Asking for a little help here: how do you make tough decisions?
With every choice comes a bag of questions like the self-conscious “How will this affect other people” or the indecisive “What if I immediately regret this decision?" Of course, the pandemic has only made it harder to take charge of our lives. Punxsutawney Phil might feel sure about the next six weeks of winter, but he might be the only one.
Does that idea give you the heebie-jeebies? Don't write us off just yet!
As tarot reader and writer Michelle Tea puts it, some people mistakenly come to tarot for a prediction of the future, when it's really about self-reflection. "If you're a person that wants to integrate more spirituality into your life or to look at life a bit more philosophically, it's a great tool to even just pick a daily card,” she says.
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Whether or not you practice, tarot holds wisdom for everyone. From mindfulness exercises to working through regrettable choices, here are ways you can bring your future into your own hands:
🙏 Set your intentions The practice of tarot is centered on self-reflection: it involves drawing cards that speak to you, and carving out time for yourself. But there are many other ways to do this! Especially during a time when our routines are out of whack, it's easy to overextend yourself to take care of loved ones. But, as Rachel Wilkerson Miller says, you can't fully show up for the people in your life until you know how to do the same for yourself. Check out this illustrated guide for more tips.
🧠 Build your own prep routine If you're a budding reader, you may feel overwhelmed by the different ways you can shuffle the deck, or worried that you may be doing something wrong. But as Tea says, there are no set rules: what's most important is your mindset. Rather than ruminating on the outcomes of your decision, try focusing on how you feel in the moment. Try meditation exercises, as Jon Kabat-Zinn suggests, or practice active listening to clear your mind from distractions.
📚 Try different readings You can give different tarot readings, depending on who's giving them and whom you're reading for. Having a choice to make means there's an opportunity to take your future into your own hands. It’s not something we get to do everyday, which is why it can be extra tough! But remember that with each decision you make, you’ll have an opportunity to reflect on your values, and ultimately, learn more about yourself.
From new practices you can pick up like tarot and meditation to mindset changes, our team at Life Kit’s been thinking a lot lately about ways to prioritize our wellbeing. Whether you’re sitting on a heavy decision or struggling with day-to-day stressors, we hope you find a support system that works for you.
– Janet W. Lee, Life Kit producer-digital editor
💡 What's a tip that's made your life easier? 💡
Send us a note at LifeKit@npr.org or leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823. Your hack could appear on an upcoming episode of Life Kit or in our video series on Instagram!
Thanks for reading! Look out here for next week's episodes on:
💸 Personal finances | 🏆 Being a good loser | 💔 Getting over someone
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