[ Note: This post contains affiliate links and personal reflections. While I have researched this subject, I am not a professional expert. Please do your own research. You can read my full disclosure here:   https://www.moonnat.com/en ] Once more, I am beginning my year with the Lunar Year of the Fire Horse, here in MARCH! Truly, the Year of the Snake rattled many of us in various ways. I mention this because I’ve noticed it reflected in the lives of celebrities and friends alike. Initially, I thought I was alone in my struggles, but I’ve realized many of us were in the same boat. I hope your year was easier, but if it wasn't, I invite you to share your journey and the lessons you learned in the comments below.  Here is my story. If you’ve read my posts before, you might remember how optimistic I was in my last article about the tools we use to hit our goals. But in my case, I hit so many roadblocks that everything went out the window. I want to share those struggles with you, what I’ve learned, and how I’m keeping my head up, plus the things I did succeed in manifesting. The beginning of the year was tumultuous for those of us living in Southern California, as we faced several wildfires. Personally, wildfires were something I grew up with, but I had only ever seen them on the news—I had never had them hit so close to home or had to have everything ready for a possible evacuation. I am a naturally anxious person, and now as a mother, my anxiety is even more heightened. Living with this constant state of alert—tracking the fires, waiting to see if they were contained, or worrying if another would start—felt like it would never end. All of this was coupled with the start of a presidency that we thought we had already experienced, but which has been worse than many of us expected. Malibu Fire 2025 That was how our year began: marked by wildfires and immigration threats like ICE (which continue to be carried out), and in the middle of it all, I was preparing for my citizenship. I have my husband to thank—as soon as we found out who would be taking the presidency, he motivated me to submit my payment and application the very next day. As it happened, I had just reached the point where I was eligible to apply. Fortunately, at the time of my interview, 🧊 agents weren't yet present in the Immigration Services buildings, which definitely lowered my stress levels. Because I studied and prepared thoroughly, I passed the exam and interview. I was also lucky enough to take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States and receive my Certificate of Naturalization that same day. I felt incredibly blessed, given everything that was happening and the tension in the air. As many of us know, these agents don't always care about your actual status; there have been some terrible cases where they’ve detained people who had all their paperwork in order. U.S. citizenship Despite being fortunate in that regard, I sadly realized—while all of this was happening—who my true friends and social media contacts really were. I couldn't believe I had contacts and 'friends' who supported this kind of 'leader.' With a heavy heart and a sense of shock, I decided to walk away from certain friendships; I felt I couldn't continue being friends with people who didn't share my core values. To me, there is a world of difference between having political disagreements and having a conflict of values. I simply couldn't be friends with someone who admires, applauds, or agrees with a 'being' associated with such dark crimes—someone who doesn't support human rights or show empathy for others. In the end, it’s about your own integrity as a person. Added to all the tension the country was beginning to experience, my family started going through major changes of our own when my daughter was diagnosed with selective mutism. We had no idea such a thing even existed (I’ll write a separate post about that another time). We were faced with the choice of having her repeat Kindergarten or moving her to a different school in the hopes of her advancing to first grade. In my opinion, my daughter is very intelligent and was progressing right along with the curriculum in terms of math, writing, and reading, so I couldn't understand why she would need to repeat a grade. Obviously, her teacher didn't see that progress because my daughter rarely participated; the teacher believed that repeating the year would help her gain the self-confidence needed to develop socially. However, she tends to be a very high-needs child who gets bored or frustrated easily by repetition. Because of this, my husband and I decided it was best to move her from the Catholic school she was attending to a public school. In theory, the public system offers more support for children with special needs, as well as more flexible alternatives for evaluating her academic progress. Flag in distress. I remember that once she had started at this new school, I began experiencing a lot of anxiety because of everything I was seeing on social media about 🧊. Local moms’ groups in my area started filling up with posts and comments. I noticed that at a store I used to frequent, the Latina women who worked there were no longer around—now the staff seemed to be mostly white young men. Posts mentioned that several businesses were closing due to a lack of employees. There was a growing sense of fear. Even