Your January 2022 Horoscope for Health, Love, and Success

From the moment the ball drops, ushering in a whole new year, it's easy to feel the air buzz with optimism and excitement about what the next 12 months may bring (even if the previous 12 months were a bit of a roller coaster). And as the first month of the year, January can't help but be filled with not only a glimmery sense of anticipation and heightened desire to get back to work on big-picture goals — ideally with a little help from your VIPs. This vibe arrives courtesy of the two signs the sun occupies throughout the month: industrious, goal-oriented earth sign Capricorn and social, future-minded air sign Aquarius. (See: How to Crush Your Goals, Based On Your Zodiac Sign)

Until January 19, the confident sun moves through pragmatic, tradition-loving Capricorn, highlighting your desires to get ahead on your greatest ambitions and earn recognition. Then, until February 18, the vitality-bringing luminary will be in eccentric, rebellious Aquarius, bolstering platonic bonds and amplifying your focus on humanitarian efforts. The earth-to-air energy makes this month one in which you'll aim to strike the balance between putting your nose to the grindstone and tending to your connections with others.

A few quick highlights of January 2022's astrology:

Around January 2, you'll feel the vibes of the new moon in Capricorn, which forms a harmonizing trine to game-changer Uranus, fueling eye-opening breakthroughs and epiphanies that can morph into exciting intentions you'll want to pursue over the course of the coming months.

Venus will continue to retrograde through Capricorn until January 29, urging reflection around all of the areas of life it oversees: relationships, beauty, love, money, and values. Watch for this transit to be super-noticeable particularly on January 8 and 28, when it'll first conjunct the confident sun and then transformative Pluto. (See: What Your Venus Sign Can Tell You About Relationships, Beauty, and Money)

As if one easily-felt retrograde wasn't enough this month, messenger Mercury will move backward (aka go retrograde) in Aquarius from January 14 to 25, then in Capricorn from the 25th to February 3. You could be compelled to edit and revise how you're showing up in your platonic and team relationships, pursuing long-term wishes, and stepping into the spotlight professionally. And, of course, the usual Mercury retrograde rules of the road like using special care when communicating, backing up key data, and proceeding with caution when traveling. The period in which the trickster planet is retrograde in the sign of the Water Bearer could be especially havoc-wreaking on technology, as Aquarius is ruled by electrifying Uranus.

Around January 17, a full moon in sensitive water sign Cancer could have you in your feelings. But soon thereafter, the sun's time in rational-minded Aquarius and action-oriented Mars' shift into practical Capricorn on January 24 — where it'll remain until March 5 — should bring you back to solid ground.

Want to know more about how January's astrological weather will affect your health and wellness, relationships, and career? Read on for your sign's January 2022 horoscope. (Pro tip: Be sure to read your rising sign/ascendant, aka your social personality, as well as your sun sign. You can find your ascendant with this online rising sign calculator or by getting a natal chart reading to find out.)

Aries (March 21–April 19)

Around January 2, when the new moon activates your tenth house of career, you'll begin to gain even more clarity and confidence around what you want your professional life to look like in the year ahead — or at least over the course of the next six months. Really locking down the nuts and bolts of your game plan now and committing to heading down this path can boost your optimism. This theme is strengthened by the fact that go-getter Mars, your ruler, will be in your tenth house from January 24 to March 5, amplifying your energy to step into leadership positions and throw your hat in the ring for more challenging opps on the job. Your boldest, most fearless, focused efforts are sure to pay off. And when social Venus ends its retrograde there on January 29, moving ahead until March 6, you'll feel even more self-assured that you have friends and colleagues in your corner as well.

Taurus (April 20–May 20)

Messenger Mercury's backward turn in your tenth house of career from January 14 to 25 and then ninth house of higher learning from the 25th to February 3 could inspire you to go back to the drawing board to hone your skill set. Taking an online class or planning future travel could be the key to advancing your career down the road. Around January 17, when the full moon lights up your third house of communication, you could be feeling torn in a bazillion different directions and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of to-dos on your plate. This can be an incredibly mentally stimulating moment, to be sure, but you'll want to do your best to prioritize the tasks that are most imperative to complete and then carve out time for well-deserved self-care. By the time sweet Venus, your ruler, ends its retrograde through your ninth house on January 29, you'll feel more prepared to pursue your long-term dreams, if only because you have more clarity now.

