I work as a career and business strategist. But my secret passion is… astrology!
About once a month, I post an overview of what’s happening in the cosmos and how it might influence your career. It’s called: Your Career Forecast.
Whether you’re job-hunting, running your own business, or wondering about the ideal time to ask for a raise or take a vacation, each Career Forecast will reveal the important dates and cosmic shifts that you need to know about.
I am joined by my dear friend, Heidi Rose Robbins, a master astrologer who will provide expert insight into what’s going on in the stars.
Let’s dive in!
OVERVIEW
What’s going on this month…
HEIDI: The Sun moves into Aries on March 20th, 2018 at 9:16 am Pacific time. Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac and launches us into a new astrological year.
Aries brings initiative, bold ideas, and chutzpah. It’s pioneering and cutting-edge. It says, “the time is now to begin again.” It is not shy. It leaps in and seizes the moment. It does not wait for perfect circumstances. It is, in fact, impatient and tends to plunge in. So much is begun under this fiery energy.
However, on March 22nd, not far after we launch into Aries, Mercury goes retrograde. It stays retrograde until April 15th. Many people think about Mercury retrograde as a time when our technology goes awry and when travel plans get muddied. It is true that Mercury retrograde can put a wrench in our plans and bugs in our computers. But there is a gift in Mercury retrograde as well. It asks us to step back and reflect on what has transpired over the previous four months. It asks us to generate new ideas, feel the forward momentum, but also to pause before acting.
Venus moves into Taurus on March 30th. This is the ideal time to share your beauty and your gifts with the world, a time when you attract beauty and abundance in equal measure. Pay attention to what you value most, put energy towards that, and let it grow.
Then, there is the Full Moon of Aries on March 31st. While the moon is actually in Libra, we celebrate the energy of Aries. This is a time when the energies of Aries are most available to us. The phrase for Aries is “I come forth and from the plane of mind, I rule.” We might take a few moments on this day to get quiet and ask ourselves how we want and need to come forth during this next month. What ideas do we want to share?
Mars lines up with Saturn on April 2nd. This is all about endurance and discipline. The young warrior teams up with the wise mentor and together, they tackle whatever needs to be addressed. Stay the course, commit, and bring all your feisty energy along for the ride.
Mercury moves direct on April 15th. There is also a New Moon in Aries on the same day. This is the true liberated Aries energy, let loose at last. Everything moves forward after tax day. Feel the joy of direct, unimpeded, initiating energy.
Finally, the Sun sits in the same degree as Uranus on April 18th. Expect the unexpected. Feel your freedom and do something out of your own box. Brainstorm. Be a little wild.
The month of Aries is a potent time, full of vitality, refreshing energy, and new beginnings. Seeds are ready to burst—finally emerging through the solid ground.
What does all of this mean for your career? Let’s look closer…
JOB HUNTING?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: With the Sun moving into Aries, it’s the astrological New Year! A chance to hit the reset button. On March 20th, it’s like New Year’s Day all over again.
If you’ve been job-hunting without much success—and if things are feeling frustrating, blocked, or stagnant—this is the perfect opportunity to begin anew.
You’ve heard of New Year’s Resolutions, right? On March 20th, consider setting some New Job Resolutions. Make a list that starts with two powerful words: “I want.” But instead of writing, “I want to hit the gym 3x a week” or “I want to quit eating so much sugar,” focus on job-related resolutions. For example: “I want 3 weeks of paid vacation every year.” “I want a flexible schedule.” “I want to be able to walk or bike to work.” Write down everything you want.
When you set clear intentions, then it’s easier to figure out which jobs to apply for and which to skip, and it’s easier to focus your attention in the right places.
If you’re more of a visual thinker, instead of making a list of resolutions, try making a New Job Vision Board with images that express the kind of job you want. You can use Canva (it’s free) to create a beautiful online collage.
Download your collage and make it your computer desktop wallpaper so that you’ll see it every day—a visual reminder of the career that you’re working to create. Then, tap into the power of Aries and go for it! Take one bold step towards making it happen. One phone call. One networking event. One application. Go!
To keep you inspired throughout your job hunt, consider reading When To Jump by Mike Lewis and Playing Big by Tara Mohr, two books that will motivate you to be bolder and reach for the type of career that you really want.
ALREADY HAVE A JOB?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: Mercury goes retrograde from March 22nd to April 15th. This is an ideal time to take stock of the last four months. Review, assess, and evaluate. How have things been going? Do you feel on track with your projects? What about the people that you manage or supervise? Have you checked in with them recently?
Also, is there any “unfinished business” that needs to be dealt with? March 22nd to April 15th is an excellent time to tidy things up. Finish any lingering projects. Clear out your inbox. Tie up loose ends. Focus on finishing what’s already been started. Ideally, try to wait until April 15th (or later) to begin any big new projects.
A great book to read during Mercury retrograde: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. It’s a lovely book on how to create more simplicity, organization, and serenity in your environment.
