I have mixed drinks about feelings.
Eric Church, Country Artist
Welcome to the Age of Aquarius, all!
January 19 to February 18 is officially considered Aquarius season, a time when entering into new relationships and strengthening existing bonds is at the center of everyone’s attention.
Even if your birthday doesn’t fall within this period, the planetary positions affect us all, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. We can thank our lucky stars that astrologists and astronomers alike have been studying the heavens almost as long as we’ve been alive, so there’s somewhat of a method to the madness.
And hey, I get it . . . the language of astrology doesn’t resonate with some folks and that’s okay! Whether or not you ‘buy into’ the signs, the lessons of their seasons still apply to people from all walks of life. Who doesn’t need a break from the pervasive anxiety of our hustle culture?
If you’re looking for a light at the end of an emotional tunnel or just some wisdom for whatever lies ahead, you’ve come to the right place! Today we’ll be exploring advice for surviving this season with grace, gratitude and goodwill. Guided by our pillars of life as always (eating, drinking, working and playing), we’ll walk through what to expect this upcoming Aquarius season!
Looking for even more inspiration in the stars? I’ve just begun a brand new Instagram series featuring a never-before-sipped tipple inspired by each sign of the Zodiac in their respective seasons!
Check the Eat. Drink. Work. Play. IG next month to get a taste of what Pisces has to offer. Until then, my ‘Aquarian Eye Opener’ should quench your thirst for the sky’s insights.
Eating Like an Aquarian
“Aquarius is the zodiac’s revolutionary! And [you’re] feeling inspired to stand out and make a change right now . . . “
~ Jake Register
Feeling ready for a change? Hearing little voices in your head telling you it’s time to test your boundaries a bit? Listen up!
The element of air is taking center stage this month, and it tells us that the facets of life that speak to our unique natures are what is needed to be nurtured now.
If you’re found yourself eating the same four meals on a constant rotation or stuck in the hamster-wheel of meal deliveries, you’re probably at your wit’s (and wallet’s) end! Repetition and monotony are the enemies of Aquarians: take inspiration from the revolutionary energy flowing through the either and commit to mixing things up this month by:
- Take a cooking class with a friend. This season suggests an increased impulse to link up with the ones we love. Honor that by incorporating your meal-prep process. Collectively growing our consciousness through food education is an empowering way to positively influence our bonds!
- Redecorate your kitchen. Our environments have a powerful and unconscious impact on our emotional lives. Feeling stressed in your food space? Organization and rearrangement are simple solutions capable of bringing immensely satisfying results.
- Incorporate one ‘fear food’ into your diet every day. New Year’s Resolution rhetoric has a way of turning food into a foul source of anxiety for many people. Say no to society’s fixation on diet-culture by ditching food rules and indulging in whatever snacks you savor!
Drinking Like An Aquarian
“[This is] not the time to play by the old rules or to recycle familiar formulas. Pursue what you want to pursue, even if you’ve no idea how to make that happen.”
~ Christopher Renstrom
There’s something so intensely satisfying about seeing yourself for all that you are and expressing it! Aquarius season definitely encourages this energy and asks you to question how you can infuse a little more self-celebration into your daily life.
Alcohol is an often unintentionally consumed substance, whether celebrating or consoling oneself. Whether you are all allowing yourself extra indulgence or abstaining altogether, the strict restrictions we plan on imbibing can often result in an unhealthy relationship with it, and thus ourselves. Do you drink to dull out the dark? Or, in a lighter sense, does it help pass the time in a more pleasurable way? If your answer to either of these questions was a resounding (or restrained) ‘yes,’ you want want to switch up the way you do drinking
Shake things up in your liquid-life by:
- Pursuing a bartending license. If you’ve always fancied yourself an amateur mixologist, why not try your hand at mastering the craft? It may seem intimidating at first, but this season is about being your own cheerleader and the only way to celebrate your wins is to test the waters in the first place!
- Starting a social media page to feature your creations. I may be a bit biased, but my relationship with alcohol improved immensely when I took the time to experiment on my own. The internet can feel like an intense version of the Wild West come to life, but it can also give you a platform to connect to likeminded libators around the globe. It’s a gift to share your creations with folks who actively inspire you. So, give it a try.
