Jennifer Aniston, an Aquarius.
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Getty Images
As the moon moves through conscientious Virgo — especially when it connects with Venus in the morning — it encourages you to notice what’s off in your life. If your routines have grown dull, or your relationships feel unfulfilling, or you’re wasting time on fruitless endeavors, your dissatisfaction might become impossible to ignore. Fortunately the Virgo moon also offers you renewed energy to do something about it, and a reminder that while your problems might be heavy, they aren’t immutable.
Self-improvement probably isn’t something you’re too concerned with: You’d rather live your life than optimize it. Today, though, you might wonder whether you should put a bit more energy into becoming a “better” version of yourself, one that’s easier to love. But while striving for personal growth is worthwhile, don’t assume that you need to do a complete overhaul on your character. Nothing you can do will make everyone love you — so if you’re going to be embarking on any self-improvement, make sure it’s because you want to.
If you aren’t getting any positive feedback today, it’s easy to assume the worst. If your friends aren’t being effusive about how much they love you, you might imagine that’s because they don’t really care. But try to remember that you don’t express every feeling you have at the exact moment you have it, so why would you expect others to? Consider that there may be more going on beneath the surface, and that the people in your life care about you, even when they don’t make a point of saying so out loud.
Every social group has its own set of norms and unspoken rules, and you’re good at figuring them out. Wherever you go, you can quickly learn how to act like you belong — and other people might even be fooled. But looking like you’re totally at ease doesn’t necessarily mean you feel that way, and today, you might feel especially out of place. You might start to think that you’re always the odd one out and you’ll never truly fit in, but that isn’t true. Maybe you’re not in the right place right now, but that doesn’t mean there is nowhere you’ll feel at home.
Sometimes, it feels like your self-image doesn’t align with the way others see you. Maybe your friends all think you’re wise and mysterious but don’t seem to recognize your sense of humor; maybe they act like you’re gentle and fragile and never give you any credit for your courage. Today, it’s worth pushing back when people describe you in ways that don’t capture you fully — but at the same time, try not to make too big a deal out of it. It’s annoying when others don’t see you clearly, but it doesn’t take away from who you are.
You’re not a contrarian by nature, but you don’t just mindlessly go along with the crowd, either. You do your best to stay true to yourself, whether or not it endears you to the people around you. Today, you might be put in the awkward position of being the only person in opposition to a group consensus. Everyone else seems to be on the same page, but you have questions and doubts. It probably won’t be exactly fun to feel like the odd one out, but you’ll feel worse if you ignore your misgivings for the sake of social harmony.
In an ideal world, all of your relationships would offer a perfect balance of intimacy and freedom. You’d get all the care and support you need, and nobody would ever impinge on your independence. In reality, though, people’s needs rarely align precisely. Today, if your and a loved one’s preferences clash, don’t assume the relationship is doomed. Sometimes it takes a bit of extra effort now to make sure everyone, including you, is satisfied, and there’s nothing wrong with putting in the work.
Every once in a while, you’re seized by the feeling that you aren’t valued enough. Even if this is demonstrably not true and your life is full of caring relationships, it doesn’t change the fact that you feel like something is missing. Today, try not to take that insecurity out on the people in your life, but instead spend some time reflecting on what it is that’s actually wrong — maybe it’s actually you that’s keeping people at a safe distance, or maybe there’s a particular kind of affection you’re lacking — and think about how you might make the changes you need.
You’ve got strong moral convictions, and you tend to stick to them. But today, it might be hard to manage the tension between your noble goals and your real-world circumstances. When you’re working hard to feed yourself, get enough sleep, and pay the bills, it’s hard to be consistently courageous and kind. When you’re navigating a hundred tiny stressors every day, it’s hard to stay committed to your ideals. You might fall short sometimes, but don’t take that as a sign to give up.
Today you might notice some friction between the part of yourself that wants to be serious and respected, and the part that would rather be free-spirited and unpredictable. You want people to see you as someone they can rely on, but also as someone they can let loose with; you want them to recognize your intellect while also thinking you’re fun to be around. Neither desire is more worthy, and trying to repress either one will only lead to frustration, so your challenge today is to try to make space in your life for both.
It can feel embarrassing when small stuff gets under your skin. You want so much to save your energy for the important matters, to be above all the petty bickering and little insecurities. But for all your lofty ideals, you’re still human, and the more you suppress your feelings, telling yourself that you “shouldn’t” be hurt, the more likely it is to fester, leading you to eventually blow up. Today, try to address what you feel in the moment, no matter how silly and insignificant it seems
You aren’t someone who typically relies on subtle hints and nonverbal cues — you try to express yourself straightforwardly. The problem is that even when you think you’re being clear, that doesn’t mean other people understand what you’re trying to get across. It’s not anyone’s fault, communication is just complicated. When you aren’t getting what you need from someone, it’s easy to imagine that it’s because they just don’t care enough — but today, assume that they don’t understand, so try telling them again.
If life feels off-balance today, it might feel like the answer is to dig in your heels. You imagine by committing to making only the safest, most reasonable, and least controversial choices, things will settle down again. But you’ll probably find that this doesn’t actually make you feel any more stable — if anything, it might just make you feel trapped. Sometimes, the answer is to just ride the waves. The more flexible you can be now, the more quickly your confidence and sense of security will return.
Buy Claire Comstock-Gay’s book, Madame Clairevoyant’s Guide to the Stars, here.