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How to Actually Enjoy a Formal Party When You’re an Introvert

By
Elizabeth Williams

Fall has just begun, and before we know it, it’ll be the holiday season, which can often bring with it lots of parties and events, sometimes including large, formal parties, depending on your job and your group of friends. While many people misunderstand introversion as meaning that introverts don’t actually like social events at all, and don’t enjoy parties of any kind, most introverts do prefer to socialize in smaller groups where they don’t need to be introduced to lots of people at once and make small talk, and can also find the pressure of more formal parties such as black tie galas stressful.

If this sounds like you, and rather than looking forward to these annual events, you’d rather find an excuse to stay at home or just spend a peaceful evening with your friends in a less extravagant context, then you may sometimes dread these social obligations. However, if you plan ahead and focus on the right aspects of the occasion, it can easily be possible to enjoy the party just as much as the social butterflies. Here are some tips:

Choose Something to Wear That Makes You Feel Great

One of the best things about formal events is that you can dress up and look your best, and it can be quite satisfying to see all the people you see every day at work, or in other ordinary situations when you’re feeling like you look a lot more special. Christmas parties can give you an excuse to wear the most glamorous clothes, and so you can have a lot of fun choosing a dress for the occasion, trying on stuff you wouldn’t normally have an excuse to wear and even taking inspiration from red carpet fashion.

Whether you’re interested in fashion in general or just want to enjoy yourself and feel good at the party, shopping for a look for the event can be enjoyable, and of course, it’s also something you can do online if you don’t feel like dealing with the stores in the run-up to the holidays!

Check out Jovani, who have an amazing range of stunning evening dresses and formal gowns perfect for black tie parties and glamorous work events. If you want to, you can even go for something that really fits the Christmas mood, like velvet green dresses. For instance, there’s these Jovani velvet green dresses that can give you a glamorous look that is seasonal and classy, and just putting on a gorgeous dress like one of these will have you feeling positive and ready to have fun!

Get the Mingling Out of the Way Early

If you find chatting with people you don’t know very well or have just met stressful or exhausting, but are obligated to do it because of the party having a networking element, then it’s a good idea to do this early when everyone is first arriving and having drinks. This lets you do the rounds while your social energy levels are at their highest, and will mean you can spend the later parts of the evening, when you may be less energized and have a lower tolerance for small talk and introductions, with the people you know best or the person you brought as your date or guest, allowing you to enjoy a more intimate celebration.

Look Forward to Some of the Features of the Party

Rather than feeling stressed in the run-up to the party about all of the social interactions you imagine you’ll be forced to tolerate, instead think about the bits of the party you will enjoy the most. Will there be a really entertaining after-dinner speaker? Will there be a delicious meal? Are there going to be any exciting announcements, or things like industry awards given out, which can be interesting and fun?

Even if you are only looking forward to the dessert, or the champagne, or the funny speeches, having something in your mind that you know you’re going to like at the occasion and thinking about that instead of the aspects you don’t think you’ll like so much, can help you talk yourself into actually feeling positive and excited about going. It can also make you feel more like joining in conversations with others who seem to be looking forward to the party, rather than feeling left out for not being as hyped for it as they are.

Social occasions can take more work to enjoy for introverted people, but it is definitely possible to have a lot of fun at a formal event and also to spend the run-up to it looking forward to it rather than wishing that you didn’t have to go! Why not try some of these ideas for your big holiday events this year?

Everything In Life Happens For A Reason: Here’s Why You Should Believe In This Philosophy

By
Riley Cooper
Everything In Life Happens For A Reason

“Everything in life happens for a reason” is a concept we are all familiar with. And yes, it’s a concept which is difficult to understand or believe in when life hands us lemons, but it couldn’t be truer.

Every person that comes into our lives, every person that leaves, every choice we make, every result which arises from these choices, and every problem, loss, and pain we experience – all of these happen for a reason. They are all blessings given to us to learn from.

The truth is that regardless of how much we try to control every aspect of our lives, there’re things which we just can’t have control over. Life doesn’t always go according to plan. The universe or fate, or you name it, can throw our way challenges, temptations, problems, and pain when we least expect it.

And all these are not coincidences or mistakes. They are blessings given to us to learn from. That’s why we have to be open to the difficulty and pain. We have to be open to what it’s we’re supposed to learn from an experience. We have to understand that everything which happens in life happens for a reason.

Here are 6 reasons why you should believe in this philosophy:

1. It makes it easier for some people to deal with adversity.

Thinking that everything in life happens for a reason makes it easier for some people to deal with health issues, financial crises, relationship problems, loss of a loved one, and even natural disasters, such as floods and earthquakes. Thinking that such events can be perceived as the outcome of accidents, and maybe even of chance gives them the strength to face adversity and move forward.

2. It alleviates your pain.

It might be hard to believe that there’s a reason behind losing a loved one. When you’re faced with such pain, it’s easier to blame someone or something than believe that everything which happens in life happens for a reason.

