As this year comes to a close and we begin to get excited about a new year with new beginnings, I think we can all agree that 2025 was one we’re all ready to say goodbye to.
Before rushing into 2026 with goals, intentions, and new ambitions, there’s real value in pausing. Not to dwell. Not to rehash. But to take an honest look at what this year asked of us, what we moved through, and who we became along the way.
Like many of us, my year began with a lot of intention and optimism. January 1st felt clean and clear. I had plans, rituals, and a real vision for 2025. I felt optimistic, committed, and genuinely excited about what was ahead.
And then, seven days later, life reminded me that it doesn’t particularly care about our timelines or our plans.
On January 7th, I lost everything I own including every physical memory of my childhood in the Palisades fires. Every baby photo, journal, scrapbook, prom picture, my year abroad in college. All of it, gone. Along with so many memories of my kids, the vintage jewelry I’d collected over the years, and, most disorienting of all, the sense of stability that comes from having a home.
For the next nine months, I moved nine times. From guest houses to friends’ homes to hotels. Always grateful, but rarely grounded. Trying to figure out where to go and where I wanted to land. What home even meant anymore when so manny of the things I had associated with it had gone up in flames.
Looking back, it certainly makes sense that this unfolded during the Year of the Snake.
In Chinese astrology, the Snake is about shedding. Quietly and deliberately releasing what no longer serves us. It isn’t dramatic or fast. It’s honest. And often uncomfortable.
What surprised me most wasn’t the loss itself. It was what showed up in its place.
So much love and incredible generosity.
From close friends including childhood friends I hadn’t heard from in 40 years, to people I barely knew and people I didn’t know at all. Doors opened. Homes were offered. Gifts were sent. Love and support showed up in ways I had never experienced. And somewhere in the middle of all that, I was able to start letting go of a story that I’d been carrying my entire life — that I had to do everything on my own.
At one point, my daughter looked at me and said, “Mom, do you now see that you’re not doing this alone?”
She was right.
That realization became one of the greatest gifts of the year.
As we move into 2026, we’re entering the Year of the Fire Horse. The Horse is about momentum, movement, and freedom. Fire brings confidence and forward motion. It’s a very different energy than the quiet shedding of the Snake.
But the Horse runs best when it isn’t carrying unnecessary weight.
Which is why this moment between years matters.
Mel Robbins recently shared a reflection exercise that I loved. She talked about taking time at the end of the year to go back through your photos from the year. Not just the happy ones. Not just the highlight reel.
The ones that have a story behind the story.
The quiet moments.
The photos that don’t necessarily look joyful, but have a deeper meaning.
You might also revisit old journal entries. Notice what you were worried about. What you were working through. What you didn’t yet know would resolve itself.
As you do, ask yourself:
What were the real highlights of this year?
What were the harder moments?
What did I learn?
Who did I become because of what I moved through?
What am I taking with me into 2026?
And what am I ready to leave behind?
This isn’t about judgment. It’s about finding beauty in all of the moments.
Because when we carry the wisdom forward and leave the weight behind, we step into a new year stronger, lighter, and more aligned with who we actually are.
As I look toward 2026, I feel optimistic. More grounded. Clearer about what matters and less attached to what doesn’t. I’m setting intentions, embodying what feels true, and trusting that forward motion doesn’t have to mean force.
At Kroma, we’re calling this next chapter an UPLEVEL — on every level.
In how we nourish our bodies.
In how we care for our energy.
In how we show up for ourselves and others.
Upleveling isn’t about doing more. It’s about choosing better. Reflecting honestly, growing consciously, and being willing to challenge old patterns so we can step into what’s next with intention.
That’s the energy I’m bringing with me into 2026. And it’s the energy I hope you feel too.
Thank you for being part of the Kroma community and for walking this journey of growth and becoming with us.
Here’s to shedding what’s complete and stepping into the new year a little freer, a little lighter and a lot more aligned.
With so much love and excitement for what’s ahead, may this year be the year we all Uplevel.
Xo,
Lisa