

September 2018 is jam-packed with planetary activity!
If you thought August was intense with eclipse and retrograde season, wait until you feel the energy that comes from the astrological free for all that's occurring in the sky. September will have us all feeling emotionally buzzed, inspired, creative, and passionate about people, places, and things in our lives.
This energy will have us craving connection, alignment, and using our intuition to self-actualize our potentials and analyze our current trajectory, focusing on how to move next. Many of us will be gracefully falling into all the changes we've made over the summer, and mentally preparing for a whimsical but chaotic fall season.
We have a chiron retrograde entering Pisces, and Pluto goes direct to set us off for October 2018.
Throughout the month the planets switching things up will affect each zodiac sign in multiple ways. Click through the gallery below to see what this means for you:
Aries
Saturn going direct will have Aries signs feeling like they have a whole new attitude, sense of boundaries, willpower, and focus. After a long summer of unpacking old wounds, ending cycles, and tightening their inner circles, Aries will feel an energy of rebirth. You no longer allow yourself to procrastinate as much, and you realize the importance of getting stuff done.
You truly have learned more self-discipline, and no longer will you fall into being passive aggressive in your life.
Mercury entering Virgo on the 5th will reinforce the fact that you are ready to come out of hiding, remission, or introspection about anything you have been dealing with internally. You have spent a lot of time healing certain things in your world, and likely this energy will have you ready to take the next step forward in your life. Many lessons will finally hit home. Mars entering Aquarius will bring in some anxious energy, as Mars can be quite volatile.
Remember that your peace of mind should be at the forefront of your actions, as you keep your eyes set on the prize.
September 20th through the 24th will be a concoction of energy caused by Jupiter sextile Pluto and Saturn quintile Neptune, followed by a full moon in Aries could put an obstacle in your way that you can easily circumvent, if you have learned lessons from the past. You'll be able to get through any confusion and find clarity by aligning your chakras and listening to your spirit.
Lastly, the chiron retrograde entering Pisces and Pluto going direct will teach you a lesson of curving your ego, following your intuition, and letting go of what no longer serves you.
All astrological Tarotscopes channeled via Tarot Cards! For your own Intuitive Channeled Healing Session, follow @Melanade_Stand on IG and send an inquiry via DM!
Gifs via Coveteur
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Fontaine Felisha Foxworth is a writer and creative entrepreneur from Brooklyn New York. She is currently on the West Coast working on creating a TV Pilot called "Finding Fontaine", that details the nomadic journey of her life so far. Keep up with her shenanigans @famoustaine on IG.
'He Said, She Said': Love Stories Put To The Test At A Weekend For Love
At the A Weekend For Love retreat, we sat down with four couples to explore their love stories in a playful but revealing way with #HeSaidSheSaid. From first encounters to life-changing moments, we tested their memories to see if their versions of events aligned—because, as they say, every story has three sides: his, hers, and the truth.
Do these couples remember their love stories the same way? Press play to find out.
Episode 1: Indira & Desmond – Love Across the Miles
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but for Indira & Desmond, love made it stronger. Every mile apart deepened their bond, reinforcing the unshakable foundation of their relationship. From their first "I love you" to the moment they knew they had found home in each other, their journey is a beautiful testament to the endurance of true love.
Episode 2: Jay & Tia – A Love Story Straight Out of a Rom-Com
If Hollywood is looking for its next Black love story, they need to take notes from Jay & Tia. Their journey—from an awkward first date to navigating careers, parenthood, and personal growth—proves that love is not just about romance but also resilience. Their story is full of laughter, challenges, and, most importantly, a love that stands the test of time.
Episode 3: Larencia & Mykel – Through the Highs and Lows
A date night with police helicopters overhead? Now that’s a story! Larencia & Mykel have faced unexpected surprises, major life changes, and 14 years of choosing each other every single day. But after all this time, do they actually remember things the same way? Their episode is sure to bring some eye-opening revelations and a lot of laughs.
Episode 4: Soy & Osei – A Love Aligned in Purpose
From a chance meeting at the front door to 15 years of unwavering love, faith, and growth, Soy & Osei prove that when two souls are aligned in love and purpose, nothing can shake their foundation. Their journey is a powerful reminder that true love is built on mutual support, shared values, and a deep connection that only strengthens with time.
Each of these couples has a unique and inspiring story to tell, but do their memories match up? Watch #HeSaidSheSaid to find out!
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'Pebbling' Is Something That We Should Do In All Relationships More Often
It truly can’t be said enough that quotes are totally my thing, and when it comes to the topic of today’s conversation, I think that one by author Roy T. Bennett fits in quite nicely: “Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”
The (main) reason why I like it so much is because (spoiler alert) pebbling is actually an act of giving (more on that to come) and when you give with a genuine motive, how can that not improve your attitude, make you happier, boost your positivity, help you to be kinder, make you want to give more and also see yourself and others from a place of elevated honor and respect? Something as simple as giving to other people can do all of that. Amazing.
