New beginnings require courage

Some notes on 2026 energy, and an identity exercise.

I’ve shared that 2026 is like 2020—in scope!—but the opposite of 2020, in nature.

2026 is also nothing like 2025.

Phew.

In the Chinese zodiac, 2025 is the year of the snake, and we’ve shed old layers of ourselves.

In Western astrology, 2025 saw multiple planets enter new signs, only to retrograde back to the old sign, for that final hurrah, and as we close out the year, we have three big ones—Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn—crawling through the final final final degrees of these old signs before entering the new for good.

It was a year of endings.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

If you’ve surrendered and closed and left behind more than you ever thought you could, know that this phase is nearly complete.

2026 is for birthing new beginnings.

New beginnings require courage.

Think of a heartbreak, followed by loneliness and despair, and then once you’re thoroughly over it, a new love drops in. It’s like it scratches into that old scar tissue, reminding you of how it felt to end things.

You have to decide: Is it worth it? Is the potential upside worth the risk?

When I feel into my own new era, I’m finding myself in what feels like a mental puzzle. Before, it seemed like the big dreams most true to me were perpetually blocked. Now, it seems that my most true self-expression is the only path that does work (!!).

I love this for us, all of us, and I’m learning, first-hand, that it pushes that emotional scar tissue to the surface and requires a little grit to put into action.

Something that’s helped me take baby step actions on this path is an identity exercise I also use with my 3-month coaching intensive clients.

Identity Exercise

For this exercise, you’re going to invent a new Barbie.

Now, I know there’s a lot of cultural baggage wrapped up with Barbie, but let’s put that aside for just a moment, because I find this to be a helpful analogy.

You know how there’s Teacher Barbie, Swimsuit Barbie, CEO Barbie, and Astronaut Barbie?

Visualize the version of yourself who is being born. How do they spend their time? What do they do for fun? What do they contribute to the world? Who is with them?

Now summarize it into your personal Barbie.

One of my clients is Wild-Hearted Barbie (after a lifetime of perfectionism and people-pleasing).

Another client is Sovereign Barbie (imagine how it feels to be so secure in your boundaries that you say, “I’m not an empath anymore”).

I’m Wizard Barbie.

I’m most myself when I’m writing, talking, and thinking about things that are “too weird.”

The next time you get stuck in a mental loop, you come back to your Barbie, and ask, “What would Wizard Barbie do?” Eventually, you can just ask, “What would Wizard Dani do?”

For example, when I sit down to write an email, I often get caught up in, well what kind of subject line are people going to open, and will anyone like this, and what if I’m emailing them too much…

Wizard Dani doesn’t worry about that. Wizard Dani goes on a walk in nature, feels the cold winter air on her skin, and scribbles lines into a notebook, trusting that something comes through that will hit someone at just the right time, because words are not just meaning, they also carry the energy of intention. Wizard Dani pauses to eat a meal so she doesn’t mistake hunger for sadness.

You get the idea.

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When you’re not sure what action to take, a traditional approach would have you weighing the pros and cons.

A 2026 approach wants you to honor an identity.

Actions are innately born from identity.

Know your authentic identity, and you always know what step to take.

Want me to be your coach?

Together, we can go deeper on your identity and clear any fear or doubt that’s blurring your vision. I’m really good at asking questions and naming patterns. If you are in a phase of identity transformation and accessing new intuitive gifts, it’s a good time to work with me.