The Alchemist Diaries

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” ― Confucius

Share what you know about the year you were born.

When I was in elementary school, I had a classmate who was Chinese and his family had invited the class to their Chinese New Year exhibit, where we all learned about our zodiacs and their characteristics.

At my friend’s exhibit, I learned that I was born during the Year of the Snake, and had the label of wisdom slapped onto me… and I had no idea what wisdom was.

I went on with my childhood and early adult life never feeling particularly wise, and wishing I was instead born during the Year of the Dragon. I love dragons and the aesthetic of dragons, but I also knew that perhaps the characteristics of the dragon were even less befitting for me.

2025 is the Year of the Snake

I am a skeptic by nature, but I enjoy astrology as a tool for self-reflection and thought provoking insight. The magic is not necessarily within the zodiac symbols; it is in the thinking process that aids us to solve problems and be honest in our thoughts.

As the Chinese Zodiac comes full circle, it dawns on me that it is currently the Year of the Snake—and a very trying year where all I and many others seem to be doing is crawling on our bellies, trying to survive economic strife and political instability.

That said, 2025 is also a year of learning, and the Snake has taught me that wisdom is the thing that is both learned and earned over time as life experiences evolve and expand. Like the snake, this is the year I shed my skin as my life changes into new exciting and terrifying territory. The snake must shed its skin whether it is ready or not to grow, heal from past injuries, and remove the parasites that keep it complacent and incompetent.

Courage to Change the Things that I Can, and the Wisdom to Know the Difference

Am I full of wisdom and charm as my zodiac describes? That is debatable. I do know that this is the year of change. Even as the year comes to a close, it is never too late to shed our skin and begin again.