CANCER HOROSCOPE

A New Spring Moon always marks a fresh start, but unfortunately it looks like somebody will be cramping your style before you even get out of the starting gate. This may be a naysayer, a buzz-kill, or an authority figure who simply isn't sold on your ideas. Now you could let this person take the wind out of your sails, or you can look for something valuable in what they're saying because the questions they're posing or the criticisms they're sharing are valid. They could even help you identify the very problem you need to solve in order to bring your plans to fruition.

You know you could do a lot more if only you were given the chance, but do you also see how hugging the shadows might give higher-ups the impression that you aren't ready, or worse, just don't care? Thankfully, gung-ho Mars crossing the highest point of your solar horoscope will change all of that. Not only will it spur you on to greater heights over the next 5 ½ weeks, but it will also push you to trumpet your accomplishments instead of muffling them. Part of you will worry about delivering on your promises, but fear and anxiety are good for ensuring that you will.

You’ve calculated and recalculated that risk, and now it’s time to take it before opportunity passes you by. The Sun square Jupiter in Cancer on April 5th shows that there can be no turning back. This is your career-defining moment, so you really must move forward with that dramatic break, push, or purchase. It’s a good time to remember the golden rule of white-water rafting – never try to stay away from the rocks because it's the nature of water to go around them. Let the current of events carry you, and you will emerge on the other side of this with prize in hand.

Things not working out the way they should doesn't have to be cause for despair. It could be what's needed to try something totally new. We all hit certain points in our lives when doing the same thing over and over loses its efficacy. Formulas for success—like bottles of champagne left open overnight—can go flat. What's needed now is a fresh approach. You may think that you don't have the time and energy for it, but make it. Not only will this provide the impetus to break out of the rut you've been in, you may even discover that you'll actually get somewhere.

Opportunity calls… but at a distance. Not only does this mean that you will have to stop what you’re doing and answer it immediately, it also implies that you may be away for a significant period of time. Cancer people are never happy about leaving home, even if it's only overnight, but this isn't something you can refuse. The boost to your career is undeniable and the pay is too much to pass up. So make your arrangements and say your good-byes and be grateful that we live in a day and age when loved ones are only a FaceTime call away.

For months you've waited for the return of good fortune and it finally arrives on March 10th when Jupiter, planet of benevolence and munificence, emerges from its retrograde in your zodiac sign. This is wonderful news because it means that you'll see those long shots of yours hit their mark. For months you’ve been plagued with doubts and anxieties about whether or not your life was heading in the right direction. You will soon receive cosmic confirmation that it is. Not only does this bring relief and peace of mind, but it will also push you to act on certain decisions sooner rather than later.

You may be surprised to hear that someone who disappeared from your life last November is back courtesy of the Sun/Jupiter trine on March 5th. This could pertain to a love affair, a friendship, or an aggrieved family member. Evidently someone thought better of their poor choices, and now they want to make amends. So can you trust them? Well, a trine is still a trine — no matter the complications — which means that this is solid. In fact, you can consider it your reward for never letting go of your faith in things working out and for having persevered despite the odds and doubts.

It looks like coloring inside the lines is beginning to pay off when you see that you've earned the trust of co-workers, clients, and even your boss on February 24th. This will be especially important in the days leading up to next week's lunar eclipse as the atmosphere at work grows more volatile. Change is in the air and everyone feels it, which is why you’ll want to maintain a low profile as foolhardy competitors overplay their hands. In fact, your respectability may well rise with each misstep they make. This could put you in a prime position to ask for the Moon on March 5th.

It's always intimidating taking over from someone who was a success in their own right. Comparisons to this person's stellar performance can't be helped, and you may feel like your chance to shine may be over before it began. The danger here is in trying to replicate what this person did. Not only is it impossible; it's inadvisable, so stop trying to fill a predecessor's shoes. That was then, and now it's you. Resist the temptation to prove yourself and focus instead on the experience, talent, and new approach that you bring to the table. Given time, people will come to recognize you on your own merits.

This is a time to be honest about what you need. Whether it’s a shoulder to lean on, a helping hand, or some kind of financial assistance, you have to be absolutely candid about your situation and receptive to others’ ideas. No one likes feeling vulnerable—especially a Cancer—but acting like there’s nothing wrong (when something is) could be detrimental. Venus begins a four-week tour in Pisces on February 10th. This is bound to warm the heart and untie the purse strings of those who are in a position to help. But they’re not going to do it if you keep saying everything’s OK.