Man, I remember a time, it wasn’t that long ago, maybe three, four years back. I was sitting there, day in and day out, staring at the same old screen, doing the same old grind. It wasn’t bad, I mean, the pay was decent, the people were alright, but something just felt… off. Like a cog in a machine that just didn’t fit right anymore. Every morning, I’d wake up and just feel this heavy sigh welling up, wondering if this was it. Was this my life now? Just pushing papers, clicking mice, waiting for the weekend? It was eating at me, slowly but surely.
I tried all the usual stuff, you know. Updated the resume, scrolled through job boards, even had a couple of those casual chats with recruiters. Nothing really clicked. Everything felt like a sideways move, just more of the same, maybe with a different company logo. I was looking for something more, something with a bit of spark, but I didn’t even know what that “something” was. It was like I was walking in the dark, bumping into walls, completely lost on my own path. I was getting pretty desperate for some kind of sign, any kind of direction, honestly.
Then, one evening, I was just grousing to a buddy of mine, rattling off all my frustrations, feeling sorry for myself. He just listened, nodded, and then out of nowhere, he said, “You ever thought about a tarot reading?” I scoffed, naturally. Tarot? Me? Come on. I always saw that as just, well, fortune-telling, a bit of a gimmick, really. But he pressed, “Not for fortune-telling, man, more like, getting a different perspective. A nudge. Some clarity.” He told me about this lady he knew, a proper reader, not some carnival act. He said she helped him sort out some personal stuff. I was skeptical, but also, what the hell did I have to lose at that point? I was already at rock bottom with my career path.
So, I thought about it for a few days, chewed on the idea. The desperation eventually outweighed the skepticism. I found her number, texted her, and booked a session. It felt weird, almost rebellious. I remember walking into her little place; it wasn’t some mystical, incense-filled den, just a cozy, normal living room. She was just a regular, kind lady, not what I expected at all. We sat down, she offered me some tea, and we just started chatting. I blurted out all my career woes, how stuck I felt, how rudderless. She just listened patiently, nodding, making me feel comfortable right away.
Then she pulled out this velvet cloth and a deck of cards. She asked me to think clearly about my career, about what I really wanted to know, what kind of guidance I was looking for. No specific questions, just a general intention. I focused on “what next?” and “what am I missing?” She then had me shuffle the deck a few times, cut it, and then she started laying out the cards. It wasn’t just a single card, you know, it was this whole pattern, a “Career Spread,” she called it. She put them in specific spots, each one representing a different aspect: my past career experiences, my current situation, the challenges I was facing, my hidden talents, potential pathways, and finally, some advice for moving forward.
I watched as she turned them over, one by one. The first few cards, about my past and present, were spot-on. I mean, eerily accurate. One card, she said, showed a period of solid, stable work, but also a feeling of being fenced in, not truly using my creative energy. Bingo. That hit me hard. Another card for my current challenge showed me essentially playing it safe, avoiding bigger risks, even though I had the skills to take them on. It was like she was reading my diary, not just some random piece of paper. I just sat there, mouth agape, nodding along, almost forgetting to breathe.
Then came the “potential pathways” cards, and that’s where things got really interesting. It wasn’t some specific job title, thank god, because I knew that wasn’t how it worked. Instead, it was more about themes. One card talked about connecting with people, building communities, a role where I could facilitate, bring ideas together. Another hinted at needing more autonomy, being my own boss in some capacity, leading something from the ground up rather than just following orders. These weren’t things I’d seriously considered before, at least not in any concrete way. I’d always thought about “getting a better job,” not “creating a different kind of work life.”
The “advice” card was really powerful. It was about trusting my gut, acknowledging my own value, and not being afraid to step into a leadership role, even if it meant starting small. It pushed me to think about what I truly enjoyed doing, not just what paid the bills. It wasn’t a magic solution, you know, not some sudden prophecy that an amazing offer was coming next Tuesday. It was more about shining a light on my own blind spots, confirming some whispers I’d been ignoring in my own head.
After that reading, I walked out of there feeling lighter, with a clearer head than I’d had in years. It wasn’t that she gave me all the answers, but she showed me the right questions to ask myself. I stopped looking for “a job” and started thinking about “a calling,” or at least, a better fit for my natural inclinations. I began talking to people in different fields, attending some online workshops on topics that interested me, even if they didn’t seem directly related to my current skillset. I even started tinkering with a small side project, just building something for myself, seeing if I actually enjoyed the process.
It wasn’t an overnight change, far from it. It took months, actually. But that reading was the kick in the pants I needed. It validated those quiet nudges I’d been getting and gave me the courage to actually listen to them. I eventually transitioned into a role that involves a lot more collaboration and creative problem-solving, something I would never have even applied for before that reading. I feel energized now, like I actually have a purpose, not just a paycheck. It showed me that sometimes, you just need a different kind of tool to help you see what’s been right in front of you all along, or maybe, what’s been hiding just beneath the surface of your own doubts.