But, believing in this philosophy can alleviate your pain and enable you to heal.

Everything In Life Happens For A Reason

3. It gives you closure.

When certain things don’t go according to plan, we tend to regret them and we sometimes even blame ourselves for not trying to control the outcome better.

For instance, let’s say you’ve recently broken up with your boyfriend/girlfriend.  While it’s normal to feel disappointed about it and feel a deep sense of loss at first, you can choose to use this painful experience as an opportunity to learn something new about yourself and about how relationships work.  You can learn from this experience what behaviors benefit relationships and what behaviors can cause even the strongest relationship to fall apart.

4. It leads you to the transformative moments of your life.

If you’ve ever had that “aha!” moment in your life, then you know what I’m talking about. Instead of being stuck on a difficulty, pain, or negativity, you have chosen to believe that everything in life happens for a divine purpose and reason.

When you experience your most transformative and defining moments, you realize that everything finally makes sense. You realize that these transformative moments give your life new direction and change the connection you have with other people as well as with yourself.

5. It helps you understand the chaos in your life.

We have all experienced hard and painful situations when completely nothing makes sense. Thinking that everything in life happens for a reason can be very comforting when bad things happen. It’s soothing to believe that there’s a purpose or a plan behind every problem, loss, or pain we face in life.

This philosophy allows us to focus on those parts of our lives that do make sense. And this makes us make better decisions in the future and gives us purpose, strength, and motivation to move forward.

6. Last but not least, it teaches you important lessons.

As I’ve already said – every problem, loss, and pain we experience in life is a blessing and a valuable lesson given to us to learn from. Although it’s difficult for us to understand why certain things happen when life gets difficult at first, there always comes a moment when we realize that there’s a divine purpose and reason behind everything that happens to us.

Because everything that happens to us allows us to learn new things about ourselves and the world around us. It allows us to change and grow. It allows us to transform ourselves into a better version of ourselves.

12 Ways to Relieve Anxiety

By
Elizabeth Williams

Anxiety is something we may experience from thinking forward too much. We might try to imagine how something will play out or what will happen. While we may attribute anxiety to specific events, it’s long-term anxiety that keeps us from the things we enjoy, making it difficult to appreciate our time.

We can manage and decrease the effect of anxiety in our lives. Everyone has a preferred way of coping with their anxiety. Nonetheless, here are a few tried and true ways if you’re still finding yours.

1) Stay in the Present

Anxiety often comes from the perspective of thinking about the future and trying to find the answers to things we can’t predict. It preys on our general sense of concern or worry. It’s important to examine these anxious thoughts and conjectures. This way, we can choose to live in the present, focusing on one task at a time and using planning methods.

2) Examine the Source

Anxiety is often a fear response that can come from blowing things out of proportion. One way to examine the source of your anxiety is to fact check the things you’re stressed about. It can also help to talk with others who have gone through similar experiences.

3) Straighten Your Posture and Breathe Evenly

Straighter posture not only gives you a rush of confidence, but it also allows your lungs more space to fully inflate. Additionally, breathing techniques are a proven way of reducing stress and managing anxiety levels.

4) Make Actions Toward Accomplishing Goals

Anxiety and fear may often cause us to procrastinate and put off our goals. Procrastination, while it may seem comforting at the time, only elongates and exacerbates certain kinds of anxiety. Rather than procrastinating, take some time to understand and plan out your approach, this will make you feel more solid and sure of yourself when you step out into uncharted territory.

5) Get Another Perspective on the Issue

Sometimes a little talking on the subject can go a long way toward relieving your fears. Getting an alternate perspective can help you to think about the problem differently. At the same time, talking to someone else about it can help you to feel a much-needed sense of support and safety.

6) Find a Way to Get a Good Laugh

Laughing offers us a physical release of stress and anxiety, and having lots of laughter in your life can benefit your overall mental health. Find yourself a way to laugh, whether it’s enjoying some comedy or chatting with a friend who always knows how to make you smile.

7) Get Some Exercise

Endorphins from physical activity will not only lighten your mood, but they will also give you a confidence boost. This helps with motivation and self-efficacy. Next time you’re feeling anxious, go for a walk, take a hike out in nature, flow into yoga, or even lift some weights in the gym.

8) Be Aware of What You’re Eating

Avoid eating too much sugar, which can worsen anxious feelings. At the same time, keep track of how much caffeine you consume. Instead, when you feel your energy starting to lag, reach for some water and stretch your legs in a brief walk.

9) Keep a Journal

Writing can help you identify the source of your feelings while also giving you an outlet to vent any frustration and personal needs or desires. It doesn’t have to be frequent, but having a safe space that you can pull out whenever you’re feeling a lot of doubt or anxiety can offer huge mental health benefits.

