{"id":18598,"date":"2026-02-17T16:53:32","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T00:53:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/?p=18598"},"modified":"2026-02-17T16:55:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T00:55:49","slug":"hold-your-horses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/hold-your-horses\/","title":{"rendered":"Hold Your Horses"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_18603\" style=\"width: 1110px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18603\" data-attachment-id=\"18603\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/hold-your-horses\/oddatide-ai-generated-fire-horse-lunar-new-year\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/oddatide-ai-generated-fire-horse-lunar-new-year.jpg?fit=1100%2C1148&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1100,1148\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"oddatide ai-generated fire horse lunar new year\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;oddatide ai-generated fire horse lunar new year&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;ai-generated art by @oddatide&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/oddatide-ai-generated-fire-horse-lunar-new-year.jpg?fit=840%2C877&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18603\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/oddatide-ai-generated-fire-horse-lunar-new-year.jpg?resize=840%2C877&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"oddatide ai-generated fire horse lunar new year\" width=\"840\" height=\"877\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/oddatide-ai-generated-fire-horse-lunar-new-year.jpg?w=1100&amp;ssl=1 1100w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/oddatide-ai-generated-fire-horse-lunar-new-year.jpg?resize=287%2C300&amp;ssl=1 287w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/oddatide-ai-generated-fire-horse-lunar-new-year.jpg?resize=981%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 981w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/oddatide-ai-generated-fire-horse-lunar-new-year.jpg?resize=600%2C626&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-18603\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">AI-generated art by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DU1F6bajIbv\/?img_index=1\">@oddatide<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_18599\" style=\"width: 1110px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18599\" data-attachment-id=\"18599\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/hold-your-horses\/james-jean-lunar-new-year-horse-art-embossed-illustration\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/james-jean-lunar-new-year-horse-art-embossed-illustration.jpg?fit=1100%2C1466&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1100,1466\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"james jean lunar new year horse art embossed illustration\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;james jean lunar new year horse art embossed illustration&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;art + photo by @jamesjean&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/james-jean-lunar-new-year-horse-art-embossed-illustration.jpg?fit=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-18599 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/james-jean-lunar-new-year-horse-art-embossed-illustration.jpg?resize=840%2C1119&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"james jean lunar new year horse art embossed illustration\" width=\"840\" height=\"1119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/james-jean-lunar-new-year-horse-art-embossed-illustration.jpg?w=1100&amp;ssl=1 1100w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/james-jean-lunar-new-year-horse-art-embossed-illustration.jpg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/james-jean-lunar-new-year-horse-art-embossed-illustration.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/james-jean-lunar-new-year-horse-art-embossed-illustration.jpg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-18599\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Art + photo by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DU3yjZcEquQ\/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1\">@jamesjeanart<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_18600\" style=\"width: 1110px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18600\" data-attachment-id=\"18600\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/hold-your-horses\/white-blackk-horse-yin-yang-design\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/white-blackk-horse-yin-yang-design.jpg?fit=1100%2C1100&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1100,1100\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"white + black horse yin yang design\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;white + black horse yin yang design&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;original source unknown&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/white-blackk-horse-yin-yang-design.jpg?fit=840%2C840&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/white-blackk-horse-yin-yang-design.jpg?resize=840%2C840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"white + black horse yin yang design\" width=\"840\" height=\"840\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/white-blackk-horse-yin-yang-design.jpg?w=1100&amp;ssl=1 1100w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/white-blackk-horse-yin-yang-design.jpg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/white-blackk-horse-yin-yang-design.jpg?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/white-blackk-horse-yin-yang-design.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/white-blackk-horse-yin-yang-design.jpg?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/white-blackk-horse-yin-yang-design.jpg?resize=100%2C100&amp;ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/white-blackk-horse-yin-yang-design.jpg?resize=50%2C50&amp;ssl=1 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-18600\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Original source unknown<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\">A few things to consider with (very quiet) Chinese New Year celebrations in tow:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\">Hold your dreams and plans close. In a culture that promotes oversharing (which is rewarded by social platforms&#8217; need for engagement, <em>not<\/em> just a desire for authenticity), I suppose I\u2019m traditional in wanting to safeguard the ideas that are most precious until I\u2019m ready. New-age philosophers will say otherwise, but you can be declarative in private; it keeps the magic within instead of diluting both your process and imagination with external commentary. (This, of course, depends on who and where you are in life. In my teens and early 20s, I wished I asked more questions. Now, I answer them\u2014and find relief in being able to do without pressure.)