If you look closely at this photo, you’ll notice something I couldn’t quite hide with makeup: a dark bruise forming on my chin. Broken blood vessels. Courtesy of my dog, and physics.

I was opening the trunk of my SUV, freeing my dog’s pulley leash system (the one that lets him pull me on cross-country skis). The metal clasp caught… and released like a slingshot, straight into my face. I didn’t see it coming. I couldn’t have planned for it. And it hurt like hell.

Which got me thinking about leadership, purpose… and resilience. In my years spent in the corporate world, I trained myself to plan for A, B, C, and D.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2026 is the Year of the Horse. I invite you to read this article to find out what this year could have in store for you!

Before you write a single 2026 goal, you need to hear this truth about your 2025 that no one talks about.

Every December, leaders everywhere do the exact same thing: We sprint. We strategize. We look ahead.

What’s next? What should I achieve next year? What goal haven’t I hit yet?

But rarely—so rarely—do we stop and look back at the year behind us with the depth, compassion, and presence it deserves. We jump to the next mountain without pausing long enough to recognize the strength it took to climb the last one.

And yet, this is where our deepest power lies.