January is all about closing one chapter and preparing for a new one. We begin the year with a little more patience and time needed than usual, with Mars, the planet of action, being retrograde as we enter 2025. With this important transit taking place, we are being reminded that this year is not a race, and the priority right now is about taking more concrete, well-thought-out action on our dreams, and remembering the power of believing in ourselves in the process.
January 2025 Astrology Overview: Key Transits to Watch
Venus, the planet of love, enters Pisces on Jan. 2 until Feb. 4, and Venus loves being in this water sign. Love is a little more magical under this energy, and the dreams you once intended for yourself in relationship matters have all the potential to be seen through right now. A few days later, however, Mars retrograde enters Cancer until Feb. 23, and there is a need to be more patient with your emotional world and that of others. Emotions are running high this month and things can be impulsive or erratic in this energy.
Time with your words and your actions is needed, and it’s time to trust your heart more than your fear or need to control.
January 2025 Astrology Overview
The first Full Moon of the year is happening in Cancer on Jan. 13, and this is the perfect time to say goodbye to what doesn’t serve your heart or your stability in life. If you have been feeling uneasy about a certain area of your life, this Full Moon will help you address that and create space for a new beginning and new foundations.
Aquarius season begins on Jan. 19, and this is the type of energy we need to feel more connected, inspired, and in tune with the universe. This season is bringing a lot of changes, but they are helping people get out of a place of feeling stuck or unsure.
On Jan. 29, we have a New Moon in Aquarius, and it's time to set your intentions not only for the next month but for the year ahead as well. Aquarius is hopeful and believes in the power of thought, so make sure you are focusing your energy on what you want to see come true for you right now. Before the month ends, Uranus goes direct in Taurus, after being retrograde since September, and this is bringing more stability and less disruption to the collective. Uranus now direct in Taurus, facilitates pleasant surprises in love, finances, and the little luxuries of life.
Overall, January is an opportunity to redirect your energy, ask yourself where you want to go from here, and believe in the impossible.
Read for your sun and rising sign below to see what January has in store for you.
ARIES
AriesKyra Jay for xoNecoleJanuary is a time to choose your battles wisely, Aries. You are being reminded to own your integrity and not let anyone take you out of your character right now. With the Sun in your 10th house for most of this month, all eyes are on you right now, and it’s the time to put your best foot forward. Your ruling planet, Mars, has been retrograde for over a month and enters a new area of your life on Jan. 6. This is the time to ask yourself what people nourish or disrupt you and how to protect your energy more.
This is the month to be flexible and to look for solutions rather than challenges. The New Moon at the end of the month on Jan. 29 will be a beautiful awakening for you when you not only feel capable of fulfilling your dreams but supported in doing so after a time of feeling a little strained here. Overall, this month is about not losing the faith you have in yourself or the convictions you have developed.
TAURUS
TaurusKyra Jay for xoNecoleThis is a month of adventure and new beginnings for you, Taurus. Venus, the planet of love, is in your 11th house of magic, and you are manifesting your heart's desires. You are focused on your new beginnings and taking a leap of faith in yourself, and are seeing the success come from the plans you are making now. This is a beautiful month of feeling an opening coming into your life and expanding your mind.
The most significant transit happening in January is Uranus going direct in Taurus on Jan. 2, after being retrograde here since Sept.1, 2024.
Over the past four months, you have been through an inner awakening and have been experiencing some pleasant and unpleasant surprises. You have had to work especially hard on your personal goals and may have felt more upheaval or uneasiness here than you may have liked. With Uranus now direct until September, more uplifting and exciting opportunities are ahead of you now.
GEMINI
GeminiKyra Jay for xoNecoleJanuary is activating your mind and your heart, Gemini. Life is coming full circle for you, and you are entering 2025 with an abundant mindset. You are feeling a little more hopeful and capable right now and are seeing how the things you were once concerned about are playing out for you in positive ways. Mercury moves into your 8th house of abundance on Jan. 8, and as you accept and take on new personal developments, changes, and commitments, you experience a rebirth of prosperity.
