As a quiet introvert the thought of speaking in front of people is nerve racking and terrifying. My anxiety runs high when it comes to public speaking. I have to psych myself up every time I conduct the two presentations I hold every month. So, every time I’ve been asked if I do group readings, I say no. But, over the past few years several of my friends (who are also mediums) have told me that I’ll be doing group readings. To which they receive the “doe in the headlights” look and I remind them I don’t do group readings, to which they just smile. Apparently, the Universe didn’t like my response either, laughed at me and lead me to a mentor that would soon push me out of this particular comfort zone.

I joined the Rock ‘N Soul Tarot class on August 7, 2024. Little did I know that by joining this class, I’d be facing my aversion to group readings head on. When I first arrived, I was nervous and felt out of place, but I was quickly put at ease by my fellow classmates and the teacher, Brian Orlando. Now, Brian isn’t your typical tarot teacher. When you first encounter him, he seems like just a regular guy who likes to talk about music. Since he’s the morning show DJ for the local rock station, this makes sense. He also has a heart of gold and a spiritual side. His teaching method is also a tad unorthodox, but it works. And it provides people with a new way of looking at and interpreting tarot cards and stories they are trying to tell us. The class was lively and fun. I enjoyed this first class so much, I kept coming back.

In early 2025 Brian shared with us that he was writing a book about tarot. We were all excited and happy for him and often inquired as to his progress. Once he announced he’d found a publisher for his book a definitive timeline for the book’s release came into being. Rock ‘N Soul Tarot, Interpreting the Cards Through the Universal Language of Music, was to debut on August 6, 2025. Brian wanted to celebrate the launch of his book by giving back. So, he planned a fundraiser for a local charity, Angela’s House, an organization that helps medically fragile children and their families. He invited all of us to read at the event, and we all said yes! About two months later, not only had I agreed to read tarot cards at this event; I had also agreed to do a group reading! It was one of those “just say yes” moments in my life that came with mixed feelings afterward. There were many times leading up to the book launch where I’d questioned my choice in saying yes, had extreme moments of imposter syndrome and wondered if I’d lost my mind. However, thanks to lots of encouragement, I pushed passed all the noise in my head and prepared for the event with grace and fortitude.

On August 6, 2025, Rock ‘N Soul Tarot the book was officially launched, and I was pushed (okay, gently nudged) out of my public speaking comfort zone. I confidently read one-on-one during the event with ease and grace. However, as time grew near for me to be on stage I started to feel my heart palpitate and my chest tighten… it was like the Eminem song:

His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy

There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti

He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready

and then I was on stage standing being introduced to the crowd by Brian. My legs were shaking, and I thought they were going to give out on me. My hands were super sweaty, and I was praying I wasn’t as red as a Bing cherry. What transpired once I was handed the mic is a bit of a blur. I remember talking about how I landed in Brian’s class, a bit about my background as Medium in general, and then let spirit come through. I felt nervous and terrified while doing this first group reading (I wanted to do a good job for Brian and Angela’s House) and help the people who had come out to celebrate Rock ‘N Soul Tarot. I had a bit of a shaky start. Messages were coming through but getting the audience members to connect with these messages was a momentary challenge. I don’t normally have this challenge when I read one-on-one, so here I was on stage completely doubting my abilities. It took about five minutes or so for someone to connect with the first message. From that point forward messages of hope and healing flowed through. There were tears of sadness, joy and hope. While there were moments that were awkward and somewhat uncomfortable, the messages continued to flow and be received by the audience. There were quite a few messages that didn’t resonate with people during the time I was on stage, and I was a little disheartened and felt like an imposter. However, once I was off the stage and my energy was in a calmer state many people came over to tell that certain messages did resonate with them, they just hadn’t realized it at the time. This was so validating and appreciated. For a few of these individuals I was able to elaborate on what was coming through even more.

At the end of the night all of my fellow classmates, Brian’s fiancé, Nicole and Brian gave me hugs and told me that I did a good job for my first group reading. And that I’ll get better every time I do one in the future. It was so great to get these hugs and validation from friends that have become family. I’m truly grateful for this night and everything that led up to it. It’s just another reminder that stepping out my comfort zone can be a rewarding experience. When was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone? Was it worth it? Let me know at thequiethealer@outlook.com.