Your Weekly Horoscope for January 3, 2021

After living through a year that felt like a decade, 2021 is finally here. It's a new day, a new dawn, a new life — OK, maybe not quite, but if you're feeling optimistic about getting closer to that light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel, you're not alone, and you're not wrong. The first full week of 2021 is peppered with lots of game-changing, tone-shifting planetary changes — almost like the universe knows we're beyond ready for a new vibe.

Before it leaves Capricorn — where it's been since December 20 — later in the week, messenger Mercury pairs up with transformative Pluto in the cardinal earth sign on Monday, January 4, supporting deep dives into burning questions you've had on your mind for a while now. Uncovering secrets, ideally through research, asking questions, and having probing conversations, can lead to bolstered understanding.

On Wednesday, January 6, go-getter Mars, which has spent basically the second half of the Year That Must Not Be Named in aggressive Aries, finally moves forward, switching up the tone of how to get things done — and connect physically. Until March 3, it'll be in sensual, slow-burn fixed earth sign Taurus, encouraging slower, steadier action. (Cue more attention paid to foreplay, thank goodness.)

Then, on Friday, January 8, Mercury moves into Aquarius, where it'll bring a more forward-thinking, eccentric vibe to the way we express ourselves and share information with one another. The same day, romantic Venus, which has been in fiery Sagittarius since December 15, moves into pragmatic Capricorn, where it'll infuse relationships with old-school romance, enduring commitment, and boundaries when necessary.

The week closes out on Saturday, January 9 with Venus forming a harmonizing angle to Mars (now both in earth signs), which can make for a sexy date night in. Just be aware of that evening's conjunction between Mercury and Saturn in Aquarius, which could steer conversations from flirtatious to serious.

Want to know more about how you can personally take advantage of this week's astrological highlights? Read on for your sign's weekly horoscope. (Pro tip: Be sure to read your rising sign/ascendant, aka your social personality, if you know that, too. If not, consider getting a natal chart reading to find out.)

Aries (March 21–April 19)

Your weekly highlights: Career 💼 and Relationships 💕

On Monday, January 4, communicator Mercury and transformative Pluto pair up in your tenth house of career, nudging you to investigate an ongoing situation you've been meaning to unpack with higher-ups. You'll feel like you have to be relentless in your pursuit of the truth, but staying cool, calm, and collected is sure to serve you better — and get you the answers you've been looking for — than an in-your-face approach now.

Then, on Tuesday, January 5, the emotional moon in your seventh house of partnership forms a harmonizing conjunction to both taskmaster Saturn and lucky Jupiter in your eleventh house of networking, making it a particularly fortunate time to hash out a big-picture plan for tackling either a one-on-one or group undertaking. Whether you're jumping into a Zoom room with friends to figure out which food bank you can support or doing a bit of New Year's Kondo-ing around your place with your S.O., you'll feel more connected — and productive. (

Taurus (April 20–May 20)

Your weekly highlights: Wellness 🍏and Sex 🔥

Chances are you've been feeling a bit low on energy over the past few months, and you can point the finger — at least in part — at the planet of action, Mars, which has been lingering in your twelfth house of spirituality since June 28. (Yes, really.) Thankfully, you're about to get a surge of get-up-and-go vibes, because it'll move into your sign on Wednesday, January 6, where it remains until March 3, making you feel more prepared to stand up for and pursue your passion projects. This transit could feel downright revitalizing for your mind and body.

And on January 9, sweet Venus in your ninth house of adventure forms a harmonizing trine to Mars, and you'll feel like your luck is off the charts. You'll want to get out of your comfort zone and experience something new (think: trying a new winter snow sport or experimenting with a new type of sex toy).

