When I receive a greeting card from a loved one, I never want to throw it away. If the words ring true and move my heart, it feels odd to just toss it in the trash.

And yet, I like to keep a pretty tidy home with as little clutter as possible. For example, I’m not a big fan of magnets on my fridge, which tends to be a popular place to stick a greeting card.

So then, what to do with a sentimental item such as a greeting card?

Over the years, I’ve started an unintentional tradition of placing cards, photos, and other mementos into the middle of books on my bookshelf. There’s no real system to it. I just grab a book, open it up and stick the card into the center before putting it back on the shelf.

I like doing this because years later, I may pull that book off the shelf and be delighted once again. It’s such a fun surprise to have a card or photo fall out of a book, immediately catapulting me back in time.

This weekend, David grabbed a vegetarian cookbook off of my office bookshelf. We’ve been cooking more vegetarian meals lately and he wanted some inspiration.

He opened the book, and the first thing he noticed was a sweet inscription from my Mom on the inside book cover. I was around 19 years old when she gifted this book to me, and it was fun to reminisce about the time period when she purchased it for me. I’d started a (admittedly short-lived) flirtation with being vegetarian, and she wanted to support me. Seeing her handwriting made me swell with emotion, especially because she passed away a few years ago. I ran my fingertips over the words and imagined her sitting down to write them.

As David skimmed through recipes, another folded piece of paper fell out from the center of the book. And as he opened it, I immediately started laughing.

Tucked away in this book for the last 27 or so years was the first sign I printed back when I started as a professional intuitive. I gave them out to promote my work at a psychic fair in Texas.

I was so proud of this sign. My friend Sue Ellen helped me design it, and I remember thinking I’m really going to stand out with some color in my promotional sign.

Most other intuitives at the psychic fair had a black and white sign with their name on it– but I was getting fancy.

I told David about the story of that first fair as the memories came flooding back. I had opted to buy a single table booth for the day at a cost of $250 – which at the time seemed like a huge investment. That was more than half the rent I was paying on my apartment, and it was all going to a half-day event! But it was a business investment and I wanted to give it a try.

I was so proud of my table design. I laid out the stars and moon quilt that my aunt made for me, had a few crystals on one side of the table, and my illustrious colorful sign on the other.

As the doors opened, I began shuffling my deck like a racecar driver revving their engine at the starting line.

Patrons would slowly make a lap through the conference hall, eventually making their selection of the psychic reader they were going to choose.

My sister and her then fiancée came to see me and walked straight up to my table.

“No one is at your booth!” my sister said with a look of supportive disappointment.

“I know.”

Not one single person sat at my booth on that first day. As they walked by, I did my best to ignore their comments but couldn’t help eavesdropping. I heard everything from his cards don’t seem old enough to he seems too young to give advice.

That particular day was hard, and it opened the floodgates of insecurity. Was I too young? Am I really even good enough to try something like this? I packed up my things and headed home.

The next month, I did my best to muster confidence and gave it a second chance at the fair. To change things up, this time I decided to shuffle a round deck (I uploaded an image so you can see). This deck is called the Cosmic Deck Of Initiation. As some of the other intuitives walked by to greet colleagues, several commented to me that they’d never seen that deck before. A few of them sat down for a sample reading with me. I was happy for the practice and to make some new friends.

Most of the other Tarot readers there that day all read similar looking cards. This round, colorful deck that I brought began to separate me from the crowd. As the fair opened to the public, I decided to just spread this colorful deck on the center of my table, leaving them out for people to notice as they walked by.

That day I think I did around twelve 15-minute readings (out of a maximum allotted twenty four slots). Not exactly a full day, but way better than last month.

After about 6 months of doing multiple psychic fairs, I started to develop a following. My appointment slots would fill within minutes of the doors opening. Slowly but surely I was able to hit my stride as an intuitive.

What amazes me about this memory is that I had no idea that I was finding a unique point of view. I was so busy trying to do sessions just like everyone else; I didn’t realize that a unique point of view is what brings clients to the table. Yes, my unusual deck attracted clients, but ultimately it was my unique way of giving readings that was exactly what I needed to lean into.

There is even more synchronicity connected to finding this flyer in my bookshelf. For the past few months I’ve been developing a group-coaching program called The Healer’s Circle. It’s a supportive space for fellow spiritual entrepreneurs. I’ve had this vision of a small group of people supporting, encouraging and learning from each other as we grow together.

I know what it’s like to start a spiritual or new age business and feel lost as far as pricing, being clear in your vision and how to expand.

I know because I’ve been there myself.

And this is exactly why I created The Healer’s Circle.

It’s everything I wish I had when I was getting started. You can learn more about The Healer’s Circle here. 

I also know that my Mom is gently sending me signs from above. I believe it’s no accident that David selected the cookbook that she gave me all those years ago. And it was also no accident that the first flyer I made as a professional intuitive fell out of that book and into my lap. Just like finding old greeting cards from a loved one, it seems to be the perfect validation that I’m supported on this journey.

If you have any mementos or cards laying around, I recommend hiding them in a book! You never know when they might appear at the perfect moment.

And if you’re a spiritual business owner looking for support and guidance, you’ll want to check out The Healer’s Circle.

Have you ever stumbled on a nostalgic item and unexpectedly got reminded of a happy memory? Let me know in the comments below!