Your January Horoscope Is Here
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Welcome to a new month — and a whole new year. This is our annual opportunity to reset, recharge, and restore ourselves in preparation for the next 12 months. With the sun still in ambitious, driven Capricorn, we stand a chance at seeing our resolutions through to completion (or at the very least getting them started at all). And, when Aquarius season commences on the 19th, our thoughts will turn from self-improvement to flat-out reinvention. Bowing to the status quo simply will not do while the sun is in this radical sign of individualism. We'll be much better off following our own beat.
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While most of January should set you out on the right foot for 2021, the first Mercury retrograde of the year will arrive in Aquarius on the 30th. Brace yourself now, and hopefully you'll stay the course through February.
Aries (March 21 – April 19)
You're stepping into 2021 with the wind at your back, Aries, thanks in no small part to Mars. Your ruling planet has been enjoying an extended, retrograde-laced stay in your sign since June 2020, revving your spiritual engines and raising questions around where you direct your energy. But, after the dust and glitter of New Year's has settled, it will move into your neighboring sign, Taurus, on the 6th. From this vantage point, Mars will help you see where and how you can apply your natural vim and vigor to money-making pursuits. Be careful you don't get greedy or selfish with your cash this month, and instead think about how you can turn your impulses into prudent decisions that benefit your finances in the long run.
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The new moon on the 13th will further highlight your earning potential, as it will take place in your house of career and reputation. You like it when people know who you are, Aries, especially when those people happen to hold the purse strings at work. The question that remains, however, is what you do after they learn your name. Are you working your notoriety to your advantage? This is a wonderful opportunity to set new goals and plans to shine (and be rewarded for said shine) at the office.
Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
Does the term "raging Bull" mean anything to you? When Mars, planet of conflict and confrontation, moves into your sign on January 6, your normally peaceful demeanor will be shot through with a dose of fiery passion. We pity anyone who gets in your way, tells you no, or simply questions your motives right now. Use your passion for productive use and let it help you firmly advocate for yourself (rather than bite someone's head off).
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And, after Uranus ends its five-month retrograde in your sign on the 14th, you'll feel even freer to put that excess energy to use. Since August 2020, this mad scientist of a planet has asked you to audit your lifestyle and change (or completely abandon) habits and behaviors that you've held onto for too long. As it directs course, changes made to your outward-facing life (your means of self-presentation, how others view you) will come more easily. As you undergo this personal evolution (which will continue until Uranus exits your sign in 2026), it's natural to chafe at feelings of change — you are the stubborn Bull, after all. Breaking out of your old ways doesn't have to be scary. Just handle it like a Taurus (read: slow and steady) and you'll find your footing.
Gemini (May 21 - June 20)
Your 2021 may seem to be off to a quiet start, but that's only because so much is going on below the surface, Gemini. This month will see you making subtle strides in your relationships. This might not be the right time to swap keys or buy rings, but it is a wonderful time to test the depths of your romance's waters (or those of your friendships, for that matter). What sorts of conversations are you having late at night? Are you sharing more private details than before? Are you learning about their fantasies and desires? Though this kind of intimate knowledge may be exchanged in an off-the-cuff manner, it reflects an intense level of mutual trust.
RELATED: Your Gemini Zodiac Sign Guide
When the sun moves into fellow air sign Aquarius on the 19th, you'll be glad to have spent the first half of the month nurturing and observing the growth of your closest relationships. Because, for the next 30 days or so, you'll be feeling independent and intrepid, ready to leap into a new hobby, opportunity, or even job, logistics be damned. This will be a refreshing change of pace for you, given your sign's tendency to get bogged down in facts, figures, and information (blame your ruling planet, analytical Mercury). Just make sure the big picture isn't so enticing that you overlook a clear dealbreaker in the details.
Cancer (June 21 - July 22)
Love — or, at the very least, the potential for it — is in the air for you as January and 2021 as a whole begins, Cancer. Venus moves into your partnerships sector on the 8th, casting a rosy tint over your closest relationships. Your already tender-hearted sign will be all the more conflict-averse during this period, opting to prioritize the needs of your loved ones over your own. The new moon on the 13th will remind you of the true meaning of compromise: While it's wonderful to want to please your S.O. and best friends, your M.O. shouldn't be to defer to them at every juncture. Make sure you're getting your fair share, dear Crab.
