March madness, indeed! Buckle up, buttercups, March is going to be a wildly reflective ride.

Most notably, Venus, planet of art, beauty and love, will be retrograde from March 4th through April 15th. Retrogrades get a bad rap, but don’t fret. Unlike Mercury, which trips, stumbles and falls backward several times a year, lending itself to delayed flights and crying at the Apple Genius Bar and “are we breaking up?” miscommunications, Venus only goes retrograde every 18 months. Phew!

With Venus retracing its steps, now is a good time for you to do the same. Putting off an important chat with your boss? Oops, not sticking to that budget you set for yourself? Move slowwwly and reevaluate during this six-week period, particularly with finances and relationships, work or otherwise. I consulted astrologer and cool-as-hell human being Stephanie Gailing to see what the stars hold for you, your money and your career this month. Come on, March, let’s do this.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)
Oh Aries, no one has ever called you patient, have they? You’re all about what’s new and what’s next, so good thing this month offers you a couple of clean slates. First, Venus goes retrograde in your sign on the 4th, shining a light on areas of your life that may need a spring cleaning. Then a new moon arrives in your sign on the 27th; take this as an opportunity to ambush makeover yourself work-wise. Still wearing those ill-fitted pants from 2010? Need to refresh your social media presence? It’s like “New Year, New You”…except it’s March…and it’s a new moon.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)
Pragmatic and practical: that’s you, Taurus. You get your car’s oil changed on time and pay your credit card off – in full! – the same day every month. So when your ruling planet, Venus, begins its retrograde on the 4th, write out a report card and grade yourself on your latest life moves. (You always have been a teacher’s pet.) Now’s the perfect time to schedule a one-on-one with a financial advisor and make the most of your savings. And since you’re more patient than most, investments with a slow yield is a-okay with you. “You can’t touch this money until you retire” is no sweat for a toro.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
Busy butterfly Gemini, always fluttering about. This month’s Full Moon on the 12th burns bright in your career house, so take this time to make sure your work is interesting and fresh. You’re not a this or that type, you’re an I want this and I want that and oh wait, what about this too type; that curiosity sometimes lends itself to having multiple jobs. To make the most of your $$$ from all that hard work, when Venus goes retrograde on the 4th, use your innate fact-gathering skills to catch up on the latest Money magazines and investment ideas. (Then tell us what you learn.)

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)
As the momma bear of the zodiac, you can tend to airplane-oxygen-mask your life, taking care of everyone else first. This month though, March needs you to send tender loving care to your professional life. The Venus retrograde on the 4th occurs in your career house, so now’s the time to give that mentor you’ve lost touch with a call or knock on your boss’s door to talk about next steps. The New Moon on the 27th is centered in the same sector, so get ready to sound the trumpets and roll out the red carpet for your revamped career.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)
Leos love to shine, and with Mars in your publicity zone all month, the spotlight’s on you, lion. Mark your calendar for the Full Moon in detail-oriented Virgo on the 12th. This activates the financial sector of your chart, which could stir up some issues regarding boundaries of money. Not only your money, but our money, so if you’re sharing a joint bank account with a partner, now’s the time to designate boundaries around my money / your money / our money. (Maybe your new Jesse Kamm pants shouldn’t come out of your joint account, just a thought.)

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
You’re constantly striving for perfection, Virgo, which can drive the rest of us a little bonkers. March is your month though, as a Full Moon in your sign appears on the 12th it has you feeling yourself, so go ahead, revel in your greatness. The Venus Retrograde, starting on the 4th, occurs in your eighth house of shared resources, so you may want to take a closer look at joint investments. Remember when your friend borrowed $300 from you three years ago and hasn’t paid you back yet? Yeah, about that…

Libra (September 23 – October 22)
Whoever you invite into your tight-knit team – I’d say squad, but Taylor ruined that word – is everything to you, Libra. You could be scooping dog poop all day for a living, doesn’t matter; as long as you love those around you, you’re golden. So when your ruling planet Venus goes retrograde in your house of relationships on the 4th, it may magnify some issues with your closest companions. Don’t freak out. Just use your big girl words to work through them. In terms of money this month, keep an eye on overspending on beautiful things. But that Maison du Soir sleepset, you say! Or that tufted velvet couch. (I know, I know. That’s the Venus in you.)

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)
You’re all fired up right now, Scorpio! (When aren’t you though, really.) You’re all desire, all the time, and with the Venus retrograde, starting on the 4th, occurring in your sixth house of work, now’s the time to reevaluate how much you’re loving your career. You’re aligned to make money, but your job also has to be rooted in meaning, so if there’s not that component to your work, forget it. The Virgo Full Moon on the 12th will strike a balance within you: you’ll simultaneously be a team player, while always wanting to stand out in a crowd – the ideal employee, if we do say so ourselves. 

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)
Nobody puts Sagittarius in a corner! Sags need freedom, and that doesn’t just mean the plane/train/ automobile kind. Use the Full Moon on the 12th to reevaluate your work/life balance. Perhaps you can wiggle your way into a work-from-home situation one day a week, or convince your boss to let you take on a new project. It’s not all work this month though. With Venus going retrograde in your pleasure sector on the 4th, you’re in the mood for fun. Just keep an eye on your spending, because sometimes, sweet Sag, you’re so exuberant that you say yes to everything. Let’s go parasailing! Let’s go horseback riding on the beach! That yes-yes-yes attitude can leave you cringing at your bank account at the end of the month, but hell, you’re still the one we want to backpack around Peru with.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)
Winner winner, chicken dinner! Congrats, Capricorn, you practical, organized, adulting adult, oftentimes you’re the best sign with money. Your even-keeled-ness lends itself to smart investing – no get rich quick scheming for you – so use this Venus retrograde starting on the 4th, in your fourth house of home and roots, to consider new approaches to continue building your nest egg. The Jupiter and Uranus opposition meets in your house of home and house of career on March 2nd, so you may dust yourself off from a work rut, while the Venus retrograde in your roots house has you feeling more like a homebody than ever. Queue up the Netflix; we’re coming over.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
Wait, even cool as a cucumber Aquarius gets stressed out? You sure do. Venus begins its retrograde cycle on the 4th in Aries, your communication sector, which might stir up some negative Nancy thoughts, so don’t be surprised if self-doubt creeps into your brain this month. Say bye-bye to that when the Virgo full moon on the 12th gives Stella her groove back though. Until the 20th, the Sun is in Pisces and your second house of work and routines, so, boring as it may be, draft that budget and spell out your work and money goals while the stars are on your side.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
Why are you staying at the office until midnight, when everyone else ditches out at 5:00? Pisces have a tendency to give, give, give, but with the Venus retrograde occurring on the 4th in your financial sector, now is your time to reflect on recent missteps and invest in you – empathetic, sensitive, artistic you. Ask yourself: are you feeling valued at work? And, just as important, are you deriving value from your work? Good news is, the Virgo Full Moon arrives in your partnership sector on the 12th, encouraging harmonious collaborations at work and at home.

Image from Elsa May