VIRGO HOROSCOPE

As a Virgo, you can become resentful around situations where you feel beholden to someone else. It's why you keep one foot out the door. This pops up with job situations where you don't want to be taken for granted, family interactions where you feel like a modern-day Cinderella, or relationships where it's your partner — and not you — who holds the purse strings. Well, just about anything that could rattle your cage has rattled your cage recently, and you're still here. So what does that say? Now that you've exhausted all of your reasons for leaving, you might want to switch your focus to staying.

Mercury retrograde in your opposite sign is always a befuddling time for you. Not only are you off your game, but your judgment is questionable. Are you familiar with that warning label on certain medications that advises against operating heavy machinery if you take them? This same advice holds true for making important decisions now, finalizing big purchases, or annexing Greenland. You'll have quite a time of it between the Lunar Eclipse on March 4th and the new moon in Pisces on March 18th, but if you play it safe then you should emerge from all this unscathed when Mercury resumes direction on March 20th.

You have friends in high places, and now's the time to contact them. Ruling Planet Mercury trine Jupiter on February 16th shows that circumstances couldn’t be more opportune to ask them for a favor, recommendation, or valuable introduction. They can open doors for you. Moreover, you want to do this when you’re riding a wave of good fortune and not when you’re down on your luck. People are more likely to back someone who makes them look good, which is why they say that success has many friends. A trump card isn't any good if it's never played, so get out there and make the rounds.

Dramatic changes in your partner’s life are going to have a powerful impact on you. In the past, you would have sucked it up and quietly put their needs ahead of yours, but you have a lot of things going for you right now and you’re not that into sacrifice. Sit down and talk about what’s at stake for both of you. You’ll find that your partner is not insensitive and wants to find a way to make things work so that nobody loses out. Work with developments as they unfold and you will certainly wind up with the best of all possible worlds.

You'll have to break ties with one party if you want to pursue a better situation with another. It happens all the time in business, but as a Virgo you can't help feeling bad. Nevertheless you've studied the pros and cons and just don't see how you can afford to pass up this opportunity. That said, be prepared to pay for it in some way. Maybe there's a penalty fee or you'll have to work for both sides temporarily to ensure a smooth transition. The Mercury part of you resents being made to jump through hoops but your conscience will sleep much better at night.

During the time that Neptune is in Aries, you'll be doing a lot of things you said you'd never do or find yourself in situations you swore you'd never go near. That's because Neptune in the zodiac sign of the superhero will prompt you to rush in where angels fear to tread. Usually you advise from the sidelines and at a safe distance. You believe in helping people to help themselves; not in fighting their battles for them. Nevertheless, it's good to get off the bench and into the arena to show how brave and resilient you can be. It comes with the boots and cape.

You're negotiating quite the minefield on January 21st and 22nd. Everything may look fine on the surface, but you're surrounded by a web of technicalities, hidden terms, and non-compete clauses. Any false step or sudden signature could result in you being beholden to the very person who appears to be offering you the deal of a lifetime. Now, you could just refuse to participate, but that would mean giving up a desirable prize. Try entering into the spirit of the contest instead. The person you're talking to would enjoy a battle of wits, and you might wind up winning their respect in the process.

Your ruling planet, Mercury, will be quite the busy bee on January 18th. Its translation of light from Mars to Saturn to Uranus shows it racing the clock to tie up all the loose ends. It's like that moment on the cooking show CHOPPED when the contestants have to finish what they're doing and step away from their dishes. Being a Virgo, you're apt to see a million things wrong with the decisions you made, but the stars say otherwise. Not only will you make the best use of this extremely rare and pivotal Mercury transit, but you'll wind up sitting pretty as a result.

The only thing more difficult than making a decision is acting on it once it's been made. You can revisit the whys and wherefores all you like, but the truth is your mind is made up. The only thing left to do is to tell the people whose lives will be impacted by this. It won't be easy because you don't like to upset anyone, but this is where you need to mind your own business and let them mind theirs. They're more than capable of handling their own thoughts and feelings on the matter. In fact this is probably something that should have happened sooner.

The collapse of a pledge or agreement should be cause for concern so why are you breathing an enormous sigh of relief on December 23d? Probably because this is something you never wanted anything to do with in the first place. You had your fair share of doubts from the start but didn't voice them because you felt obligated and/or guilty. As you distance yourself from this situation keep in mind that this could happen again. Every time you don't speak up you're leading people to believe that you're happy with something when you're not. Do yourself a favor next time and just say “no.”