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 Aquarius on January 19th, 2017—one day before Inauguration Day in the United States. Aquarius embodies the spirit of revolution. It’s all about coming together, joining forces, and making the world a more luminous place. “Freedom,” “Democracy,” “Authenticity,” “Reinvention”—those are the types of words that sum up what Aquarian energy is all about.
Under the sign of Aquarius, we have an opportunity to ask ourselves, “How can I use my personal gifts to create a safer, happier, and more beautiful world?”
As a new—and frankly, quite terrifying—President takes control of the White House, we all need to dig deep within ourselves and decide, “I’ll do everything in my power to make the world a better place. I’ll do my part. I’m ready for the challenge.”
On January 27th, there’s a New Moon in Aquarius as well. This New Moon is all about group projects, idea-exchanges, and exciting collaborations. Gather! Unite! Discuss! Print pamphlets! Write a blog post! Distribute information! On that same day, Mars moves into Aries, which brings great drive and gusto. If you throw a party, potluck, or host a team meeting on this day, it’s likely to be filled with invigorating conversations—maybe even some heated debates!
On February 3rd, Venus moves into Aries. This transit often brings bold new ideas. Given that Mars is also in Aries at this time, you’ve got a dreamy combination. Brilliant ideas PLUS the drive and motivation to charge forward and make it happen. Inspiration + Action! This is an ideal day to schedule a brisk walk with a friend, head to yoga, or do something physical to get your energy moving. You’ll feel even more invigorated if you start your day with a little sweat!
On February 7th, Mercury moves into Aquarius. Today’s slogan: “Think outside the box.” This is a fantastic day for creative problem-solving—and ditching old habits and systems that just don’t make sense anymore. On this day, you can ask, “Why are we doing it THAT way?” and “What if there’s a better option we’ve never considered?” It’s also a great day to “crowd-source” ideas. When Mercury meets Aquarius, it’s all about “the voice of the people.” Don’t isolate yourself. Ask friends for their suggestions. Create an online survey. Meet with colleagues and brainstorm together. You’ll reach a solution faster if you get several people involved in the process.
Finally, on February 10th, we’ve got the Full Moon of Aquarius. This Full Moon amplifies the energy that’s been building for the past several weeks: Reinvention. Revolution. We the People. Humanity as One.
On the night of the Full Moon, reflect on what you’re currently doing—or what you could be doing—to bring more light into a dark and complicated world. What are the social problems that break your heart—and how could you help out? What are some issues within your company—or industry—that you could help solve? What’s the “revolution”—whether large or small—that you’d like to participate in?
Don’t despair. Stay strong and focused. Do something each day that builds the light.
What does all of this mean for your career? Let’s look closer…
JOB-HUNTING?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: One thing I’m continually telling my clients is, “Job-hunting isn’t a ‘solo’ project.” You’ll have a lot more job options—and you’ll land a great job faster—if you get other people involved in the process. And you’re in luck, because this month is a particularly auspicious time to do that!
On February 7th, Mercury moves into Aquarius, creating a powerful day for crowd-sourcing and gathering info—and assistance—from the people in your community.
If you’re job-hunting, this would be a terrific day to post a note on Facebook to ask your friends for ideas, advice, and encouragement. If you’re looking for a job in the hospitality industry, for example, you could post a note asking, “What’s the best hotel you ever stayed at?” and see what your friends say. A few people might mention hotels that you’ve never even heard of. Then you pop over to those hotel websites, and… behold! Maybe one of those hotels has a job vacancy that would be perfect for you.
Ask for guidance. Ask for suggestions. Ask for personal introductions to hiring managers. Gather ideas from as many friends, family members, and colleagues as you can. It takes a lot of courage to do this—because you might feel a little “exposed” talking about your job-hunt publicly—but I promise: it will accelerate the process. You’ll wind up discovering job opportunities that never would’ve crossed your path any other way.
ALREADY HAVE A JOB?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: If you’re already employed, and you love your current job, hooray! Take advantage of the powerful Venus/Aries/Mars energy on February 3rd… and dive headfirst into a big project. On this day, you’re likely to feel extra-inspired, but also extra-motivated and energized. It’s a potent combination, so use this day to the fullest!
If there’s a project at work that’s been on the backburner for awhile—or that you’ve been avoiding because, “Ugh, it’s going to be boring/take forever”—February 3rd is a great day to dive back in, make a big dent, or even finish the whole thing! It might not take as much time as you thought. Even better, February 3rd happens to be a Friday, so you’ll stride into the weekend feeling so proud and accomplished!
