Here's How To Glow Up During Your Venus Return
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? Believe it or not, it's actually Venus, the planet of romance and beauty. Venus is the most sensual and seductive planet in the zodiac and is named after the Roman goddess of love (via Britannica). Representing the link between worldly desires and spiritual alignment, Venus influences more than just your love life and who you like to date. In fact, when it comes to things like manifestation, money, beauty, and art, Venus is the place you want to look, per Them. Astrology can give you a lot of insight into being your best self; and if you're looking for a way to embrace your own inner shine and confidence, your Venus return chart can show you how to upgrade every aspect of your life.
Venus is one of the fastest-moving planets in the zodiac, taking roughly 225 days to move through all 12 zodiac signs, spending an average of three to five weeks in each, according to Space Place. And your Venus return marks the exact moment in time that Venus returns to the same degree and position it was in at the moment of your birth. While your birth chart stays static, a planetary return chart changes with each new return and carries a different meaning with it. This astrological forecasting technique can give you a sneak preview of what's in store for your social life, money-making opportunities, romance, and love life (via Tarot.com).
How to read a Venus return chart
Before you can begin your own astrological glow-up, you'll need to use a free online astrology calculator, like one from Astro-Seek.com, to create your Venus return chart. You'll just need your time of birth, your birthday, and the location you plan to spend the majority of the next calendar year. Venus returns charts are a popular tool to find insight into how to go about making money, which hobbies to pursue, how your personal style might evolve, and what your love life looks like. The planetary placements in your Venus return chart, along with the houses and aspects can paint the larger picture of how these themes will play out. For example, the placement of the sun in your Venus return chart shows where you'll feel the most confidence, while the placement of Jupiter shows your luck in relationships and your luck in love for the year (via Tea & Rosemary).
Of course, because it's your Venus return chart, the position of Venus and the energy surrounding it will be the most important. From there, you'll want to look at the planets on the angles of your first house (style and aesthetics), fifth house (fun and creativity), seventh house (romance and partnerships), and 10th house (career and public image), per Cafe Astrology. Next, look for any planets of romantic asteroids that conjunct your Venus return angles. Then, finally, look to your North Node to see where destiny might take you for a wild ride.
How to make the most of your Venus return
Your Venus return is a time to try new things and experiment with your outlook on life. As astrologer AstroNiki explains, it's very common to feel more cool, calm, and courageous during your Venus return. Venus rules everything we love: romance, relationships, arts, kindness, money, and much more. So, during your Venus return, you'll feel inspired to play around with your perspective on life and maybe even create a new persona for yourself. "People typically already really like styles that would match their Venus sign because it's what they're attracted to," astro–stylist and content creator Taryn Bond tells Nylon. From the movies and music you like to how you express your unique beauty and style, Venus is the tastemaker of your birth chart.
If you're looking to pamper yourself more this year, there are a few things you can do to make the most of your Venus return. For starters, this is a great time to try out a new haircut or make a serious change to your wardrobe. And if you're really feeling adventurous, take a day off of work and treat yourself to a spa and shopping day. Money flows more freely when Venus aligns with your chart, and this is a great time to enjoy the simplest pleasures of life (like maybe going on a date). And if that's not your speed, spend your day with some takeout and your favorite Netflix program. You deserve it!