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By Felicia Czochanski Bisaro
Another year has almost wrapped up — and while many of us are lucky to live these unique and wonderful lives, we may also want to leave behind what no longer serves us so we can make room for more happy memories in a new year.
Like any year, 2025 has had its challenges. These might fall into the health, relationships or financial categories — or oftentimes, spread across all three. Yet also like any year, 2025 has been full of growth. How you move through life can often dictate happiness. Exiting one year to enter into another gives us a moment to refresh our mindset and remember that, while creating space for even better memories in the new year.
Each year, I find comfort in learning a bit about how the years are categorized according to Chinese astrology. Most of 2025 was the year of the snake, which is all about the journey inward. In February 2026, we move towards leaving the snake behind, the final piece of our journey to take an inward look at ourselves, gather up the pieces that you want to take with you into this new chapter and be intentional about what you’re ready to leave behind.
This past year, there may not have been any big “aha” moments that you noted as future learning experiences. Growth might not always be obvious, but it is constantly happening through the events of your daily life and how you get through them. A few ideas for what to be conscious of leaving behind could be patterns that no longer serve you and old versions of ourselves that we’ve outgrown.
Starting on February 17, 2026, is the year of the horse, which gallops in with new momentum, confidence and independence. It’s a reinvigorated symbol for a new year after a year that may have felt stagnant for many of us. What excites me the most about the upcoming year is that the horse encourages us to take the time to chase what our spirit is being called toward. It’s time to bring back those larger-than-life goals and aspirations, lean into your gifts and passions, and bring those goals to life in the new year.
Photo: @styleandspacesbysk
While we look at the year of the snake and the upcoming year of the horse, it’s important to also see the symbolism in your own everyday life. Have you been ready to shed the person you were years ago, to fully embrace the mature, confident and vivacious person you identify as today? It might be a good time to peek into your closet and remove anything associated with the person you’ve outgrown. Just like you can outgrow personalities and habits, you can outgrow your wardrobe, not just physically, but also emotionally. Think about shedding what no longer serves you as you take a look around your house. Box it all up and bring it to your nearest Goodwill. Participating in the tradition of upcycling through donating, you’re able to create space in your own life for something that serves you better, while giving others the head start that they need on the next chapter of their lives through the free career services that Goodwill stores support.
Photo: @jadonslife
It’s time to leave behind what’s slowing you down and holding you back. Get ready to embrace all the possibilities that a new year can bring. What if it’s even better than you can imagine?
