Honouring You: 5 Essential Habits for Self-Care

I have to be honest with you. There are some days when I look at my list of Tarot reading requests and I groan.

Thankfully it's not too often, but when I feel this way, I know that something isn't right.

It's usually when I have pushed myself too hard and have scheduled too many Tarot readings on one day. Or, I feel completely exhausted from my personal commitments and family responsibilities.

More often than not, it's when I haven't taken good care of myself and I haven't honoured ME.

Honouring your personal needs and paying attention to your energy levels is essential, especially as a Tarot reader (or any energy-based service) where you give so much of your energy to your work and your clients. If you're not feeling energised and harmonised within yourself, you're not going to have enough energy to give to your clients and your readings probably aren't going to be the best they can possibly be. And that sucks if you're an over-achiever like me!

To make sure you honour yourself both as a Tarot reader and as a human being, here are five essential habits for your self-care.

Pay Attention to your Energy

Really listen in to what you're feeling. Do you feel tired? Flat? Fuzzy? Sick? Then put the cards down until you feel better. Even if that means taking a break for a month.

Do you look at your list of reading requests and groan? Re-schedule and re-energise – it's better for everyone.

Take Breaks

If you're doing multiple Tarot readings, one after the other, take a break in between each and every reading. Do 5 minutes of exercise, make a cup of tea, read 2 pages of a favourite book, go outside, meditate – whatever it takes to get your mind away from the Tarot cards for a short moment.

And if you're a regular reader, take a longer break every month or two. I typically take a week off each month (often because I'm travelling, but sometimes because I just need the break). Your clients won't mind – in fact, they'll probably thank you for it because you're so much more ‘on your game' when you return.

Change It Up

Being a Tarot professional doesn't mean you have to only read cards to earn a living. You can also create products (such as eBooks, online courses and webinars) and other services (such as teaching, coaching and mentoring). When you expand your offerings, you give yourself a break from needing to take on lots of Tarot readings to fulfil your income goals.

Of course, you can change it up with non-Tarot activities. I wouldn't recommend doing a full day of Tarot reading, day in and day out. Split your day with Tarot and something else – another job, or better still, something playful and fun.

Schedule Your Time

Set aside reading time and stick to it. Close the door and ask your loved ones not to disturb you. It might sound a little harsh or insensitive, but if that means that your non-work time can be completely focused on them, then it's a great deal.

Know when you're at your best, too. We're all productive at different times of the day. For me, it's in the morning so this is when I do most of my readings. I tend to get sleepy after lunch and dinner, so I save this time for emails instead.

And schedule readings so that you only take as many requests as you can handle. I typically do 3 to 4 readings a day. Any more than 5 in one day and I'm a wreck!

Set Boundaries

Boundaries are critical to self-care. You need to set boundaries with yourself and your clients so that you can honour and respect your personal needs.

For example, don't let clients push you into 'emergency readings' (unless you offer this as a service). If you can only do 3 readings that day and they are number 4 in line, they're better off waiting until tomorrow when you're refreshed and ready to go.

And if you've decided you don't do third party readings, then don't do them. As soon as you start to compromise, it'll feel icky and you'll know you've let your self-care slip.

What Does the Tarot Have to Say?

Inspired by James Wells, who often turns to the Tarot to ask the big questions on life, I asked the cards, “What do we, as Tarot readers, need to remember most about self-care?” I drew the Lovers reversed.

The Lovers is a card of harmony, duality and balance. Upright, everything is in harmony and we are living a life full of Divine love. Reversed, we are out of harmony with ourselves and we have pushed the boundaries too far.

In fact, we are no longer honouring our personal values and needs and we have given in to short-term satisfaction or temptation (the snake and the apple in the Garden of Eden).

So, the Lovers reversed is asking us to take note of when we feel out of harmony with ourselves. If and when we become conscious that we have lost sight of our inner values and beliefs, make self-care becomes a top priority once again.

Over to You…

What self-care habits do you have in place to honour yourself? What new self-care habits do you intend to put in place?

Leave your responses and ideas in the Comments below.

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