The Hardest Lessons You Learned In 2019, According to Astrology

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Hindsight is 20/20, and with 2020 approaching, what better way to use astrology than to learn from your past?

The year started with jovial Jupiter in ambitious Sagittarius, pushing us to try new experiences and putting us in an optimistic mood. Radical fresh starts were underway as we built new structures in our lives. In January, the first in a series of Capricorn and Cancer eclipses (echoed in July and December) found us realizing higher standards and releasing old emotional patterns. We faced crises and learned our limits the hard way, and though it may have been high stress, we committed to the work like a New Year’s resolution, knowing there was a long-term pay-off.

Also in January, Jupiter clashed with Neptune, the planet of beliefs, for the first of three times in 2019 (the second and third times were in June and September), bringing a bounty of creativity but finding us deeply disappointed in whatever we may have been overly idealistic about. In May, Uranus, the planet of rebellion, entered Taurus (where it will remain until 2015), revolutionizing our approaches to finances, food, and fashion. We came up with radical new ways of thinking and tackled our problems with creative solutions. By the end of this year, Jupiter leaves luxurious Sagittarius for modest Capricorn, encouraging us to make more of what we’ve already got rather than accumulating or taking new things on.

Now that we’re wrapping up this year’s astrological rollercoaster, let’s take a look back at the biggest lessons we learned this year:

At the beginning of 2019, important developments in your family and career found you releasing stagnant emotional energy concerning your past and childhood. You also purged old ideas about power and responsibility to invite new ways of nourishing yourself. Throughout the year you’ve had to get real about which of your beliefs no longer work for you, and you’ve also faced issues you’ve been paranoid about. 2019 also found you thinking outside of the box in your approach to personal finances: You’re a spontaneous person, Aries, but you’re learning that security doesn’t necessarily mean boredom. This year taught you how to balance home and career, how to let go of old resentments and step into a new position of responsibility, and what’s worth getting stressed about.

This year’s eclipses found you releasing old ways of thinking as you explored new philosophical scenes or physical locales, learning new ways to express your thoughts and ideas. As lucky planet Jupiter moved through fiery Sagittarius, you also dove into intimacy, gaining clarity on how much you want to be supported by your partners. Money has also been on your mind this year, especially trickier financial dealings like debts, taxes, and inheritances, and as Jupiter clashed with Neptune repeatedly, you learned which communities, dreams, or causes to put faith in. You may have learned the hard way to look past your idealism to see the bigger picture, and as Uranus entered your sign, you changed your traditional approaches to go against the grain. This year taught you how to connect with your inner compass (literally as you explored new cities and figuratively as you navigated your morals), how to see your friends for who they really are, and that you’re less afraid of change than most people give you credit for!

In 2019, you learned important lessons about spending and saving thanks to the eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer, but on a deeper level, you discovered what’s truly valuable to you as you worked through your fear of the unknown. Security means many things, and you explored it from many angles this year, Gemini, from your finances to intimate relationships. Though Jupiter in Sagittarius offered hope and growth in your relationships, you also learned that you’ve grown out of some partnerships. It was not clear how to define certain interpersonal commitments, and you were vulnerable with others, placing a great deal of faith in your romantic and professional partnerships. Uranus, the planet of invention, moved into Taurus this year, stirring up both mental restlessness and laser-sharp insight into how things work. Your psychic abilities have bloomed and you’ve learned to trust your intuition in a deeper way. This year taught you what security means (emotionally and financially), how to deepen intimacy in your relationships, and how to trust unexpected flashes of intuitive insight that come your way.

Astrologers say that Cancers find it hard to let go of the past, but that’s exactly what you did this year, dear crab! You let go of the old you and released stagnant relationships thanks to the eclipses in Capricorn in Cancer. Your year had its ups and downs: Jupiter in Sagittarius inspired growth and optimism, and you may have even experienced a whirlwind romance—but you’ve also grappled with intense disappointment. Uranus, the planet of rebellion, entered taurus, and you challenged yourself to mingle with new social circles. You’ll continue breaking into new social scenes until 2025 as Uranus transits Taurus. This year taught you that you can say goodbye to yesterday and expect more from your partnerships. You learned how to bring abundance and joy to your daily routines and better organize your time and ideas—plus, you’ve learned to open up to new types of people!

This year has been a balance of mundane and magical for you, dear Leo. The eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer had you working through repressed emotions and finding a new connection with your inner voice as you released some responsibilities that were dragging you down. As Jupiter entered fellow fire sign Sagittarius, you experienced incredible growth and optimism and your love life and creative endeavors—your most pleasurable relationships brought you inspiration, even if it sometimes felt hard to read. Uranus in Taurus also brought innovations to your career—you used technology in new and exciting ways, and will continue to do so! This year taught you that you are that witch who keeps their mugwort and to-do list organized, that having a good time is your birthright as a Leo, that a change in your career could be for the best, and that even though love can hurt, your heart is big enough to handle it.

This year’s eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer brought radical shifts to your social life, and you released emotional baggage concerning romance and creative self-expression. You let go of negative relationships and basically anything that displeased you, and taking on causes and caring for others pushed you where you needed to be. Jupiter, the planet of philosophy, entered Sagittarius and clashed with Neptune three times this year: You were open-minded about your ideas of home and family, but also felt confused by changes taking place in that arena—ultimately, your optimism about relationships influenced where you planted your roots. As Uranus, the planet of rebellion, entered fellow earth sign Taurus, you adopted radical ideas, feeling inspired by reading and learning about foreign concepts. Your out-of-the-box progressive thinking will continue into 2025. This year taught you that new friends are just as lovely as old ones, and that perhaps it’s time to say goodbye to some members of your social circle. You also learned that your home life is a deep well of joy and inspiration, and that relationships require patience—taking time to slow things down will reveal the truth.