the car wash we used to go to had shut down. Those were days of intense tension. Videos were being posted showing these 'agents' at schools. I was so on edge; even though my family and I technically had nothing to fear, we felt like we were 'targets' simply for being Latino, because of our last name, and in the case of my daughter and me, our brown skin. My daughter’s new school was bilingual, and 90% of the students were of Latino descent. During the most agonizing weeks I can remember, the social media posts were constant, reporting incidents right where we lived. I was torn over whether it was even safe to send my daughter to school; it was hard to know what to tell her or how to explain it. I did the best I could—since she loved her teacher very much, I told her not to leave her side no matter what (even though the teacher, also being Latina, could have been a 'target' herself). Despite everything, I continued sending her to school, since it was the final days of the school year. Because she has Selective Mutism, disruptions to her routine can be very hard on her—it can feel like losing progress. I was fortunate to live right across from the school, so every time I heard sirens, screeching tires, or cars speeding by, I would step out onto the stairway of my apartment complex to make sure everything was okay. Thankfully, nothing bad happened to us. Things would calm down for a while… and then the fear would return all over again. The move. Personal storage. But now, another adventure awaited us: a move. We were leaving the place I thought was ideal for my family, and it caused me so much inner conflict. Since moving to the United States, I haven’t stopped moving from place to place. It has been hard for me to build lasting friendships. Before, I didn’t mind much—I was even excited by the idea of being a nomad. But since becoming a mother, and considering my daughter’s condition, I see the importance of putting down roots in a place that offers a true sense of community. I was just starting to feel that in our last home; I was beginning to build a community, making 'mom friends,' and organizing playdates for my daughter. And then, all of it was coming to an end. We were torn about where we should live, especially given the country's political climate and the lack of job opportunities in my husband's field. The irony is that I haven’t worked as a traditional employee since I got married—for many reasons I’ll share another time—but I was finally ready to go back to work. I had ideas about what I wanted to do and how I was going to apply for these jobs. However, we began to wonder if we should live in Mexico for a while until things settled down. While we weighed our options, we decided to travel to Mexico on vacation (taking advantage of the summer school break) so my daughter could connect with her roots. We visited family and friends while scouting the possibility of living there temporarily. Unfortunately, we realized it wasn’t going to work for us. So, we returned to California—but this time, to the border. Park in San Diego County. I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I was excited to stay in California—a state that, in my opinion, has it all—and best of all, my Baja California. Being at the border meant seeing my family and friends more frequently and being available to help my parents or in-laws during emergencies (which, unfortunately, has happened more than once). Plus, I’d still have access to the online shopping I’m used to, which directly supports my business ideas—investments and projects I’m developing for the long term 😉. I’d also be close to one of my best friends, someone I want to collaborate with on a few projects. All of this was exciting, yet I still missed the life I was just starting to build. And here’s the downside: we’re currently living in someone else’s home. Our belongings are still in storage while we figure out our situation. It’s complicated because we’ve been looking for a place, but we’re facing an inner conflict: in our current area, my daughter is assigned to a specific school, and I’m personally not sold on the neighborhood. Before enrolling her, my husband and I considered homeschooling while we got settled, but we realized it wouldn't work. She needs to be around other children and people, not just with us 24/7—especially given her condition. Unfortunately, she’s an only child and the only grandchild on both sides of the family. Plus, I was finding it difficult to adapt and organize with the local homeschooling groups I found online. Once we decided to enroll her, we realized we couldn't just move her again mid-year; so much change is very hard on her. This means any lease we sign would have to be for less than a year, which has been tough—especially since we need a smoke-free, carpet-free home because my daughter is on the verge of developing asthma.* On the bright side, this 'temporary' house actually has some advantages! It’s quite spacious, and the neighbors aren't right next to us, so we rarely notice if they smoke. It’s also surrounded by nature, and only has carpet in two rooms—fortunately, not in the one we use. The irony of life. And check this out!