The Year of the Horse – why cycles matter

Emily Hewett
16 minutes ago
4 min read

I’m not of Chinese heritage but I grew up with an Ouma who spent much of her life living across Asia because of my grandfather’s work. Ouma immersed herself in Asian and Chinese culture. She painted, studied, observed, learned. Chinese astrology was something she understood and spoke about with respect.

That stayed with me.

So when I reflect on the Year of the Snake and the Year of the Horse, it isn’t because it’s fashionable. It’s because I’ve always believed in cycles – in recognising seasons of reflection and seasons of movement, both in life and in business.

And if you’ve been inside my world for a while, you’ll know I structure my work around cycles too.

The Year of the Snake – shedding and restructuring

In Chinese astrology, the Snake represents wisdom, strategy and transformation. It is associated with introspection, refinement and shedding what no longer serves.

For many of us, that is exactly what the past year has felt like.

I ended relationships and friendships that no longer aligned with who I am. I simplified parts of my business. I removed offers and structures that were technically fine but energetically heavy.

Inside Plan it. Do it. Grow it., January focused on resetting, repositioning and rebuilding. That was intentional. It was about asking:

What stays?

What goes?

What needs to evolve?

The Snake year is rarely loud. It is deliberate. It clears space.

And clearing space is not weakness. It is preparation.

The Year of the Fire Horse – momentum and confidence

We have now stepped into the Year of the Fire Horse.

The Horse in Chinese astrology symbolises energy, independence and forward motion. When paired with the element of Fire – something that only occurs once every 60 years – that symbolism intensifies. Fire brings visibility, boldness and drive. A Fire Horse year is associated with dynamism, confidence and decisive movement.

Where the Snake sheds, the Horse moves.

This is not about frantic speed. It is about purposeful momentum. Action built on clarity.

Interestingly, as we stepped into this new year, one of my clients received news that we will announce shortly. It reinforced that they are on the right path. They follow these cycles with curiosity and intention, and the timing felt aligned. Not mystical. Just aligned.

Finding your Chinese zodiac animal

If you are curious about your own Chinese zodiac sign, you can check using a simple calculator such as the one on China Highlights.

CHECK YOUR ZODIAC SIGN HERE

For context, I was born in the Year of the Monkey. Traditionally associated with creativity, adaptability and entrepreneurial thinking. Strategic. Curious. Independent.

Whether that resonates deeply or not, it provides a framework for reflection.

Cycles, belief and forward motion

Some people genuinely resonate with astrology.

Some are simply interested.

Some laugh at it.

Some dismiss it entirely.

All of that is fine.

But if you are still reading, even with scepticism, perhaps the idea of cycles appeals more than you admit.

Because this is not really about belief. It is about timing.

You cannot expand if you have not cleared space. You cannot move forward confidently if you are still carrying what should have been shed.

The shedding phase of the Snake year has passed. The restructuring has happened.

If you feel lighter, clearer or more decisive than you did twelve months ago – or even compared to last month – that matters.

Inside the membership, we worked through a final round of repositioning and refining. Looking at what no longer needed to come with us into this next stage. If you did that work, you are not starting from scratch.

You are starting from clarity.

And clarity creates momentum.

Strategic cycles in business

Inside Plan it. Do it. Grow it., we work in structured cycles because sustainable growth depends on them.

There are periods for planning.

Periods for refining.

Periods for visibility.

Periods for review.

That is not mystical language. It is intentional marketing.

Marketing with intention works better than reactive marketing.Aligned growth outperforms constant hustle.

The Year of the Fire Horse symbolically reflects what many businesses are ready for now – movement, visibility and confidence. But that movement only works because of the restructuring that came before it.