Are there any parts of this past year that were difficult? Where you experienced feelings of lack, pain, drain or loss or struggled with issues related to trust, confidence and self-worth? 😰

Regardless of any challenges you might’ve experienced, isn’t it time to shed old stories of victimhood, scarcity, or “not enough-ness” you might be holding onto?

If you’re like many I’ve spoken with over the past 6 months, 2025 stretched and cracked us wide open (myself included!) in ways that might’ve brought you to your knees, caused you to question yourself and others or made you lose trust and faith in the overall goodness of life and humanity itself.

Personally, I’ve experienced this too but instead of being the victim to it all, I’ve been in a deep practice of trust, release and surrender this past year… letting go of unrealistic expectations, shedding my attachments to what doesn’t serve me and releasing old stories, identities and beliefs.

And you know what?

These stories, baggage and limitations are not serving you.

In fact, when we hold onto old, outdated stories or sit and spin in our emotional baggage, it’s just a drain to our lifeforce energy and prevents our overall happiness.

This is why NOW is the perfect time to shed, release and let go of what no longer serves you.

Why now, you may ask?

In numerology, 2025 is considered a “9” year which signifies the end of a 9-year cycle with the beginning of a new, empowered chapter in your life on the horizon.

This is a powerful year for completion, endings, and transformation, this year is encouraging us to let go of the past, embrace compassion, and prepare for a fresh start.

This month in particular is a period for reflection, understanding, and healing, where one can confront and release old wounds, leading to profound growth.

Not only that but 2025 is also known as the year of the Snake according to the Chinese zodiac, which is all about shedding habits, patterns, identities and behaviors that no longer serves us (i.e. much like a snake sheds the skin they’ve outgrown!) so we can evolve into higher states of consciousness, truth and authenticity. ✨

With the dual energies of the zodiac and numerology in mind, it’s no wonder this past year was one of such intensity, growth and transition!

But these transitions are not about leaving one energy behind and then suddenly “becoming” another.

They are actually about integration before the next chapter.  

About honoring what has been composting beneath the surface and allowing that energy to fuel what wants to move through us next.

The Energy of the Snake for Shedding, Truth, and Renewal 🐍

A teacher of deep wisdom, the Snake’s energy is subtle, internal, and quietly potent.

Snake years are asking us to slow down, turn inward, and confront what has outlived its usefulness—old identities, outdated stories, patterns of self-sacrifice, or beliefs we’ve been carrying simply because they once kept us safe.

The Snake doesn’t force change. It waits. It listens.

It sheds its skin not because something is “wrong,” but because growth demands space.

If this past felt difficult, introspective, emotionally raw, or illuminating in hard and unexpected ways for you, you’ve been experiencing the energy of the snake!

Working beneath the surface, it brings truths to light—not always loudly, but persistently—until we can no longer ignore them.

After all, what we resist will always persist until we face, feel and deal with it!

So before you can forward into the year ahead, the Snake is here to ask you:

What are you still carrying that no longer fits who you’re becoming? 🧺

Here’s a simple shedding practice that you can do between now and the end of the year to release what no longer serves you…

Set aside 10–15 quiet minutes with a journal and a pen and do the following:

1. Ground your body. Sit comfortably, place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Take three slow breaths, allowing your shoulders to soften.
2. Reflect with compassion. Write freely in response to these prompts:
   • What beliefs, roles, or expectations feel tight, heavy, or outdated?
   • Where have I been operating from obligation rather than alignment?
   • What am I ready to release—not because I failed, but because I’ve outgrown it?
3. Name the shedding. On a new page, complete this sentence several times:
   “I release the need to…”
   (Be honest and gentle. This is an act of self-respect, not self-criticism.)
4. Close with gratitude. Place your hand on your heart and silently thank what you are releasing for how it once supported you.

This is the energy of conscious shedding—intentional, respectful, and freeing.

With this shedding of the old, you can begin to welcome a new more empowered you!

And with 2026 being the beginning of a brand new 9-year cycle plus the year of the Horse, it’s going to be all about movement, vitality, and forward momentum into your next chapter of life—without the frantic hustle or stories of the past that hold us back. 🐎

When you hear from me next, I’ll share what the “1” year we’re getting ready to move into represents numerologically along with the energy of the Horse to help you create forward movement in 2026 that’s guided by your instinct and trust (vs. the stories and skin you’ve outgrown this past year).

And as you prepare for what’s next, be sure to honor what you’re releasing now, trust what’s emerging, and set the intention to move forward with greater ease—not faster, but in a freer more liberated way.

To support you with shedding old stories and inviting in the new, I also want to share with you the Spotify playlist I created for the final celebration and dance ceremony at the women’s retreat I just hosted.

It’s a beautiful list of upbeat, positive songs that will remind you of your power and inspire you to come back home to yourself. 💃🎶

👉 Click HERE to listen to this inspirational playlist anytime you want to dance out old stories or just simply elevate your vibration!

In the meantime, a great big THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for being part of my community and a heartfelt wish for the happiest of holidays!

May your last few weeks of this year be liberating, uplifting and filled with love! ✨💫

Jess Bonasso, also known as The Self Rescue Goddess, is the founder & CEO of Brave Life Consulting, a women-led company committed to the growth, healing & evolution of all women.

After experiencing burnout & a midlife crisis in her early 30’s, Jess committed to her own self-rescue and then later developed the Brave-Hearted Way, a simpler, easier way for women who lead to skyrocket their success by elevating their happiness, health, and wealth without sacrifice!

Today, she lives a deeply fulfilling life and has a thriving business that empowers women who lead to reclaim their time, energy and emotional bandwidth so they can create well-nourished lives and careers they love.

With over 20 years’ worth of expertise in alternative & mind-body healing, Jess has an in-depth knowledge of the Enneagrampersonality system and is as an accredited practitioner of The Journey Method®, giving her the trauma-informed expertise & therapeutic skills to support you in unraveling the root cause of anything that stands in the way of your happiness, health, or wealth.

She is also a published co-author of 2 books & keynote speaker who speaks for organizations, conferences & on podcasts regularly!

Jumpstart your own self-rescue TODAY with a FREE Self-Rescue Quiz + Roadmap!