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 Virgo at 9:09 pm pacific time on Wednesday, August 22nd. Virgo is a practical, analytical and meticulous sign. Virgo rules over “harvest time”. We cut, sheathe, store and sell the wheat and all that takes planning and hard work. When the Sun moves into Virgo, we find ourselves diving into the task at hand and applying ourselves with great care to make sure it all runs smoothly. Virgo is also a sign of physical, emotional and mental health. We pay attention to how we are feeling and work to improve our well being. Virgo is back to school, back to work, back to business.
The Full Moon of VIRGO occurs on August 26th. We steep in the energies of devotion, purification and service. We stand in and summon health for our families, our planet and ourselves. We apply ourselves with work and determination so that we may use our gifts to their full effect.
On August 27th, after a long retrograde period, Mars finally moves direct. This is going to feel like sweet relief. If we have felt held back or lost or unmoored, Mars now utters a rallying cry and we assert ourselves in a new way. We are free to come fully forth. You might find yourself saying “FINALLY!!! It’s working! We’re moving forward!”
Mercury moves into Virgo on September 5th. This brings the power of precision in all communication. It’s a great time to edit, clean up or organize. It’s a great time to look at your work and create priorities. Be careful of criticism turned inward or outward. Look up from your work to occasionally breathe in a little perspective.
Saturn also moves direct on September 6th. We’ve had so many planets in retrograde, which can feel quiet or reflective or even thwarting. Now Saturn steps forth with purpose and determination and renewed structure. Saturn loves to make a plan and execute it. All planning will come easier now.
On September 9th, there is a New Moon in Virgo and Venus moves into Scorpio. We plant seeds of health and healing during the Virgo New Moon and we tenaciously commit to their growth under Venus in Scorpio. We devote ourselves to new good work under the Virgo New Moon and we apply ourselves deeply and fully to that work with Venus in Scorpio. Virgo and Scorpio love to do good, deep healing work together.
The very next day, September 10th, Mars moves into Aquarius. Now that it is direct, group work has a whole new momentum and fruition. New ideas abound. Group work and group projects thrive. The air is electric and we feel like we are waking up after a long sleep!
Finally, Mercury moves into Libra on September 21st. Our communicative style turns towards diplomatic and fair-minded exchange. We seek to bring peace to our relationships. We seek to bring harmony. We can all be more level-headed and kind in our communications when Mercury is in Libra.
This Virgo month should feel more directed, action oriented and satisfying in work well done. Try to enjoy the process and stop occasionally to feel the beauty of all you are accomplishing.
What does all of this mean for your career? Let’s look closer…
JOB HUNTING?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: As we head into Virgo all of the retrogrades and eclipses that have been blocking our path begin to start clearing away piece by piece and we begin to feel movement!
As the planet Mars moves direct on August 27th, joining Mercury in Virgo, we truly feel this get-it done energy. And then Saturn joins this dynamic duo on September 6th to form a mighty trio. You will be virtually unstoppable! Write those emails! Make those coffee dates. Reach out and network and ask for informational interviews. You will soar through difficult tasks, and you’ll be astonished by how much you’re able to complete.
Not sure about the best way to reach out to people? Listen to Cathy Heller interview Jordan Harbinger, on her podcast ‘Don’t Keep Your Day Job’. Jordan Harbinger is a networking expert and has spent years studying and practicing the important act of nurturing his relationships, even when (and especially when) he’s not looking for anything in return. He shares how to genuinely reconnect with old contacts without feeling awkward, how to become a referral machine through ABG (always be giving, always be generous). It’s a great interview.
And don’t forget to make a list of your achievements. We so often ignore the fact that we need to celebrate all we have done and instead tend to lament all the things we haven’t gotten to yet. So at the end of each week, write down all your wins, both big and small.
ALREADY HAVE A JOB?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: As Heidi mentioned, on September 9th, there is a New Moon in Virgo and Venus moves into Scorpio. Virgo and Scorpio love to do deep healing work together. It is a time for us to plant seeds of health and devote ourselves to new good work.
The very next day, September 10th, Mars moves into Aquarius. Now that it is direct, group work has a whole new momentum and fruition. New ideas abound. Group work and group projects thrive. The air is electric and we feel like we are waking up after a long sleep!
A great book to read before you dive into all those meetings that group projects seem to demand is ‘The Art of the Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters’ by Priya Parker.
The book outlines ways to invigorate the way you meet and has great advice about convening, creating meaningful conversations and helping everyone at work feel more connected. It will totally change the dynamic of your group meetings and help everyone feel more productive and involved.
Parker sets forth a human-centered approach to gathering that will help everyone create meaningful, memorable experiences, large and small, for work and for play. Drawing on her expertise as a facilitator of high-powered gatherings around the world, Parker takes us inside events of all kinds to show what works, what doesn’t, and why. She investigates a wide array of gatherings–conferences, meetings, a courtroom, a flash-mob party, an Arab-Israeli summer camp–and explains how simple, specific changes can invigorate any group experience. The result is a book that’s both journey and guide, full of exciting ideas with real-world applications. The Art of Gathering will forever alter the way you look at your next meeting, industry conference, dinner party, and backyard barbecue–and how you host and attend them.
SELF-EMPLOYED OR RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: Mercury moves into Virgo on September 5th. It’s a great time to edit, clean up or organize and create priorities and BATCH! Last year during Virgo season, we talked about the concept of batching, a productivity tool that was developed by the amazing business coach, Melissa Cassera.