10) Spend time with Your Loved Ones

Social support can go a long way toward helping us tackle our problems. But aside from that just spending time with the people we care about, including our friends and family, can help to relieve anxiety and give our lives a sense of purpose.

11) Regulate Your Sleep Cycles

Sleep cycles do more than determine how much energy we have in a day. They also regulate our ability to focus, how stressed we feel, bodily processes that we may take for granted, such as hormone balance and metabolism, and our overall mood. If your anxiety is linked to irregular sleep cycles, it might be time to make a more regular bedtime and morning alarm.

12) Take Some Time for Yourself

In the end, if you’ve been working too hard or dwelling too long in a state of anxiety, one of the best options for you could be to take some time away. Time away helps you to regain perspective, compartmentalize the things that bring you down, and open up wider and more fulfilling aspects of your life. For some, this might mean using a handheld massager to relieve accumulated muscle tension, taking a screen-free day, and truly decompressing. For others it will mean adventuring, indulging in a favorite hobby, and finding avenues of personal expansion.

Anxiety is personal, tied to individual experiences and the way we react to them. This also means that anxiety relief is a personal matter. Try out a few different methods, allow yourself to really engage with them, and see what works for you.

Why Is It A Really Good Idea To Read Self-Help Books?

By
Elizabeth Williams

Specialists recommend that you read at least one part of a personal development book per day. This means that you end up reading a few pages, around one chapter, when you feel comfortable to do so. It can be in the morning or in the afternoon. Also, with the help of services like Blinkist you can read more because of the way in which they summarize books, including self-help titles.

Specialists do tell you to read self-development books but most people do not do this. Why is that? It is because there are different benefits that are gained when you do this. The most important ones are presented below.

A More Positive View Of The World

Self-help books are inspiring. When you read passages from inspiring books every single day, the brain is practically flooded with uplifting concepts and positive words. Simply put, you end up feeling better every single day and you have more mental strength to tackle whatever the world throws in your direction.

Taking More Positive Actions

Reading self-help books inspires you to take more positive actions and make the better choice. And you do them more often. Most of the personal development titles on the market include prompts and exercises that make you think about choices made and the reason behind them.

It is always really important to honestly evaluate one’s life. This frees your mind and inspires you to make really good choices. At the end of the day, you end up feeling a lot better about you and the actions that you take since you are aware of why you actually take them.

You Enhance Your Life

People will tell you that reading inspiring books every day aims to improve life. In reality, it is much more than that. This practice can enhance your entire life.

Personal development always aims to expand those things that you got. You do not improve things that you lack. By reading self-help books you become aware of the difference between enhancing and improving. You end up being more focused on the things that matter.

You Destroy Limitations

Self-help books help you to actually believe that you will be able to do more. Many do not improve simply because they have mental blocks. They think that they cannot experience more or do more. Inspiring words pouring towards you every day inspire you to explore limits, capabilities and actually destroy the identified limits.

You can only become better and stronger when you take a risk and you dare to go towards an area of your life that you do not know. You want to experience something that is new to you. However, this is impossible if you are not inspired to do it. You also want to be confident. Self-help books help with this, a lot more than what you might initially think.

Conclusions

As you can see, reading self-help books every single day helps. You should make this a habit and you should take those needed steps to improve your life.

Social Emotional Learning Curriculum for Adults: Is it too late?

By
Elizabeth Williams

Quick answer: No. Social emotional learning curriculums are mostly prepared for children. However, adults need them as much as children do!

According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), social emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which students develop and apply the skills they need to process and manage their emotions, set and achieve positive goals, be empathic towards others, make good decisions, and build and maintain good relationships.

A social emotional learning curriculum is usually developed and offered to children but that doesn’t mean adults can’t learn from these programs, too. In fact, adults would need them just as much as kids would.

Social Emotional Learning Curriculums for Kids and Adults: What’s the Difference? 

Although SEL curriculums all aim for the same thing, the way they are taught or presented will depend highly on the students’ needs and capabilities. In this case, a child’s needs and capabilities are different from an adult’s.

Correction

Compared to children, most adults are very much experienced in handling or dealing with social situations. Whether these experiences are good or bad would depend on their social and emotional skills.

By adulthood, many people would have learned skills and behaviors that do not necessarily contribute to their SEL growth.

In a social emotional learning curriculum for adults, these behaviors must be corrected – they should be addressed and unlearned. This, of course, will not only take time, but also a lot of effort from both the student and the facilitator.

Children would only require very minimal to no correction at all. This makes it easier for them to learn. So, a curriculum for adults must take this in consideration.

Repetition

It’s a well-known fact that children learn faster than adults. The fact of the matter is: children are just built to learn. They’re fresh minds – sponges.

Adults, on the other hand, can be expected to be more distracted and to have a more challenging time learning and retaining all that they’ve learned.

A scientific explanation for this would be the development of a person’s prefrontal cortex. Children, with their still-developing prefrontal cortex, are able to think and perceive things more creatively. Adults, with their developed prefrontal cortex, tend to see things as they are – no imagination or creativity required.