—this is where we see our power of ‘manifestation.' I truly feel like I manifested this! Obviously, I didn’t mean for it to be someone else’s house (it belongs to family, but still, it's 'not ours'). I wrote in my old planner that I was ready to live in a house since we were in an apartment. I even wrote: 'with a pool!' And yes! The house we're in has a private pool just for us. There's plenty of green space where I can go out to meditate or exercise. The property is beautiful and highly valued. Just by living here, it seems like I’m a person of abundance. The irony is that I feel like I have no money. I consider myself very blessed because I’ve lived a life of abundance my whole life; however, I still haven’t figured out how to manage the money part. Silly, right? Living in abundance while lacking cash. But I shouldn’t frame it that way; thanks to my husband’s hard work and savings, we are navigating this period just fine. So, in reality, there is money. Private property in SoCal. Here’s another irony: we’ve actually lived here before, during the pandemic. It was a bit of a nightmare for me, one that I never wanted to repeat. I actually remember wondering, 'What if life somehow brought us back to this house?' Pff! Why did I put that energy out there? What am I supposed to learn from this? (And what is everyone else involved supposed to learn?) Sometimes I think we all need each other, and there’s clearly a lesson in learning how to coexist here. Only God knows how far my power of manifestation goes, and what He’s trying to tell me by making me 'repeat' a situation I swore I would never have to survive again. For now, all that’s left is acceptance—analyzing how much control I really have and learning from it. But most importantly, I’m focusing on the power to change my present in order to shape my immediate future. How much control do you think you really have over your life? Or do you think everything is already written? Personally, I think it’s 50-50. Looking back at some situations, I can see how they were meant to be. But in other, simpler moments, I realize they could have been avoided. Those are the 'repeat' lessons we get stuck in when we aren't quite ready to move on. So the lesson I learned from last year and my start to this one is:  'Let go of RESISTANCE and FLOW with what is.'   Because many times I found myself clinging to wanting to live in that 'ideal' place and for things to work out there, and it caused me a lot of internal conflict that it wasn't that way. But now, I am holding on in a different sense—more focused on lifestyle than a specific place. I am integrating a reconnection with my roots (my profession) and projects I can develop from home; now comes the challenge of learning how to monetize them. My husband and I have realized that we are both creative, free spirits. The challenge now is how to generate our own income. We've discussed how, in the absence of traditional employment, we must now create the work ourselves; many already experienced this during the pandemic. The silver lining of that stage was that many learned it is possible to make a living doing what we enjoy. And although I couldn't meet my desired goals last year—I even felt like I moved further away from them—new ideas and projects were born. It was like a 'reset,' and I am now free from the burden and sadness of those unfulfilled expectations. Now, I am consciously choosing to do things my way, carefully weighing what is best for my nuclear family from every angle. So, how has my planner actually helped me? It’s interesting—I’ve been buying planners for years, probably since high school. They’ve always helped me stay organized, and I used to carry them everywhere. But around the time I got married and moved to this country, I dropped the habit. After so many years, I felt I didn't need it anymore; adapting to my new lifestyle was a struggle, and it actually depressed me to see my unreached goals written down. Now, however, I’m taking a very different approach—especially with this specific planner, which I’ve bought for four years in a row now. I love it because it focuses on helping you achieve your intentions, but it also helps you reflect on why  things didn't happen if you fall short. Plus, it doubles as a journal, since it records everything we do and plan. It helps me see my growth over time, allowing me to 'mature' in that sense and get to know myself better. *If you're interested in getting this planner to help manifest the life you want, you can find it here. One of my favorite things about this one is that you don't have to wait until January to start—it’s undated, so you set the dates whenever you’re ready to begin. 😉➡️ https://amzn.to/3P6NX6a Law of Attraction Planner. Now, regarding manifestation, this is my takeaway: Last year, I was so specific about the house I wanted—big kitchen, private pool, and nature. And honestly, I did manifest it! Just... in someone else's house and in a different city. So this time, in my 'Goals' and my 'Life Statement Letter’ (check out this article to understand: https://www.moonnat.com/post/comenzando-el-a%C3%B1o-nuevo-2025-en-febrero) I’m going to specify that the home is mine , but leave the 'where' up to the universe. I’ve realized that some things are or aren’t just meant to be, and no amount of 'forcing it' will change that if it’s not our path. It’s about learning how to speak your intentions to avoid the frustration and disappointment if things don't go as planned. It reminds me of how I got married. This happened to me months before I even tied the knot—and I manifested it that very year without even trying! I didn't even have a boyfriend yet. I just came across some affirmations online (I’ll share the link in a moment). Some of the affirmations for attracting a partner went like this: ‘ (Name) comes to me easily and effortlessly.’  