Also, if you’ve already got a job, mark down April 18th on your calendar. On that day, the Sun sits in the same degree as Uranus. Uranus is all about… the unexpected! On this day, you might be offered an unexpected promotion, or someone at the company might step down, or a project might get canceled suddenly, without warning, or… who knows? Anything could happen! Stay alert and enjoy the ride. This is also a great day to propose wild, unusual ideas—like turning that empty conference room in an employee Pilates studio! Go nuts!
SELF-EMPLOYED OR RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: As an entrepreneur myself, I’m looking forward to the Full Moon of Aries on March 31st. On this day, the energies of Aries reach their peak. It’s a day of boldness and trailblazing. The universe whispers, “Come forth.” If you’ve been hiding, come out. If you’ve been holding back, shift gears. If you’ve been wishy-washy or indecisive, make up your mind.
One of Aries worst—and also, best—qualities is impatience. Impatience can sometimes be a very good thing! If there’s something about your business that hasn’t felt right for a long time, March 31st is a great day to put your foot down and decide, “Enough!” Be decisive. Use your impatience as fuel to make positive changes. This might mean firing someone, hiring someone, finally launching your long-awaited podcast, or fixing a system that’s not functioning. Do whatever needs to be done!
If you’re thinking, “Oh my gosh, there are so many things that need to be upgraded… it’s going to take more than just one day to fix everything!”… that’s OK! You’re in luck, because after the Full Moon of Aries, you’ve got another big burst of passionate energy on April 2nd. On this day, Mars lines up with Saturn. It’s all about endurance, discipline, and tackling whatever needs to get done. Go, go, go!
If you’re looking for something to read, I recommend Shooting the Boh, a memoir by Tracy Johnston. It’s the story of a woman who decides to raft down one of the world’s most dangerous rivers. It’s a story of courage, risk-taking, and pioneering into new territory. Much like white-water rafting, running a business is an exciting (and sometimes terrifying) adventure. Like Tracy, we’ve got to be brave and bold—and maintain a sense of humor throughout the journey.
Famous Aries:
Aries people often tend to be first in line and ahead of their time. They’re bold, trailblazing, independent thinkers. Here are a few famous Aries leaders and celebrities:
• Lady Gaga. Who else would wear a dress made entirely of raw meat?
• Reese Witherspoon. A passionate leader who not only acts, but also runs her own production studio.
• Marc Jacobs. A brilliant fashion designer who made history by employing transgender models for many of his runway shows and ad campaigns.
• Al Gore. A forward-thinking man who revealed the “inconvenient truth” about climate change to the world.
• David Blaine. A magician and endurance artist who pushes our concept of what is “possible.” David has pushed his body to unbelievable limits—including holding his breath underwater for over 17 minutes.
OVERALL, THIS IS A GREAT MONTH FOR…
• Bold action. Be first in line, first to apply, first to raise your hand and speak up.
• Seizing the moment. If an unexpected opportunity arises, don’t overanalyze it. Go for it!
• Independence. Break away from tradition. Create your own rules.
• Hitting the reset button. In a sense, it’s New Year’s Day all over again.
• Going after what you really, truly want. What’s your secret wish? Your buried dream? Let it come forth. Bring it into the light!
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER…
• March 20th: The Sun moves into Aries. We begin a month-long period of boldness, independence, and trailblazing. This is not the time for shyness!
• March 22nd: Mercury moves retrograde until April 15th. Keep working towards your goals, but focus more on “finishing” rather than “starting new projects.”
• March 30th: Venus moves into Taurus. A day of beauty, love, and manifesting to make your dreams real.
• March 31st: The Full Moon of Aries. All of the bold Aries energies are maximized.
• April 2nd: Mars conjunct Saturn. Another burst of bold, warrior-like energy. Charge forward. Get things done.
• April 15th: Mercury moves direct and New Moon of Aries. A feeling of liberation and freedom.
• April 18th: Sun conjunct Uranus. A day of unexpected propositions, surprise invitations, a little bit of wildness. Who knows what might happen?
CAREER MANTRA FOR THE MONTH
“Fortune favors the bold.” —Latin proverb
It’s been reported that women are less likely to receive a salary increase at work. There are many, many reasons for this. One reason is that women are far less likely to actually ask for a raise.
In fact, about 40% of women never ask. Ever. Not even once over the course of their entire career. We tend to hang back and hope it will just… happen. But it rarely works like that. When you don’t ask, you don’t get.
Regardless of your gender, there’s a big lesson here: Be bolder. The time of Aries invites us to tap into our boldness and stop apologizing and hesitating. Fly! Jump! Go! Ask for what you want. Or if it doesn’t exist yet, then be a trailblazer and create what you want.
Have an amazing month!
With love,
Ellen & Heidi
Learn more about my career & business coaching services here.
Learn more about Heidi and her astrological services here.