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

Around January 2, when the new moon falls in your eighth house of emotional bonds and joint resources, you could be entertaining the idea of going into business or otherwise merging your assets with a dear friend, loved one, or S.O. Deep, meaningful conversations are at the root of this big move, but so will plenty of hard work — which you both need to be up for, if you want to go down this path. Spending quality time exploring all the details now can be productive and satisfying. From January 14 to 25, your ruler, messenger Mercury kicks off its retrograde through your ninth house of higher learning, nudging you to tend to all the minutiae that's integral to making headway on big-picture aspirations. You don't really mind getting in the weeds and gathering information, so this might not be all that annoying, as long as you don't mind slowing your usual harried pace. And around January 18, when the full falls in your second house of income, you'll be having lots of feelings about how you're bringing your skill set to the table. If you're not feeling as valued as you should be, it could be time to make a change. (See: How to Manifest Something You Really Want)

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

Around January 2, when the new moon falls in your seventh house of partnership, you can get crystal clear on what you want for your one-on-one bonds moving forward. Whichever direction you're moving in, you'll want to feel like you're being true to yourself and your aspirations — and holding space for others to be themselves and pursue their goals, whether they're your friends, colleagues, or S.O. You'll have even more energy to devote to shared goals once go-getter Mars is in your seventh house from January 24 to March 5. You'll be most effective if you pay special attention to any past relationship lessons that may resurface while messenger Mercury is retrograde there from January 25 to February 3. This could be a transit that's particularly productive for acknowledging and healing any old wounds that could be hindering your ability to be fully present in your relationships.

Leo (July 23–August 22)

Cap season is notorious for filling your plate with tons of to-dos, as it lights up your sixth house of daily routine and wellness, but around January 2, when the new moon falls there, you might have a breakthrough about how you can be even more efficient and fulfilled. Streamlining your commitments — which means embracing "no" as a full sentence — could actually set you up for better financial results in the long-run. You'll want to check back in on how you're doing around January 17 when the full moon lights up your twelfth house of spirituality, cranking up the volume on your intuition. And in six months, you could see concrete benefits. And from January 24 to March 5, go-getter Mars will be in your sixth house, offering up a burst of energy you can pour into your wellness routine. Whether you've been wanting to try a heart-pounding new streaming workout or grab a new fitness tracker, you have everything you need to dive right in and make the most of a healthy new habit.

Virgo (August 23–September 22)

Venus may be retrograde, but your love life is interesting, to say the least, right now, and around January 2 when the new moon falls in your fifth house of romance and self-expression, you'll feel particularly upbeat about the potential for making your sexiest, most heartfelt, or artistic daydreams come true. Harness your attention to detail to get specific about what you're aiming for then consider journaling or creating a vision board, and you'll be well on your way to manifesting what you want. This energy will be underlined — and magnified — later in the month when go-getter Mars is in your fifth house from January 24 to March 5. Just know you'll have to slow down at times, thanks to your ruler, messenger Mercury, retrograding in your sixth house of wellness (from January 14 to 25) and fifth house of romance (January 25 to February 3), urging you to tie up any loose ends related to your health and creative projects.

Libra (September 23–October 22)

Until January 29, your ruler, romantic Venus, continues its retrograde through your fourth house of home life, requiring you to go inward, examining the foundations, patterns, and relationships that are at the root of your sense of security. But around January 2, when the new moon falls there, you'll get the green light to set a powerful intention related to your family, inner life, and most intimate relationships. If you want to show up differently in this part of your life — for yourself or for others — you absolutely can now. You could begin to see the first signs of progress around January 17, when the full moon lights up your tenth house of career. It might sound counterintuitive, but having more internal balance serves to boost your confidence and effectiveness in your public life. If you're feeling accomplished now, you could be inspired to go even bigger with your professional moves going forward. (See: The Power of Setting Intentions — and How to Do It Correctly)

