taking action. They are in their heads.  This syndrome of figuring it out has been standard since the GI bill. We went off to college and came to revere analysis. There was blind faith in the ability to solve whatevers with analysis.  Of course, that pursuit eats up plenty of energy. Think about this example: In...

Romantic love, originating 900 years ago, remains important in the lives of those in all generations. The Lovers card is a major one in the tarot.  But, as we all know, those matters of the heart can cause authentic heartbreak.  Matchmaking firm Tawkify recently wanted to get to the bottom of what can disrupt that journey toward finding a soulmate. It conducted a survey. That disclosed 3 key dealbreakers: Mentioning a former lover - 67% Still living with parents - 42% Being unemployed - 29% The jobless factor is the most complicated.  Many will have empathy with you if you have lost a job. After all, layoffs have become standard - even multiple ones in a short time.  It gets in the way of dating, though, especially for men. They tend to lose confidence and self-esteem is a necessary platform for navigating the ups and downs of the mating process.  Also dating requires money. Unemployment makes money tight, maybe too tight for the expenses involved in buying in...

  Look at Bentley. He exudes contentment. The photo was taken three days ago when I adopted this fellow at the Toledo Humane Society. Also, because of an accident years ago he has only three legs. In addition, he's 10 years old.  So, when the adoption counselor was briefing me on Bentley's background I didn't pay much attention to this bit of info: He is an escape artist.  I should have. About three this afternoon we were driving home from visiting the part of Lake Erie (lots of waves) in Geneva on the Lake. Then, it was time for a walk for Bentley and coffee for me.  I pulled off I-90 West and headed to one of those convenience stores.  As I was opening the car door and ready to put Bentley back on the leash he leaped out. Across a four lane highway. Up a country road. Into the woods. And heading back to the four lane highway. Leash in hand, I raced after him, shouting his name. It takes a village. Several jumped out of their cars and spontaneously tried to est...

We live in a society. The tarot, which The New York Times salutes for delivering self-awareness, is really about how you conduct yourself with others.  A major card is The Lovers.  The Lovers' card is about relationships. Not necessarily about romance. The story it depicts focuses on the difficulty of your social encounters. Note the two human beings are reaching toward each other. But they aren't connected. On the left is the snake, all-too-eager to introduce trouble. The water, symbolizing emotion, is turbulent. No surprise then, figuring out how to be likable is key to navigating your social systems. That puts you in a position of strength. In "The Power Game," Hedrick Smith actually classifies likability as a source of power. Not being likable can preprogram you to be a target. Just consider the Epstein scandal. Some who were in his orbit like the very likable Bill Clinton haven't been crucified. The "they" weren't gunning for him, at least no...