When learning a new thing, this can definitely become a blocker for adults. So an SEL curriculum for adults should be focused on repetition and retention to address this blocker and be truly effective.

Impact 

Children in school don’t really have much to worry about but school. Most adults would have 10,000 other responsibilities to take care of as soon as they step out of their SEL class. Because adults are exposed to more diverse social situations, you can expect that an adult SEL class would contain more advanced lessons.

SEL programs for adults are made to be more impactful so as to make a real difference in an adult’s day-to-day life – teaching them how SEL can have positive effects on their decision making skills, work/professional careers, relationships with others, family life, etc.

Being able to apply SEL in the many different aspects in the life of an adult helps students retain their learnings better.

How Adult SEL Programs Help Develop SEL Programs for Children

Although teaching SEL to children is more preferred than teaching SEL to adults, the latter actually helps in the development of programs to do the former.

Think about it. Who facilitates social emotional learning curriculums for kids? Adults, of course!

So before schools even think about promoting SEL to children, they focus on strengthening adult SEL. Aside from focusing on helping adults develop emotion and stress management skills as well as other social and emotional skills, they also work hard to foster a supportive staff, classroom, and school environment to develop social and emotional competence of the adults facilitating SEL programs for children.

According to CASEL, schools find it easier to teach and even reinforce SEL to children when SEL for adults is also cultivated. The success of the SEL implementation in a school greatly depends on how the staff facilitate the SEL instruction and model their own social and emotional competence.

Adult SEL: Implementing Social Economic Learning  Curriculum in School 

To properly implement social emotional learning curriculums in school, the participation of a great number of adults would be needed. This doesn’t only involve teachers, too. All adults in the school – from the principal to even the lunchroom and janitorial staff – must participate.

This won’t just be helpful for SEL programs for children, this also promotes and nurtures a work environment for everyone to feel supported and able to build and strengthen their social and emotional skills in a personal and professional setting.

Proper implementation of an SEL program would require the following from every adult in the school:

Learning Efforts 

Each adult in school should be actively learning to build their own capacity for SEL as well as their capacity to support SEL in their co-workers and students.

This would require them to reflect on their personal SEL skills, practice self-care, and create personalized SEL learning plans.

 Collaborative Efforts 

Adults in school are taught to be team players. They are expected to support each other via internal structures like professional learning communities and peer mentoring circles.

These structures allow adults to collaborate – discuss SEL strategies, support and encourage each other’s SEL growth, and integrate SEL into staff meetings. 

Setting an Example 

Each adult is expected to set an example as the school implements its social emotional learning curriculum. They are to model SEL competencies, showcase SEL mindsets and strategies, and practice their skills throughout the entire school community – this means that they have to be a good role model to their fellow peers, their students, and even their students’ families.

One challenge schools face is the actual implementation of SEL programs for adults. It’s not an easy feat and in some cases, it could take years of consistent training.

The benefits of an adult SEL program far exceed the challenges, though, and it’s something all schools should definitely look into!

Autumn Suit Ideas

By
Elizabeth Williams

Autumn is the season when everything changes. The days become shorter and cooler, and the leaves on the trees turn a gorgeous shade of gold! It’s also a time of the year when you need to put away those summer suits you have been wearing to work and for evenings out, and move on to your autumn wardrobe.

Of course, autumn days can be a mixture of cold mornings and surprisingly warm afternoons, so you need to make sure your autumn suits are adaptable. Sweaters come into play in the late months, too, so you might want to have a close look at what’s in your wardrobe now to be prepared!

What do we mean when we talk about autumn suit ideas? We’re talking not quite winter-heavy clothing, but that which bridges the change between summer and autumn. An autumn suit should look smart and yet lean towards the casual side, while affording you ample warmth for when you need to tackle those chilly mornings and evenings! Let’s look at some practical ideas, and see how you can find the very best autumn suit.

Why Tweed is In

Autumn and tweed simply belong together! We’re not saying that wearing a tweed suit is an autumn-only fashion idea – they look great all-year around – but that this is the time of year when a tweed suit really comes into its own. Furthermore, tweed suits are generally a touch heavier and warmer than the summer suits you’ve been wearing, and they look very classy, with an almost rural appeal that endures.

Worn with a plain shirt – it can be overwhelming if you pair a patterned tweed suit with a check or pattern shirt – this is a look that will make you the one who stands out, and looks smart yet just that little touch below the formal, a sort of semi-formal look.

Tweed suits have also been made more popular thanks to featuring as the suit of choice for the characters on the hit TV show ‘Peaky Blinders’, and if you click here you’ll see some good examples from Cavani, who have a large range of tweed suits. It’s a good place to start looking for ideas and inspiration. You can easily carry off the look, so what do you need to make a tweed suit look the part?

