Momentum: Why 2025 Felt So Hard and Why It Actually Makes Sense
- wendigiuliano
- Dec 15, 2025
- 3 min read
Have you caught yourself saying (or thinking):
“Why has this year been so heavy?”
“I thought things were supposed to feel clearer by now.”
“I’m doing the inner work and yet it feels like I’m still being asked to release…why?"
If so, I want you to take a breath and hear this clearly:
You are not behind. And you are not doing anything wrong. I have felt this, I have heard this and even seen posts on this!
Energetically, 2025 was never meant to be a year of full-speed momentum. It has been a year of preparation, release, and quiet transformation and there’s a very real reason so many of us felt stretched, emotional, tired, or in-between.
Let’s talk about what’s been happening beneath the surface and why what you do between now and February 17, 2026 matters more than you might realize.
The Year of the Snake: When Growth Happens Under the Surface
In Chinese astrology, we are currently in the Year of the Snake (February 10, 2025 – February 16, 2026).
Snake energy doesn’t rush. It doesn’t force. And it doesn’t shout. Instead, it works quietly and deeply.
The Snake is about:
Wisdom gained through experience
Shedding old layers
Healing at the root
Intuition becoming stronger
Letting go of identities, roles, and patterns that no longer fit
Just like a snake sheds its skin, this year has been asking many of us to release versions of ourselves we’ve outgrown even if we weren’t consciously planning to.
This is why 2025 may have felt:
Emotionally heavier than expected
Slower than you wanted
Full of reflection and reevaluation
Marked by endings, pauses, or changes in relationships or work
Like you were being asked to “feel" more instead of “do" more
This isn’t stagnation. This is integration.
Why You’re Still Feeling It (and Why That’s Okay)
Here’s an important piece that often gets overlooked:
The Snake year doesn’t end on January 1. It continues until February 17, 2026.
That means the shedding, clearing, and simplifying many people are still experiencing isn’t a sign you’re stuck...it’s a sign the process isn’t finished yet.
This stretch of time is asking us to:
Complete emotional and energetic release
Close old chapters with compassion
Forgive (others and ourselves)
Let go of pressure to “figure it all out”
Choose peace over proving
Think of it as clearing space not just externally, but internally so you’re not carrying unnecessary weight forward.
HOPE: We’re Approaching a Universal Year 1
The Universal Year 1 begins in 2026, aligning closely with the transition into the Year of the Horse.
The Universal Year 1 brings:
New beginnings
Fresh starts
Personal leadership
A new cycle of creation
But those qualities arrive more fully in a few weeks, not before. That’s why pushing for clarity or momentum too early can feel exhausting. The foundation is still being cleared. Think of 2025 as the final clearing before the seed is planted.
This also creates a powerful overlap:
The Universal Year 1 begins to whisper, “Something new is forming.”
The Snake gently responds, “Finish shedding what no longer belongs.”
Snake energy prepares the body, heart, and soul. The Universal Year 1 activates the new direction.
Nothing is late it’s sequencing.
Momentum: What Changes When We Enter the Year of the Horse
On February 17, 2026, the energy shifts into the Year of the Horse.
Horse energy is very different.
It’s about:
Movement
Momentum
Freedom
Confidence
Creativity
Forward motion
Where the Snake asks us to go inward, the Horse invites us to move outward.
But there’s a key piece here: The Horse runs best when it isn’t carrying what no longer belongs.
How to Use the Rest of the Snake Year (Without Forcing Anything)
Rather than pushing yourself to do more, consider asking:
What am I still holding onto out of habit, fear, or obligation?
What feels complete, even if it’s bittersweet?
Where am I being asked to trust instead of control?
What would it feel like to travel lighter into the next chapter?
Supportive practices during this time might look simple:
Spending time in nature
Journaling honestly
Clearing physical clutter
Allowing rest without guilt
Practicing forgiveness (see my other blog!)
Listening to your intuition
None of this is wasted time. It’s preparation.
A Gentle Reminder as We Close
If 2025 challenged you, it’s because something old is making room for something new.
The Snake teaches us to shed with wisdom. The Universal Year 1 invites a new identity to form. The Horse will bring momentum when the timing is right.
You are not late. You are not broken. You are becoming.
And what’s coming next is meant to move with more ease than what you’ve been carrying.
Sit with that for a few minutes and then what I have been saying is “Giddy Up” ✨
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