Back to Work in 2011

This month, the Sun moves firmly into Capricorn, the workhorse sign of the zodiac. If you can arm yourself with ambition and fresh resolve, you can make the most of this compelling and energetic transit!

Capricorn people, blessed with ambition, are born to succeed at whatever they do. All they have to do is fall in love with their goal, commit themselves and patiently work toward it, and mountains will seemingly move for them. Capricorns are excellent planners, organizers and strategists, and every year at this time we're all under the influence of this forward-looking astrological sign.

But wait, there's more.

This January, the Sun joins Mars in Capricorn (through the 15th). Mars is known as the planet of war, so we have the warrior planet in the Sun sign of the strategist. Are you seeing images of military leaders yet? How about your beloved boss, on steroids, armed with a 12-month plan? Mars means business, striking fear in the heart of innocent employees everywhere. Go into your meetings well-armed with streamlined plans, for Mars thinks like a football coach: The best defense is a good offense!

A note on getting ahead: Capricorn likes to manifest progress, but when the planets are in earthbound signs, things take time. If you're pressed to make something happen immediately, remind yourself to lay off the pressure. Human beings are wired for effort, but if we load our efforts with negative emotions, we inevitably suffer. The Capricorn solution is to create a realistic action plan, then check off an item a day. In other words, take things one step at a time.

January also boasts a solar eclipse in the sign of Capricorn on the 4th. Eclipses bring an element of unpredictability to Capricorn-related matters, the effects of which can be felt over a four-week period -- two weeks before and after the eclipse itself. Figureheads, bosses and leaders will be featured prominently, most likely in a positive light. This month's eclipse features help from Venus, the goddess of harmony, so trust that any little shake-ups to come are simply making way for positive changes.

As Mars prepares to leave Capricorn, Mercury takes its place on the 15th. Mercury could be seen as the office manager of the zodiac, the one who changes printer cartridges just in time, shows up with that cup of coffee right when you need it and expeditiously greases the wheels of ... just about everything.

Finally, as January winds down, so does Capricorn's ruling planet, Saturn, which turns retrograde on the 27th. When the taskmaster of the zodiac goes on its (seemingly backwards) vacation, we'll all have a chance to cool our heels.

Meticulous, organized and ambitious, Capricorn is at our disposal this January ... but we have to show up and make an effort in all aspects of our lives. As with most celestial events, whatever we energy we put into it is what we'll get out of it -- and no sign exemplifies this better than Capricorn!