As the calendar turns, I find myself once again in that liminal space between reflection and becoming. The days are long and warm, time feels stretchy, and my creative soul is bubbling with anticipation.
Each year, I devote time to my Tides of Change Guided Journal, a yearly ritual that gently guides me to close one chapter and welcome the next. This year felt especially powerful. I’d worked through the monthly reflections in 2025 with real care, and as I looked back, a truth shimmered up through the pages:
Some of the things I’d hoped for, especially those that depended on others, didn’t arrive.
And that realisation didn’t feel like failure. It felt like clarity. It reminded me that this year, my vision needed to root more deeply into what I can shape. What I can radiate.
So as I completed the 2026 planning pages, I shifted the question from “What do I want to receive?” to “Who do I want to be?”
✨ Tool #10 from The Art of Wellness Toolkit: Radiate What You Desire
This tool reminds us that we are not just observers of our lives, we’re energetic participants.
When we embody the frequency of our desires, before they’ve fully formed, we become a living invitation for alignment, beauty, and synchronicity.
It’s not about controlling the outcome. It’s about resonating with the feeling of the life you’re creating. Walking as if. Speaking as if. Breathing as if.
Because energy always precedes form.
🌈 My Word for the Year: Magic
My overarching word for 2026 is Magic. The kind of magic that lives in synchronicity, archetypes, dreams, and intuition. The magic of the subconscious, of stories that heal, of moments that shimmer with something greater than logic.
I chose this word in part because I’m doing a year-long course run by Tamara Laporte and a circle of amazing artists exploring Magic and Fairytales through art, creativity, and healing. I’m also feeling deeply inspired to explore the world of Carl Jung this year, his work with symbols, archetypes, the collective unconscious, and shadow feels like a beautiful bridge between psychology and soul.
Note: The root words for psychology are the Greek words psyche (ψυχή), meaning “soul,” “spirit,” or “mind,” and -logia (-λογία) or logos (λόγος), meaning “study of” or “knowledge”. So, psychology literally means the “study of the soul” or “study of the mind,” evolving into the scientific study of the mind and behaviour.
To support this journey through 2026, I chose a few anchoring words to walk beside me:
- Ambrosian – to remind me to savour life through the senses
- Prosperity – to welcome sustainable abundance in all its forms
- Storytelling – to strengthen my voice and share what’s within more clearly
And my symbol for the year?
🔥 The Fire Horse—my spirit animal and the energy of the upcoming Chinese New Year.
It represents strength, wildness, passion, and unstoppable creative force. I even bought myself a “What Horses Teach Us” daily calendar and I can’t wait to begin tomorrow, letting their wisdom accompany me through the year.
📖 Anchoring It Into Reality
This year, I’ve created a 12-month plan using the Tides of Change monthly planner, one that feels doable, grounded, and aligned with what truly matters to me.
My goals aren’t about striving. They’re about embodying the energy I wish to live in. That’s the essence of this tool. When we radiate joy, presence, truth, play, curiosity, or creativity—life begins to mirror those frequencies back.
🕯️ Your Turn
As you step into 2026, I invite you to ask not just what you want to achieve, but what you want to radiate.
- What is the energy of the life you’re calling in?
- What word or symbol resonates for you?
- What qualities do you want to walk with in your daily life?
Take time to write it out. Create a small altar. Choose a colour, a scent, a song that matches your frequency. Let your year begin not with force, but with resonance.
🌿 Free Resources to Support You
If you’d like some guidance to explore this further, I’ve gathered some beautiful tools to support your intentions: ☀️ Free Resources Library
There you’ll find breathwork, creative prompts, body-based practices and more.
And if you have your own Tides of Change Journal, this is the perfect time to open those last few pages and bring your year to life. If you don’t have one, you can get one or join the course with downloadable pages from the book. Find your best option here.
Here’s to a year of bold radiance, deep joy, and just the right amount of wild magic.
I’d love to hear your word for 2026 if you’ve chosen one—hit reply and share it with me! I read every email and love to hear from you.
With love and fire-hoofed energy,
Popi Iatrou
Psychology | Creativity | Soulful Living
wellnessarts.com.au | popiart.com
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