Throughout this month, you are being awakened to the connections you seek and the ones you want to continue to nourish in your life. There are people coming together to support you and your efforts, and you are being acknowledged for all you have done. The Full Moon in Cancer mid-month brings financial matters full circle for you, and you are getting your due rewards right now. Overall, you are walking into the year feeling confident, supported, and abundant.
CANCER
CancerKyra Jay for xoNecoleThis is the month to find encouragement, protect what you are building, and not give up on yourself and your aspirations. You are closer to a breakthrough than you know, and this month is the last leg of a race for you, Cancer. Mars goes retrograde in your sign from Jan. 6 until Feb. 23, and you are being forced to allow things to fall into place right now. Your efforts or actions may not stick as quickly as you would like them to during this transit, and this is because you need more time. Mars retrograde in your sign will be helping you readdress your goals, passions, and intentions.
Emotions are running high for you in January, but you have the tools to navigate this energy. The first Full Moon of the year happens in your sign on Jan. 13, signaling a year of closure and healing ahead of you.
Your heart is experiencing a culmination, as you let go of what doesn’t serve your overall well-being, and make more space for what does. It’s time to give yourself a little more love and to give your self-doubts and insecurities a little less of your time. The New Moon happening at the end of the month is the perfect opportunity for you to turn a new page and feel more supported in doing so.
LEO
LeoKyra Jay for xoNecoleJanuary is about taking care of your health and gaining more stability in your life, Leo. You are focused on the foundations that nourish and support you and are spending time with your family, loved ones, body, and priorities. Mars goes direct in your sign on Jan. 6 after being retrograde here since Dec. 6, and after a month of reflection and redirection, you have a better idea of who you are and what you want out of life. The beginning of January is about taking a deep breath, and knowing that the past is now behind you.
The Full Moon mid-month on Jan. 13, is helping you find closure, healing, and inspiration, and is a good time to let a lot of the negativity go. You are getting an opportunity to reflect, forgive, and move on right now, and you are in supportive conditions to do so effectively. The New Moon of the month happens in your sister sign, Aquarius on Jan. 29, bringing love to the forefront and helping you see the big picture of your heart. This is one of the best times of 2025 to set your intentions for love, your relationships, and your emotional world.
VIRGO
VirgoKyra Jay for xoNecoleYou are living in a state of abundance this month, Virgo. January is a time of fulfilling your dreams and feeling a sense of joy and prosperity in your life. You are proving to yourself that your intentions and efforts have been worth it, and you are seeing life come full circle in fortunate ways. The month begins with Venus entering your 7th house from Jan. 2 until Feb. 4, and this is bringing the magic not only into your love life but into your financial world as well.
Major developments are taking place for you as you move through this month, and you have everything you need right now.
The Full Moon on Jan. 13 is a time of seeing previous intentions manifest, and support coming in for you, and when it comes to your friendships in life. You have built a community of love around you, and you get to enjoy more of this connection and abundance now. By the end of the month, Uranus goes direct in your house of expansion and travel after being retrograde here since September, and you are ready to embark on some new adventures as you leave the month.
LIBRA
LibraKyra Jay for xoNecoleLove is coming together for you in January, Libra. You are beginning the month by building new foundations and setting yourself up for the future successes you want to experience this year. Your ruling planet, Venus, moves into your 6th house of health, work, and daily routine as the month begins, and you feel like you have a good head on your shoulders right now. The ideas that are blooming and the initiatives that you are taking are going to fulfill you for some time to come.
With the Sun in your 4th house of foundations for most of the month, you are overall focused on your foundations and your sense of security now. You are thinking long-term and doing what is going to provide you with more safety and personal abundance. The New Moon in Aquarius on Jan. 29 is the perfect time for love, and you are leaving the month with romance surrounding you. As the month comes to an end, have some more fun and let go of some of the seriousness that may have surrounded you in January.
SCORPIO
ScorpioKyra Jay for xoNecoleJanuary is all about moving on and moving forward, Scorpio. You are recognizing where you need to let go a little bit more and what spaces you want to move away from and go more toward. Venus is in your 5th house of self-expression and happiness for most of the month, guiding you towards where your heart feels the most enlightened and nourished and helping you make the necessary changes for a better life.
