We spend a lot of time thinking about new strategies, new initiatives, and new goals. But rarely do we pause to ask: What needs to fall away? What practices, patterns, or beliefs are holding space that no longer serve us?
2025, the Year of the Wood Snake, called us inward. It was a year for shedding old stories and habits, reflecting on what works, and honoring our inner wisdom. A practice we must carry forward, because we cannot move intentionally without first reflecting and releasing. Now, with the arrival of the Year of the Fire Horse, 2026, that inner clarity demands action. The Horse moves boldly forward without fear of obstacles, emphasizing movement over standing still. But here’s the thing about the Horse: it cannot run freely while weighed down by what it no longer needs. We should ask ourselves as we move in this year: What do we need to compost and make room for so that our movement forward is intentional?
What if releasing was not a sign of failure but a courageous act of leadership?
The Art of Releasing
Releasing is not something that just happens to us. It is something we must choose to do. We have more agency over what we hold onto and what we let go of in our lives than we often give ourselves credit for.
Practicing composting is about recognizing when something has run its course and returning it to the ecosystem in a form that remains useful. For instance, what no longer works as a program might inform the next one. What no longer fits your values might clarify what does. This process may feel uncomfortable, especially when we are attached to policies, practices, or ways of being that are familiar, even if they are no longer working. Part of liberatory leadership is learning to sit with that discomfort and to release it anyway.
Across our work together, we have heard members of our broad community name what is ready to be released. Here is some of what we’ve heard:
- Perfectionism that prevents us from taking imperfect action
- Hierarchies that stifle collective creativity and wisdom
- The myth that more is always better; more output, more programs, more speed
- Siloed thinking that keeps us from learning across teams and communities
- Policies and practices not aligned with the values we say we hold
- Self-criticism that masquerades as accountability
- The urgency culture that leaves no room for rest, reflection, or joy
What would you add to this list?
Moving With Intention
The Fire Horse is one of the most dynamic signs in the Chinese zodiac, appearing only once every 60 years. It carries the energy of passion, transformation, and bold forward motion. The Horse moves with intention and is not a solitary animal. It moves in community. This is not about moving fast. It is about moving together with clarity and purpose, without the weight of what we have chosen to release.
As we sit at the midpoint of 2026, it’s a good time to act, since we are not swayed by the new year energy when everything feels possible, and we are not at the end of the year when we are resting, reflecting, and preparing for the work ahead. Enough time has passed to see what is working and what is not, and there is still time to change course. This moment is asking of us not just to name what we are releasing, but to actually let it go and take action. Make the decision. Make space for the conversation. Update the policy. Sunset what’s not working. The goal here is to move with intention.
- Take a few minutes this week and answer: what would it look like for you or your organization to move boldly this season?
- Once you have envisioned what bold action looks like, what is one manageable step you can take this week to start building momentum?
Check out the Liberatory Leadership Framework for more tools to support this work. Explore it here.
