6 of Swords

A day to step away from something that's been weighing on you.

A troublesome task wraps up, or you slip out of an uncomfortable situation and catch your breath. You may not feel instantly better, but the one step you take today sets your direction going forward.

Rather than starting something new today, fully close out one thing that's already wrapped up before moving on.

Don't skip the follow-up in your relief at getting out. The final cleanup makes what comes next lighter.

A day when it's hard to pull yourself away from a place you need to leave.

Something you thought you'd wrapped up gets called back, or loose ends you put off hold you back. Your body has moved on to the next task, but your mind lingers on the last one, so your focus easily scatters today.

List the remaining loose ends, and handle just one you can finish today.

If you keep chewing on the past, you'll repeat the same mistakes in new work too.

A time when you leave a difficult romance and your heart moves to a quieter place.

You're recovering after ending a draining relationship, or, if you're in a relationship, you're moving past a conflict-filled period into a much calmer stage. Even if some regret lingers, the direction is a good one.

Decide on one thing from your past relationship that you don't want to repeat. It becomes the standard for a new one.

If you rush to meet someone new to fill your loneliness quickly, the point of moving on is lost.

A time when you can't set down the baggage of a past romance, and a new relationship grows heavy.

You compare them to an ex, or can't trust someone new because of old wounds. It may also look like staying in touch after a breakup and putting off a clean ending.

Clear away one thing tied to your past relationship (photos, a chat thread, a gift).

If you make a new person pay for an ex's mistakes, even a good match will leave.

A time when you leave draining relationships and move closer to people who put you at ease.

You naturally drift away from a group with frequent conflicts, or start relationships with new people after a move or job change. It may feel awkward at first, but it's an environment where you can breathe more easily than before.

In your new surroundings, slowly get closer to one person who's the first to make you feel at ease.

If you begin new relationships by badmouthing people from your past, you bring the same problems with you.

A time when the problems of relationships you left behind follow you to your new place.

Rumors from your old circle reach your new environment, or attitudes that hardened in the past cause similar friction with new people. One relationship you never resolved may also keep nagging at you.

Send a brief farewell or a word of closure to one relationship you never wrapped up.

If you talk too much about old relationships with new people, their first impression of you hardens around those stories.

A time when the two of you pass through a hard period together and move to steadier ground.

You're going through a big transition together, like a move, a transfer, or a change in lifestyle, or the relationship grows peaceful after a conflict-filled time. If you're about to marry, you're getting past the most complicated stretch of the preparations.

Agree together on one household rule the two of you will keep in your new environment.

Check that the burden of the move hasn't fallen on just one of you.

A state where your surroundings have changed but the problems between you have followed.

You believed a move or a fresh start would make things better, but you clash again for the same reasons. If you're preparing to marry, a past relationship or family issues keep intruding on your plans for a new household.

Stop blaming your surroundings, and together write down the topics you keep fighting about no matter where you are.

If you try to cover a problem without solving it by adding another change (a move, a child, a big purchase), you only add to the baggage.

A time when you get past a hard financial stretch and move toward stability.

You refinance debt to lighten the load, move from unstable income to a steady one, or close out a losing investment and make a new plan. The pace may be slow, but the direction is right.

Draw up a fresh monthly budget for after the move and check what has changed.

If relief at finding stability sends you back to old spending habits, you'll find yourself standing on the same shore again.

A state where financial cleanup has been delayed and you keep carrying old problems.

You put off refinancing a loan, or can't close out losing assets, so a new plan never gets started. Moving or changing jobs without solving money problems may even increase the burden.

Pick one financial item whose cleanup has been delayed and set a date to handle it within this month.

Before spending big in the name of a fresh start, check your remaining debt first.

A stage when you leave difficult work behind and move to a new environment.

You finish a grueling project and move on to the next, or a job change or transfer gives you room to breathe. If you run a business, you're getting past a crisis and shifting to a more stable structure.

Write down three things you learned from the past work and take them to your new role.

If you leave with a sloppy handover, that work will come looking for you again later.

A stage when you miss the time to move on, or face the same problems in a new role.

Even after changing jobs you run into similar conflicts, or an unfinished project keeps getting in the way of new work. While you put off the transition, good opportunities may pass you by.

Write down the final steps of your unfinished work and decide who you'll hand it to.

If you expect too much from simply changing your surroundings, you'll quickly be disappointed in the new place too.