Dear Oracle, I think I’ve finally hit my burnout stage of working throughout the pandemic. I feel exhausted both emotionally, mentally, and physically all the time and my job, which I liked well enough before COVID-19, is now something I actively dread. I feel spoiled admitting this, but I honestly fantasize so much about quitting and just doing nothing for a few months. This is 1000% not an option financially, and my old habits that buoyed me through most of the pandemic (go for a walk! Call a friend! Take a bath!) aren’t as helpful. My weekends are spent with me feeling like a slug and my workdays with dread. Do the cards recommend anything to help with this burnout?—Bummed out ’bout burnout
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Cards: Two of Pentacles, Nine of Cups reversed, Six of Cups reversed.
Dear Bummed, I know many people (myself included!) are feeling some level of burnout, so thank you for asking a question. I’m sure it’s on a lot of people’s minds. It has been, to put it mildly, a rough year. But as much as chucking it all is appealing, that doesn’t solve the underlying issue. For that, you’re going to need some soul searching.
With the Two of Pentacles, the solution is not to quit your job but to find balance with it. Your mental/physical health, your financial responsibilities, and your connection to people and places in this world are all important things, and it can feel impossible to balance those with limited energy reserves.
It might not be possible for you to step away from work—you know your needs best—but if there’s any chance you can drop something or siphon off some mental energy from your job, do it. Allow yourself to be a mediocre employee for a bit. (What are they going to do, fire you? In this economy?!)
Of course, if you have PTO, take it because time away from work will help you clear your mind and figure out your next steps.
While the Two of Pentacles is a card of balance, it’s also a card of connecting, and when it’s paired with the Nine and Six of Cups, it suggests connecting (or reconnecting) with your dreams. Six of Cups is also a card of child-like love, so that might be a north star for you.
What is something you loved doing at age six? What made you feel nurtured or safe? What was fun? See if you can name a couple of things and try them out, even in short bursts. Maybe it’s a 15-minute free draw when you wake up, a bike ride after work with a friend, or making up characters in your bathroom mirror; just allow yourself to enjoy something for the hell of it. It might feel silly or dumb, but it can help connect you to your gut and clear a space mentally.
When you have a bit more mental energy, consider things that you both need and want in life. What would it look like if you had a different job? If you moved closer to family? Took a coding class or trained for a marathon? What are some dreams, both big and small? These could be goals down the line and might help draw more balance in your life.
Also, if you’re able to see a therapist, they might help you through this draining time.
But right now, with limited energy, treat yourself as kindly as you can. You survived a war; it’s OK to take time to heal.
Dear Oracle, in the past couple of months, I’ve gotten a new lease on life and had the idea to change my career and go abroad to have new adventures. But, my career here at home has also started to improve, and I’m unsure if continuing on my lofty dream of travel is the right path. What do you think?—Tethered but trying
Cards to Stay: Page of Wands, The High Priestess, Eight of Swords.
Cards to Go: Seven of Cups, King of Swords, Seven of Wands
Dear Tethered, your sign-off is particularly apt to become one of the cards in your spread in the Nine of Swords, and in my deck, it is a swan tethered with a gold chain under a ladder of swords. While often the “too anxious to sleep” card, the Nine of Swords can be a card for both inspiring change and reminding us that we can’t shake off our past.
Neither option, stay or go, is entirely positive or negative. Both have pros and cons.
If you stay, you have this potential bondage to your past, meaning it’s not quite the fresh start that a new life abroad would promise. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have merits. The High Priestess is the guardian of spirituality, of our intuition, and our subconscious, while the Page of Wands is a person itching for discovery, a completely free spirit. This suggests that there’s a rich world to explore here on your home turf, be it creatively, spirituality, or even literally. However, you still have your past to deal with.
Heading abroad has the promise of a future you can’t even imagine with plenty of new opportunities (Seven of Cups), but it’s far, far more precarious (Seven of wands.) This does put you on the cusp of a new adventure and has the potential to be life-changing, but it’s not a guarantee that the change would be a welcomed one.
For abroad, we also have the King of Swords, the critical father. This could be someone in your life who is incredibly critical of this decision…or possibly it might be you, perusing this path, hard-luck be damned.
Both paths offer rewards. Going abroad might make for a better story or life-changing experience, but you might have more of a chance to explore your own spiritual/creative path stateside.
Of course, if you’re thinking of going abroad to a country you’ve never visited, visit first if you can. You might be an Anglophile but discover that your swampy Florida blood doesn’t take kindly to misty moors and a sun that sets at 4 p.m. Or, it might reaffirm that yes, Japan is exactly where you belong.
Also, REALLY research work permits, contracts, housing, and laws surrounding your payment in your host country. You don’t want to end up stuck, broke, or having to flee in the middle of the night.
Whichever you decide, I’ll leave you a piece of advice from my mother: Few things in life can truly never be undone. It might take a lot of time, lawyers, or money, but for the most part, you can start over. Whatever decision you make, it doesn’t have to be permanent. Take care, my dear.
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This article appears in Jun 3-9, 2021.