Once a month, I post an overview of what’s happening in the cosmos and how it might influence your career. It’s called the Career Forecast.
Whether you’re job-hunting, employed, self-employed, or running a business, each Career Forecast reveals the important dates that you need to know.
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.
Want to get a personalized career forecast that’s based on your birth chart? This is for you. It’s a new service called Chart Your Career. You get a 60 minute astrology reading with Heidi, plus a 60 minute career strategy session with me. Guidance. Clarity. A big overview of the year ahead. Plus specific action steps to bring your career to the next level. Schedule a Chart Your Career session here.
OVERVIEW
What’s going on this month…
HEIDI: The Sun moves into Capricorn on December 21st at 2:23 pm Pacific. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the Winter Solstice: the shortest day of the year with the least amount of daylight. It’s the darkest, most silent time of the year.
Capricorn is an earth sign. It is solitary and hard working, determined and achievement oriented. It can climb the mountaintop of power and status or the mountaintop of consciousness and spiritual unfoldment. It is a sign of great accomplishment and fortitude. If ever there was a time to live up to our commitments and delve into our most purposeful work, it’s during the month of Capricorn.
It’s quite significant that the very next day, December 22nd, we experience the Full Moon of Capricorn. We are in sacred, solstice time and the opportunity to receive inspiration and clear vision is great. For those of you that meditate, this is a particularly rich time to do so. It is easier to align with the energy of the soul during these Full Moon times. It’s also a powerful time to internally connect with fellow men and women of goodwill.
On December 31st, Mars moves into Aries. I love that we get to launch the New Year with the warrior planet in the sign of initiative. We leap into 2019. We dive into the possibility of a fresh start. We feel strong and vital and dynamic. No work feels too great. We have the energy of youth and springtime.
Mercury moves into Capricorn on January 4th, joining the Sun in Capricorn. This is perfect timing. The holiday is over and work calls. And we WANT to work. We want to dig in, commit and climb. Our thoughts turn to more serious matters and we use our time and energy well.
January 5th brings The New Moon of Capricorn. Seeds are planted for the success and fruition of the new climb. We assume responsibility for our lives in a new way. We realize that we are the ones that are authoring our own stories. We commit to a story that feels strong and clear. We feel our fortitude. We name our mountain and embark.
Uranus moves direct on January 6th. It moved retrograde in August 2018 and its energy is now finally clearly moving forward. Uranus is the planet of change and re-invention. It brings a kind of electricity and originality into effect. The maverick, brainstorming energy is now readily available. This movement may bring some relief to our rule following, Capricorn climb.
Finally, on January 7th, Venus moves out of Scorpio into the visionary sign of Sagittarius. Freedom is in the air. A new kind of movement forward is possible. Inspiration and idealism are present. Goal setting feels exciting and possible.
This is a powerful month, one of great accomplishment and hard work. Much can be completed during these days. Much can be achieved. Start the New Year with a great depth of commitment to YOURSELF and the gift you bring.
What does all of this mean for your career? Let’s look closer…
JOB HUNTING?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: Job hunters, I’ve got a very good feeling about January 6th. That’s when Uranus moves direct. Uranus is the planet that rules unexpected, sudden, out of the blue opportunities, as well as change and reinvention. With Uranus energy in the air, anything could happen! This is the type of day when a former boss from six years ago might text you, out of nowhere, to say, “Hey. Want to come work for me again?” Or you might walk straight into a new job opportunity while you’re moseying down the street—like bumping into an old friend who works for a company that’s hiring right now. There’s electricity in the air!
Take some time to get organized so that you’re ready to pounce on any opportunities that might be tumbling your way. Before January 6th rolls around, be sure to update your résumé and LinkedIn profile, spruce up your professional wardrobe—whatever you need to do to feel confident and fully prepared. That way, when a surprising opportunity knocks, you’ll be ready to answer the door!
Check out these résumé-writing tips if you need a few pointers. And if your style is feeling lackluster, check out Scarlet Chamberlin’s blog. Scarlet shares lots of wonderful style tips and ideas. She encourages you to do some “re-purposing”—in other words, shop around in your own closet and remix classic items that you already have, rather than buying a bunch of new stuff that you don’t really need. (A great move when you’re in between jobs, especially if money is tight!)
Also, check out 50 Ways to Get a Job by Dev Aujla. This project started as a website and now it’s been turned into a book. Over 400,000 people have used the exercises that Aujla recommends… with excellent results!
And if you’re feeling discouraged and weary about your job hunt, here’s a book that will help you have a good laugh: 50 Jobs Worst Than Yours by Justin Racz. Hey, being unemployed can definitely be stressful, but it could always be worse! You could have to work as a telemarketing script writer, typing words all day long, knowing that you’re going to be irritating thousands of people who DON’T want to hear what you’ve written and who will probably slam down the phone. Yikes.
ALREADY HAVE A JOB?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: Hopefully, your workplace will be closed during the late December holidays and you’ll have a chance to recharge. Sleep in, read in bed, relax, and rest up… Because once Mercury moves into Capricorn on January 4th, it’s GO TIME! On the 4th, you might feel totally ready to head back into work. You might find yourself secretly glancing at work emails (even if you’re still technically on vacation) and feeling eager to get things moving again. Up, up, and away we go!
The following day is January 5th and we’ve got the New Moon of Capricorn. This is the ideal moment to write down your wishes, goals, and intentions for the year ahead. It’s also a great day to begin something new—a new morning routine, a new meditation practice, a new workout regime, a new way of organizing your to-do list at work. Whenever a New Moon comes around, that’s when you want to plant new seeds… so they can take root deeply and grow.