How to Wear a Tweed Suit

Do you want to wear a two piece or three piece suit? That’s the first question to ask yourself. You will find that when you shop online for a tweed or other suit, you will be offered a waistcoat as part of the package. We think that a tweed suit looks best with a waistcoat, but there may be occasions when you want to wear it as just the jacket and trousers. For a full formal occasion, three-piece is the way to go, as it really is the classiest and most elegant look for a man, and one that is simply timeless.

Back to Peaky Blinders, the gang topped their tweed suits off with a tweed flat cap. This is another item that has been given a boost by the success of the TV show, and one that you might want to try. Worn with a tweed suit, a flat cap gives you the added adornment that makes it a complete outfit, and there are plenty to choose from.

The great thing about a tweed suit jacket is that it not only looks great with the suit, but will also cut it when worn with a shirt and a pair of jeans. It’s the ultimate smart-casual look for the cooler autumn months, and with a wealth of colours and patterns to choose from, you really can’t go wrong with tweed.

 

Of course, there are other garments you can wear with your tweed suit – perhaps a thin sweater for added warmth would be a good choice – and there are other types of suit that you can choose, but the simple fact is that tweed is very much in vogue, so why not have a look around and see what you can find that takes your eye, and look the part in tweed this autumn.

Are Electric Unicycles Legal?

By
Elizabeth Williams

The electric unicycle is a relatively recent arrival on the market, and as a personal transport device – as well as a leisure vehicle – these clever and innovative little machines have kicked up something of a storm! You may have seen one – perhaps being used by someone in a city or town near you to get around more quickly than walking – or perhaps read about them and are here because you want to know more.

Either way, the fact is the electric unicycle is too versatile a device to overlook, and it is certainly going to become more popular in the near future. One of the concerns that potential buyers have is that of the legality of electric unicycles: are they legal to use in towns and cities of the USA, and are there specific laws relating to them? Below, we look at why there may be concerns among city councils and other such bodies as to the use of electric unicycles on city streets.

Fast and Agile

First, let’s look at what an electric unicycle is, and why it might be seen as a problem when used on, for example, the streets of New York. The electric unicycle is a compact device that consists of a solid body, within which is an electric motor and other systems designed to make it easy to ride. A USB-rechargeable battery is a part of the package, but the clever bit comes in the shape of how the device balances.

Bearing in mind you have only one wheel, you might think that balancing it – as with when you first learn to ride a bicycle – might be something of a dark art. In fact, and this is the very clever bit, the electric unicycle balances itself! It does so by way of gyroscopes and accelerometers – these are found in a variety of devices that require help with balance – leaving the rider free to control the device.

So, why is there a problem with them in the city? Most people will, of course, ride them on the sidewalk, where there will be people walking. The highest-performing electric unicycles can reach speeds of as much as 30mph. Even the less powerful can reach 15mph. If someone were foolish enough to ride at 15mph among crowds of commuters or shoppers, you can imagine the potential for accidents to happen.

The Law and Unicycles

Being relatively new to the market, the electric unicycle is in something of a grey area when it comes to the law. The law regarding riding them in built-up areas will also vary from state to state – even town to town – so it is advisable that you check out the law regarding unicycles where you happen to be thinking of using one.

In New York, for example, while there is still some confusion, it is a fact that another form of personal electric transport – the hoverboard – is not permitted for use within Manhattan (and other areas). It would follow, then, that the same is so for the rest of the New York boroughs, and that it is likely other large cities and towns will follow suit.

However, look around, and you will see riders in all areas of Manhattan. One rider, for example, attempted to test the law by riding close to police officers; they did nothing. When he spoke to them, they were either unaware of laws banning unicycles, or there were none.

We wouldn’t advocate breaking the law, so our advice is to be sensible if using your unicycle in a town or city, keep your speed down, and make sure you pay attention to others around you.

Your Complete Guide to Buying Tarot Cards

By
Elizabeth Williams
questions to ask tarot cards about love

How to Buy Tarot Cards?

Are you looking to buy tarot cards for yourself? Then read this guide to learn how to pick the perfect tarot cards and where to buy them.

Tarot cards are an ancient tool used for divination and communicating beyond the physical realm. These mysterious cards have often been seen as off-limits to the general public, as we historically witnessed them used most by those who claim the title of psychic or something similar.

However, nowadays people have realized that they are open to anyone who is willing to accept the call. They even have more practical uses than most people could have ever thought based on their assumptions about the cards.

So, naturally, more individuals are looking to buy tarot cards but aren’t exactly sure where to start. Keep reading to check out this guide on the entire scoop of how to grab a deck of your very own.

Where to Buy Tarot Cards

Since spiritual tools have become more popular in the past couple of years, more stores are openly selling things such as healing crystals and bundles of sage. This means that there are way more places to buy tarot cards. This also means that you should be keeping an extra close eye out for people who may just want to make a profit off of mass demand.

