Year of the Fire Horse: When the Old You Falls Away (and What Comes Next)

Making peace with what’s ending and trusting what’s emerging.

There’s a particular feeling in the air as we move towards the Year of the Fire Horse this February 17th 2026. It’s a blend of “Bring it on” and “I can’t take much more change.” I’m seeing it everywhere: some people feel exhausted and fearful, while others feel determined and ready for something new.

And in the middle of it all, there’s that familiar question many of us whisper to ourselves: What on earth is going on in the world? For some, it’s turned into an unhealthy attachment to the news and constant updates, as if staying plugged in will make the uncertainty easier to control.

The thoughts I'm sharing here are from lived experience, spiritual practice, and the patterns I witness in my work, not as a clinical expert. So, take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and be kind to yourself as you read.

The threshold we’re standing in

Lately, I’ve been hearing the same themes again and again in conversation with clients: endings.

• Relationships shifting or closing

• Jobs and roles falling away

• Friendships fading, sometimes without explanation

• A stronger need for boundaries and truth

• A deep fatigue with lower-energy dynamics

There’s also a complicated mix of emotions around what’s surfacing collectively. Some feel relief, even delight, when truth rises to the light. Others feel fear when what they once believed was solid begins to crumble.

And one of the most tender threads I’ve heard is this: people are seeing the truth about others more clearly than ever. Someone goes through illness, moves abroad, changes jobs, or simply grows, and they’re shocked to discover that people they considered close friends have quietly vanished.

If that’s you, dear soul, you’re not alone.

From shedding to momentum (Year of the Snake to Year of the Fire Horse)

The Year of the Snake has carried a strong shedding energy for many. Not dramatic for the sake of drama, but the kind of shedding that happens when you can no longer pretend something fits.

For me, 2025 included the ending of a long-term friendship. I don’t hold resentment or a grudge. It’s more a calm understanding that we drifted, our lives became different, and our energies no longer aligned. The crumbling began when I set boundaries that shifted the dynamic she expected from me.

I also saw, very clearly, how many second, third, and fourth chances I was giving to people who didn’t truly deserve them.

And in my business, I shed a lot of pressure-based processes, especially around social media. I stepped away from the loud “you MUST be doing this!” advice that so many experts shout about, and made a conscious effort to be more authentic about how I work and who I do business with.

If you’re noticing similar patterns, here’s the reframe I want you to hold close:

Shedding is not failure. It’s clearing.

It makes space for the new. Constriction lifts. You feel lighter. You see with more clarity.

And now, as Fire Horse approaches, we begin to feel momentum. But momentum doesn’t need to be frantic.

Here’s the image I keep coming back to: When we mount the Horse, the less emotional and mental weight we carry, the further the Horse can carry us.

From contraction to courage (without forcing it)

In my world, courage isn’t loud. It’s not performative. It’s not “push through at all costs.”

Courage is acknowledging the fear, and walking through it anyway. It’s remaining authentic. Speaking your truth. Cutting away what no longer aligns.

If you’re not sure where you are in the process, these signposts can help.

Signs you’re still integrating

• Exhaustion, tenderness, emotional sensitivity

• Brain fog, needing more solitude

• Feeling easily overwhelmed by noise, opinions, or demands

• Physical flare-ups like digestion issues, skin flare-ups, headaches

Signs you’re ready to move

• Clarity returning, even in small flashes

• A clean, steady “no” (without guilt spirals)

• A pull towards one choice, one direction

• Motivation and inspiration returning

• The heart feeling more open

• Curiosity to learn, explore, or go deeper

• A quiet sense that the “how” isn’t as important, because you know it’s going to work out

A small courageous step for this week

If you take nothing else from this post, take this:

Disconnect from the news and social media for one week.

Not forever. Not from a place of denial. From a place of nervous system care.

Turn your attention towards what’s real and reachable: your home, your body, your family, your friends, your creativity. Read. Walk. Make something. Rest.

And here’s a practice I love for those moments when the urge to doomscroll rises:

1. Write a list of 10 to 15 things you genuinely enjoy.

2. Keep it simple and accessible: reading, walking, dancing, music, cleaning, jigsaws, baking, colouring, a bath, a cup of tea in silence.

3. When you feel low, disconnected, or pulled towards the scroll, choose one thing from the list and do that instead.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about building a new pathway back to yourself and allowing your nervous system to recalibrate.

Identity upgrades and the grief nobody validates

One of the hardest parts of an identity upgrade is that it often comes with grief.

Grief for relationships that end without closure. Grief for friendships that change. Grief for versions of you that you can’t go back to.

And yes, there’s a lot of guilt out there too. Guilt for outgrowing people. Guilt for needing boundaries. Guilt for choosing peace.

Here’s a compassionate truth that can soften the edges:

Some connections were for a season of you.

And without being preachy, I do believe many experiences happen for us, not to us. When we can reframe an experience as a lesson, we often find more compassion for ourselves, for the moment, and even for those involved.

You can honour what was, without reopening what harmed. It’s okay to let things go. Thank them, and move on.

Gentling holding Fire Horse energy. Embrace regulated boldness.

In plain language, Fire Horse energy can feel like:

• Forward motion

• Renewed energy

• A faster pace

• A call to readiness

The Fire Horse is waiting for us to jump on, but it won’t tolerate the weight of baggage. So we’re invited to be clear with our intention, and to stop clinging to old behaviours that keep us small.

A horse runs in a straight line, so it’s worth asking: where am I actually going?

And because this is fire energy, it can be powerful, passionate, and motivating. It can also tip into burnout if we don’t learn to pull on the reins.

We don’t have to always ride the Horse. We’re empowered to climb down and walk beside it.

• Lead the Horse gently by the reins (steady, intentional action)

• Let the Horse play in an enclosed pasture (creative brainstorming without pressure)

• Bring the Horse to the stable for food and rest (self-care and recovery)

Momentum is key this year, but so is regulation.

Warning signs you’re pushing too hard

• Agitation, insomnia, irritability

• Lost motivation and fading inspiration (often mistaken for procrastination)

• Sliding into old habits for self-soothing

The alternative: regulated momentum

• Regular self check-ins

• A committed self-care plan

• Firm boundaries with yourself and others

A 5-minute embodiment practice to come back to centre

1. Sit or stand comfortably. Place one hand on your heart and one on your belly.

   
   

2. Breathe in for 4, breathe out for 6 to 8, for 5 rounds.

   
   

3. Feel your feet. Then name:

   • 3 things you can see

   • 2 things you can feel

   • 1 thing you can hear

     
     

4. Whisper (or write): “What’s true for me right now is…”

   
   

5. Then: “One kind, courageous step I can take is…”

Journal prompts

• What is ending that I’m still grieving?

• What version of me is trying to fall away?

• What is emerging that I’m afraid to trust?

• Where am I being asked to choose courage gently?

As the Year of the Snake gives way to the Fire Horse, may you move forward with steadiness, not urgency, and let your life be guided by what’s true. If you feel called, share in the comments, or email me at julie@creativesoultarot.com what are you releasing, and what are you ready to welcome?

This post is offered as spiritual support and reflection, not medical or mental health advice. Please take what resonates, and reach out to a qualified professional if you need deeper support.