Capricorn tends to bring a “serious” energy into the air. It’s like that authoritative CEO who walks into a conference room and once they’re in there, the giggling stops and everyone knows, “OK, quiet down, it’s time to get serious.” So, all throughout the month of Capricorn, you can tap into this serious energy and use it to your advantage. Focus. Commit. Be disciplined. Climb whatever mountain is in front of you. Just be careful not to swing too far to the extreme. Leave a little space in your life for spontaneity, silliness, and socializing too. We don’t want you to work yourself to the bone and get burnt out during the first week of the year!
A few resources for you: Here’s a quick article with some good points on how to motivate your team to do great work and strive for excellence (I especially agree with point #5). Here are some printable worksheets for organizing your daily and weekly goals. And if you want to reduce the amount of time that you spend at your desk and start working smarter (not longer and harder), check out these free resources from Tim Ferriss, a productivity and efficiency expert and author of The 4-Hour Workweek.
SELF-EMPLOYED OR RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
Here’s what you need to know…
How did 2018 go for you?
No matter what happened—whether it was your most profitable year ever, or whether it was really problematic and challenging—here’s some great news:
On December 31st, Mars moves into Aries. Mars is the warrior of the cosmos. Aries is the first sign in the Zodiac calendar—a sign of vitality, strength, excitement, and new beginnings. This is such a powerful combination as we wrap up the old year and begin a new one. We have an opportunity to make a MAJOR fresh start!
Consider doing some type of “ritual” to give yourself closure on 2018 so you can release any discouragement you might be feeling about the year that’s ending—and step into 2019 feeling confident and optimistic. Every year, my colleague Susan Hyatt posts a list of her “business highs and lows” from the last twelve months, which is always very illuminating—and hilarious! Paul Jarvis does something similar. He posts a list of things he learned from the last year, things that worked well, and things that didn’t.
Take a cue from entrepreneurs like Susan and Paul. Make your own list of highs and lows. Write down areas where you excelled and areas where your business systems could improve. Read your list back to yourself. This is a great way to do a “self-performance review”—and also, it’s a great way to remind yourself of how many things you achieved in the last year. I bet when you tally it all up, it’s a LOT!
Also, if you’re self-employed, definitely mark down January 7th on your calendar. On this day, Venus moves into Sagittarius. Hello, GOALS! This is a great day to set visionary, next-level goals for your business. Maybe you’re ready to launch a new type of service, increase your rates, commit to a daily writing habit, book some studio time to record season one of your podcast, or… something else. There’s a passionate, adventurous spirit in the air. You might feel bolder than usual—ready to throw yourself whole-heartedly into a thrilling new project. What a fantastic start to the New Year!
Famous Capricorns
Capricorns tends to be grounded, focused, determined, willing to work for the long haul and climb, climb, climb up the mountain of success. They’re not people who get easily defeated. They tend to see the big picture and they recognize that it takes time to build great things.
• Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A heroic man who understood that changing the world doesn’t happen overnight—it’s the type of work that must be done patiently, bravely, and consistently over many decades.
• Muhammad Ali. A powerhouse fighter who understood the importance of dedicated, committed hard work—and always standing back up after you fall.
• Betty White. At age 96, this actress is still booking roles and delighting audiences. What a perfect example of the steadfast Capricorn spirit. She just keeps going and going… and going!
• Kate McKinnon. She charms millions of viewers with her dead-on impressions on Saturday Night Live. But she didn’t explode into comedy stardom out of nowhere. She honed her skills for years—making YouTube videos and performing in sketch comedy groups—before getting her big break on SNL. Her persistence reminds us that excellence is not crafted overnight—it’s a journey.
Overall, this is GREAT month for:
• Building consistent, healthy routines into your daily life.
• Making sensible plans, working steadily, and getting things done.
• Being a little more ambitious than usual, climbing upward, and reaching for a higher level of success in your career and personal life, too.
• Raising your standards and working on projects that require seriousness, willpower, discipline, and self control.
• Making LOTS of progress towards reaching all kinds of goals, big and small.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
• December 21st – The Sun moves into Capricorn and it’s the Winter Solstice, too. What do you want to create in your life, more than anything? What’s one area of your life where you could be more committed, disciplined, and patient?
• December 22nd – The Full Moon of Capricorn. Capricorn energies in full force! Pledge yourself fully to a goal, intention, or project. Write down your plan and sign it, just like it’s a binding legal agreement.
• December 31st – Mars moves into Aries. Goodbye to the old, hello to the new! There’s a feeling of strength and vitality in the air.
• January 4th – Mercury moves into Capricorn. Time to get back to work! A great day for any type of work-related communication: emails, announcement, writing a company manifesto, etc.
• January 5th – The New Moon of Capricorn. Do you have any new wishes or dreams for 2019? Take the first tiny action step today. Plant the new seed.
• January 6th – Uranus moves direct, possibly bringing unexpected changes and wild, out of the blue opportunities.
• January 7th – Venus moves into Sagittarius. Freedom is in the air! Adventure, exciting goals, and passionate movement towards whatever you want most.
YOUR CAREER MANTRA FOR THIS MONTH:
“If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” —Michael Jordan
We’re all climbing some type of mountain.
You might be climbing towards a higher salary, towards a thriving business, towards more creativity and fulfillment at work, towards better health, or something else.
Wherever you’re trying to go, the only way forward… is forward. Keep going. Harness the powerful Capricorn energy—steady, determined, sensible, patient—and never stop climbing!
Wishing all of you wonderful holidays and a beautiful new year filled with peace.
Love,
Ellen & Heidi
Have you figured out your top priorities and your career action plan for 2019? Want to talk about it? Book a Chart Your Career session here. Let’s take a close look what’s happening in your individual star chart right now—and what it means for your career or business!