To create lasting change in the new year and beyond, you need more than motivation, discipline and a plan. Real change, and transformation, happens when you align your thoughts, beliefs, words, and actions with what you want to create.
Let’s explore what that actually looks like in the real world…
As we move our way through January, I’ve been reflecting on the very different energies between last year and this one.
Recently, I heard a DJ on a radio station describe last year as feeling like she was shedding her skin, like a snake. She even laughed and acknowledged it sounded a little crazy.
I smiled when I heard it.
According to Chinese astrology, last year was the Year of the Snake. It was a year associated with shedding what was old, outgrown, and no longer served us.
For many people, that’s exactly what it felt like: a year of letting go. It was the clarity that comes before change.
For some, this process was subtle and disorienting. For others, it was intense and unmistakable. Either way, there was often a quiet sense that something was ending, even if it wasn’t yet clear what was beginning.
Personally, I tore it all down last year.
I pulled back every layer, looked behind every conditioned belief, eliminated unsupportive thought processes and shed outdated behaviors. I took it down to the foundation to build 2026 from a place of wholeness and intention.
Letting go of the old is the first phase of creating real change.
It’s the necessary clearing that makes room for the new which can be built with intention.
And this new year is special! The Chinese zodiac is replacing the Snake with the Year of the Fire Horse. It’s been sixty years since the Fire Horse has made an appearance and it’s guaranteed to make its presence known in the most extraordinary ways.
This year is all about taking the new you and courageously stepping into a passion-fueled year. It’s a vibrant energy of boldness, independence and freedom.
✨ This is a year of leaning into your truest self-expression and unleashing it into the world.
Have you felt the shift in energy? Perhaps you feel:
❇️ A pull toward living more intentionally.
✳️ A readiness for a career change or a more meaningful direction.
❇️ A calling of a new dream.
✳️ An undeniable desire to pivot.
The Fire Horse invites movement rooted in your truth.
I’m here to encourage you to follow it now, as early as possible in the new year.
Why?
Because there’s a window of time at the beginning of a new year when momentum feels alive, fresh and powerful. The big dreams feel achievable.
And then, quietly, that energy starts to fade, pulling us back toward the well-grooved path of what’s familiar and comfortable.
Not because we don’t want our new vision of life or important goals.
Because wanting something new doesn’t automatically create real change.
You may have a clear vision for the year ahead. You may even have a solid plan. But if you approach that vision with the same ways of thinking, believing, speaking, and acting that created last year’s results, you’ll likely find yourself right back where you started.
Lasting change happens when we learn how to live differently.
The way we think.
The beliefs we hold about what’s possible and how life works.
The words we use to talk about ourselves, others and life.
The actions we take when we want more from life and believe we deserve it.
The energy and intention we bring to everything we do and who we are becoming.
All of these, aligned and working together, create our reality.
If we want something new — something meaningful, something different than what we’ve ever created before — we have to grow into the person who can create it. That means aligning our thoughts, beliefs, words, actions, and energy with what it takes to bring the new into form.
👉 It means becoming more intentional about how we show up in our own life.
Because if we keep doing what we’ve always done, we’ll keep getting what we’ve always gotten.
As I planned this year from my new foundation, I looked beyond goals, priorities and strategies and asked myself deeper questions:
❓ What ways of thinking and behaving will support the life and business I want to create?
❓ Where do I need to stretch and grow?
❓ What still needs to be released?
❓ What will propel me forward and what could quietly hold me back?
Ultimately, I asked:
Who is the version of me who can actually bring this vision to life and sustain it?
🗝️ Once I became clear on that, I built my growth into my plan to ensure my desired change would become my new normal.
I also created a framework that ideally supports how I work, catering to my strengths, my body’s natural rhythm and my peak productivity. It feels grounding, empowering, and, most importantly, sustainable.
The kind of change necessary for meaningful growth is layered and multi-dimensional.
It’s thoughtful. It creates full alignment with the unique characteristics of the individual, the desired outcome and all the steps from inception to achievement.
Practice is required to create lasting change.
Once you become clear on what’s required to become the person who can achieve what you desire, the linch pin is practice. It’s all about practicing, every single day, the way of thinking, speaking, believing, and acting that matches the outcome you want and being the person who can achieve it.
When you live as the person who is capable of achieving your vision, you’ll notice that what once felt hard starts to feel possible and eventually, inevitable.
“The key to successful, lasting and more fulfilling change is thinking, believing, speaking and acting like the person who knows how to create and achieve what you desire.” Coach Joan Jakel
💌 If this year feels like an invitation to live differently — to move toward something more aligned, more meaningful, or simply more peaceful — I’d love to help you achieve it.
👉 We can explore what this type of support looks like for you with a complimentary discovery call. We’ll enjoy 30 minutes in conversation to take a look at life, what’s possible and how to achieve it – no pressure and pure delight. Imagine enjoying a conversation over coffee where connection and change feel inviting. Book a day and time that works for you on my calendar: Joan Jakel’s Calendar
I look forward to continuing the conversation in 2026. Thanks for being on the journey with me.
🔥Here’s to a year filled with the passionate, courageous and liberating energy of the Fire Horse!
Carpe diem!
Joan 💖
P.S. I was born in the year of the Fire Horse, which explains A LOT about my personality. And my immense love of horses. I’ve volunteered at horse rescue ranches for many years. Meet Rosie, who was being a little shy…
I help purpose-driven entrepreneurs upgrade their mindset, eliminate limiting beliefs and reprogram critical, negative self-talk so they can courageously and authentically use their voice, gifts and talents to make a bigger impact.
If you're ready to thrive and develop an unshakeable belief in who you are and what you can achieve, let's talk!
Carpe Diem!
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