This year’s eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer found you taking giant strides in both your career and home life, letting go of the past and releasing tension in your personal life while exploring new possibilities at work. Jupiter, the planet of philosophy, entered its home sign of Sagittarius, and your bookshelf and list of contacts grew exponentially! You’ve likely become a regular at a few local haunts over the last year, and may even be learning some new languages. Jupiter clashed with Neptune, the planet of beliefs, three times in 2019, so your schedule was foggy and you said yes to almost every date you could—even when that wasn’t the smartest move. You definitely learned to have better boundaries and say no to some commitments this year, and as Uranus entered Taurus, your ideas about money changed radically. You discovered how to deal with unexpected changes and face your fear of the unknown, and you’ll continue to have brilliant insights about how to spend money until 2025. This year taught you what you want at home and what you don’t want in your career. You also learned new ways to express yourself, which organizational tools work best for you, and how to deal with unexpected shake-ups.

This year’s eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer found you letting go of old ideas and outdated modes of communication, and exploring new studies and beliefs. Jupiter, the planet of philosophy and expansion, entered your house of personal finances, encouraging material growth—but you might have been spending money that wasn’t really there as Jupiter clashed with Neptune, the planet of illusions. Though you at least invested in things that brought you pleasure, you certainly learned not everything that glitters is gold—next time, you’ll be sure to do your research before making a big investment. Uranus, the planet of rebellion, entered your house of relationships, and you may have realized that you need more personal space in your interpersonal commitments, or that your taste in partners has radically changed. You like things to be intense and all-encompassing, but freedom comes first! This year taught you that “communication” is when you and your partner clearly convey your thoughts to each other—not when you lurk on each other’s social media! You’re a master manifestor, especially when it comes to finances, and this year you learned that the more optimistic you are, the more seems to come your way. You’ve learned that you can have both freedom and flexibility in relationships, without having to sacrifice that intensity you love so much!

This year’s eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer brought radical change to your financial world, Sagittarius, and you may have paid off a debt (financial or emotional) while building your savings. Your optimistic planetary ruler Jupiter spent nearly all of 2019 in your sign, adding an extra sparkle to your eye as you stood strong in your belief in your ability to accomplish anything. Your boosted ambition drove you to new heights, and as Jupiter clashed with illusory Neptune three times this year, your limits may have felt unclear. You learned a lot about your past and may have even discovered that something you believed about your childhood was untrue, or that some of your beliefs were rooted in nothing but self-preservation. Uranus, the planet of rebellion and invention, entered Taurus, and will stay there until 2025, radicalizing your approach to your career and daily routine—you may very well invent your own workflow! This year taught you how to cut up your credit card, how to have faith in ability, and how to forgive yourself for past mistakes. You’ve also learned that it’s OK to cry and make time for your emotions, and that you need more autonomy in your day-to-day schedule.

This year’s eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer rocked your relationships, and you released emotional baggage to step into a new position of power, autonomy, and self-realization. You also connected with exciting new partners or discovered new bonds in already established relationships. Jupiter, the planet of optimism and growth, entered your house of dreams and the subconscious, boosting your intuition and teaching you how to put your faith in things you can’t see. Though it was challenging to clarify your direction in life, you’ve learned plenty from the miscommunications you experienced this year. Uranus, the planet of invention, entered fellow earth sign Taurus, encouraging you to explore new creative forms and approach friendship and romance with a rebellious edge. This year taught you that good relationships are about more than longevity, that your intuitive abilities are real and valuable, and that you can break your own rules if that means inviting more fun and love into your life.

This year’s eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer found you releasing repressed emotions and subconscious habits, embracing new routines that support a happier, healthier life. Jupiter, the planet of growth and philosophy, entered your house of hopes and dreams, and you expanded your political ideas thanks to your also-expanding social circle. Your social obligations may have found you traveling long distances or learning things that were totally new to you as Jupiter’s clashes with Neptune made it easy to spend too much money on an ambitious vision—but at least you learned what dreams you’re willing to go into debt to fund! Your ruling planet Uranus, the planet of invention, entered your house of home and hearth, encouraging you to try new approaches in your personal life, and shifts in your diet, family structure, or living arrangement continue through 2025. This year taught you that you’re psychic even though you don’t really believe in that kind of thing, what you want in a friendship, how to make sure you don’t get hit with an overdraft fee, and that your private spaces need to reflect your free spirit. Go ahead and buy that lava lamp!

This year’s eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer found you letting go of dreams that no longer inspire you and finding new sources of creativity and romance. In 2019, you’ve said goodbye to old friends and hello to new creative collaborators! Your artistic projects have flourished and your circle of close friends was nurtured, while peripheral partnerships made their timely exit. Jupiter, the planet of growth and philosophy and your traditional planetary ruler, was home in ambitious Sagittarius, and you reached new goals and established your legacy in fiery ways. Jupiter also clashed with Neptune, the planet of illusions and your modern planetary ruler, three times this year! You found yourself having to refine your overall vision as you reached for the stars with no map, just plenty of hope—or, you simply went for it without holding anything back! Whether you stuck the landing or things fell apart, the truth was revealed to you and you opened yourself up to radical and unusual ideas as Uranus entered Taurus. From now until 2025, you are full of intellectual bravery and no topic is off limits for you, dear Pisces! This year taught you who your real friends are (the ones that give you both plenty of space and emotional support), how to party in your own unique way, and what you want in your career.

What's in the stars for you in November? Read your monthly horoscope here.

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