With that being said, it’s important to do your research on sellers before making the purchase. Some of the best ways to do this are to read through testimonials and check out their store ratings. Doing a quick Google search could save you a lot of money and frustration.

As far as where to buy, the accessibility of tarot decks for sale is right in the palm of your hand. Major websites like Amazon and eBay are some of the main places to look if you want to be able to do easy background checks on sellers. You can also check out Etsy as well.

There are plenty of small business stores online that offer magical tools at affordable prices. Another route to take is simply walking into a local shop that has a mystical vibe and buying a deck from there. This way you will be able to talk to someone in-person about the inventory before purchasing.

You could also support independent artists who design and create tarot decks themselves. A quick social media search should help you locate some.

Picking a Deck

If you don’t already have a deck in mind then going to buy tarot cards can seem a bit overwhelming. There are lots of different options that vary in artistic style, language, creator’s interpretations, and even size. But the thing to remember is that there is no right or wrong deck.

It all depends on your preference and something that people refer to as which deck “calls to you”. This simply means that if you see a deck and it immediately piques your interest and makes you feel a sort of connection with something about it then that’s probably the one to buy. 

One of the most common decks to start out with is the Rider-Waite deck. It’s a pretty standard deck and is very helpful to anyone at any level. Also keep in mind that you don’t just have to stop at one deck so no need to feel like you’re locked in after you’ve bought one deck. Many people collect, trade and resell their tarot decks.

If you’re confused about whether you’re actually buying tarot cards or not, then take notice of the number of cards included. Decks come with 78 cards in them (split between 22 major arcana cards and 56 minor arcana cards). Typically the deck will say tarot specifically- otherwise it may be an oracle deck (which should also be specified).

Unboxing the Cards

Now that you’ve figured out where to buy tarot cards and chosen the right deck for you, surely you’re anxious to get them home and crack them open. The first thing you should do is to check to make sure that all of your cards are there and a booklet with card descriptions and explanations should be included as well.

After this, most people like to cleanse their cards. This is believed to clear away any negative or unwanted energy and ‘program’ the cards to your vibration. This can be done in plenty of ways, such as running the cards through sage or incense smoke or holding them in your palms while envisioning light. 

It’s important to try to build relationships with your cards to prepare yourself for learning and daily practice. Get to know the cards by meditating with them and using them often in the beginning. You can even store them with any crystals you may have.

All of these things will help when you begin to divine with them regularly or if you choose to get into tarot reading for others in the future.

The ‘First Deck’Myth

Besides knowing just where to buy tarot cards, some people bring up the question of whether or not they are allowed to purchase their first deck. There is a myth or tradition (depending on your perspective) that many people still live by which says that someone shouldn’t buy their first deck for themselves.

This belief is said to have originated in Europe but some people do think it is a bit outdated. Honestly, it’s up to you if you’d like to buy your first set of tarot cards. There are individuals who may not be open in their practices so they won’t have anyone to actually gift them a deck.

Overall it’s fine to get your first deck on your own if you need to. However, if it’s important to follow this tradition than you could always give someone the money to go into the store and make the purchase for you (this should count).

Ready to Buy Your First Deck of Tarot Cards?

Many people who are interested in reading tarot nowadays may not have been raised with these beliefs or traditions. If you’ve decided to go buy tarot cards and start a practice then that’s great!

Tarot is an amazing tool for understanding yourself, others and life in general better. For more articles on mystical studies and practices, check out our spiritual blog section today. 

 

Career by Horoscope: What the Stars Say About Your Vocation

By
Elizabeth Williams

Can your horoscope predict the work that will be most fulfilling for you? Learn what the stars have to say about your vocational future in a free daily money horoscope.

Have you ever felt a certain pull toward a particular field or career?

While a lot of it has to do with your personality, in part, it can also be thanks to your zodiac sign.

Find out what your career horoscope can say about your future career.

Find out What Zodiac Sign You Are

Before you start, you should view your horoscope first; your zodiac sign will be determined by your birth date.

There are a total of 12 zodiac signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.

Once you know which sign you have, then you can move on to your career horoscope.

How Can You Find Your Career in Astrology: Profession Indicators in the Natal Chart

When you choose a career is one of the biggest decisions you make in life. Some may know what profession will choose from an early age, while others wonder what to do with their lives even as adults. 

Luckily, there is vocational astrology that may help you to orientate your professional path more easily. So no matter if you are experiencing some career crisis, you are at the start of your professional path, or you want to start a new career, a natal chart may give you some guidance.

How Can You Choose Your Career With The Help Of Astrology?

There are several things that may suggest which profession you can choose. In the beginning, you should sum up your weaknesses and strengths, what you enjoy doing for life and what is the work you strongly dislike. 

So, you should see what kind of profession suits your personality the best. What is essential when it comes to vocational birth charts is that you should feel the whole energy, and the main point of it is to identify the main traits of your personality and your drives and needs. 