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

Your weekly highlights: Personal Growth 💡and Love ❤️

You're generally super curious, Gemini, but you'll have an even greater appetite for soaking up knowledge once your ruling planet, messenger Mercury, moves through your ninth house of higher learning from Friday, January 8, until its retrograde begins on the 30th. Superficial conversations might even frustrate you, so make a point to connect with friends and loved ones who are up for deep, philosophical dives. You could find even more fulfillment than usual from getting swept up in a good book and planning future travel now, too.

Romantic Venus will be urging you to go even deeper in your closest relationships while it moves through your eighth house of emotional bonds and sexual intimacy from Friday until February 1. If you can more easily share deep-seated pain and dreams with someone special, you might end up taking a lighthearted bond to the next level or, if you're in a LTR, feel extra reassured that you and your S.O. are in sync.

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

Your weekly highlights: Career 💼 and Relationships 💕

Last year, you were focused quite a bit on earning recognition for putting your nose to the grindstone on the job. Now, as go-getter Mars moves into your eleventh house of networking on Wednesday, January 6, where it remains until March 3, you'll realize that working as part of a team is the key to success and career advancement.

That theme of nurturing important connections continues while romantic Venus moves through your seventh house of partnership from Friday, January 8 to February 1. You'll want to manage your time in a way that you can make one-on-one time with potential matches or your long-time sweetheart a top priority. In fact, if you're single, you could be more open to love, and in turn, meet someone awesome. But no matter your relationship status, you'll find you can get further on your goals — especially those that you share with a partner — when you tackle it as a pair.

Leo (July 23–August 22)

Your weekly highlights: Wellness 🍏 and Relationships 💕

While social Venus moves through your sixth house of wellness and daily routine from Friday, January 8 to February 1, you'll find that connecting with friends and trusted mentors on your most pressing health questions is happening more organically. You could learn about a cool new meditation app from your colleague or get more involved in an online fitness group. Experiences like these will only serve to fuel your progress as you strive to feel more balanced and well on the regular.

The same day, messenger Mercury enters your seventh house of partnership, cranking up the intensity of your mental energy and bandwidth for one-on-one collabs until its retrograde on January 30. Enlisting your S.O. to assist you with a research project or striking up an intellectual debate with a Bumble match can be even more stimulating now.

Virgo (August 23–September 22)

Your weekly highlights: Love ❤️ and Wellness 🍏

You could find you're able to attract whatever your heart is set on without much effort at all while romantic Venus moves through your fifth house of romance and self-expression from Friday, January 8 to February 1. The fact is that this transit makes you even more charming, magnetic, and radiating from inside out. In other words, this is the time to channel your inner Beyoncé and pursue whatever brings you the most pleasure. Hell yes, you deserve it.

The same day, your ruling planet, messenger Mercury, enters your sixth house of health and daily routine where it'll move forward until January 30 (when it'll go retrograde, more on that then). This period can really lend itself to checking off all those wellness-related to-dos you've been meaning to tackle (think: doctor's appointments, finally starting that strength program, etc.) Take care of biz, and you'll feel accomplished and on track.

Libra (September 23–October 22)

Your weekly highlights: Sex 🔥and Love ❤️

While go-getter Mars is in your eighth house of emotional bonds and sexual intimacy from Wednesday, January 6 to March 3, your appetite for intense conversations and your sex drive should both get a boost. You'll want to not only be open about serious, heartfelt feelings with someone special but to nurture the type of connection that organically leads to a crazy hot time between the sheets.

Then, thanks to messenger Mercury moving through your fifth house of self-expression and romance from Friday, January 8 until its retrograde on the 30th, you'll be feeling especially creative and flirtatious. You could be inspired to send your partner suggestive, sassy texts to set the mood for a romp later that evening, or you might start swiping, and quickly find yourself contending with a flurry of heart-palpitating convos. Lean into playfulness, and enjoy!

