Around the start of a new year, it's normal to reevaluate the last 365 days and decide how we want to head into this new era with new goals, new resolutions, and a (maybe) new outlook on life. And this year, the planets are helping us usher in these "new year, new me" vibes. On January 8, Mercury will leave practical Capricorn and head into independent Aquarius where it'll stay until January 30 — which means for the very first month of 2021, we'll be in total reflection mode.
"Mercury loves to be in Aquarius, as it gives us the chance to see matters from an open-minded and reflective perspective," explains astrologer Lisa Stardust. The key to making the most of this energy, she says, is giving ourselves enough distance from the particular situations we're reflecting on. In other words, it's not the time to reflect on a fight you had with your bestie yesterday. Instead, think back to larger themes or issues in areas such as your relationship, your core values, or your life goals. Now's the time to harness that fierce Aquarian energy, think back, and come up with a plan for how you want to live your life this year.
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This energy may very well spill over into your work life, says Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com. "In Aquarius, Mercury helps us rethink the career plans we came up with during the time Mercury was in Capricorn, so we can see them in a newer and more innovative light," she explains. "While Mercury in Capricorn is good at laying the foundation of future plans, Aquarius’s futuristic approach is the best at taking things off the ground." If your 2020 career goals were derailed for any reason (a global pandemic, maybe?) then this is the time to start setting things in motion. Maybe your end-of-year to-do list at your job is missing some check marks, or the pledges you made to yourself haven't exactly come to fruition yet. That's totally fine — but now's the time to re-evaluate what's important to you in your career and set the vibes for the New Year.
But, Montúfar suggests taking it slow as January begins. "Mercury’s entrance into Aquarius is set up to be quite tumultuous, as right away it will square Mars and Uranus in Taurus and conjunct Saturn and Jupiter in Aquarius — all within one week," she says. "This will bring nervous tension, rushed decisions and thinking, and aggressive conversations with our bosses or colleagues." Try to keep your cool and not say or do something you might regret later, Montúfar advises. In other words: Think before you Slack. Work can be stressful, especially during a brand-new quarter, so taking an extra moment before making any hasty decisions can go a long way during this period.
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Aquarius is ruled by Uranus, the Planet of Technology, Innovation, and Rebellion. "With Mercury in this sign, you may be able to expand your ideas and approaches and come up with more original ways of focusing on projects at work," says Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer at Keen.com. "If you can tap into this energy, you could have flashes of intuition that could lead to new ways of looking at things and new approaches to your work." So while it's advised you take a slow-paced approach this month, still remember to trust your gut instincts when it comes to your career path. It will pay off in the long run of 2021.
For making big career moves, Montúfar says that the days between January 14 and January 26 are our best bet for success, due to Mercury beginning to slow down on the 27th as it prepares to go retrograde from January 30 to February 20. Pitch that new idea or launch that innovative project during this window. "Alternatively, the days between February 28 and March 14 are also safe, with the luckiest day being March 4, which is when Mercury will meet fortunate Jupiter," she says. Mark your calendars!
Speaking of Mercury retrograde, that end-of-January moonwalk is the first one of 2021, and you may want to start preparing for it now. "The pre-retrograde shadow begins January 15, and the post-retrograde shadow ends March 13," Stardust says. "This means that we’ll be dealing with this energy for a while." She advises continuing to reflect and review the facts around us — she warns that we may just uncover something that has been in the dark for far too long.
We're just starting to settle into the New Year, so don't sweat the small stuff during this transit. The Planet of Communication in the sign of the water bearer spells out focus, intellect, and logical thinking — and, in my opinion, is a great energy to have ringing in 2021.