Born between December 22nd and January 19th, these Saturnians are notorious for being pragmatic workaholics who are constantly striving to reach the peak of their proverbial mountain of acclaim and success. Ruler of the 10th house, Capricorn is no stranger to grind as they are internally driven by their duty to fulfill their obligations.
Oftentimes, these individuals grow up a lot quicker than most, with many of them playing the role of older sibling and, in some cases, a parent to their own mother or father. In extreme cases, physical and emotional neglect in their formative years can turn them into overly-responsible people who tend to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. This is how Capricorn gets its reputation for being the most serious sign of the zodiac.
As a Cardinal Earth sign, Capricorn is often set on laying the groundwork for their future—particularly for their family. Their loyal and sacrificing nature often puts them at the forefront of their family, often making them the backbone of the group. Even those that grew up in a dysfunctional environment are often motivated to create change through breaking generational patterns.
Generally associated with the "father" archetype, Capricorn may experience tension with an important male figure leading them to reject all forms of authority. Sovereignty is a must with this power-hungry boss who takes pride in living their life on their own accord.
The Capricorn Zodiac Sign: An Overview
Physiologically, Capricorn rules the knees, joints, skeletal system, and teeth. Its ruling planet, Saturn, represents the structures of our society that uphold order—such as law enforcement, public officials, and politicians. In some cases, this reserved zodiac sign can be quite traditional in their values. Their appearance is usually well put-together but nothing glamorous as they prefer practicality over anything. You can typically spot them by their wide face accentuated by their chiseled cheekbones, giving them a strikingly photogenic face. Their hair tends to be fine, even if they have a lot of it and the men have a tendency to bald relatively early in life.
Often mistaken as a total snooze-fest, the Capricorn will surprise you after warming up to them. You'll come to find that Capricorn is attentive, charming, and funny—with some even possessing a dark sense of humor that only translates to people that can accept the balance of light and dark. There's no coincidence that this GOAT is represented by "The Devil" in the Tarot. That's not to say Cappies are evil but given their Saturnian influence, they have a tendency to be melancholy and even depressed. These emotions, often mislabeled as "bad," are simply a part of life in many cases. Due to some tough circumstances in their past, these resilient go-getters learn to master the art of processing heavier emotions like grief, sorrow, and loss which each play a vital role in our emotional development and balance.
Capricorn Best & Worst Personality Traits
Best Capricorn Personality Traits:
- Ambitious
- Practical
- Disciplined
- Classy
Worst Capricorn Personality Traits:
- Uptight
- Melancholy
- Critical
Capricorn in Career
As natural-born leaders, Capricorn bodes well in positions of leadership, whether that's in a big corporation, government office, or a small business. More goal-oriented than most, they love having a clearly mapped out strategy for how they're going to get from Point A to Point Z. Heading over the logistics of an operation is a suitable role for these structured disciplinarians.
All feelings aside, a Capricorn will get results no matter what it takes. Although they have the ability to motivate those around them, they can just as easily strike fear in them as well which is why it's important for the power-hungry individuals to stay humble. In taking this approach, they can wield their influence with more ease and harmony for everyone involved. Whatever career a Capricorn chooses, even if it's being a stay-at-home mom, will always entail the three pillars of succes—build, achieve, secure.
Capricorn in Love
Typically, Capricorn likes to take their time in building a relationship. Remember, they are an Earth sign so they're going to move a little slower but usually with good reason. With their legacy being an important factor, they have no problem waiting until they hit the genetic jackpot.
As driven as they are, it's important for their partner to have their own thing going on so they don't suffocate the poor Capricorn who gets a bit squeamish if emotions get involved too quickly. Secretly, these composed lovers desire to surrender to wild romance; however, their Saturnian nature won't allow their feelings to trump their logic. It takes a special person to see through this defense mechanism and to not take it personally when they're immersed in their work (it's their happy, safe place).
Give them space when they need it but don't be afraid to call them out on their shit when they're clearly making excuses to spend time with you. They have a tendency to distract themselves with work when their feelings get stirred up. In due time, they'll grant you access to their precious inner world in which you'll begin to see the innocence and purity that lies within them. Generally, Capricorn pairs well with other Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) as well as Pisces and Scorpio.
Famous Capricorn Celebrities
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for ELLE
- Issa Rae
- Tina Knowles
- Blue Ivy Carter
- Denzel Washington
- Mary J. Blige
- LeBron James
- Michelle Obama
- John Legend
- Tiger Woods
Featured image by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for ELLE
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
___
Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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