When Julianne Hough made the decision to come out of the closet last year and reveal she is not straight, her husband Brooks Laich was there with her being supportive of her decision. Now that she has removed her wedding ring, the hockey star is moving on to a "new stage" in his life.

Days after Julianne Hough was seen without her wedding ring, Brooks Laich in a cryptic post on Instagram spoke about "stepping into a new chapter" in his life, US Weekly reports.

"On New Year's Eve, I had a friend ask me 'what's your adjective for the new year?' I asked him what he meant, and he said it's about picking a word that is going to be a guide for you in 2020. His word was 'mindful'... I then immediately fell in love with this question. And the word that keeps coming up for me right now is 'boundless,'" the former NHL star wrote alongside a picture of himself smiling on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old then continued that his life has been "bound" by certain identities that he wants to break, and he looks forward to releasing the old identities in the new year.

"I feel like a lot of my life has been "bound" to certain identities that have come through the sport I spent my life playing. Canadian, male, hockey player, disciplined, competitive, etc... and though I am all of those things, they do not define me, and I am not bound by them. In 2020, I look forward to releasing old identities, and stepping into a new chapter in my life," the retired athlete said.

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On New Year’s Eve, I had a friend ask me “what’s your adjective for the new year?” I asked him what he meant, and he said it’s about picking a word that is going to be a guide for you in 2020. His word was “mindful” - he wanted to be more mindful of his time, his friendships, his money, etc. and throughout the year he will remind himself to be “mindful” of all things in his life. I then immediately fell in love with this question. And the word that keeps coming up for me right now is “boundless.” I feel like a lot of my life has been “bound” to certain identities that have come through the sport I spent my life playing. Canadian, male, hockey player, disciplined, competitive, etc... and though I am all of those things, they do not define me, and I am not bound by them. In 2020 I look forward to releasing old identities, and stepping into a new chapter in my life. I find myself wanting to officially say the words “I retire” from professional hockey, instead of vehemently resisting it as I have been for the last 2 years. I feel a new stage of life calling me, and though I don’t exactly know what it is yet, it feels right, and exciting! Lately I’ve been reading a lot, coloring intricate mandalas, listening to instrumental music, dancing, and I’ve even started singing in church. Probably not the stuff you would envision me doing, and I’m right there with you. But I love it, and I’m not going to stop - I’m going to embrace it for what it is at this moment. So in 2020, I am “boundless” and on a new journey. So I ask you, what is your adjective of 2020, and how will you apply it in your life?! I hope it leads you to a new level of happiness and fulfillment! Much love to all of you who read this and embrace your crazy journey, I’m right there with you! 🤟✌️🤣 @torimatthewsphoto 📸

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The ice hockey star revealed that he has been taking up new interests in life, like "reading" and "colouring intricate mandals" and he loves doing them. "So in 2020, I am 'boundless' and on a new journey," Laich concluded.

His cryptic post comes just days after he posted the goals for the new year on Instagram, one of which was exploring his "sexuality." In an Instagram story on New Year's Eve, in the "I want to learn" category, Laich admitted that he is interested in exploring "more about intimacy and sexuality." He also noted that he wants to be more "open to all things and present in my relationships."

Julianne Hough
Dancer Julianne Hough attends the LA Premiere of xXx: Return of Xander Cage in Hollywood, California Getty

Hough and Laich began dating in 2014, and tied the knot in a ceremony in Idaho in July 2017. In an interview with Women's Health magazine in August 2019, Hough spoke about how revealing her sexuality to her husband brought more intimacy between them.

"I (told him), 'You know I'm not straight, right?' And he was like, 'I'm sorry, what?' I was like, 'I'm not. But I choose to be with you,'" the 31-year-old had said.