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The full moon in Leo will arrive on the 28th, ending the month with a laundry list of questions. Normally, they would revolve around your relationship with money, but, given this month's overarching theme of partnerships, they will more specifically touch on the role of money within your relationships. Who's picking up the check most nights? Are your spending habits aligned with those of your S.O.? Beyond the literal meaning of money, where else in your relationships do you notice transactions taking place? Is love, care, and intimate knowledge volunteered or is it offered in exchange for something else?
Leo (July 23 - August 22)
If you haven't made any work-related New Year's resolutions yet, let this be your cue to just that. You'll be glad you heeded our warning on the 6th, when go-getter Mars barrels into your career sector and supercharges your professional ambitions. This is a great time to put your nose to the grindstone (and actually see results from your labor). You may feel naturally inclined to log longer hours or take on additional assignments. Be wary of burnout during this transit — make sure you have an outlet to blow off steam during non-working hours. And watch out that you don't stamp out anyone else's star in your attempts to shine brightly on your own. Butting heads will only slow you both down.
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The sun moves into your partnerships sector on the 19th, offering you the annual opportunity to create a better sense of equality within your relationships. This is not to say that every meaningful bond in your life needs to feature a precise balance of give-and-take, but more that you and your loved ones should be at peace with how things are flowing. Affection, care, work, and effort should not be exchanged via one-way channels, Leo. Check in with your BFFs and S.O. to make sure that is not the current state of affairs.
RELATED: Your Leo Zodiac Sign Guide
Virgo (August 23 - September 22)
Far be it from you to brag, so we'll do it for you: You're kind of a pro when it comes to New Year's resolutions. As long as you really want something (and have a clear, detailed plan as to how to get it), very little can stand in your way toward attaining it, Virgo. This year's self-improvement season is particularly well-suited to resolutions around your well-being. And, before your instincts to streamline and regiment every part of your life leap into action, let's clarify: These resolutions do not necessarily have to revolve around sacrificing, restricting, or limiting anything in your life. It's one thing to commit to drinking more water — it's another to banish all tasty, potentially sugary drinks from your fridge. When Mercury enters your wellness sector on the 8th, it'll help you devise a thoughtful strategy for a healthier you in 2021 (one that is allowed to take breaks every so often).
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This month's overarching theme of self-care will land a swift and final blow on the 28th with the full moon. This normally celebratory lunar phase will urge you to spend the night quietly and, ideally, away from your phone, to-do list, and work computer. Put the needs of the outside world aside, have a present night of bonding with your family and housemates, and make time to just be by yourself for at least a little while. Another exceptional year has only just begun — you'll need your rest.
Libra (September 22 - October 23)
Ready to flex your extreme makeover muscles, Libra? When Venus moves into your sector of domesticity on the 8th, a wave of interior decor inspiration will wash over you, urging you to cultivate a sense of comfort and security in your living space. However, you may feel this energy on a deeper level, too (not that there's anything superficial about finding the perfect peel-and-stick wallpaper). The people you call your family should contribute to that overall feeling of safety, too. The new moon on the 13th will help you clearly define your personal idea of "home," including a plan to cultivate an atmosphere in which you feel freer to express your private self (which could mean a change to your physical space or your inner circle).
RELATED: Your Libra Zodiac Sign Guide
The full moon on the 28th demands your attention outside of the home — namely, your peacekeeping abilities may be needed between coworkers or neighbors. Even if it's the umpteenth time you've been asked to mediate a conflict between these parties, you'll find a way to thread the needle and find a compromise. After a rather homebody-ish start to the month, this will be a welcome reminder of how much your larger network benefits from your skills.
Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)
Though you may not show it as freely as other signs in the Zodiac, you're undeniably passionate, Scorp, especially when it comes to those you care about. From the 6th onward, the role of passion in your relationships will come to the fore — and you might notice it's playing the lead when it's better off as a supporting character. Discussions could flare up into full-on arguments; light flirtations could boil over into affairs. Previously stable partnerships could suddenly run hot and cold. Listen to your impulses before you act on them this month. There's nothing wrong with a little heat, providing you don't get burned.