Batching means you block out a specific chunk of time—like an entire day or an entire week—and during that time, you focus exclusively on just one type of project. You could spend the entire day writing newsletters, queuing up blog posts, clearing out your inbox, sending “thank you” gifts and cards to your top clients, or sending press releases to the media. Anything you want. The key is to focus on just one type of task. Uni-tasking, not multi-tasking.
This Virgo month is a perfect time to practice batching. Use the days between September 9th (Mercury and Venus in Virgo) and September 21st(when Mercury moves into Libra) to batch, batch, batch your heart out. Block off those days to write a bunch of blog posts, record a slew of podcasts, or anything else that’s on your to-do list. Turn off social media, put your phone on silent, and dive in! Batching allows you to focus deeply, get into a creative flow-state, and churn out a ton of work in way less time than it would normally take.
Another great thing to do during this Virgo month is to look at your budget and start tracking your expenses. A great tool to check out is YNAB (You Need A Budget!!) It takes some time to set up and get into the groove, but once you do, it is easy and fun to use. I never thought I would call tracking my expenses fun, but it is surprisingly freeing!
This Virgo month should feel more directed, action oriented and satisfying in work well done. Try to enjoy the process and stop occasionally to feel the beauty of all you are accomplishing. Remember to be careful of criticism turned inward or outward. Look up from your work to occasionally breathe in a little perspective.
FAMOUS VIRGOS
Virgos are perfectionists, quick-thinking, observant, and analytical. They pay attention to detail and have a tendency to be critical both within and without. They are hard workers and go all out, with whatever they do. So it is no wonder that the following people were born under this sign:
• Beyoncé
Beyoncé is a Virgo—which isn’t too surprising, given her incredible work ethic. She’s considered one of the hardest working people in show business—if not the entire world!
In this interview, she explains: “I am a Virgo to the tee! […] I pay attention to details. When I do something, I do it 100 percent. I have high expectations of myself and expect the exact same thing of everyone around me. I’ve always been that way. I am all or nothing.”
• Warren Buffett
If anyone can be considered as detail oriented, it is Warren Buffett.
Buffett is an American business magnate, investor, speaker and philanthropist who serves as the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He is considered one of the most successful investors in the world and has a net worth of $84 billion. He is famously frugal (he lives in a modest house in Nebraska and brings his lunch to work each day) and very scheduled (he stops at McDonalds every morning and orders the same thing).
That said, he is a notable philanthropist, having pledged to give away 99 percent of his fortune to philanthropic causes. He founded The Giving Pledge in 2009 with Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, whereby billionaires pledge to give away at least half of their fortunes. He is also active contributing to Democrat political causes and has publicly opposed the policies, actions, and statements of Donald Trump.
• Mother Theresa
Mother Teresa has received a number of honors, including the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize. She was canonized (recognized by the church as a saint) on 4 September 2016, and the anniversary of her death (5 September) is her feast day.
A controversial figure during her life and after her death, Mother Teresa was admired by many for her charitable work. She was praised and criticized for her opposition to abortion, and criticized for poor conditions in her houses.
• Sheryl Sandberg
Sheryl Sandberg is an American technology executive, activist, and author. She is the chief operating officer (COO) of Facebook and founder of Leanin.org. In June 2012, she was elected to the board of directors by the existing board members, becoming the first woman to serve on Facebook’s board.
In 2012, she was named in the Time 100, an annual list of the most influential people in the world according to Time magazine. Sandberg is reported to be worth over $1 billion, due to her stock holdings in Facebook and other companies. She is smart, outspoken, resilient, and an advocate for women both in and outside the workplace.
OVERALL, THIS IS A GREAT MONTH FOR…
• Focus
• Practicality
• Planning
• Batching
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
August 22nd – The Sun moves into Virgo (time to get practical)
August 26th – Full Moon if Virgo (We steep in the energies of devotion, purification and service.)
August 27th – Mars goes direct (sweet relief)
September 5th – Mercury in Virgo (the power of precision in all communication)
September 6th – Saturn goes direct (Saturn steps forth with purpose and determination and)
September 9th – New Moon in Virgo (Virgo and Scorpio love to do good, deep healing work together)
September 10th – Mars in Aquarius (Group work and group projects thrive)
September 21st – Mercury in Libra (Our communicative style turns towards diplomatic and fair-minded exchange.)
YOUR CAREER MANTRA FOR THE MONTH
“You’ve got to disturb the peace when you can’t get no peace.” -Aretha Franklin, Aries Sun; Cancer Moon; Scorpio Rising
While not a Virgo, we thought it apt to recognize the one and only Aretha.
When Angela Davis was in prison in 1970, Aretha paid her bail. She said: “Angela Davis must go free. Black people will be free. I’ve been locked up (for disturbing the peace in Detroit) and I know you got to disturb the peace when you can’t get no peace. Jail is hell to be in. I’m going to see her free if there is any justice in our courts, not because I believe in communism, but because she’s a Black woman and she wants freedom for Black people. I have the money; I got it from Black people- they made me financially able to have it- and I want to use it in ways that will help our people.”
This is a great reminder that it is not only what you do that counts (or even the enormous talent you may possess), but also the heart and caring that you cultivate for your family and community each and every day.
Have a fantastically productive month! Whether your career involves writing, designing, accounting, or recording your next musical masterpiece in the studio, you’ll benefit from the Virgo energy in the air. The stars and planets are completely on your side!
With love,
Ellen & Heidi
Learn more about my career & business coaching services here.
Learn more about Heidi and her astrological services here.