In the midst of this commotion, you might also discover silver linings. Venus’ square to Jupiter on January 14 could present you with a plum opportunity to travel somewhere cool on the company’s dime, or perhaps work on a project that energizes you intellectually. Don’t let the drama distract you from what you’re really here to do, and what you’re most excited to learn.

Scorpio Rising

You’ve been tired since yesterday, and with the way people are counting on you to keep showing up regardless, it’s not about to get easier any time too soon, at least where your current sources of burnout and frustration are concerned. On top of that, you feel like you can’t let your guard down, and all that hyper-vigilance is really starting to wear on you. As Mars perfects an opposition to Pluto early in the month, January starts out on a tense note, and you might feel as though you have to defend your legacy or become a little more ruthless in order to prevail in a situation where your position feels threatened.

The question of whether you have the upper hand will not be a straightforward one to answer, and you might experience the full spectrum of victor to underdog a couple times over before the winter is through. In the meantime, there is also the very real matter of why you’re so over this in the first place. Whether it’s professional burnout, an ethical quandary, or a complete redirection of your purpose that has yet to fully play out, don’t underestimate the importance of what you’re feeling.

After Mars backtracks into Cancer on January 6, you might feel even more at the mercy of forces beyond your control, and perhaps more prone to “withdrawing” from the fight. As you transition into this more defensive position, you may also revisit some of the political and intellectual disagreements that put you here in the first place, or perhaps your increasingly fraught relationship with travel at the moment. Particularly between January 13 and 15, as the Full Moon in Cancer collides with the Sun-Mars opposition, this tension might reach a turning point, and in one way or another, you won’t be able to put that genie back in the bottle again. Principles are not just imaginary lines in the sand, and the ideas you’re defending have a real basis in what happens next. And on the slightly lesser off-chance that you’re just tired of traveling when your boss tells you to, expect to feel especially victimized by these arrangements mid-month.

There is some good news in January, though. Venus spends the month in Pisces, enhancing your ability to experience pleasure of all kinds. Saturn’s presence in this part of your chart for the last two years has been a bit of a buzzkill, and has probably made it harder to enjoy romance, fun, and spontaneity. If you’re a parent, perhaps your children have simply needed more from you. While Venus won’t completely make up for these conditions, it will help. Even if it’s not your ideal version of fun, see if you can let off steam this month by indulging in simple pleasures, returning to your hobbies, and not neglecting other people’s bids for connection.