On Jan. 29, a New Moon occurs, helping you open a new door when it comes to your home life and foundations.
You are gaining a deeper appreciation for the things that make you feel safe and nourished and are creating more of this energy in your life through your commitments and the relationships you are building right now. Some Scorpios could be making a move or experiencing a change of energy in the home right now. Uranus goes direct in your sister sign on the 30th, after being retrograde here since this past summer, and love feels a little more stable and nourishing for you as the month ends.
SAGITTARIUS
SagittariusKyra Jay for xoNecolell eyes are on you this month, Sagittarius. You are being recognized, uplifted, and supported, and this is a month of success. With the Sun in your 2nd house of values, abundance, assets, income, and confidence for most of January, a lot of opportunities are coming into your life to succeed right now. The Full Moon on the 13th is a good time to look at the relationships and commitments in your life that support you and to find more gratitude for these spaces.
By the end of the month, we have a New Moon in your 3rd house of communication, and you are moving into a space of mental well-being, new beginnings, and inspiration. The conversations you are having now are setting you up for success, and you are feeling truly seen this month. Some great opportunities are appearing for you now; remember that you deserve all the good that is ready for you this month.
CAPRICORN
CapricornKyra Jay for xoNecoleYour season is here, and you have a lot to look forward to right now, but also a lot to let go of Capricorn. You have been through a journey as of late, and are taking some time to heal, take care of yourself more, and nourish your heart. With Mars going retrograde in your 7th house of love on Jan. 6 through Feb. 23, you are being forced to address any imbalances you have been feeling in your love life or your close relationships.
Disagreements or conflicts with others are a little more likely now. Try to work through what is worth it for you, and let go of what is not.
Mercury enters your sign from Jan. 8 until Jan. 27, helping you see things a little more clearly in life. Your mental capacity and the developments that are taking place for you here are the highlight of the month for you, as you recognize where some things need to change in your life. On Jan. 13, a Full Moon is happening in your opposite sign, and the love you have in your heart is being reflected back to you now. This Full Moon is about letting go of past pain and emotional patterning and highlighting where in your life you are experiencing the love you are looking for.
AQUARIUS
AquariusKyra Jay for xoNecoleYour intuition is guiding you through this month, Aquarius. There is a lot of activity happening in your sign in January, and you are entering the year with breakthroughs and self-empowerment. With the Sun in your 12th house of closure for most of the month, you have to take some time for reflection and allow things to come to fruition. Pay attention to what your intuition and gut instincts are telling you at this time, as this energy is going to be more prominent and powerful for you in January.
Aquarius Season officially begins on Jan. 19, and it is your time to shine! You are moving forward freely and confidently, and feeling a little less weight on your shoulders after doing the work at the beginning of the month. On Jan. 27, Mercury enters your sign until Feb. 14, and your inner clarity is beaming. You are getting your message across right now, and feeling empowered while doing so. Before the month ends there is a New Moon in your sign on Jan. 29, and this is one of the most magical times of the year for you to manifest. This month overall is about believing in miracles and seeing your dreams and intentions through.
PISCES
PiscesKyra Jay for xoNecoleJanuary is all about finding your balance, Pisces. Your life is taking shape in many ways right now as different levels of your life come into greater balance. With the Sun in your 11th house of hopes and aspirations for most of the month, it’s about thinking of the bigger picture right now and going after the things you dream of for yourself. Venus enters Pisces from Jan. 2 until Feb. 4, and love is blooming for you.
While Venus is in your sign, you are not only feeling the love from others but are giving yourself more of this energy as well. Remember: For you to experience a coming together with others, you must recognize the need for it and give yourself this grace first.
This is a month for receiving a helping hand and for experiencing a coming together that you have been hoping for. The universe is on your side, and you are recognizing that right now. On Jan. 29, there is a New Moon in your 12th house, and you are getting some more rest and reflection as the month ends. With all the activity of the month, by the end of it, you need time to recoup and gain your balance. This month is a good time to write lists of gratitude and lists of intentions and to find your power in the middle of what was and what is to be.
