Coming Soon: A New Edition of Note to self – Reflecting on life’s choices

Innovative Resources is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of a new edition of Note to self, a beautifully reimagined card set that has been helping people navigate life’s challenges for more than 15 years.

Created by author and founder of Seeker & Sage, Gena McLean, this updated edition brings fresh energy to a timeless resource—with all-new artwork, revised questions and statements, and a thoughtfully crafted digital booklet to guide your journey.

Note to self is a set of 24, full-colour illustrated cards featuring more than 70 powerful, hopeful and sometimes challenging questions. These questions are designed to be catalysts for change—to help unlock our inner strengths, shift perspectives, and make meaningful choices. Whether you’re facing a difficult moment, seeking clarity, or simply wanting to deepen your self-awareness, these cards offer powerful ‘notes to self’ to support your journey.

The new edition is steeped in the principles of choice theory and strengths-based practice, making it an ideal companion for counsellors, social workers, life coaches, and mental health practitioners. But its reach goes far beyond professional settings. Note to self is equally powerful for journalling, personal reflection, or simply as a daily reminder that we always have choices—even when life feels overwhelming.

Each card is paired with three thought-provoking questions, encouraging deeper exploration; prompts that invite us to pause, reflect and reconnect with what truly matters.

‘Note to self is about using encouraging and supportive self-talk,’ Gena explains. ‘It provides the opportunity for us to be kind, compassionate and forgiving toward ourselves and others and promotes responsibility through acceptance and respect. It helps us resume control when we feel like we have none. And it offers hope.’

The first card in the set—I have choices—is the foundation of the entire deck. It’s a gentle but powerful reminder that even when we can’t change what’s happening around us, we can always choose how we respond.

Another important note to self, I am a work in progress, offers a compassionate nudge to embrace the journey, imperfections and all. These cards aren’t just affirmations—they’re invitations to explore, to question, and to grow.

Like all Innovative Resources card sets, this new edition of Note to self also includes a digital version of the cards and booklet, plus access to an online toolbox full of extras—making it easier than ever to integrate into your personal or professional practice. Whether you’re working one-on-one with clients, facilitating group sessions, or simply journalling at home, Note to self is designed to meet you where you are.

The artwork in this edition is by long-time Innovative Resources collaborator Katie Jardine, whose illustrations have brought warmth, whimsy and emotional depth to beloved sets like Strength Cards and Anxiety Solutions for Kids. Katie’s intuitive, playful style has helped thousands of people around the world connect with their strengths and emotions, and her contribution to Note to self adds a fresh layer of creativity and heart.

Katie’s journey with Innovative Resources began almost 20 years ago with a serendipitous encounter at a central Victorian printing press. She brings a whole new look and illustration style to Note to self, built around collage, watercolour, line drawings and an ingenious use of text as image.

Now a primary school teacher, Katie brings a deep understanding of emotional literacy and creative expression to her work, both in the classroom and in her art.

‘I love to be creative and make something out of nothing,’ Katie says. ‘It isn’t always drawings, but sometimes creating with clay, sticks, string or wire. I enjoy the process—not knowing what might appear.’

As Gena reflects on the journey of creating Note to self, she feels a sense of both nostalgia and pride.

‘It’s over 15 years since the first edition hit the shelves,’ she says. ‘But the wisdom and learning that exists within the cards and its origins still rings true.’

‘The phrase ‘note to self’ originally captured those everyday mental reminders—”Note to self … check the pockets next time!” or “Note to self … leave ten minutes earlier!”’ Gena recalls.

“If we can remind ourselves about the little things, I wondered, then what about the big things—the things that really matter?’

From that insight came a distillation of a 50,000-word book manuscript into 24 essential reminders—each one a lifeline for those navigating change, challenge, or simply the desire to grow. Cards that are not just tools, but companions for the journey, helping us rewrite the scripts we’ve been living, one Note to self at a time.

Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or someone seeking a little more clarity and kindness in your day-to-day life, the new edition of Note to self is a gentle yet powerful tool for transformation. It’s a reminder that we are all works in progress, and that every moment offers us the chance to reconnect with our values, our strengths, and our sense of purpose.