Year of the horse gallop gallop
Whether it's people asking about your horoscopes, the zodiac calendar or even your blood type [which you may be surprised but it's a serious way the Japanese like to categorise different personality types.] People universally love finding a way to group others and honestly I'm kind of here for it.
I've always been intrigued by the zodiac calendar but have never known too much about it. But living in Taiwan the lunar new year has been a lot more prevalent in my day to day and I've been talking to various different people about the significance and the symbolism the different animals carry and how the order of them play a key role in this 12 year cycle.
Currently being in the Year of the Snake but preparing for the Year of the Horse that is to come, there are a few things I've noted.
The Year of the Snake is a time of reflection, planning and shedding of the skin. An introspective rebirth if you will. Whereas the horse has a much more forceful energy associated with courageous change and leaping into the new. The snake being yin energy; inward and thoughtful. The horse being yang energy; outward and fiery.
Of course I've managed to make this very transferable to my own positioning and where I'm at with ITADAKI. I can feel myself and the team gearing up for what may be the biggest year of ITADAKI to date. I can't see exactly what it entails but I know she's gonna be mammoth. Last year was a big year of learning, growing our small team and setting up proper systems and structures to support us moving forward. This year's about growing into our own as we allow for more experimentation to refuel our creativity, explore new avenues that may have been discarded as unachievable and honing in to what really resonates with ITADAKI. It looks like new homes, new pieces, new categories, new collaborations. But it also looks like same family, same values, same culture, same community.
I think galloping is the perfect way to describe this force and I'm already galloping hot and fast into 2026.