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Featured image by Kyra Jay for xoNecole
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Using the same material from the interior of the Volvo EX90, Hudson crafted a wool-blend car coat and waistbelt that combine the vehicle’s Scandinavian design with his signature tailoring and intention. The exclusive collection launched on October 20, and each piece is made-to-order by Sergio Hudson Collections.
Courtesy
In October, I traveled to Charleston with a group of journalists to get a firsthand look at Hudson and Volvo’s location. During a fitting, Hudson said his goal is to make “great work that can stand the test of time.”
“People can look back on and say, ‘I remember when Sergio did that collaboration with Volvo,’” he continued. “Thinking about aligning yourself with classic brands that speak to where you want to go. And I think that's what this collaboration kind of means to me and my business.”
Hudson pinpoints his mom as the biggest influence for his designs. This collaboration was no different.
“This particular coat reminded me of the swing coats that my mom used to wear in the early 90s. You know, diva girls in the early 90s had Sandra suits,” he said, referring to Jackée Harry’s character in 227. “My mom wore those and she would have these matching swing coats to go over them. And that's where the initial idea came. This would be around the same time that we had our Volvo. So she would put on her suit, her swing coat, get in that red Volvo, and go to church.”
Courtesy
With this capsule and beyond, Hudson wants to see more staples rotating in and out of closets this fall. He advises fashionistas to build her closet out with essentials to mix and match that aren’t just stylish but also sustainable.
“It's just those special pieces,” he said. “You can wear the same shirt and pants every day and nobody will notice. But if you have a special boot, a special coat, a special bill, a special bag, that kind of speaks to everything that your style stands about, that is something you should focus on.”
These are the same kind of staple pieces that return to our Pinterest boards and TikTok feeds season after season. Fast fashion has never been Hudson’s aim. “I'm trying to create a special pieces that can stand the test of time,” he said in his warm, Southern accent. “I'm only creating those kind of pieces from here on out.”
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For Hudson, this collaboration is revolutionary. It’s his first time working with a car company and experimenting outside of his wheelhouse in this way.
“This is a Scandinavian brand, and, you know, it's 70 years old. I'm an African-American boy from South Carolina that has had a brand for 10 years. So I think bridging those two worlds and seeing the similarities was the beauty of this project,” he explained.
Though Hudson and his partner and CEO of Sergio Hudson Collections Inga Beckham have made massive strides in just 10 years, Hudson said the industry is far from where he wants to see it when it comes to Black representation. He pointed to how few Black designers were at this year’s Met Gala despite the theme being Black dandyism.
“The fact that I dressed 18 people speaks to how many of us weren't there,” he said. He implored more of industries, fashion and beyond, to collaborate with Black designers often.
“Allow mentorship. Allow funding. Allow great design to shine through,” he implored. “When it comes to being a designer of African descent, when you can't get the funding that your counterparts have, you can't compete. When you get opportunities like doing a collaboration with Volvo, or you get opportunities to be at the Met Gala, that's putting us on the equal playing field, but really the funding behind it is what we need to take it to that desk level.”
Featured image courtesy
As you’re thinking about all of what transpired over the past 12 months, here are some signs that certain things (or people) who are currently in your sphere may need to be significantly realigned or even, shoot…let go of. Ultimately, for your greater good.
1. Your Mind, Body and Spirit Aren’t in Agreement (About It)
GiphyI believe I’ve shared before that, back when I was writing my first book, although I adored my editing team overall, it was still a Christian-based one, and so there were a few things that we would clash on. Take the term “human trinity,” for example. They kept wanting me to say something else for fear that it would appear “blasphemous” to certain readers.
Meanwhile, I kept giving pushback because "trinity" is not an actual biblical word. It literally means a group of three or a triad and while that can apply to the Godhead (I John 5:8), nothing is wrong with applying it to other situations and dynamics too...and, to me, the mind, body and spirit of a person equates to what I call their “human trinity” — and something that I oftentimes tell my clients is, “If your mind, body and spirit” are not all in agreement about something (or someone), take heed to that; at the very least, it’s an orange flag, if not a flat-out red one.
