Ben Ming Nian (本命年) is when the year's animal matches your birth year's animal. In Chinese folk tradition, this is considered a vulnerable year — you're "sitting on" Tai Sui.
Is it always bad? Not necessarily. Some people sail through their Ben Ming Nian. Others experience big life shifts — marriage, career changes, relocations — which are stressful but not negative.
The traditional advice to "wear red" or carry protective amulets is folk custom, not core BaZi theory. The real BaZi question is: what's the overall annual star doing to your specific Day Master and chart? If the year's Stem is your Useful God, the Ben Ming Nian may actually be quite productive — just with more drama around the edges.
Don't fear it. Just pay attention.