Another date to put into your calendar: February 10th. Exactly one week after your Venus/Aries/Mars energy boost, you’ve got the Full Moon of Aquarius. This is a beautiful day to reflect on how you’re working to create a better world—or, on a smaller scale, a better team, department, or company. What’s one thing you could do to make your company an even better place to work? Maybe there’s an empty conference room that could be turned into a “brainstorming tank” with new whiteboards, pens, paper, paint, inspiring books, games, and other creativity-sparking supplies. Maybe you could lead the charge and create that new room this week!
When you seize the initiative to “make things better,” people take notice, and it’s always a great move for your career. Plus, you’ll inspire your coworkers to do the same thing. Win-win for everyone.
SELF-EMPLOYED OR RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: Ever since Trump’s election, I’ve been swinging from emotion to emotion: Disbelief. Anger. Optimism. Hope. But mostly: Stress. (I recently broke out in rashes all over my body, and my doctor tells me it’s probably stress-related. Blech!)
My point is: it’s a challenging time for so many of us—particularly if you’re freelancing, self-employed, or running a business. You already deal with a heightened level of uncertainty—like wondering how you’ll find clients, and wondering if your next product will be a financial success—and now, on top of all that, you might be wondering, “Is the entire world falling apart?!”
I can empathize. My advice—to myself, and to anyone else who’s self-employed—is to take full advantage of the Aquarian energy this month. It’s a time of personal, national, and global revolution. We need to harness this energy and use it.
If you’ve been struggling to get clients, for example, instead of doing the exact same things you’ve always done in the past, take a more revolutionary approach. On January 19th, you could… scrap your old website. Start fresh. Re-write all of your webpages with a more brave, authentic voice. Show the world who you really are. (OK, you don’t *literally* have to re-do your entire website, but… you get the idea. Revolutionize!)
On January 27th, we’ve got a day that’s ideal for group collaborations and idea-exchanges. Set up a date with a couple of your closest friends and confidantes, and discuss your business goals for the upcoming year. Swap ideas. Share resources. You never know… one of your friends might give you a “Eureka!” idea that changes your life! (Some of my best ideas come from the most unexpected places—like a workshop that I decided to attend spontaneously, or a coffee date with a friend I haven’t seen in months, or a book that a colleague recommended on her blog. You never know where that next “lightning bolt” is going to come from.)
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
January 19th – The Sun moves into Aquarius. (A big invitation to come together, join forces, and making the world a more luminous place. Revolution! Let freedom ring!)
January 27th – New Moon in Aquarius and Mars moves into Aries. (Great time for group projects and sharing/distributing ideas. Gather and collaborate!)
February 3rd – Venus moves into Aries. (POWER DAY! Brilliant ideas PLUS tons of motivation to charge forward and make it happen.)
February 7th – Mercury moves into Aquarius. (Today’s slogan: “Think outside the box.” Collect fresh ideas from your friends, and/or from new and unexpected places.)
February 10th – Full Moon of Aquarius. (Reflect on what you’re doing, or what you could be doing, to bring more light into a dark, complicated world. Don’t despair. Roll up your sleeves and get to work.)
YOUR CAREER MANTRA FOR THIS MONTH:
“My friends, do not lose heart. We were made for these times.”
—Clarissa Pinkola Estes
When your new President feels more like a schoolyard bully… when Muslim families are being targeted for hate crimes more than ever before… when women’s reproductive rights are under attack… it’s easy to lose heart. You might feel discouraged, hopeless, or powerless. Like you’re just “one person,” and there’s not much you can do to make anything better. Like it’s “hard enough” just to worry about your own job-hunt, business, or how you’re going to pay your mortgage this month.
I can empathize with all of those feelings, because I’ve felt all of those feelings myself—not just recently, but at different points all throughout my 30+ year career.
I find comfort in Clarissa Pinkola Estes’ words: “We were made for these times.”
I’m going to choose to believe that—to believe that I’m strong enough to handle all of these challenges, that I was born for this, and that my work is necessary.
You can decide that you don’t matter, or you can decide that you do.
You can decide that everything’s hopeless, or you can decide that there’s still hope.
You can decide that this moment in history is “the worst it’s ever been,” or you can focus on all of the positive things that are happening in our world—all the good, brave people, all the important projects, and you can strive to be one of those people, too.
That’s what I’ll try to do—and that’s what I hope you’ll do, too.
Have a beautiful Aquarian month.
Let’s use this time to the fullest.
Learn more about my career & business coaching services here.
Learn more about Heidi and her astrological services here.