Flashback to April 21, 2022, and I'm settling in for my “once every few days or maybe every few weeks” tarot reading. I think as I shuffle, I'm working from home in a field that won't support my mental health needs. I take a deep breath, and out pop two Major Arcana cards—the Ace of Wands and the Queen of Swords (reversed). While some readers ignore reversals, I see them as an invitation to introspection. What within me, is blocking me from embodying the Queen's energy? This draw sparks thoughts about my struggles with self-trust and authenticity.

That year proved pivotal. Not long after this reading, I quit my non-profit "dream" job to pursue another dream of mine, visual merchandising at a small business—a decision that, I hoped, would completely reshape my life's trajectory.

An internet meme has become my unexpected mantra. In this meme, a mushroom faces down a gun, unafraid and unwavering with its mycelium network running deep in the earth. The mushroom declares, 'You can't kill me in a way that matters,' because the mushroom is only the fruiting body, just a part of a much larger and complex whole, a vast network. For too long, I've fragmented myself trying to fulfill others' visions. I aspire to be that steadfast and rooted in my values, like mycelium. Now, it's time to nurture my own spark and grow as whole as that defiant mushroom.