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The Year of the Fire Horse

A dozen or so friends clamoured around my fireplace’s mantel to grab their Dollar Store-bought journals and select a fancy gel pen. A ChatGPT-designed workshop on creating a 2026 vision for one’s life was about to begin, and two of my friends were fighting over who would get the last brown leather-bound journal.

It was a little before Lunar New Year, a holiday rooted in honoring the past while setting intentions for the future. And this year, instead of enjoying fireworks and celebrations, I hosted something much quieter. I invited my circle into my home to answer several journal prompts around career, love, fitness, and finances.

For me, January 1 comes with too much pressure; you may remember me writing about my intentionally slow start to the New Year. Lunar New Year, however, gifted me a second chance at intention. And what resulted around my dining room table was the perfect anecdote to help me game-plan my goals. By the end of the party, we walked away with clarity and focus, and identified the gaps standing in our way.

If you want to recreate this moment, here are three tips to create an atmosphere designed for reflection.

1. First things first, here was my prompt into ChatGPT: What are some good prompts for self-reflection? I want to create a vision workshop that sets goals on faith, finances, work, love, family, and life. Can you create the interactive workshop?

2. Then, we laid ground rules: Yes, I encouraged my friends to share the goals they had scribbled down, but I also encouraged them to keep some answers close to the vest, as some goals thrive in incubation.
3. Lastly, I prioritized making my friends feel comfortable. There were candles lit everywhere, a basket of cheap yet cozy socks so they could kick their shoes off and relax, and don’t forget the fancy gel pens to make the journaling experience feel whimsical.

I still don’t know what 2026 will bring, but instead of creating rushed, vague resolutions, at least I had a moment to be reminded that life moves in cycles, and ambition requires vision.