Scorpio (October 23–November 21)

Around January 2, when the new moon falls in your third house of communication forming an exciting trine to electrifying Uranus in your seventh house of partnership, make a point to open up to your S.O., a dear friend, or close colleague about your vision for the future. Together, you could come up with a thrilling game plan you can't wait to dive into as a team. But this month will be far from fast-paced for you, Scorpio, thanks to messenger Mercury moving backward through your fourth house of home life from January 14 to 25, urging you to zero in on any self-work that's fallen by the wayside. You'll realize that although caring for your emotional well-being isn't always at the top of your list, it's integral to your overall success. And while your ruler, go-getter Mars, is in your third house from January 24 to March 5, you'll be feeling extra assertive, creative, and curious. You could come up with a bevy of inventive ideas you're pumped to tackle solo or with other. (See: The Self-Growth Guide That Has Nothing to Do with Chasing Perfection)

Sagittarius (November 22–December 21)

The sky's the limit for coming up with brilliant moneymaking ideas around January 2 when the new moon falls in your second house of income. If you've been wanting to try a new investment plan, reorganize your budget, or submit your resume for more fulfilling job ops, this lunar event can be a particularly powerful one for deciding which path you want to head down — then taking initial steps in that direction. And while messenger Mercury is retrograde in your second house from January 25 to February 3, you'll be able to finesse and revise your approach. Action-oriented Mars will join the party, amplifying the amount of energy and passion you'll have for earning from January 24 to March 5. Whether you've been considering a side hustle or taking on more projects at your existing job, the go-getter planet will help fuel your efforts.

Capricorn (December 22–January 19)

Over the course of your season so far, you've been reflecting on how you want to show up in the world in order to make your long-term dreams come true, and around January 2, your annual new moon presents a stellar opportunity to set a bold, related intention. You're more than prepared to put in the work over the course of the coming weeks and months, and around January 17, when the full moon falls in your seventh house of partnership, you'll get a sense of the results so far — possibly through the lens of a S.O., close friend, or colleague. And when go-getter Mars lands in your sign on January 24, remaining there until March 5, you'll be even more fired up to make moves that'll turn ambitious goals into your everyday reality. You'll be in such a gung-ho, assertive headspace that you could even be bordering on defensive at times. But know that as long as you're focused on the endgame, it'll be tough for anyone or anything to throw you off course.

Aquarius (January 20–February 18)

You could be feeling particularly self-reflective around January 2, when the new moon falls in your twelfth house of spirituality. You've been swimming in the deep end of your emotions throughout Cap season, but now, you're likely gaining more clarity around how you can channel what you've been learning into future, goal-related moves. The more you can let go of the past, heal your heart, and focus on what you want to achieve in the coming weeks and months, the more rewarding this period will be. In fact, you could begin to notice just how well your efforts are paying off as soon as January 17 when the full moon lights up your sixth house of wellness. Tending to your emotional health could have you feeling more centered physically as well. If you feel like everything's a bit sleepy and taking longer to come together than usual this month, blame Mercury, which will be retrograde in your sign and then your twelfth house from January 14 to February 3. The best way to cope: laying low, recharging, and trusting your intuition.

Pisces (February 19–March 20)

Messenger Mercury's retrograde through your twelfth house of spirituality from January 14 to 25 and through your eleventh house of networking from the 25th to February 3 could inspire you to reflect on and revise your passion projects, especially those involving others. This is more of a meditative period for you, though, Pisces, so don't put too much pressure on yourself to take immediate action. You'll do better to focus on checking in with your intuition and gathering information that could be helpful down the road. From January 24 to March 5, you'll get extra support from your friends and colleagues, as action-oriented Mars moves through your eleventh house. Slowly but surely — especially after Mercury goes direct — you'll enjoy a surge of energy and passion to pour into group efforts. Your social and professional connections could be downright impressed by how fired up you are to brainstorm collaborative ideas and be a team player. And all of these efforts could help you make a sweet, long-term wish come true.