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A strength tarot card. Credit: Photo via josemanuel246\/Adobe<\/p>\nA strength tarot card. Credit: Photo via josemanuel246\/Adobe<\/p>\n
Dear Oracle,\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been friends with \u201cJane\u201d since high school. While life happened, we kept in touch all these years and catch up on the phone a couple of times a year. Lately though, I feel like she might be struggling. She seems very unhappy with something in her life, but when I ask more directly, she brushes it off and says everything\u2019s fine. But there\u2019s something in her voice that makes me think elsewise. We live on opposite sides of the country, so I can\u2019t just take her to lunch. Should I keep pressing or mind my own business?\u2014Concerned Friend\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cards for Jane: King of Pentacles (reversed), The Lovers, Ace of Pentacles (reversed), Strength\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dear Friend,\u00a0<\/p>\n
It can be difficult to have an honest conversation with a friend in crisis because that honesty has to be twofold: they have to be honest with themselves about what\u2019s going on, and then they have to be honest with you. Many people, for one reason or another, have a difficult time with one or both of those things.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I understand your concern. It\u2019s hard to judge what\u2019s going on when you can\u2019t lay eyes on a person and only have an impression. You ask if you should keep pressing or mind your own business, but those aren\u2019t the only two options. You can start by calling Jane a little more often to just \u201ccatch up\u201d and see if that helps build up a rapport. Keeping an open line of communication is key.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because I do think something might be going on with Jane, particularly in her career. The King of Pentacles is a master of his trade, hardworking and level-headed. But both the King and the Ace of Pentacles\u2014the idea of work and what we value\u2014are reversed. \u00a0It makes me wonder if Jane has perhaps hit a plateau in her career or is considering something else.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Lovers is traditionally a card of relationships, but since you didn\u2019t mention whether Jane is married or with anyone, I\u2019m going to read it as her own passion and desire. If she\u2019s lost the \u201cspark\u201d \u00a0for her job, she might be looking for something that inspires more passion, a career that she could \u201cfall in love with.\u201d Many of us fall into career paths we didn\u2019t expect, and while we can be great at them, it might not be enough. (This is especially true if someone doesn\u2019t have a robust life outside of their job and that job takes up most of their mental energy.)\u00a0<\/p>\n
The last card, Strength, is pulling double duty. It can be that Jane has to be strong to stay in this job for now (to pay bills, support children, keep health insurance), or she might be looking for the strength to leave this job to try something else.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Whatever it is, keep talking to her. Send more texts to check in. Call when you\u2019re on a long drive. If she wants to talk to you about this, give her plenty of opportunities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hope everything goes well for you both, my dear. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Dear Oracle,\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019m a manager of a small company. I really, really love my job, but the owner of my company is an asshole. I don\u2019t interact with him all the time, but he\u2019s absolutely creating a more toxic work environment, and we\u2019ve lost people to his behavior. (There is no HR lol.) \u00a0I\u2019m not ready to move on but something has got to change. How can I navigate this jerk\u2019s behavior while keeping both my sanity and job?\u00a0\u2014Bummer Boss<\/p>\n
Cards for How To Deal: Ten of Pentacles (reversed),\u00a0 Justice, Queen of Pentacles (reversed), Three of Cups (reversed)\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dear BB ,\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve written before about shitty bosses and how they\u2019re usually bad because their own ass is on the line. This might be the case here, or being a dick might come naturally to your boss. I\u2019m unsure.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Ten of Pentacles is the completion of a job, but also the cementing of a legacy. Paired that with the generous and hardworking Queen of Pentacles and I bet that you not only love your job but you\u2019re great at it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, the love of a job can only get you so far if the environment is toxic. With the Major Arcana of Justice, I do think this is something that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. Justice is about balance, honesty, and fairness. Your job should be promising you a fair shake because that\u2019s both the ethical and legal obligation of your employer. A lack of Justice will only breed resentment and drive you out of your beloved job.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I do think you might need to address his behavior, but that should not be done alone. The Three of Cups is a card of friendship and allyship, so if you think the rest of your coworkers are also distressed by this dude\u2019s shitty behavior, then perhaps you can all go in on it together. I would speak to an employment lawyer about the best course of action and see what they have to say.<\/p>\n
I wonder if you, as the Queen of Pentacles, have more leverage than you give yourself credit for. You\u2019re clearly an authority figure, and you might even be one that the owner respects. If you come in as the head of the collective, that might give you enough ammunition for change.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Especially if your boss listens to you on other matters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of course, the worry is that the owner just fires everyone\u2014which would wreck his business, but vindictive people tend to do stupid things like that.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Whatever you decide to do, get together with your coworkers (that you can trust!) and come up with a game plan together. Collective action works when everyone is on the same page.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hopefully, your boss will listen to you all. Or he\u2019ll check out completely, and you can keep running the show without him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Either way, best of luck, my dear.<\/p>\n
Send your questions to\u00a0[email\u00a0protected]<\/a>\u00a0or DM\u00a0@theyboracle on Instagram<\/a>. See more of Caroline and learn about her services via\u00a0carolinedebruhl.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Pitch in to help make the Tampa Bay Journalism Project a success.<\/a><\/p>\n Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n Follow us:\u00a0Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0BlueSky<\/a><\/p>\n This article appears in July 23 \u2013 29, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n \t