Six of Cups in Career Readings: Returning to Roots & Childhood Dreams
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BY NICOLE LAU
Six of Cups in career readings signals returning to your roots, reconnecting with childhood dreams, or finding work that feels innocent and joyful. This is the card of pursuing what you loved as a child, working with children or in nostalgic fields, or returning to a previous career path that once brought you joy.
Unlike cards about ambition or success, Six of Cups asks: "What did I dream of doing when I was young? What work would make my inner child happy?"
Common Career Scenarios
Returning to Childhood Dreams
- Pursuing the career you wanted as a child
- Finally doing what you always dreamed of
- Reconnecting with early passions
- Career that honors your younger self's dreams
- Work that feels like play
Energy: Innocent, joyful, fulfilling
Advice: It's never too late to pursue childhood dreams.
Working with Children or Youth
- Teaching, childcare, pediatrics
- Youth counseling or mentoring
- Children's entertainment or education
- Coaching kids' sports or activities
- Any career serving young people
Energy: Nurturing, playful, meaningful
Advice: Working with children can be deeply rewarding.
Nostalgic or Traditional Fields
- Family business or trade
- Traditional crafts or skills
- Historical preservation or museums
- Antiques, vintage, or restoration work
- Careers that honor the past
Energy: Honoring tradition, preserving history
Advice: There's value in keeping old ways alive.
Returning to Previous Career
- Going back to old job or field
- Reconnecting with former colleagues
- Returning to work you left behind
- Second chance at career path
- Realizing the grass wasn't greener
Energy: Familiar, comfortable, "coming home"
Advice: Sometimes we need to leave to appreciate what we had.
The Childhood Dream Question
Six of Cups asks: "What did I want to be when I grew up?"
Reconnecting with Early Passions
- What did you love doing as a child?
- What careers fascinated you when you were young?
- What did you play at being?
- What brought you joy before "practical" took over?
- What would your 10-year-old self want you to do?
Why Childhood Dreams Matter
- They reveal your authentic interests
- They show what you loved before conditioning
- They connect you to your true self
- They often point to your calling
- They bring joy and meaning to work
The Inner Child at Work
Six of Cups invites bringing your inner child to your career:
What Your Inner Child Needs at Work
- Play and creativity
- Joy and fun
- Simple, meaningful tasks
- Recognition and encouragement
- Permission to try new things
- Work that doesn't feel like "work"
Careers That Honor the Inner Child
- Creative fields (art, music, writing)
- Play-based work (game design, toy industry)
- Teaching or mentoring
- Entertainment and performance
- Anything that brings joy and wonder
The Nostalgia in Career
Six of Cups can indicate career nostalgia:
Healthy Career Nostalgia
- Remembering what you loved about past work
- Taking lessons from early career into present
- Honoring mentors or teachers from your past
- Reconnecting with colleagues who shaped you
- Appreciating how far you've come
Unhealthy Career Nostalgia (Shadow)
- Stuck wishing for "the good old days"
- Unable to appreciate current work
- Comparing everything unfavorably to the past
- Refusing to adapt or grow
- Living in past glory instead of present reality
Mentorship & Passing It On
Six of Cups often represents mentorship:
Being Mentored
- Finding a mentor or teacher
- Learning from someone with experience
- Receiving guidance and support
- Apprenticeship or training
- Being taken under someone's wing
Becoming a Mentor
- Teaching what you've learned
- Guiding younger professionals
- Passing on your knowledge and skills
- Being the mentor you wish you'd had
- Giving back to the next generation
The cycle: We receive, we grow, we give back.
Advice for Different Scenarios
If Pursuing Childhood Dreams
Honor the dream: It came from your authentic self
Be realistic: Childhood fantasy vs. adult reality—find the balance
Start small: You don't have to quit your job tomorrow
Explore: Take classes, volunteer, test the waters
Trust the pull: If it keeps calling, there's a reason
If Working with Children
Heal your own inner child first: You can't give what you don't have
Set boundaries: Nurturing work can be draining
Find the joy: Remember why you chose this
Be patient: Working with kids requires it
Celebrate small wins: Impact isn't always visible immediately
If Returning to Previous Career
Assess honestly: Why did you leave? Has that changed?
Don't idealize: Remember the whole truth, not just the good parts
Check for growth: Are you returning from wisdom or just nostalgia?
Be clear: Is this truly right, or just familiar?
Move forward: Even if returning, bring new perspective
If Feeling Career Nostalgia
Honor what was good: Acknowledge the positive
Take lessons forward: What from the past serves you now?
Release what's gone: You can't go back, only forward
Create new joy: Build meaning in your current work
Be present: The past is memory, the present is life
The Simple Joy Question
Six of Cups asks: "Does my work bring me joy?"
Signs of Joyful Work
- Time passes quickly when you're working
- You feel energized, not just drained
- The work itself is rewarding, not just the paycheck
- You'd do some version of this even if unpaid
- Your inner child approves
If Work Doesn't Bring Joy
- Can you find joy within current work?
- Can you shift roles or responsibilities?
- Is it time for a career change?
- What would bring joy? Can you move toward it?
Affirmations for Career Joy
- "I honor my childhood dreams in my adult career."
- "My work brings joy to my inner child."
- "I pursue what I loved before 'practical' took over."
- "I am both professional and playful."
- "I mentor others as I was mentored."
- "My career honors my roots and my growth."
- "I find simple joy in my work."
The Family Business Question
Six of Cups can indicate family business or legacy:
Joining Family Business
- Taking over family trade or company
- Honoring family legacy
- Working with family members
- Continuing what parents or grandparents built
The Balance
- Honor the legacy without being trapped by it
- Bring your own vision while respecting tradition
- Choose it authentically, not just from obligation
- Make it yours while honoring its roots
The Deepest Teaching
Six of Cups in career teaches that your childhood dreams and passions matter. What you loved before the world told you to be "practical" or "realistic"—that came from your authentic self. Reconnecting with those early dreams, working with children, honoring tradition, or simply bringing joy and playfulness to your work can make your career deeply meaningful.
The card invites you to:
- Reconnect with childhood career dreams
- Bring your inner child's joy to your work
- Consider working with or for children
- Honor mentors and become one yourself
- Find simple joy in what you do
Work doesn't have to be joyless. Your inner child has wisdom about what would make you happy.
When Six of Cups appears in career readings, your inner child is calling. What did you dream of doing when you were young? What work would bring you simple joy? It's never too late to honor those dreams. Reconnect with your roots, pursue your passions, or bring playfulness to your current work. Your younger self knew something important. Listen.
As you honor these tender career crossroads, let the tarot journaling prompts guide you deeper into the memories that shaped your professional longings, while the 30 day tarot practice workbook helps you build a steady dialogue with these inner child whispers. For those ready to weave nostalgia into tangible action, the 40 manifestation rituals intention to reality can transform your reclaimed dreams into the very foundations of your next career chapter.
