Good-bye 2011. Hello 2012!

The end of a year is always a good time to pause and reflect on the lessons learned from the last twelve months and the future direction for the next twelve months.

It is also a good time to acknowledge your accomplishments and to give thanks for the wonderful blessings in your life.

So, as 2011 draws to a close, I want to share with you my reflections for this year and the coming year in the world of BiddyTarot, and to share my gratitude to you for being a part of my Tarot journey. Enjoy!

2011 Reflections

Blogging

I have been blogging a lot more regularly, particularly in the last half of this year, and have been loving it! From weekly Tarot cards, to Tarot tips and techniques and Reader Q&A.

More recently, I started the Tarot Circle series where readers send in a Tarot reading for the community to interpret. This has been a real treat with many people learning from the experience.

I was also blown away by the popularity of the post “15 of the Best Insights on How to Become a Tarot Expert” with 250+ Likes on FaceBook (and counting). I was also thrilled that so many of my favourite Tarot bloggers, readers and authors agreed to participate.

Other popular posts have included Top 10 Love Tarot Cards, How to Interpret Reversed Tarot Cards, It’s Over! Top 10 Tarot Cards for Relationship Break-Ups and How to Read The Celtic Cross Tarot Spread.

I also managed to slip in a guest post at Tarot Elements, “Using Reversed Tarot Cards”, which had a great response.

Free Tarot Readings

I was inspired by a couple of emails that I had received in close succession to each other from Tarot students who wanted more practice reading the Tarot cards. So, in an effort to help our Tarot community, I offered to post the details of any avid Tarot beginners who wanted to practice their Tarot reading skills on a free Tarot readings page.

It has been a real hit! I love getting emails from the readers who tell me about their experience and how much it has helped them to improve their skills.

And it is wonderful to open up the possibility of Tarot to those who seek a reading but may not be able to afford a professional Tarot reading.

Social Networks

I am now set up on FaceBook and Twitter, and am really enjoying connecting with people via these social networks. I’m still a bit of a novice at Twitter, but thank goodness for a little tool which connects my FaceBook with Twitter so I don’t have to worry about keeping up with both.

There are now over 800 Tarot enthusiasts on my FaceBook page and over 400 on Twitter.

What I love most is the ability to reach out to as many people as possible and build strong relationships and networks across geographical boundaries. I have also been amazed to hear that people have been talking about BiddyTarot all around the world!

Email Newsletter

I took a huge leap of faith and closed down my YahooGroups list of over 800 subscribers and started an email newsletter instead. I now provide weekly Tarot cards and Tarot tips to an audience of over 700 people. You can sign up here if you haven't already done so.

Tarot Readings

I have continued to grow my Tarot reading business providing professional Tarot readings to both new and returning clients. Again, I love being able to build a relationship with my clients, despite the physical distance.

I was also excited to partner with Fab to provide dream interpretations, drawing on both his deep knowledge of dream symbolism and my experience with the Tarot cards.

Tarot Guides and eBooks

A major, major milestone for me was writing and releasing The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings and the Companion Workbook in August this year. This took over six months of hard work and it certainly paid off!

The feedback has been amazing and I am so glad to be able to help so many people interpret the Tarot cards.

A key part of the success was drawing upon the advice and recommendations of 13 wonderful people who offered to review my eBook prior to its release. This was invaluable, and I hope to use a similar model for any future eBooks.

My Personal Life Changes

When I look back at my list of accomplishments this year for BiddyTarot alone, I think, wow, that’s like a full-time job in itself! But, I have also had some major going-ons in my personal life.

Up until June, I was working 3 days a week in an office job as an HR consultant. I am now on maternity leave and thoroughly enjoying not having to dress in a suit every day!!

I gave birth to my second beautiful daughter in July this year. We also have a gorgeous 2 year old. So the girls have been keeping me busy (and inspired of course!).

And I qualified as a HypnoBirthing practitioner in February and now work as a childbirth educator. Following my experiences of two amazing, empowered births, I teach other parents how to achieve a similar positive experience.