<\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\">Be intentional about what you consume. This is more a public reminder for myself than a soapbox finger-wag. Content is so bite-sized that even a bit of controlled scrolling feels harmless, but this, too, distracts and dilutes. To help get myself back on track, I\u2019ve been watching <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nR4JAonAR4g&amp;t=146s\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Brian Eno interviews<\/span><\/a>, whose takes on technology and art have been incredibly reassuring as a creative.<\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\">Read more literary fiction. There were a few years, maybe even a decade, when I thought I had \u201coutgrown\u201d the category. It was incredibly shortsighted of me to assign more value to nonfiction genres because they seemed to benefit my output as an adult\u2014and while much can be learned from the essays, memoirs, and textbooks of the world, I\u2019m reminded of how fiction can often reveal even more. The stories I read as a child and teenager shaped my entire worldview, and I\u2019m positive they&#8217;ve made me someone who is ceaselessly curious and, more importantly, <em>wants<\/em> to care. Fiction tells truth through imagination, and inspires me to ask deeper questions. More <em>whys<\/em>, not just <em>hows<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\">It seems like everyone is Chinese at this particular point in their life\u2014a bizarre trend I have mixed feelings about as a Taiwanese American. I\u2019d be remiss not to admit that there\u2019s bitterness there; my parents raised me with all the confidence, and yet, there was a large part of my formative years when I knew my life would be easier, <em>simpler<\/em>, if I were not Chinese. I loved my identity in private, yet in public, sought to erase it as much as possible. And while I\u2019m thrilled that more people are recognizing the wealth of knowledge and impact the Chinese have, this bizarre, cultural dress-up has been unsettling. The Year of the Snake was sexy and commodifiable; the Year of the Fire Horse has been watered down for the horse girls. I am proud of the visibility, but weary of dilution. What of the years before? What will come next year\u2014is the Goat <em>cool<\/em> enough?<\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\">But on a more positive note, the interest in the dos and don\u2019ts of Chinese New Year has me giddy. There is so much symbolism behind every action or inaction\u2014an incredible display of how this is a culture that values language and continues as living proof that <em>it is<\/em>, in fact,<em> always that deep.<\/em><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\">My \u201csomething new\u201d for the day is vintage, but freshly washed and new to my closet: an oversized T-shirt with a watercolor horse printed on the chest, a most auspicious find at <a href=\"https:\/\/errevintage.co\/\">The Erre Vintage<\/a>. I don\u2019t have new shoes (as is customary) since Chinese households have a strict no-shoe policy\u2014but I do have <a href=\"https:\/\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/for-the-lovers\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">new indoor slippers<\/span><\/a> that have brought incredible joy, whimsy, and glamour into my life. All things I hope to bring into this new year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">.\u00a0 \u00a0.\u00a0 \u00a0.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u65b0\u5e74\u5feb\u6a02\u3002<em>Happy New Year.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">xx<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A few things to consider with (very quiet) Chinese New Year celebrations in tow: Hold your dreams and plans close. In a culture that promotes oversharing (which is rewarded by social platforms&#8217; need for engagement, not just a desire for authenticity), I suppose I\u2019m traditional in wanting to safeguard the ideas that are most precious until I\u2019m ready. New-age philosophers will say otherwise, but you can be declarative in private; it keeps the magic within instead of diluting both your process and imagination with external commentary. (This, of course, depends on who and where you are in life. In my teens and early 20s, I wished I asked more questions. Now, I answer them\u2014and find relief in being able to do without pressure.) Be intentional about what you consume. This is more a public reminder for myself than a soapbox finger-wag. Content is so bite-sized that even a bit of controlled scrolling feels harmless, but this, too, distracts and dilutes. To help get myself back on track, I\u2019ve been watching Brian Eno interviews, whose takes on technology and art have been incredibly reassuring as a creative. Read more literary fiction. There were a few years, maybe even a decade, when&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"full-width-content","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,704,20],"tags":[1492],"class_list":{"0":"post-18598","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-art","7":"category-etc","8":"category-life","9":"tag-chinese-new-year","10":"entry","11":"has-post-thumbnail"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Hold Your Horses &#8226; Soft Sensibilities<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/kimberlypearl.co\/blog\/hold-your-horses\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hold Your Horses &#8226; Soft Sensibilities\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A few things to consider with (very quiet) Chinese New Year celebrations in tow: Hold your dreams and plans close. In a culture that promotes oversharing (which is rewarded by social platforms&#8217; need for engagement, not just a desire for authenticity), I suppose I\u2019m traditional in wanting to safeguard the ideas that are most precious until I\u2019m ready. New-age philosophers will say otherwise, but you can be declarative in private; it keeps the magic within instead of diluting both your process and imagination with external commentary. (This, of course, depends on who and where you are in life. In my teens and early 20s, I wished I asked more questions. Now, I answer them\u2014and find relief in being able to do without pressure.) Be intentional about what you consume. This is more a public reminder for myself than a soapbox finger-wag. Content is so bite-sized that even a bit of controlled scrolling feels harmless, but this, too, distracts and dilutes. To help get myself back on track, I\u2019ve been watching Brian Eno interviews, whose takes on technology and art have been incredibly reassuring as a creative. Read more literary fiction. 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