Sometimes it is difficult to tell what your ideal profession would be as there are many professional options to choose from, but it can still give you some general guidelines. 

In the end, just a reminder for you that nothing is finally set, you can freely choose what suits you best, and you should listen to your intuition on your astrological and professional journey. 

The idea about astrology is that it gives you information that you already know; it is a simple reconfirmation. 

Which Natal Chart Houses Are Important For Your Career?

If you have a strong Sun in your birth chart, it means that you can choose to be a leader as a profession. On the other hand, if you have Mercury as your ruling planet, the best profession for you is a communicator, which means working in journalism, public speaking, and clerical roles will be best for them.

Analyze the Big 3 Important Houses 

The carrier horoscope will analyze your career by using different methods. It is usually done by studying your 2nd, 6th, and 10th house in your Birth Chart. Why are all these houses significant?

– The 2nd house – gives information about how much income you will gain through services and employment. It is related to money, savings, and resources and about your earning power. In addition, it speaks about the talents you own and on which you can focus. 

– The 6th house – This house is the natural house of Virgo, and it can guide you to your ideal career. In this house, your lifestyle is described and the service you give to others. In addition, this house describes the daily job you do for a living, from 9 to 5, and the planets in this house, along with the ruler of this sign, can be an important career indicator. For example, if you have Saturn in your 6th house and Mars in the 2nd house may work as an engineer. 

This house also describes the place where you work, so if you have Cancer in the 6th house, it will mean that you will be working from home. 

– The 10th house – is the main house when it comes to choosing your career and is the first to look at. It informs about your job status and social rank. 

– For example, if you have Taurus in your 10th house, you do not have control when you need to, you need time to make progress, and you do not make any rush in things. The best profession for you would be something in Arts or in Finance. 

– This house is on the axis with the 4th house, and it is called Medium Coeli or Midheaven. The 4th and the 6th house also rule your parents and are spiritual in nature. 

The Midheaven

This part of your astrological chart gives you details about your reputation and will indicate what you will be known if you choose a certain vocation. For example, if your Midheaven is in Gemini, you will be an excellent communicator, and you can work in sales, while if it is in Leo, you are born to be a star.

Astrology blends all together

What does astrology do? Astrology makes us see the big picture by blending it all together. You can see all the perspectives and reveals all the talents you have, and you might not know that they exist.

Good Careers for Each Horoscope Sign

While your career by horoscope isn’t the be-all and end-all, it can still be fun to check out. Astrology is so much fun if you dig deeper, you can learn about constellations, type of stars, or even new galaxies, the knowledge is literally endless.

Astrology is a predictive science and can help you in selecting a suitable career.

Here’s a quick rundown of what good careers for each horoscope would be.

If you’re feeling lost in your career path or don’t know what you want to do next, why not take a peek at your career horoscope? You never know…it might just be the nudge you need to leap into a more rewarding job!

Career Horoscope Aries

Aries are great at leadership positions and are also very competitive. For this reason, a career in the great outdoors would be ideal. On the opposite spectrum, a CEO role is excellent too.

Aries like challenges and have the natural ability to fight for their goals and ideals. They worry when they have to work on something related to micromanagement and easily get bored because of the restrictions that bind them.

So, a career in law would give them the opportunity to put their argumentative side to good use.

They also draw inspirations that involve taking risks and adrenaline. So, they can be good as personal trainers, or drive race cars if they are especially adventurous.

Career Horoscope Taurus

Tauruses are really grounded and love routine. They also are great with money. So consider jobs in the food industry, sales, or banking and finance. Taurus always knows what he wants, and it is so practical that he usually gets it. Being very practical, they can be incredible business managers, but if you are a Taurus, you should be more patient, listen to people around you, and take their ideas on board.


Tauruses are grounded, love routine, value beautiful things, and are great with money, so they may consider jobs in the food industry, sales, flower arranging, banking, and finance.


Tauruses need something that offers them a balance between sensuality and stability of the profession and like the sensation when they are stable on the ground.
In addition to the profession mentioned above, they can also try themselves as interior designers, sommeliers, or furniture makers. 

Career Horoscope Gemini

Geminis love things that are ever-changing, plus they’re outgoing. They are masters in communicating and connecting people together.
Fields good for this star sign include communications, teaching, PR, publicity, and project managing when he can be mentally active.

They have a strong personality and can do many tasks at once without being overwhelmed. They can patiently listen to others, and that is why they can be amazing counselors and use their natural intuition to solve problems on a daily basis for their customers.
Remember that you do not need anything that can easily get you bored.

Career for Cancer Horoscope

Cancers are natural caretakers. So obviously, you’d fare well in human resources. Other great roles include nannies, lawyers, teachers, and anything in the health and wellness industries like dietitians or nutritionists.

They are very much in tune with the emotions of the people around them and with children they can use this advantage. They can listen to them and offer them care, improve their knowledge and see the immediate results, so they are born teachers.