So, instead of writing a specific person's name, I chose to write this:  ‘( The man who is destined to be the father of my children and build a family with me in this lifetime) comes to me easily and effortlessly.’ Another of the phrases was the following:  ‘All difficulties between (name) and me are being resolved. We have a wonderful relationship.’ And I changed it like this:  ‘All difficulties between ( the man who is destined to be the father of my children to form a family with me in this lifetime ) and me are being resolved. We have a wonderful relationship.’ Every morning, I repeated those affirmations along with several others, and I was able to manifest it that very same year. So, here is my takeaway: instead of writing that I want to live in a specific place, I should write: 'The place where I am destined in this life to have my own home and live with my own family…' By not specifying the location, I leave it to the UNIVERSE, which is wiser than my own self. It is the Universe that knows where we truly belong and what the best place is for us as a family. I’m going to put this into practice, and I’ll keep you posted on my progress as I attract the life I desire. So, what exactly helped me stay calm during the Year of the Wood Snake? Amidst so much change and my own inner resistance—not to mention the anxiety caused by everything I was going through—I leaned on my stones. I wore two specific pieces. Sometimes I’ll carry a small stone in my pocket, but I always end up nervous about losing it, so I prefer to wear them as a necklace, bracelet, or ring. Last year, my go-tos were an orgone necklace with stones to help balance each chakra, and a dark green jade-jadeite bracelet. Here are the benefits of using them: Moon-shaped orgonite necklace for chakra harmonization. Chakra Orgone Necklace. This piece is composed of selected stones designed to work with each chakra and its corresponding color: your root chakra (red), sacral (orange), solar plexus (yellow/gold), heart (green or pink), throat (blue/turquoise), third eye (purple/indigo), and crown (violet). The goal is to balance your chakras while wearing it, allowing you to flow in love and calm. Before putting it on, I ask the Holy Spirit and Mother Earth to grant me their benefits so I remain balanced throughout the day. I know it’s working when it begins to feel warm. If I face conflict during the day, I touch it with my left hand and take deep breaths, consciously connecting with the orgone energy. One of the best things about orgone is that it doesn't require energetic cleansing; its primary job is to continuously transmute negative energy into positive. Because of its composition of resin, metals, and crystals like quartz, it has a self-cleaning effect unlike individual stones or gems. *If you’re interested in getting a necklace to align your chakras, I highly recommend this one—it’s very similar to mine: ➡️ https://amzn.to/4szhRyv Or this lovely orgone piece that you can also wear as a necklace. ➡️ https://amzn.to/3OX0YiN Dark green jadeite-jade bracelet. DARK GREEN JADE-JADEITE BRACELET. This is one of my favorite accessories, and it holds many energetic and spiritual benefits. While this stone primarily focuses on the Heart Chakra, it also helps you maintain your calm during moments of anxiety, protects you from negative energies, and brings the luck needed to attract prosperity. It also promotes greater self-love and empathy while helping to balance your hormones. Unlike orgone, jade does  need to be cleansed. My preferred method is simple: I hold it under lukewarm running water for a few seconds while reciting my intentions for energetic clearing. You can also place it against an orgone piece, which helps harmonize other stones. Alternatively, you can cleanse it with palo santo or sage smoke, or place it next to a piece of clear quartz. The best way to recharge its energy is under the moonlight. Pro-tip: Before putting it on, set your intention and wear it on your left hand—the receiving side. Just like the orgone, you will feel the stones get warm when they are working. *If you’re interested in getting a bracelet with the same stone, I highly recommend this one—it’s absolutely beautiful! ☺️💚 ➡️ https:// amzn.to/47ysWYo Even though the end of last year was emotionally chaotic and marked by conflict in my relationships, I feel incredibly optimistic about this new year. I’ve seen a complete 360-degree shift in attitude from everyone around me. I feel like something deep inside is starting to click, bringing everything into alignment so that things can finally flow. From practicing mindful breathing during moments of anxiety to simply embracing my reality, I am finding the flow I need to manifest the change I’ve been seeking. Fire Horse. ( AI-generated) But what are the predictions for this Year of the Fire Horse?  Generally, on both a personal and global level, it’s said that the Fire Horse doesn’t wait for approval or ask permission to change. 