The Year of The Horse

Written By : Hannah Corbett

At the end of 2025, all I saw everywhere was that we were ending the Year of the Snake and heading into the Year of the Horse. The Snake is supposed to mean shedding — letting go of everything you don’t want in your life anymore. A year of change. A year of growth. And then the Horse is when you’re strong and brave and thriving in everything the year before set up for you.

And this entire time — a month and twelve days into 2026 — I thought we were already in the Horse. Apparently, we’re not. This is the last week of the Snake. February 16 is the official end. So technically… we are still shedding.

Which makes so much sense.

This past Monday I felt the most lazy and unmotivated I’ve felt in months. I kept waiting until the last possible second to start my work. Then Tuesday was the same. And Wednesday. Instead, I watched Scandal on my couch like it was my responsibility. I genuinely started believing Fitz was president in real life. And honestly, all I can think now is how overdue we are for a young, hot, world-changing president. But anyway.

At first I was like, wow, I am being so lazy. But then I saw that we’re technically still in the Snake and I had this moment of, ohhhh. That must be why. Because sometimes shedding doesn’t look productive. Sometimes it looks like sitting on the couch for three days. Sometimes it looks like being tired. Or unmotivated. Or questioning everything.

And honestly, sometimes you need a mental health day. Or days.

When I actually sit down and focus, I work fast. I work hard. I get so much done. My day can end early and I feel amazing. The problem isn’t that I can’t do it. It’s the self-sabotage. It’s waking up at 7:30, making coffee, and then promptly sitting on the couch for an hour and a half before I decide I need to get ready and start working.

I work from home, with the occasional in-person meetings, which I love. Tomorrow I have probably the funnest work day ever, and it still feels surreal that this is my job. But I know I could be getting soooo much more done if I actually used my mornings better. I want my mornings to thrive. I want to feel ahead of my day instead of behind it.

Maybe that means going to a workout class in the morning instead of the evening, even though I love my evening classes. Maybe I do both and end up in the best shape of my life. I don’t know. But I do know I want to stop self-sabotaging.

The other thing I want to shed — and I feel like I’m almost there — is looking for other people’s approval. When you’re building something, especially something like a magazine, people-pleasing can feel baked in. You want it to succeed. You want people to get it. You want validation that you’re on the right path.

When I moved to South Carolina away from New York, I went through this period of feeling like I was losing myself. Whenever I came back to visit, I felt like I had to be undercover. I didn’t want to run into anyone I knew because I was becoming a new person and didn’t quite know how to explain her yet, because evrything over the last year and a half has come together in tiny pieces, nothing happens all at once.

But now I feel so much more confident in who I am and what I want to do with my life. This is my home. This is where I feel my best. This is where my family is. This is where everything I love to do exists. And sometimes that old feeling still creeps in — like what if I see someone I don’t want to see and they ask about my job? It’s not the “traditional” route for someone to be self-employed and building a magazine. But then I’m like, why would I not want to talk about something I am so proud of?

So I think I’m ready for the Horse.

I’m ready to fully step into who I’ve always wanted to be and actually do it. Not just talk about it. But live it.

We have a few more days of shedding. And I’m going to use them.

What are you still shedding?