A Psychic Told Me I’d Write For Vogue. Here’s How It Taught Me To Aim Higher
Being open to unconventional experiences changes your life.
Five years ago, I’d just left a high-paying, soul-destroying job to start all over again and become a creative writing student. Needless to say, I was more than a little lost and needed guidance. I hadn’t tried tarot reading before but thought it was as good a chance as any to give it a go. The results weren’t what I expected.
Before we go any further, it’s worth pointing out that I’m not really a spiritual person, but I am a sci-fi and fantasy writer (I promise, the link makes sense in my head). I love the concept of spirituality and, in a less intelligent way, the aesthetic of it. I don’t, however, practise it. Maybe one day I will. In terms of belief, I’m open to it. The sceptic in me tries to fight back, but I really want it to be real. Life would be so much more magical and full of possibility.
The reading
I entered the wonderful little shop of curiosities in East London on recommendation from a friend. I wasn’t sure what to expect at all but instantly loved it — mainly thanks to all the crystals.
Back then, I would never have admitted it, but one of the main answers I was seeking was about a man and a complicated situation. I wanted the cards to tell me that everything would work itself out (spoiler alert: it did, but with someone I hadn’t met yet).
I can’t remember everything the psychic told me. Not even the answer I was looking for. Just the part that stuck:
“You’re a creative person. A writer? I see you in New York for six months, on an internship, working somewhere like Vogue.”
Why this was improbable
I say improbable because it’s not entirely impossible (very few things are), but it’s very unlikely I’d ever find myself fulfilling either part of that.
- Fashion was not my strong suit. I’m a lot more into it now than ever before, but even now I don’t think I’ll write about it any time soon.
- I think London is a better city than New York, so I couldn’t see myself trading one for the other. Sorry, New Yorkers.
Honestly, I’m quite flattered (and baffled) by it. If you believe that psychics use body language, appearance and all that to form their readings, you’d think maybe I was dressed a certain way for her to shape her opinion. I can guarantee I was not. There’s nothing Vogue about me. But hey, if she thought I looked like I was passionate about high fashion, who am I to complain.
Or maybe she’d just watched Devil Wears Prada the night before.
How I reframed it
Some people would just brush this off. And I did, to an extent, but it made me sit and ask myself: what am I really capable of? How can I make this, or, realistically, something similar and more aligned to my own goals, possible?
That’s when I started thinking bigger and aiming higher. As a writer in the digital age, I do truly believe the possibilities for career growth are endless — even if that’s not what you’re taught in school. Writing for a publication as renowned as Vogue isn’t the highest standard anymore. It definitely sounds impressive, but there are more important things in life, like finding a career that’s right for you, not choosing it based on prestige.
A powerful side-effect
The true power of the cards came from making me believe I was destined for the kind of life people wrote stories about, watched in films and imagined themselves living: a writer's life full of self-expression and success. That’s why I was a big fan of the TikTok trend “Main Character Energy”.
I often get caught up in the negativity of life with extreme phases of depression. Escapism through books, games and TV is what keeps me going on those darker days. That’s why feeling like I’m actually inside a story worth reading is a powerful reminder that my life is worth living.
Manifesting that byline
One of my newest writing goals is to have a byline in Cosmopolitan. It wasn’t until after I decided this that I realised it’s not too dissimilar from writing for Vogue. Perhaps the reading wasn’t intended to be as specific and literal as I understood it. Maybe this was what it meant.
I don’t know a lot about manifestation. It’s something I’d love to explore further soon, but I understand it's about I can achieve my goals by focusing my thoughts on the desired outcome. Now I wonder if this tarot reading will be what helps me to manifest that byline — I just needed that helping hand.
I do believe it's possible. Once I actually start trying.
Takeaways
- Give unconventional methods a try, regardless of whether you believe in them or not. At best, it’s fun and you gain valuable insights. At worst, it makes for a good story.
- Not everything you encounter is literal. Sometimes your interpretation is more powerful and valuable than what you actually heard, saw or read.
- Manifestation seems like it could be full of potential. Maybe it’s time you (and me) started paying attention to all that Law of Attraction talk and find out what it’s really all about.
- If you do decide to ask the universe (or the cards) for answers, take those answers and transform them into your own source of motivation. Aim higher than what you’re destined for.
- Put yourself in control and shape your own meanings.
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