January 2021 Horoscope: Thinking in New Directions

The activities that are driving the economy and the pandemic are still very active as the month begins, but we should start seeing a break in that activity around midmonth. Mercury is retrograde in Aquarius from January 25 through February 28. Get your projects and New Year’s resolutions started, or you’ll want to wait until the end of February to move beyond last year’s agenda. This is an especially busy time for the fixed signs of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius, since both Jupiter and Saturn are visiting Aquarius this year. Jupiter is about growth and expansion, while Saturn is about control and safety—not always an easy pair to dance with at the same time. Days to go with the flow this month are January 1 and the 11. Days to keep your guard up are January 4, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 28 and 30—a lot of days! The sun moves from Capricorn to Aquarius on the 19th, while Venus enters Capricorn and Mercury enters Aquarius on the 8th. Keep your dancing shoes on this month!

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) The focus on your career will continue through the end of the month. However, you are looking to reconnect with friends and others for emotional and financial security. This continues to be a time when outside forces have pushed you into making decisions about your career. Your options—anything from starting your own business to retiring—are all there! By midmonth, you are getting more organized and ready to decide on which paths you are going to explore. You are still working on adjusting to your family and a new awareness that the pandemic has brought on.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) This new year is a significant time for the Bulls and Cows! Career activity is going to be very active for at least the next two years. As the month begins, you are in an organizing and planning mode, but you’ll be ready to move forward after January 6. This month is a good time to improve your skill set, continue your education, and explore other career options in new settings. And by midmonth, you will want to be acting on those possibilities. You may be considering doing something on your own, or looking to take on a leadership position at your company. Mercury will be retrograde in your career sector toward the end of the month, so you’ll be thinking a lot about this area of your life. You will want to wait until the end of February to make final decisions. This is going to be a busy month!

GEMINI (May 21–June 21) As the month opens, you are improving your financial situation by clearing out old debts and being more responsible with your money. You are entering a time of expansion that could include going back to school, starting your autobiography, or relocating to a new country. New opportunities appear that you may not have seen coming. You are seeking a direction that really satisfies you from the inside out. With your ruler, Mercury, going retrograde on the 25th, you can thoroughly explore your options without having to make a commitment until the end of February, when you will get a big boost of energy and confidence. 

CANCER (June 22–July 22) Relationships continue to take center stage as the month begins. Your partnerships have been so primary over the last year. This has taken your partnership to the next level or brought it an end. This month is a great time to renew those bonds, or for singles to figure out a way to date in the new virtual world! The other big topic this month is your finances, investments, and debts. This is an excellent month to review this part of your life. Mercury will be retrograde in this area of finances, so you can review previous decisions and errors as you release yourself from the past. This is also a good time for therapy, couples counseling, and exploring the mental blocks that prevent real connections with those closest to you. Letting go of secrets will set you free! Friends and business associates are becoming more important to you. 

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You are continuing to improve your health and develop better habits to make your life more efficient. This is a great time to get your work space in top shape by upgrading your electronics and creating a comfortable work space. There are new projects coming this month that can relieve the boredom and spark some passion for your work and your partnerships. Demanding partners who are restrictive will rub you the wrong way this month and cause you to make some different choices. Partnerships take the spotlight by midmonth. If you are happy, this is a time of renewal. If you are unhappy, this is the time to figure out what is wrong, fix it, or look for more promising relationships. This period of reexamination will last until the end of February. 

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) As the month begins, you continue to be in a creative time of connecting with your inner child, or perhaps your own children. This is a time when a hobby could become more than just a hobby. You are looking for comfort and peace at home, and to indulge in your favorite personal activities with people you really enjoy! This is also a good time to look at home furnishings and accessories. In mid-January you are looking at how things are flowing in your daily routines. This is an excellent month to improve your work environment and replace old, inefficient equipment. You are resetting some habits that have been disrupted by the pandemic. You are paying more attention to your health and avoiding negative people. January will be a safer and saner month!

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 23) Home and family are still your priority as the month begins. For some, the holidays were a time of reckoning as you were confronted with other people’s core values. This is a time of improving your home, or possibly relocating.  After the 6th, you will feel freer and ready to take steps to improve your life. You are shifting your focus to self-improvement, self-care, and improving the relationship between you and your children. This is a great month for working on your hobby. Your children are getting more mature and looking to prove themselves, so this is a good month to give them added responsibilities. You will focus on activities that are fun and give your life a more satisfying sense of completion. Relationships are easier as the arguments fade and peace enters the picture! Put some fun back into your life.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24–Nov. 21) Communications and organization lead the way as the month begins. You have been in a cleaning-out mode in preparation for a time of major decisions that will take place throughout 2021. You are reexamining your career, where you live, your long-term plans, and ways to have more fun in your relationship. This is a time in your career when you are looking at taking on more responsibility, moving up the ladder, starting something on your own, or possibly retiring. As you set your own rules, boundaries, and goals, you want to make better use of your time, no matter your choices. Family demands will increase this month, and it may be your time to step into a family leadership role with Mercury retrograde in that area of your chart from January 25 through February 28. Set your boundaries!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov.22–Dec.21) Relationships play a strong role in your life this month. This is a good time to strengthen those bonds and remember the reason you got involved in the first place. Your need for financial security continues to be strong, and you are having to make some changes there. This can be the time to reassess your skills and perhaps use them elsewhere on new projects. You are more protective of your time this month. 

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) With Jupiter (planet of growth and opportunity) and Saturn (the decider and builder) both entering your sign for an extended visit, you are already in an action and planning mode. This follows your usual time of self-reflection during the holidays. Some of that reflection is still going on, but with Mercury retrograde in your sign from January 25 through February 28, you are focusing on plans to move forward. Improving your boundaries will be very important, especially as it relates to your family’s expectations of you—and the expectations you have of yourself! You are setting new career goals as well as reviewing how your relationship is going. Home and family will need some attention this month, particularly around the 20th! You are clearer by the end of the month, but it’s best to wait until after Mercury is direct on February 28 to move forward. 

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Happy Birthday to all of the Capricorns. This is your personal yearly cycle of review and setting new goals for the coming year. The last two years have been quite rough for Capricorns in general, as difficult planetary alignments took root in your sign. Those conditions began to change in mid-December, and you are now moving into a time of rebuilding and stability. You are especially focused on finances and economic stability this month. Mercury, our organizer and communicator, is retrograde in your money sector from January 25 through February 28—a time to review your finances, investments, and how well you are serving other people’s needs. Family issues calm down after the 6th. It’s best to wait until after February 28 to put your new plans into motion!

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Despite the pandemic, you are reaching out to friends and family and also feeling more connected to your community. You could be taking a much more active role in this area. Business associations are also good for you, but only if you can participate and not just be an onlooker. Toward midmonth, you are moving into a place of rest and retreat. You will want to limit your social contacts because your psychic sensitivities are pushing you to avoid negative people. This can be a great time for planning, self care, meditation, and improving health routines. Your goal of looking for something to connect with that gives your life greater purpose will be more active this year! Your ability to get your message heard improves this month as well.

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This article appears in the January 2021 edition of OutSmart magazine.