Scorpio (October 23–November 21)

Your weekly highlights: Career 💼 and Relationships 💕

While one of your ruling planets, go-getter Mars, moves through your seventh house of partnership from Wednesday, January 6 to March 3, you'll notice that the best way to check things off your never-ending professional to-do list is by pairing up with a colleague, friend, or S.O. Whether you're just running your game plan by them over a quick FaceTime session or you're actually in the midst of starting a business or moving in together, relying on a strong, reciprocal relationship can improve the end result.

Then from Friday, January 8 to February 1, messenger Mercury moves through your fourth house of home life, you'll want to schedule more time to connect with loved ones. This is a beneficial time for going over important paperwork with your parents, having that overdue heart-to-heart with a sibling, or tending to old emotional wounds with a trusted confidant, like your therapist.

Sagittarius (November 22–December 21)

Your weekly highlights: Money 🤑 and Wellness 🍏

You could feel compelled to step up your moneymaking game on Monday, January 4, communicator Mercury and transformative Pluto pair up in your second house of income. Whether you're on a mission to land a new client or you want to negotiate your salary with a higher-up, you'll be able to dive deep into relevant background info that can boost your confidence going into a key meeting. If you uncovered some unexpected surprises along the way, these could be used to your advantage as well.

While go-getter Mars moves through your sixth house of wellness from Wednesday, January 6 to March 3, you'll also feel more energized and enthusiastic about keeping up with everyday healthy habits. While you could actually be inspired to tackle a slew of goals at once, a strategy that's pragmatic and steady, if not speedy, can be the best way to support your vitality.

Capricorn (December 22–January 19)

Your weekly highlights: Love ❤️and Money 🤑

While relationship-oriented Venus is in your sign from Friday, January 8 to February 1, you might actually be able to break yourself away from work long enough to swipe on someone exciting or enjoy a romantic weekend getaway (or staycation) with your sweetheart. Spending QT on pursuing your most heartfelt desires feels truly enlivening.

Then from Friday, January 8th to the 30th, messenger Mercury moving forward through your second house of income can amplify your mental energy to connect with exciting new clients, research how to step up your hustle, and have productive brainstorms with colleagues. Basically, the more you can exchange ideas with others, the more motivated and inspired you'll feel. If it sounds like a recipe for super-satisfying moneymaking results, that's because it 💯 is.

Aquarius (January 20–February 18)

Your weekly highlights: Personal Growth

and Career

On Tuesday, January 5, the emotional moon in your ninth house of higher education forms positive angles to both taskmaster Saturn and lucky Jupiter in your sign, and you could find yourself feeling as serious as you are optimistic about getting out of your comfort zone. This could inspire you to sign up for an online class or link up with a trusted mentor to boost your skill set as a way to advance your career.

While messenger Mercury moves forward through your sign from Friday until its retrograde starts on the 30th (more on that then), you'll feel like you don't need to reach for that cold brew to totally kill it in a meeting with higher-ups or pitch a passion project to potential clients. You'll more naturally be able to articulate what's in your heart and on your mind — which can, TBH, amplify your success across areas of your life — but be especially helpful when getting after your professional goals.

Pisces (February 19–March 20)

Your weekly highlights: Wellness

and Creativity

Carve out time for rituals or practices that allow you to tune into your intuition while messenger Mercury is in your twelfth house of spirituality from Friday, January 8 until its retrograde on the 30th (more on that then). This can be a beneficial time for exploring what's happening beneath the surface mentally and emotionally and getting a better sense of how you're managing the downstream effects of old wounds. What you uncover could boost your self-awareness and have you feeling lighter and, ultimately, more prepared to receive gifts that life has to offer in the months ahead.

Also on Friday, social Venus will begin its trip through your eleventh house of networking, which lasts until February 1, bringing you joy when you connect with people with common interests and values. This could lead to feeling more seen and empowered to express yourself creatively.

Maressa Brown is a writer and astrologer with more than 15 years of experience. In addition to being Shape's resident astrologer, she contributes to InStyle, Parents, Astrology.com, and more. Follow her Instagram and Twitter at @MaressaSylvie.