I tend to gravitate towards the Chinese New Year as the marker of new beginnings more than the western holiday on Dec. 31^st. It’s the Piscean water rat in me demanding satisfaction. And like any fresh start I question the state of my life, health, wealth and most importantly matters of the heart.

Today the year of the Wooden Horse begins and the Water Snake slithers out. Last year I pondered what the snake would mean to me. I had surmised that being a rat made me snake food. And 2013 certainly left me feeling consumed, digested and spit up. Even as a little girl it was the water moccasin that kept me from enjoying our pond.  Oh, and the snapping turtles. I can only hope the Horse will be more generous.

The thing is, as difficult as 2013 was it also offered me an opportunity to change, to shed my skin and be reborn. In my case it was even literal-one kidney, cancer and all that-Which caused an existential crisis of sorts. After surgery the thought “What would my legacy be?” permeated my mind. What have I accomplished? What is really important to me? What do I still want to do before I die? –Which can be sooner than one expects- my big Aha in 2013.

It is said that 2014 will be a year of travel.  As Feng Shui Master, Chen Shuaifu says, “Horses are legendary for their ability to run long distances on great journeys.” I predict I’ll travel this year. Perhaps I’ll even move to that window on the water and write. Chen warns that as a rat I need to be careful of being stepped on in 2014 and that it might be a bad year for investing. Like the year of the snake this year will be challenging for the rat. I will need to hone my patience and be careful not to exhaust myself. This is already my goal, healing my priority. That said I plan to push back a little, reject the scenario I can’t move forward. I am going to finish some of my projects and market them to the world.

Speaking of projects I still can’t share the final Toile design until the lawyers due diligence. But I got a sneak peek at the final box design and can’t wait to show you the culmination of all my hard work and brag about Bevee Bags. Trust me you’re going to want to buy one…….or two……….or three…….. okay one in every color. For now check them out on Twitter and follow along as they launch the line.

Commercial break over: Now let’s talk about the nature of a horse as it can point to what the year will bring and if you look at your own personality hint to the challenges and triumphs ahead. Horses love crowds, are exceedingly witty and have great communication skills. So networking will be a big part.

Earlier this week I was reading an interview in Forbes of Chase Jarvis. As always he is a wealth of inspiration. The nugget that stuck out the most (this time) was the importance of relationships when creating. Allowing for collaboration and giving your friends the opportunity to share what you do. Chase’s advice was Make Friends. “The world of achieving career success is a world where community is front and center.   Your network – however you define it – is a huge, requisite key that will help unlock your future.” I am woefully bad at this. My friends don’t even know I blog.  I suspect this will be one of my challenges and growth opportunities in the year ahead.

Horses are also active, energetic, straightforward, with a positive attitude towards life. This I can channel to propel myself forward. But after 2013 that shouldn’t be too hard. Suddenly I wonder what a Leo Fire Horse would be like…….Hally Berry, hmm, softer then I’d imagined. Finally horses are independent. This I have in spades so I’ll mark that up as one of strengths in the coming year.

Sadly the wooden horse is associated with warfare so fierce battle cannot be ruled out. But I just went to battle at the tail end of the year of the snake. Either way I’m strong and ready to be victorious in my endeavors going forward. But I know when to be careful and how to take time off, to replenish my personal energy and rejuvenate my soul. These will certainly come in handy under the Horse’s force.

Blast from This Blogs Past

The Weekend Reading List

• Greatness, Finale: The Triumph of Forgiveness ~Read this. This spoke to me on an intimate level. Here’s but a tickler. “The human heart is the bloodiest, fiercest of battlegrounds; the place of pardon where we most profoundly attain the nobility of our humanity.” 
• At the Way Station for the Afterlife :A Poem ~ I love poetry but after reading this magnificent piece I want to be a nun! After you’ve read this one check out Memorandum.
• Ah Siena~ Travel blogs/posts are the quickest fix for my wanderlust. Tuscany is calling today or perhaps the life of an expat.
• This 13 year Old Entrepreneur is Out to Change the World: Maya Penn ~ At 42 I’m wonder what my imprint on the world will be. Oh to have created so much so young.
• Crying in the Wilderness ~ Whether you agree with his point of view or not his writing is undeniably incredible.

Something Extra

I have always loved Kate Bush’s song. Color me surprised to find a fabulous cover.

This woman’s Work ~ Greg Laswell