- Letting a loved one choose your drink menu for the week. Does polishing off another bottle of Josh after work sound like your foreseeable weeknight plans? Let a friend take the wheel on this one! Go to a trusted pal, one whose palate is tried and true, and give them the reins. You may be pleasantly surprised (and satiated) by what they choose!
Working Like An Aquarian
“This season is your chance to reject the crushing weight of practicality. You don’t have to limit your dreams to what seems ‘realistic.’ Instead, let your ideas grow wild and lofty. Let yourself want it all.“
~ Claire Comstock Gay
It’s safe to say we all need a little space right now. You would think it would be the opposite, right? After over a year of relegating all activity to our own isolation bubbles, it seems like we’d all be eager to get back out there in every way.
As with everything else, let your mindset rule over matter. In other words: relax. You need to recharge before you’re ready to ramp-up again.
Mental stress dampens your capacity for dreaming and that is what this season is screaming at you to invest your energy in. If you have career goals that have been crushing your soul, release the unmeetable expectations you’ve been placing on yourself.
Everything comes in its time, and you can take smaller steps toward the bigger objectives by:
- Setting one small goal everyday and achieving it. The big picture can feel immensely heavy so remind yourself that little steps can make the biggest difference when it comes to achieving your dreams. Even if your task today is simply selecting jobs you want to apply for, setting the intention is the first step towards success.
- Reaching out to connects. You can’t get what you don’t ask for. So often we hold ourselves back from reaching out because of our fear of perception. For example, professional women get branded as being too pushy or forward so frequently that it keeps us from informing valuable networking connections that we mean business! Make your mark, but try not to get tangled in knots with the stress of it all. You are enough.
- Investing in a professional advancement item. The proof is in the pudding; prove you are already the successful, capable pro you wish to be treated as by making a strategic purchase toward your professional goals. Need to perfect public speaking for an upcoming pitch? Take class and/or a private coaching sesh! Working on a computer that can’t live without constant charging? Time to level up!
Playing Like An Aquarian
“It’s okay to take center stage, warm up to people, and let your guard down sometimes, Aquarius.”
~ Sarah Regan
Perhaps the single most important lesson Aquarius season has to teach us is how we can focus on the good and find it in ourselves. The fresh breath of air blowing through this time is pushing you closer to the positive, so ride wind! It’s time to take off the rose-colored glasses and see things for how they really are: glorious and technicolor. This new clarify may seem scary at first, but remember that the power and potential of your happiness lies in the palm of your hand.
Reach out and grab life by the horns by:
- Taking a solo trip. This idea may have seemed far too daunting to act on in the past, but the spirit of Aquarius is running through you now, giving you a more relaxed approach to life. Don’t waste this opportunity to be open by closing yourself off to new experiences. Traveling solo is one of the most introspective and rewarding adventures life has to offer. You are ready!
- Finally trying one of those dating apps. Luckily for you, the internet has solutions by the dozens and because you’ve found yourself in a more peaceful state of mind, you’re more likely to make a lighthearted match. Things that would’ve turned you off from a mate in meetings past may just well by what excite most now (or at the very least, not kill the vibe completely). Get out there but remember your most important relationship is the one you nurture with yourself.
- Inviting some friends over for a night of karaoke! You read ‘center stage’ correctly! The Age of Aquarius says it’s your time to shine, so show ’em what you’re working with! Even if singing isn’t your thing, taking up space is so in and there’s no better way to do that than reclaiming your time on the mic! Harness your newfound neutrality by stepping into a situation that would have previously made you feel out of control.
Burnout is real, and really intense this time of year. Ambition is an asset but also an element that can quickly bring you out of alignment. Sopping to smell the roses in the garden of your life isn’t enough if you aren’t watering them too. Aquarius season is a signal that it’s time to pour back into yourself; everything you want can only come to you if you’re ready to receive it!
These tips act as inspiration for you this month. If any of them sound too scary or unrealistic, oonsider what disregarding your mental health may be manifesting for you. Are you afraid that looking inward by extending your energy outside will show you something you’re unprepared to see? ‘Me time’ can take many forms; just allow yourself to engage with experiences that make your heart beat. Give yourself room to grow into the beautiful rose you really are by tending to yourself. You’ll be surprised at how high you can climb when you step out into the sun and the stars.
Stacy Kopper
February 3, 2022I’m going to embrace travel like an Aquarian.