So with that said, think about what you have going on in your life right now — if you’re not in a state of complete and total peace concerning everything, is it your mind that feels that way? Is it your body that seems a bit stressed? Is it your spirit that has you unsettled?
Always remember that your being — your mind, body, as well as your spirit — was created to work in harmony, and so, if that isn’t happening about a particular person, place, thing, or idea…you really should pause, ponder, and reflect before making any major moves. Oh, and if two parts of your trinity are struggling, 8/10, that is a sign that you definitely pump the brakes. At least until you figure out why.
2. It’s Spiritually Compromising You
GiphyI’m pretty sure that a lot of you have heard the quote, “You don't have a soul, you are a soul; you have a body,” before. If you thought that the writer C.S. Lewis authored it, many people do. Actually, it comes from a man whom he admired by the name of George MacDonald, and yes, it is quite profound when you stop to think about your spirit is the divine part of your being; yes, many consider it to also be your soul (check out “I’ve Got Some Ways For You To Start Pampering Your Soul”).
Since the essence of who you are pretty much comes from the spiritual side of you (check out “What's The Difference Between Being 'Religious' And Being 'Spiritual', Anyway?”), it’s important that you are super intentional about nurturing and nourishing it; this includes keeping safeguards up in order to prevent anyone or anything from compromising you from giving your spirit exactly what it needs to thrive and flourish.
For some of you, you know this means letting go of your partner. For some of you, a toxic friend. For others, it’s really time to find a new career path, shift churches (LISTEN), to move to another location (even if that’s another state or country) or to totally reroute your daily routine — and you know this to be true because your spirit is currently feeling drained and/or bitter and/or resentful and/or confused and/or like you are losing a part of who you are just to keep “it” around.
Sis, it’s not worth it. Compromising yourself at the expense of it costing yourself never EVER is. If what I just said hit really close to home, you’ve still got a few hours to leave it all behind in time for a brand and spanking new year. It might not be easy yet do it anyway. Your spirit deserves it.
3. You’ve “Hit a/the Ceiling”
GiphyI ain’t got no lies to tell you — between the orange one in the White House and his uber-maniac ways and AI sinking its teeth deeper and deeper into so many different industries, I definitely think that 2026 is going to be a roller coaster ride for many people as far as the job market is concerned. So, while I am ABSOLUTELY NOT recommending that you flippantly, emotionally, or impulsively quit your job any time soon, I do think that you should ask yourself if you’ve “hit the ceiling” where you are, so that you can possibly plan to look for employment elsewhere or even pivot into something else entirely.
And what are some signs that you have indeed knocked your head up against said ceiling?
- You are bored as hell (or worse, miserable AF) at work
- There is no room for promotion
- Your boss couldn’t care less about your goals or ambitions
- You feel undervalued
- Your skills are underutilized
- There seems to be little to no improvement or progress within the company
- You haven’t received a raise in years
- You procrastinate because you don’t feel motivated or inspired
The fact that most of us spend the majority of our waking hours working, it makes not one bit of sense to be collecting a check at a place that is stressing you out, messing with your psyche and/or is causing you to feel like there’s not much more that life has to offer than, as they say, “paying bills and dying.” If that is what life is like for you right now, although you might not be able to quit this month, it is definitely time to put an exit strategy into place. You know, some say that a whopping 85 percent of people hate their job.
If you are one of them, let’s strive to have that no longer be the case in 2026.
4. There Is Little-to-No Reciprocity
GiphyI’m not a fan of transactional dating (check out “Guess What? Dating Was Never Supposed To Be Transactional.” and “Should You Start Off As Friends? Science Says Absolutely.”); anyone who knows me will tell you that. And when guys talk to me about how drained they feel by a woman who seems to only take and not give (for instance, someone just talked to me about how his girlfriend of three years gave him a $20 gift card; meanwhile, he purchased her seven different presents…and she actually makes more money than he does — SMDH), I will oftentimes say, “If there’s no reciprocity, she is a liability.” And I mean it with everything in me.