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If you find that your temper is too hot to handle, you'll have the opportunity to retreat on the 19th, when Aquarius season begins and the sun beckons you home for your annual nesting period. You probably feel like you've nested plenty in the last year, but have you been doing so intentionally? For the next 30 days, you'll be challenged to exist at home with intention, maintaining the physical living space, mining your memories for timely lessons, and cultivating a sense of care and cooperation among your housemates and family members.
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)
The skies are asking you to put away childish things, Sag. The sun is still in your house of finances and motivational Mars will make its way into your wellness sector on the 6th. If you aren't already working toward a clean slate for your wallet and well-being in the New Year, now's the time to start. Overhaul your bedtime rituals or restrategize how you've been adding to your emergency fund. You might be best off making small changes at first, or even taking your new routine for a test-drive, so that you don't feel stifled or locked into a way of living that actually doesn't suit you. Besides, you'll have a shining opportunity to break free of the every day toward the end of the month.
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The full moon on the 28th will allow you to embrace your whole Sagittarian self: After a month spent deep in your checkbook and to-do list, you'll feel newly invigorated to look beyond the menial needs of your daily life and indulge in a bit of exploration, even risk-taking. The full moon will beam its emotionally refreshing energy directly into your impulses — that voice that urges you to take the long way home, to buy a guitar when you only know two chords, to commit to a new project when you're still working on another. Where are you itching to go right now, Archer? Use this evening to set your sights on something brand new and take aim, trusting in yourself to land on solid ground when you take off.
Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)
Your birthday season is still ongoing, but you may make an early departure from celebration mode this month, hardworking Cap. You have Mercury in no small part to thank for this sudden change of pace: On January 6, it will move into your financial sector, simultaneously maximizing your potential to bring in cash while illuminating inventive new ways to save the money you already have. Don't worry about seeming businesslike or penny-pinching — this is a wonderful way to prepare for 2021's first Mercury retrograde, which will kick off on the 30th and potentially destabilize your previously prosperous financial situation.
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Do try and have some fun this month, if only for Venus' sake. The planet of love and beauty will post up in your sign on the 8th and do its best to drum up a little self-indulgence and flirtatiousness if you can muster it. Make time for a home spa session or a day of hooky with your S.O. Doing something for no other reason than that it purely makes you feel good isn't squandering your time — some would argue it's actually making the most of your time.
RELATED: Your Capricorn Zodiac Sign Guide
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)
Mercury moves into your sign on the 8th, setting your thoughts into rapid-fire motion for the new year. You'll be full of ideas and eager to share them with others, but you might not be able to illustrate your points clearly in your excitement to broadcast them to the public. For the next few weeks, your challenge will be to sort your thoughts before you act on them — and to know when to let a plan percolate a while longer before putting it into action. If you find yourself feeling anxious or stressed, look to the restorative new moon on the 13th. If you observe its energy, a much-needed period of mental quietude and tranquility will be your reward.
RELATED: Your Aquarius Zodiac Sign Guide
Now, in more exciting news, your birthday season begins on the 19th. For the next 30 days, the sun will camp out in your sign, simultaneously highlighting your strengths and revealing where you can continue your growth as a person. You're open to learning opportunities regardless of the time of year, but this month-long period sets the scene for some particularly successful personal development if you're ready to forge out on your own and put in the effort. Just be aware, however, of the impending Mercury retrograde on the 30th, which will arrive in your sign and potentially inhibit some of those efforts.
Pisces (February 19 - March 20)
Matters outside yourself — ones that concern your daily chores, your coworkers and friends, even your local community as a whole — will demand the bulk of your attention as the month begins, Pisces. When invigorating Mars moves into your house of communication on the 6th, you'll feel energized and able to answer the call, but the red planet will also scatter your focus. Keep your priorities straight with to-do lists, timed reminder notifications, or a good old sticky note on the bathroom mirror. If you happen to drop the ball on something and someone calls you out for it, do what you can to avoid a blowup.
RELATED: Your Pisces Zodiac Sign Guide
Take time to retreat when Aquarius season begins on the 19th. You'll need some rest and relaxation before your birthday season next month, and your sign's old soul leanings will relish the chance to reflect on the last 12 months — particularly, the lessons you learned about yourself during that time. This pensive, potentially melancholy, period will be injected with some practicality on the 28th, when the full moon lights up your wellness sector. Surely your health and well-being has been on your mind recently, but what can you do to go from surviving to thriving, Pisces? Pivot your wellness routine to be one that sets you up for future success and longevity.
