Is anyone else feeling that this year is different? I can’t pinpoint the precise feeling. Perhaps it is the start of a new year? Could it be the ushering in of a new decade of life for me and my peers (thus, my sample set is skewed)? Maybe it is the byproduct of some hard years fruiting new confidence, energy and self knowledge in upcoming the Year of the Fire Horse?
Whatever the cause, I feel some sparkle coming back into my life, how about you?
I am not kidding myself that all will be smooth in 2026. There is still work to do. The world is a mess and there are issues to address.
But when the door opens to a new season you can feel it. Like life is flowing through you in a new way. In speaking with others, something feels different for many of us.
What created or contributed to this electric energy? How do we keep the momentum going? I have been reflecting on this and exploring drivers.
Surrender to good timing
In many horoscope systems, 2026 is set up to be a year of new beginnings full of rapid change, which could explain the energy felt.
In the Chinese Zodiac, the year beginning February 17, 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse, a rare 60-year cycle event. This upcoming year will be one of intense energy, passion and change. The horse will usher in a year of bold actions and endurance. It requires action, decisiveness and opportunity.
In numerology, 2026 appears promising, as well, as a Year 1 of new beginning and fresh starts. In 2026, it is important to take bold action, plant seeds for the future and innovate to set the tone for the 9 year cycle to come. In this GOOP podcast, listen to why this year lines up to be one where motivation returns and the world steps into growth.
Importance of effort
With good timing on our side, our determined actions will begin to propel into our next chapters. In fact, my 2025 word of the year, almost like a mantra, was “going bigger.” Last year, I felt the need to amplify my efforts and dreams, so that I didn’t keep playing safe. It finally felt safe and plausible to do so.
That meant weightlifting workouts, accepting the girls’ trip invitations and taking on that new work project, all challenging in different ways. In doing so, I discovered in little bursts that when I opt to lean in and do differently – I surprise myself. When I surprise myself, my confidence is boosted. My identity grows. I see myself differently. My new perception of myself invites even more new experiences with life.
It is not just wishful thinking.
We cannot materialize greatness, change or new chapters without putting in the effort. We must constantly apply the right effort to the strategic areas of our life to unlock growth. Simply wishing for life to open so that you can finally make an effort is futile. Effort is essential.
Our amplification of effort is part of what we need to activate to change our circumstances. That brings me to my theme for 2026.
Uplifting your energy
My word this year is “visibility.” It may seem paradoxical for a person who has a public-facing job to want more of this. Yet, what I have seen in myself is that my work persona can keep the real me hidden. Managing an internal tug of war – one between the projection and the inner reality of me – is a wasted effort. Instead, I want to share more of the full spectrum of me. But that responsibility is more than just is in my hands..it is in my mind: to project my visibility into the world. Not wait for the world to find or see me.
That’s why energy is so powerful.
If you believe in manifesting or the support of the Higher, then you know that we bring into our lives what we believe about ourselves. We allow the good to come to us that we feel we are worthy of receiving. So, our positive self attitude and mindset are crucial in unfolding what we want out of life for ourselves.
I didn’t fully appreciate this concept nor see how my ‘go bigger’ efforts tied to this.
Now I know that as I focused on my self exploration – like through Calypso drumming (which I was terrible at) – and developed more respect and clarity for myself, I set the stage to attract the same in my life. I became a beginner again and failed at things. Instead of writhing at the imperfection, it made me laugh.
More laughs followed: Like when I played Happy Birthday on the steel drum for my family. Also, when I went to Austin to work at my first SXSW. Because I started to perceive myself as a playful and adventurous person, more of both were presented to me. Then, it was my job to accept, play and engage the world with enjoyment, gratitude and awe.
That attitude reinforces a boomerang effect.
We are ceaselessly worthy – but we have to believe that about ourselves. When we begin to, the Universe responds with little wins that reflect our own perceptions of self. But, it begins with us believing while the Universe mirrors back.
Surrendering to the timeline and outcome
Even while acting with intention and believing with good faith, sometimes the wheels don’t turn in our lives. That’s because the timing and ultimate outcomes are not wholly driven by us. Call it karma or the higher force for life, sometimes you have to wait for the Universe to open the door it wants for you to walk through. It will open when and if the circumstances are right. This quote from the Course in Miracles says it this way:
…All events, past, present and to come, are gently planned by One whose only purpose is your good.
Faith in ourselves, a higher power and divine timing help in our manifestation efforts. Gratitude and affirmations add to the churn of good effect. As you plant the seeds for more good to come in 2026, remember to fertilize your efforts with thoughts of gratitude to the Higher for guiding you to this point and having the greatest good in mind.