This goes beyond romantic situations too. Take a friend of mine who, when I tell you that, when it comes to painful situations, she absolutely sucks at being a good support system. I know this because, for the past few weeks, I’ve been telling her that she has a pattern of not showing up in hurtful times and that my patience is wearing thin because I am just the opposite.
She shared with me that she realizes that she doesn’t show up for herself in her own painful moments, and so when something really uncomfortable, trying, or taxing happens to someone else, she tends to retreat instead of reaching out.
In other ways, she’s solid, and so we are working through the matter — but I’ll tell you this: At this point in my life, when I share where I need reciprocit,y and folks don’t want to give it, I have no problem shifting how I prioritize them in my world. Because it makes no sense to call someone “friend” (or partner) and you’re doing most of the work to make that word…relevant.
Bottom line with this one is, if you’re not getting what you need from your relationships — ANY KIND OF RELATIONSHIP — it just might be time to leave certain people behind…now (check out “Why I Don't 'Cut People Off' Anymore, I Release Them Instead”)…so that you have room for who will be willing to show you what reciprocity in relationships looks and feels like.
5. You Feel “Stuck” in “It”
GiphyWhen it comes to the word “stuck,” the definition that I’m coming from here is “to become fastened, hindered, checked, or stationary by some obstruction” — and for the sake of time and space, what I want to amplify is the word “hinder.” One definition of hinder is “to cause delay, interruption, or difficulty in; hamper; impede,” while another is “to prevent from doing, acting, or happening; stop.”
Believe it or not, as a marriage life coach, there are actually clients who I have fired — and the reason was that they were wasting my time. Listen, when you get to the point in your life where you get that there is less time in front of you than behind you, you can’t really put a price tag on your precious moments, so when clients don’t do their homework and/or choose to remain in ridiculous situations (for years at a time) and/or really just want to be coddled instead of getting the tips and tools that they need to make wise decisions on their own — they cause me to feel “stuck” because they aren’t challenging me to be a better coach.
Progress in a client is what makes me better…and so, what I will typically do is put these types of people on probation for about 4-6 months and then release them if they remain in their hamster wheel of cyclic activity (after over a year of working with them).
This is an example of what “stuck” looks and feels like in my life; however, you need to figure out if and how that word may apply to your own. What I can tell you is anything that you know is interrupting or preventing you from doing what you know needs to happen in your world, whether it’s a person, place, thing or idea, you really need to ask yourself if it’s worth holding on to — and if you believe that it is, you definitely should realign your boundaries concerning it or then. Because again, life is too short (and precious) to be “stuck” in something that really isn’t serving you (or serving you any longer).
6. Your Present and Future Seem Super Foggy with It Around
GiphyWhat does this mean? Well, fogginess speaks to things being unclear, right? When it comes to your present, a lack of clarity can speak to feeling/being confused and confusion means that something is going on that either doesn’t make sense to us or is sending us all kinds of mixed messages and signals — and when you continue to dwell in that kind of space, there’s a pretty good chance that your future will be just as…foggy. Just as unclear. Just as confusing.
I’ll explain. Have you ever tried to drive in the fog? You typically can’t see very far ahead, which means that you kind of have to drag along in your car and, even with headlights, sometimes something can run out in front of you, catch you off guard and that can either make your nerves bad or cause you to wreck. Along these same lines, a “foggy situation” can do the same thing — you’ll be out here barely getting anything done because you’re so busy trying to figure out what the hell is going on with it or them…and that usually will cause a domino effect in other areas of your life too.
Sis, it’s not worth it. If you don’t get what’s going on in some area of your world, you’re missing information, you are being gaslit, and/or you are in denial about what is transpiring right before your very eyes. For all of this, purpose to get the answers (clarity) that you seek or leave it behind you.
As an author by the name of Shannon L. Alder once said, “The most confused you will ever get is when you try to convince your heart and spirit of something your mind knows is a lie.” Somebody REALLY needed to hear that today. I hope that you did.
Just in time for another year, and the things that you can feel really good and CRYSTAL CLEAR about.
Welcome to 2026, my dear.
Featured image by Shutterstock
