On Monday, February 8th the Year of the Fire Monkey officially kicked off.
What does that mean for you and for your business. Let’s take a look.
The Monkey
A quick trip to the zoo will show you how naughty and wily monkeys can be. Besides their tendencies to be pranksters, they are quite smart, inventive and creative. So what can we learn about this year as it pertains specifically to business.
A Year of Action – Monkeys are always on the move and your year will be reflective of this. There will be a lot of action and progress in what you set out to accomplish. Opportunities will be presenting themselves so say a vibrant “Yes” to those that align with your dreams and mission.
Work in Groups – Monkeys don’t go it alone and neither should you. This is a great year for collaborations and partnerships. If you’re hesitant to network, this is the year to step outside your comfort zone – you’ll be happy with the results and you may even pick up a few new friends too.
Giants Leaps – Have you seen how a monkey can leap from tree to tree. This is a year where you too can take giant leaps in terms of business. But be careful not to continue leaping from idea to idea without completion. Fortunately as you’ll see below – we are gifted more focus this year too.
Enthusiasm – Monkey energy is enthusiastic and energetic. Harness the energy of the year throughout your day and as you work with clients or partners. Allow this energy to come through in your marketing copy and social media.
Change Comes Quickly – Along with all the action this year brings, things will also change direction quickly. Just like a monkey swinging from branch to branch, he also can quickly shift and off he goes in a whole new direction. Stay agile and open to where this change may take you.
Treat Yourself – Monkey energy, according to Chinese theory, loves extravagance and all things “fancy”. This is a great year to treat yourself for all the hard work you’ve put in. I also extend this to self-care. We often view self-care as an extravagance (although it’s more of a necessity) – so book that spa visit or massage and treat yourself.
Resourceful – Monkeys are nothing but resourceful. In business, this along with passion can create lasting success. Resourcefulness when you’re starting and growing a business can also allow for creative solutions to problems, allow you to stretch your financial resources and open the door for clever and innovative products and services.
Now Add Some Fire To That Monkey… Wowza!
Fire
Fire is not to be messed with. The element is one that can inspire and can burn wildly if left unattended. In Chinese medicine the Fire element is associated with the heart. It’s about passion. It’s about heat. It’s about getting the blood flowing (sometimes a bit too much). It is a great year to break free and follow your heart. This is a great year to launch that passion project AND for it to take off.
Creativity + New Innovations – Monkeys are clever and industrious. They’re smarter than most others in the animal kingdom. This is the year that we’ll see new inventions and creativity soar. For you, channel your creativity and see what comes out of some meaningful brainstorming, doodling and free association.
Passion – This year is a Fire year and creative juices will be flowing. It is one passion filled year for sure. It is a great year to stay open to inspiration and follow where that passion takes you. This is also a favorable year for entertainment and glamorous industries, in case you’re in those industries.
Heated Arguments – This is a year that conflicts may arise – but good news – it’s a great year for actually resolving those conflicts. Perhaps you’ve been simmering about a particular situation – this year may be the year you finally blow up and talk things out (and maybe even finally move on).
Confidence – All that fire and passion also increases one’s confidence. This year you will find additional confidence not only in yourself but in your financial picture. Generally Fire years boost people’s confidence in the economy so we will all feel a bit better about the financial picture.
Cut out by Karen Hancock of KMH Makes. Designed by Year of the Monkey T-Shirts
Fire Leads to Focus – One of the most positive aspects of the Fire energy is how it enables more focus. And we can ALL use more focus. Even though monkeys seem to have ADD – the Fire energy will harness all that innovation and creativity and allow for you to see through projects like never before.
All and all the Fire Monkey year looks like a good one if you have a business or thinking of starting one. Be on your toes those – mischievous monkeys can get you into trouble – so stay vigilant and focused and utilize all the positive energy towards making some big things happen this year.
How are you going to harness the Fire Monkey in 2016?
The post Monkey Business. The Year Ahead appeared first on LearnSavvy.