You can not work in a career where you cannot see your work is making difference. You also need constant motivation from your managers with regular reports and check-ups.

Career Horoscope Leo

Leos are charming and confident leaders. They stand out in the crowd and can easily command others without moving a finger and release energy that draws people to them. So if you’re a Leo, think about a career in politics teaching or the entertainment industry, and being a magnetic leader, you can try yourself as a CEO and a director.

You have strong emotions and give yourself to the fullest in every work you do, and you can empower others to do the same, so you can try yourself being an inspirational speaker or something related to public.

Career Horoscope Virgo

Virgos are perfectionists, which means their talents will be invaluable. They flourish in service and care industries, as well as in research and statistics.

If they choose to work as directors, they can be compassionate and considerate, and protective of their employees. You can even have a tendency to be hard on yourself and get lost in details, which makes you an ideal employee. 

You have an amazing memory, and you can control your emotions pretty well, so you can work as a therapist, front desk, editor, translator, and detective. 

Career Horoscope Libra

Libras are social butterflies, so stick with mediator roles; this can be in law enforcement. Also, consider working in hospitality.

Libras can easily find balance in their work and in relationships. You constantly try to improve yourself and the company where you work. You can solve any problematic situation and see what is wrong or right, so you can use this advantage working as a police officer. 

You can also work as a graphic designer or museum curator, and cultural critic. 

Career Horoscope Scorpio

Scorpios are mysterious and great secret keepers. Careers good for you are forensic detectives, spies, and anything in medicine.

You can thrive in the midst of the intelligence organizations, top-level negotiations, and handling secretive information or documents. 

You like challenges and like to work in crisis management and resource management, and logistics. 

Career Horoscope Sagittarius

Sagittariuses are great team players, so the world’s your oyster. You may want to consider working in the travel industry and/or for non-profit organizations.

They also like learning all their life and pushing the boundaries, so working as journalists will enable them to advance in their carrier and never get bored. 

Sagittarius love traveling, and you can get a job in the travel industry or tourism. You are also great at inspiring others, so you can work as a teacher or non-profit organization.

Career Horoscope Capricorn

Like Tauruses, Capricorns are pragmatic. But they’re also serious. They should work as an architect or engineer in management or administration.

They also have incredible charm and are persuasive arguers, and can persuade people to understand their ideas. They have great organizational skills, which make them great politicians. 

In addition, they have great administrative skills, and you choose to work as administrators or in big corporations where you can easily climb the top of the ladder. 

They have an eye for details and can be great engineers, architects, and designers.

Career Horoscope Aquarius

While Aquariuses are free spirits, they’re also hard workers. Think about working in science, technology, photography, project management, or graphic design.

They are sometimes loners, and they might like working on their own. They may always be ahead of others, having strange ideas that come up be brilliant. Not everyone is capable of understating their genius. They work best on their schedule and rebel against big corporations and their official working hours so that they can work as an individual contractor or entrepreneur.

Career Horoscope Pisces

Like Aquariuses, Pisces is really flexible when it comes to careers. Good fields for Pisces include healthcare and the arts.

You are highly intuitive and compassionate and can think of working as a nurse or a doctor. You can also work as a social worker or a psychologist to help other people as this makes you happy.

Have Fun With Your Career Horoscope

While your career horoscope isn’t the be-all and end-all, it can still be fun to check out.

If you’re feeling lost in your career path or don’t know what you want to do next, why not take a peek at your career horoscope? You never know…it might just be the nudge you need to leap into a more rewarding job!

If you want to read some more interesting articles, then check out our other blog pieces.

4 Plants to Put in Your Kitchen

By
Elizabeth Williams
Plants in Kitchen

Plants are good for the house, not just for aesthetic reasons but for health reasons as well. Plants are considered to lower the stress levels, boost a person’s mood, and studies have also proven that they increase productivity and concentration for up to 15%. Here is a list of plants that you are perfect for your kitchen. 

1.    Herbs

Have you seen those chefs who film from their houses? Doesn’t cooking look, feel, and taste better when you just pick out herbs from your very own pot? They aren’t just for decorating purposes but also add zest to the meal we eat. 

2.    Aloe Vera

Good things do come in small packages. Aloe vera may be a tiny and compact plant, but the gel inside it is useful for many things such as soothing burns, moisturizing dry hands, and perfect treatment for the hair. 

3.    African Violet

This colorful plant goes well with smooth and hammered copper sinks. African violets need more water compared to the first two mentioned above, so make it a habit to check them. But don’t fret as this plant is perfect for your kitchen as it likes the warmth that cooking heat gives off. 

4.    Cacti

If you have this annoying habit of being forgetful, then a cactus is the perfect plant for you. Because it can survive days without water, you wouldn’t be obliged to water them daily, and this plant also loves the heat. If it can survive a desert, it can definitely survive in your kitchen.

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