We haven’t seen the year of the Dragon in 12 years. Not since the new millennium, when the same sense of excitement, mystery and even fear rang through the Year 2000 discourse. The animals of the Chinese zodiac have personality traits that are said to influence not only the individuals born under the sign’s years, but the events that shape the year itself. The Dragon is stormy and intense, charismatic, and lucky. Quite an exciting combination, indeed.
Breaking into the first month of 2012, I sense the three traits already. The future is inspiring and full of options and it has a refreshing openness about it that replaced 2011’s anxiety and uncertainty. I’ve started a new job and feel exceptionally lucky. While my life is still not crystal-clear, I embrace the blurry path ahead with ambition and courage. Now that I’m finished school, I feel as though now is when the real learning begins. Making an effort to seek knowledge, grow and express myself creatively and professionally is all part of growing into this new sort of person—no longer a student, which claimed a good 50-70% of my identity prior to December—but a plain old, adult-fare-transit-paying person. But I will strive to be anything but plain. My intention is to avoid the mundane, to try new things and shed self-doubt.
2012 is evidently the year of the Water Dragon. Full of fluidity and fortune, these elements will help diffuse the tempestuous nature of ordinary dragon years. As a Snake, I am compatible with the Dragon (as are Rats), and as such am to find this year full of “personal happiness and professional success” which is basically an abstract of my Vision Board's narrative.
So not as to rely completely upon Chinese astrology, I humbly remind myself that it is I who am in control of not only achieving my goals but creating them. Goals must each have a solid blueprint; a map of steps to take that will bring the goal closer and closer to becoming realized. For example, my medium to long-term goal for 2012 is to go to New York City. What can I do today to make sure that this happens? I can work hard and nail down a solid job. In a month, I can start an automatic savings account to put away a certain percentage of my earnings. In the meantime, I can research, plan and book flights and accommodations. Et voila, suddenly the trip is happening. Staying on top of the small steps is the key to making sure that big things happen—and that’s all on us, no water dragon needed.