I also had a huge turning point in my general mindset when I read Tim Ferriss’s “The Four Hour Work Week” at the start of the year. This literally change my view of how I earn an income and what is truly possible in life. If you want to win back your freedom, I highly recommend the book.

2011 Life Lessons

Oh gosh, there are so many. I’ll try to keep it short!

Currency Comes in Many Forms

In my 20s, I always thought career success was about earning as much money as possible while moving up the ranks of the organisation. Now, in my 30s, my priorities and my perspectives have changed.

I am so grateful for every dollar that passes through BiddyTarot. But I am far more grateful for all the positive feedback I receive and the impact that I have on other people’s lives who have used my website, advice and insights to build their own Tarot journey.

I have learned that currency comes in many forms. It isn’t always about making the most money. It’s about having an impact and knowing that you have helped to make someone’s life that much better. You can’t put a dollar value on that.

Passion Creates Drive

When I am truly passionate about something, I work incredibly hard. But the thing is, I never really think I am working hard. That’s the beauty of passion.

My friends often say how amazed they are that I have a thriving business as well as two girls to look after. They have no idea how I find the time to do what I do.

But when you’re truly passionate about something, like I am about BiddyTarot, you find time. You use every spare minute to give yourself to your passion and you work like crazy to accomplish your dreams.

And you know what the cool thing is? You never feel like you’re working. You’re just doing something you love.

Aim for the Sky

I have made a conscious effort not to be limited. Anything is possible.

So, when I wrote my Tarot Guide, I boldly went forth and contacted as many Tarot people I knew to ask if they would review my book. Not everyone responded, but I know that I did my best to put myself out there and I got some awesome reviews which I was truly grateful for.

And when I had the idea of the Tarot Expert post, I contacted all of my favourite Tarot bloggers, authors and readers to ask them to provide their advice for the post. Even the really big ones that I have always looked up to. I didn’t quite get Mary Greer or Rachel Pollack to respond, but I was thrilled that 15 of my favourites did respond and it created such a buzz within the community.

The key is to put yourself out there and know that anything is possible. It all comes down to your mindset.

Give Thanks

Seriously, every day I stop and reflect how lucky I am to be in the position I am. I get to watch my girls grow up and spend time with my family, while doing something I love to earn an income. I am so grateful that my ‘work’ gives me the opportunity to make an impact on so many people’s lives.

So, from the bottom of my heart and soul, I want to thank you for all your support and wonderful feedback. Thank-you for bringing me into your life and sharing the gift of Tarot with you.

What’s Next in 2012?

I’m not big on goals because I like to be flexible, but I do have a few pots simmering on the stove, so to speak!

Building on the Successes of 2011

I love doing professional Tarot readings and teaching people Tarot via the blog, so you’ll continue to see these services throughout 2012.

I have a few ideas, too, on how I can expand on these services, but I’ll keep them under wraps for now because I have no idea whether I can fulfil them or not (and I hate to commit to something I can’t definitely deliver).

A New Website Design

I am currently working with a website designer to build a new layout for the site, making it more user-friendly and hopefully more attractive. I’m not sure when the launch will be, but we’re aiming for the first quarter of 2012.

A New eBook

I am currently writing a new eBook which will be targeted towards those wanting to learn to read Tarot. My aim is to make the Tarot accessible and available to all who have the willingness to learn. It’s also going to be filled with practical exercises and steps to learn the Tarot in a short period of time. Watch this space!

Spain!

We are moving to Spain in 2012! This is probably the most exciting part of 2012 as we pack our bags and head to Spain for six months to live as a family of four. Our goal is to truly live and experience the culture of this amazing country.

And the beauty of online business is that I can continue BiddyTarot in an exciting new location.

So who knows, I might be offering readings and blog posts in Spanish!

What are your lessons from 2011? And what are your plans for 2012? Feel free to share in the comments section below.

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