My dad sent me a post a few weeks ago about the Chinese New Year approaching. It talked about how 2025 was the Year of the Snake—a season of shedding, of releasing what no longer serves us. And 2026? The Year of the Horse. A season of moving forward unburdened.
We spend so much time thinking about what to add to our lives—new habits, new goals, new routines—when what we might really need is less. What if the most powerful thing you could do this year isn't adding something new, but finally letting something go?
🌻 3 Ways to Identify What Needs Shedding
Before you can let go, you need to know what's actually weighing you down. Here's how to figure out what needs releasing:
1. Distinguish between fear-based clinging vs. genuine service
Ask yourself: Am I holding onto this because it truly serves me, or because I'm afraid of what happens if I let it go?
→ Try this: Make two columns. In one, write things you do/believe out of genuine alignment with who you are. In the other, write things you do/believe because you're scared of what people will think, or what might happen if you stop. The second column is your shedding list.
2. Examine what's actually weighing you down
Sometimes we carry beliefs, commitments, or identities that made sense once but don't anymore. They're not bad—they're just expired.
→ Try this: Complete this sentence for different areas of your life: "I used to need _____, but now what I actually need is _____." Notice what comes up. Those "used to need" items? Candidates for shedding.
3. Learn the difference between "hard but good" and "hard and draining"
Not everything difficult needs to go. Some things are hard because they're making you grow. Others are hard because they're taking more than they give.
→ Try this: For each challenging thing in your life right now, ask: "Does this energize me even when it's hard, or does it deplete me even on good days?" Growth challenges energize. Energy vampires just drain.
Pro tip: Shedding isn't a one-time event—it's an ongoing process. You don't snap your fingers and suddenly let go. It starts with deep reflection, moves into acknowledgment, and slowly through small actions and reframes becomes true release.
A new year doesn't mean you need to become a whole new you. Who you are is already special. But what small things could you shed to make room for a life that energizes you, balances you, and helps keep you whole? Not a life where nothing hard happens—that's not realistic. But a life where you can navigate the hard moments with grace, patience, and community.