It’s still winter after all. And winter, by design, is a season for rest, not rushing. Not forcing. Not proving. Not hustling our way back to worthiness. So as I reflected on the Lunar New Year and the transition into the Year of the Wood Snake, I felt this even more deeply. In Chinese astrology, Dragon years are often associated with high energy, expansion, and visibility. And that’s certainly what I felt during the Dragon year that we were exiting at the start of 2025. Snake years, by contrast, invite slowness, discernment, and shedding. Less spectacle. More intention. As an Earth Dragon moving into a Snake year, the symbolism landed in my body, not just my brain. When I look back on this past year, I can see it clearly now. I did a lot of shedding. Old identities. Old ways of working. Old baggage weighing me down. What surprised me most was the clarity that came from that release. Not the clarity you force through planning or pushing, but the kind that arrives when you finally stop gripping so tightly. Letting go made room. Once I started shedding, I could feel momentum build as I slithered my way through immense growth. Movement felt smoother instead of the usual friction I felt with my worn-out skin. And now, having sloughed off what no longer fits, I feel ready as we approach the Fire Horse year ahead, with its boldness and forward momentum. I don’t feel behind. I feel prepared. Grounded by the shedding that came before it, ready to move without dragging old baggage along for the ride. And I’m sharing this because I know I’m not the only one who’s felt uneasy about a slow start. If this past year didn’t take off the way you expected, maybe that’s not a failure of discipline or ambition. Maybe it’s an invitation. An invitation to check your pace. To consider whether this season is asking you to rest, release, or recalibrate before you run. Sometimes growth looks like acceleration. Sometimes it looks like stillness. Both are necessary. And both count, even when they don’t look the way we were taught they should. So if you’re feeling behind, tired, or unsure right now, you’re not broken. You might just be in winter. I’m trusting my rhythm this year. Letting winter be winter. And when it’s time to move, doing so with intention, not urgency. What season are you finding yourself in? If you’re open to it, share in the comments. These conversations remind us we’re not moving through this alone. And if you’d like more reflections like this as the year unfolds, you can sign up for my newsletter. It’s where I share what I’m noticing in real time. Stay curious, 🎈Justine Red Balloon Station is a creative hub for storytelling and brand messaging, dedicated to amplifying the voices of equity-driven Women of Color entrepreneurs and creatives. Through strategy, storytelling, and sales, we’re here to help you harness your own words and stories, forging meaningful connections with your dream audience and making a lasting impact on people, the planet, and culture.
Justine Wentzell-Chang is an Eldest Daughter of Immigrants, Mother, Activist, and your Station Master/Chief Word Witch at Red Balloon Station bringing you strategic messaging and story-centered, conscious copywriting services. With a law degree and over a decade of experience making & writing movies that sell globally, I learned a thing or two about writing stories that sell. Now I’m here to give you a spoonful of strategy and conviction to make your words convert...in the most unforgettable way! Your story deserves to be told—by you. For too long, others have controlled the narrative, distorting the brilliance, resilience, and impact of Women of Color. But we’re here to change that, because you’re not just building a brand; you’re shaping culture, challenging the status quo, and creating a ripple effect of empathy, equity, and positive change. My job? To make sure your messaging reflects that power—clearly, confidently, and with staying power.
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