'It moves when it knows the time is right.' However, it can also bring chaos. I believe it's a balance of both (☯️). I’d like to say it all depends on us, but as I wrote before, it also depends on the Creative Energy. To what extent can we co-create and learn to flow with what is destined, to avoid the frustration of what we don't achieve? What happens outside our bubble isn’t up to us—like everything happening in the political world. The start of both last year and this one brought nothing but bad news. Still, I believe deeply in the power of prayer, especially collective prayer 🙏🏽🙏🏽. I feel like I attracted this shift; the night before 'these files' came to light, I remember praying so hard for something good to happen—and it did! Now, we just need to see justice truly served. A perfect example of how I embrace my present to find flow and let go of frustration is this: for two years now, I’ve intended to publish these articles between December and January, yet I always end up stretching into February or March. Now, I accept my own timing; I flow with my rhythm according to what I’m experiencing in the moment. I choose to see the positive in it. And if you’re like me, I’m going to explain why starting the year between February and March isn’t such a bad thing after all. Agricultural field on a sunny day. ( AI-generated) First, because December is always a whirlwind. Our energy is focused on administrative loose ends—both at work and at home—as the Gregorian year closes, alongside social commitments and family celebrations. In January, many of us start off feeling overwhelmed by the leftover tasks from the previous year and the pressure of analyzing what we’ll do in this 'new year.' Then there’s the back-to-school season (whether you’re a student or a parent), which can interfere with organizing your goals. If you're employed, this is often when people reflect on whether they want to stay or if it’s time for a change. Then February arrives—the time when Asian culture celebrates its New Year (the Lunar New Year) on the second new moon following the winter solstice (which is why the dates of the celebration can vary, sometimes falling in late January). This is where we should really pay attention: these celebrations are linked to preparing for the start of spring because it is the time for sowing in agriculture. Poetically and literally, it is the time of the 'awakening of the earth.' When we put this into a personal perspective, this is the moment we sow our ideas, projects, and goals. We work on them just as we would work the land, looking to see their fruits, ideally by summer. So, if you’re right there with me, this is the perfect moment to kick off your new year and your projects. Harness all this positive energy that the spring brings us. By summertime, we’ll see how everything we’re sowing right now begins to bear fruit.  🙌🏽✨🌸 And once again, as I mentioned last year, let’s not focus on the negatives from the outside that are not in our hands. If we analyze what I shared, not everything was bad; in my case, there were moments of tension and uncertainty, but they were rewarded with other situations (☯️). I hope that in your case, you can also see the positive in your challenges from last year. Let’s do the individual work from within, creating our bubble of peace and harmony to manifest that Ideal Life. 🙏🏽💖 Thank you so much for taking the time to read my words. I hope this information has been helpful to you—take what resonates and leave the rest. If you found value here or know someone else who might benefit from this, please feel free to share this article. Always peace and love, Moonnat ___________________________________________________________________________________________ REFERENCES: https://sph.tulane.edu/study-thirdhand-smoke-may-be-hidden-asthma-trigger-kids#:~:text=Thirdhand%20smoke%20is%20a%20phenomenon%20that%20occurs,to%20children%2C%20particularly%20to%20children%20with%20asthma . https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32667747/#:~:text=A%20systematic%20review%20and%20meta%2Danalysis%20found%20a,to%20reduce%20childhood%20exposure%20to%20secondhand%20smoke . https://isabelquiroz.wordpress.com/2007/05/04/el-poder-de-las-afirmaciones-positivas/ https://www.arhantayoga.org/es/los-chakras/#:~:text=1.,de%20la%20Monta%C3%B1a%20(Tadasana) . https://herbsetc.org/blog/what-is-orgonite-and-how-does-it-work/#:~:text=Feeling%20less%20tension%20in%20the,when%20they%20are%20near%20orgonite . https://gemalabs.cl/blogs/blog/que-son-los-orgones-y-como-pueden-mejorar-tu-vida#:~:text=Los%20orgones%20son%20dispositivos%20que,mejor%20bienestar%20f%C3%ADsico%20y%20emocional . https://rtzn.co/blogs/news/the-comprehensive-guide-to-jade-meaning-benefits-and-properties https://www.vib-ology.com/nephrite-jade.html#/ https://terredesiam.com/en-us/blogs/blog/jade-stone-of-eternity-of-the-chinese-emperor-for-the-care-of-the-body-and-soul https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/lunar-new-year/ https://www.instagram.com/reels/DU09riwkXx1/ https://www.lakeplacidnews.com/opinion/columns/2026/01/01/martha-sez-year-of-the-fire-horse-can-bring-chaos-but-also-great-progress/#:~:text=The%20Chinese%20New%20Year%20will,change%20in%2050%20million%20 https://www.hegamex.com/post/equinoccio-de-primavera-el-renacer-de-la-naturaleza#:~:text=La%20Importancia%20del%20Equinoccio%20en,del%20terreno%20hasta%20la%20cosecha . https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/case-march-true-beginning-173000051.html