On The Bright Side: Self-Care Tips to Get You Through the Darkest Day of the Year

This year, the winter solstice will be a more challenging transit than usual… more challenging, in fact, than it has been in 350 years.

On December 21, the sun and Saturn will both move into Capricorn – with the former two planets resting in perfect alignment. The planets that are known as strong-willed “taskmasters” will be lit up by a direct hit from the sun. But, despite how it seems, this isn’t a day to take action.

Thanks to Mercury retrograde, it’s best to avoid travel if you can. Try not to attend any major meetings, or make big decisions that will set the course for 2018.
Looking for some extra insight? Find out what’s in the cards for you with a 2018 Tarot Reading today. 

Basically, this winter solstice is a day for us all to expect the unexpected.

Of course, we’re not inherently doomed just because a difficult transit is coming up. In fact, anyone who has followed astrology long enough will probably have realized that most things like this are set-ups for a greater purpose.

Discomfort isn’t random, it is indicative of what we need to work on and address.

Still, the best way to deal with the literal darkest and most potentially challenging day of the year is not to draft up your 2018 resolutions. Instead, cut yourself some slack, take it easy, reflect, connect, and let the super-intense energy dissolve itself.

Here are some suggestions to help you do just that, based on your sign.

Aries

Host a “burning ceremony.” 
Gather with some close friends and have everyone write down on little slips of paper things they’d like to leave behind in 2017. Either share your ideas with the group, or simply take turns lighting the pieces of paper on fire – in a safe and legal location, of course. Either way, the energy of release will be palpable.

Taurus

Have a solstice dinner. 
As a Taurus, your greatest sense of ease comes from not only serving others, but being able to connect with them. Kill two birds with one stone by hosting a small get-together.  Cook for some people you are close with, and maybe have a few drinks. There’s no better tonic to take the edge off, is there?

Gemini

Schedule a crafting day.
Whether or not you’re a natural Pinterest DIY’er, this is a day to create an outlet for all that you will be feeling, and you can best do that by focusing on painting, building, or otherwise creating something. This is not a day to let your mind needlessly wander, it is a time to focus on a task and see it to completion.

Cancer

Write and share.
Whether it’s a letter or a blog post, it’s time to share how you’re feeling in words with those closest to you (or, you know, your closest Tumblr followers). Or, if you’re feeling just too private to share, try your hand at poetry. Either way, taking pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) is the way to express your feelings today.

Leo

Give yourself a beauty treatment.
Whip out your favorite face mask, light a candle, and take a long, warm bath to relax this evening. It’s time to show yourself some love. The best thing to get you through a rough day is some good old-fashioned self-care, and you’re pretty much a pro at it anyway.

Virgo

Go for a walk on your own.
If walking isn’t desirable or possible, consider a car or train ride. Either way, get out of your day-to-day routine and see some beautiful new sights. It will refresh you and inspire you. Some quiet time will be good for your mind.

Libra

Check out your 2017 “Top 9.”
There’s a website that connects to your Instagram account that allows you to see your most popular posts of the year. This would be a great thing to check out on this day, when you’re probably going to be feeling self-critical and apathetic. Remind yourself of how much you’ve done and how far you’ve come. You’re closer than you think you are.

Scorpio

Go get a drink with someone you care about.
Have a one-on-one date with someone you’re close to and open up about how you’ve really been feeling this year. A word of caution: don’t go too heavy on the liquor tonight. You’re going to be emotional, and you don’t need to get sloppy. Also, don’t believe everything you think… or feel.

Sagittarius

Grab a coffee and browse your favorite bookstore.
The best way a Sag copes with, well, anything, is by acquiring new information. This would be a great day to sit back, read, enjoy your favorite beverage, and let yourself consider something you never have before. Whether you’re a fan of fiction, business, or poetry, indulge in something that consumes your mind for a while. It will be a nice break from running on overdrive today.

Capricorn

Take a 24-hour break from social media.
As the sun sign that is most impacted by this transit, it would be a good day to do a little digital detox. Take a break from other people’s opinions and your FOMO complex and just focus on being present.

Aquarius

Netflix and chill.
This is a day for comfort, and you know how to do that better than almost anyone. Don’t worry about creating, progressing and developing today… let yourself totally let go, and indulge in some of your guilty pleasures. You deserve it.

Pisces

Make a playlist of your favorite feel-good songs. 
Pisces are more sensitive than other signs, and music is a great way to access that aspect of your sign. Make a throwback playlist, either from your childhood, high school, or even just the last few years to remind yourself of all the good times you’ve had. Even if you’re feeling weighed down by the energy of the day, remind yourself that it’s all just temporary.
Find out what the coming year holds for your sign with our 2018 Premium Horoscope!