Every new year, I feel the need to completely reinvent myself, loving the new opportunity to begin again–to start over. We’re taught to see January as a time to hit the ground running and immediately implement all of our new resolutions and goals. Perhaps, however, the new year is less about starting fresh and more about continuing forward.Â
As 2026 begins, we enter the Year of the Horse, which feels especially fitting given how I am viewing this new year. The horse represents steady momentum, movement, and independence. This feels fitting with the ideals of not rushing into change, but instead focusing on intentional progress and continuous growth. I think it is important to acknowledge the year that came before, and to honor where we are starting. I don’t want to be energized by perfection or instant transformation, but rather by confidence and courage to progress.Â
The idea of being in motion feels especially relevant in the season of life I am in right now. Being in college, it feels like we are being defined by constant change, whether it be in friendships, majors, new classes, or simply trying to stay ahead of everyday life. In a space surrounded by so many people your same age, it can be easy to feel as though they are racing ahead. I see the horse not as moving in motion at a frantic speed, but as maintaining steady momentum, heading in a positive direction even when the path is not clear. Movement isn’t always obvious to others; it just has to make a difference to you.Â
I think because the Year of the Horse symbolizes independence, it could mean trusting your own instincts, and allowing yourself to grow, even if that growth feels a bit uncomfortable at first. I think it means letting go of the need for external validation and moving at your own pace to achieve your goals and build the 2026 you want.Â
Last year–the Year of the Snake–was a year of shedding what did not serve me. It was a year of rebuilding and finding out what doesn’t work for me. In the Year of the Horse, perhaps the strategy is to build momentum gradually and emphasize consistency. Change rarely happens overnight, and progress does not have to be urgent.Â
I find the beginning of a new year overwhelming. I think that there is pressure to quickly get your life together and to perform highly starting January first. Instead, I feel like it should be more about just taking the first step, choosing to rest without guilt, and growing without having the pressure to be 100 percent perfect right away. The Year of the Horse challenges what seems to be perpetuated by the start of a new year.Â
This year invites us to stop comparing our pace to everyone else’s. Horses do not look sideways while running; they focus forward. In a world that constantly encourages comparison and glorifies hustle culture, the horse emulates the exciting and important parts of a fresh start.