Usually, I am super excited on my birthday. I have an outfit, I know where I want to go and I know the hairstyle I want. This year I was a wreck at the start of my birthday.

My face was swollen, I felt pressure in my head and I had trouble projecting my voice so I spoke very low for a good part of the morning. I was slightly annoyed and panicked because I just finished getting over an upper respiratory infection for the second time this season so I didn’t want to feel sick on my birthday.

On top of that, my mother even called me to ask if I was going to work (mind you, I haven’t worked on my birthday since 2022), I didn’t have a birthday outfit and my hair wasn’t done. Everything just felt off.

My phone was buzzing from happy birthday text messages and birthday wishes on social media but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this birthday didn’t FEEL like my birthday and I was not happy about it. I even spoke to my boyfriend on Facetime and he could see the swelling and how my mood was crappy. He offered to skip what he had planned so we can just hang out and I can take it easy but I told him I would rest and keep him posted.

As I tried to go back to sleep, I got a call from one of my best friends on the west coast. While I was grateful for the birthday call, she could tell something was wrong by the sound of my voice. So, in true best friend fashion, we talked it out. I even facetimed her so she could see my swollen face.

When she saw me she said, “Girl, I don’t see the swollenness. When you told me your face was swollen I thought I’d be looking at Hitch.” I was adamant and still in my feelings so I said, “No, girl, my face is swollen. I see and my boyfriend even sees it. It just doesn’t feel like my birthday.”

She said, “You didn’t lose any facial lines so you look fine to me but it sucks you’re feeling this way so I hope your birthday gets better.” We continued chatting for about an hour catching up on work, personal projects and the seasons we’re at in our lives and believe it or not, I started to feel better. My voice got stronger after my friend and I got off the phone and the pressure in my head wasn’t as intense.

Shortly after, I had another call from my aunt/friend of the family for my birthday and she and I had a heart to heart about adulting and where I thought I would be in life at this point.

While she said a lot, she comforted me by acknowledging my feeling, shared parts of her journey I didn’t know about and reminded me that life be life’in, even when you try your best, so you have to access your life, be decisive about what will work for you and surround yourself with people who support you and are rooting for you.

So I decided to take that advice starting with the rest of my birthday. I had a healthy lunch at one of my favorite eateries in my neighborhood. I found options to put together my birthday outfit. I got my hair cut and, with the help of my barber and Pinterest, decided on a style.

I was even gifted a HUGE smoothie after announcing my birthday at one of my favorite smoothie places because me and one of the people at the shop shared the same zodiac sign.

I called my boyfriend to let him know I still wanted to go out for my birthday so I got dressed and met him in the city, where he took me to a Black owned restaurant I’ve never been to before and had escargot for the first time. Lol. We ate, we talked, and I ended my birthday full of smiles, laughter, love and gratitude.

My birthday showed me that it’s not about how I start, it’s about how I finish, who I surround myself with, how I can make the best out of the rest of this year, regardless of how life decides to life, and working with the energies and feelings that may come up rather than against it.

How do I plan to do that? For starters, I plan on leaning into my Personal Year in Numerology and I hope you do too!

WHAT IS NUMEROLOGY?

According to a blog post I found from Adrienne Abeyta,

“Numerology is a metaphysical science that studies the meanings of names and numbers; it is based on the idea that your birth name and birth date express who you are physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Furthermore, Numerology shows us how to engage in our journey through life; by understanding the personality of each number and the cycle we are living in. As such, the meaning of our experiences and how they relate to the bigger picture – our lives – becomes clearer to recognize.”

Numerology has many facets but the main aspects I’m bringing to your attention are universal years, personal years and life path numbers.

Universal years are the energies and themes are all experiencing as a collective. Personal years are the energies and themes we are experiencing as individuals. Life path numbers are your purpose in this life.

As a collective, we are currently in a Universal Year 1. “As a Universal Year 1, 2026 is all about taking bold new steps, trusting the unknown, and moving into a fresh cycle—without forgetting the lessons of the past. Think of it like the first spark of a match: the trailblazer and the pioneer who sets a new course. “The year promises to see many systems and organizations getting a recycle and a new beginning,” confirms evolutionary astrologer and former NASA scientist Jill Brown, founder of Eight Stars Co via Vogue.

However, you may be experiencing a completely different vibe within the collective year known as your personal year.

One of my favorite spirituality teachers, psychics and influencers, Aycee Brown, describes universal and personal years like this: “You can think of the universal year like the season we are in and your personal year as the weather.”

You can have a universal or collective year 1-9 and master years like 11, 22 and 33 – the latter being VERY rare. Each year carries a different energy and theme and we repeat those themes throughout our lives.

SO HOW DO YOU CALCULATE YOUR PERSONAL YEAR?

You add your birthday (mine is 01/17) and the year (2026) until you come down to one number. So 1+1+7+2+0+2+6 =19 | 1+9 =10 | 1 + 0 =1 so I’m in a personal year 1 within a universal year 1 so I will experience the universal year 1 amplified in my personal year 1.

Remember, this is different from your life path number, which has more to do with your purpose in this lifetime. Similarly, you get your life path number from adding up your birthday (01/17) and the year you were born (1992) until you come down to one number. 1+1+7+1+9+9+2 =30 (3+0 =3) I’m a life path 3.

Adrienne Abeyta that gives a smooth breakdown of personal years so here’s a quick look at the themes of each personal year but be sure to read the post for more info:

Personal year 1: Action, Beginnings, Opportunities, Originality

Personal year 2: Relationships, Cooperation, Balance, Peace

Personal year 3: Self-Expression, Creativity, Planning

Personal year 4: Work, Practicality, Security, Stagnation

Personal year 5: Freedom, Change, Discovery, Travel

Personal year 6: Family, Service, Sacrifice, Health

Personal year 7: Self-Analysis, Study, Introspection, Crisis of faith

Personal year 8: Power, Responsibility, Finances, Prosperity

Personal year 9: Endings, Giving, Integration, Emotion

Since we’re still fresh in the new year, I thought sharing this with you would be a great way for you to refine your goals to make sure you’re in alignment and encourage you to get back up if you’ve experienced any setbacks or disappointments already.

See what personal year you are in and make it a point to work with the energy rather than against it. Screw what other people think you should be doing right now. Access your situation and make decisions that work for you and the energies that are in your favor for 2026.

RESOURCES

If you want to dive deeper into numerology, here are a few resources you can review at a free or affordable price:

Felicia Bender

Article and YouTube video | Life path

Articles | Personal year compilations

Articles | Personal Master Year Complications (11/2, 22, 33) 

Aycee Brown

Podcast | Manifest Big Wins Using Your Personal Year Number (I highly recommend listening to this one ASAP)

E-book | The Year You Begin Again

Mini course with video | Numerology Essentials 

Books

Numbers and You: A Numerology Guide to Everyday Living by Lloyd Strayhorn

WHAT’S YOUR PERSONAL YEAR?

Does it resonate with where you are right now?

I’d love to hear about it

*Originally post was published on the I Care Project Newsletter. Content has been edited to reflect website format. Some links may no longer be live.*