And the really wonderful thing about pebbling is it doesn’t require that you do much sacrificial giving at all — it’s simply about giving from your heart. Okay, but I’m getting a little ahead of myself. If you want to learn more about what pebbling is and how it can ultimately benefit, pretty much any relationship that you currently have, I’ll explain further below.
What Is the Origin Story of “Pebbling”?
Are you ready to feel old? How absolutely wild is it that the documentary (that actor Morgan Freeman narrated)The March of the Penguinsis 20 this year?! One of my favorite things about it is how well the penguin fathers were at taking care of their young. And what does that have to do with pebbling? Well, pebbling is something that we actually have learned from — yep, you guessed it — penguins.
Apparently, whenever a penguin (specifically a Gentoo one) wants to show a romantic gesture towards its partner (or the one who they want to partner with), something that it will do is pick up a pebble and either bring it to them directly or place it where they have decided to build a nest. Pebble nests are ideal because they protect against the bitter cold while also keeping newborn baby penguins safe. Pebbles: a small thing that makes a huge impression. And that is pebbling in a nutshell.
Why Pebbling Is Beneficial in Every Kind of Relationship
And just how does this translate to us humans? Well, the term “pebbling,” for us, is basically about doing small gestures for the people in your own life as a way of expressing how much you care for them. For teenagers, it oftentimes comes in the form of sending their friends a GIF, TikTok video, or meme for the other person to laugh at, relate to, or know that they are being thought of. For adults, it can be something like sending a “you crossed my mind” text, seeing a cute mug on Etsy and sending it to a friend, or having your partner’s favorite dessert waiting on them when they get home. Basically, it’s also small deeds that, because they are so thoughtful, can make a pretty big impact on the lives of the people in your world.
And just why is pebbling so relationally effective? Just think about it. When it comes to grand efforts, those are oftentimes somewhat expected, because we tend to reserve those for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. And although they are certainly appreciated, they’re not exactly a surprise. Oh, but when someone does something for you, no matter how small, that is totally out of the blue, it conveys that you are on their mind. And don’t let it be something that you really like, boy.
Example? One of my favorite memories of my late fiancé (who will have been gone 30 damn years this fall…amazing) happened back in 1995. He was from the south side of Chicago and, at the time, Nashville didn’t have a MAC counter. I knew about MAC, though, because my mom would sometimes buy me things from there whenever she would travel to New York for business. Anyway, I was super fond of their chestnut lipliner at the time and so, when Damien randomly asked me if there was something that I would like when he went home to visit at the beginning of that semester and I mentioned the lipliner — it tripped me right on out when he brought me exactly that…many weeks later.
Was the lipliner bomb? Yep. However, it was the pebbling that provided the true “ripple effect,” because 1) he retained what I said and 2) it proved that he had me on his mind while he was gone. And that is an example of how pebbling can benefit relationships because who doesn’t want to be thought of? Who doesn’t want someone else to show, tangibly, that they heard and are special? Who doesn’t like little surprises along life’s way?
That’s how pebbling can benefit the person who is on the receiving end. And just what does it do for the giver? Well, kind of like how skipping rocks/pebbles tend to have a ripple effect, so does pebbling. I’ll expound.
How Pebbling Blesses You, the Giver, in the Process
Even if you’re not an avid Bible reader, I’m pretty sure that you’ve heard it’s more blessed to give than it is to receive — and yes, that does come directly from a verse in Scripture (Acts 20:35, to be exact). Okay, but aside from how spiritually refreshing it is to give to others, did you know that it comes with proven health benefits too?
Giving helps to lower your risks of depression; decreases your blood pressure; improves your self-esteem; puts you into a better mood; can give you a stronger immunity, and even increases your longevity (which ties into another Scripture which says, “So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life of its owners.” — Proverbs 1:19 — NKJV).
Beyond that, something else that I think is beautiful about giving is it has a way of planting “seeds” into someone else’s life. Based on what you decide to give, can help them to achieve a goal, give them a more positive mindset, or keep them encouraged if they are tempted to lose hope. It can also “amplify” their personality. What I mean by that is…a friend of mine? She has a metaphorical fist-pumping hard into the air (if you know, you know) at least 10 months out of every year. LOL.
Just recently, I purchased her a sweatshirt that features one of my favorite quotes by the late and great civil rights activist John Lewis. It roughly cost me forty bucks (including shipping). Oh, but as much as my friend likes sweatshirts and makes IG posts, it will plant all sorts of seeds into her platform and life. On the flip side, she knows that I like fresh flowers a lot and there are times when a boxed bouquet will pop out of nowhere. It makes me feel loved. Again, seeds planted.
Yeah, when you know that what you are doing for someone will, at the very least, make them feel seen, how could that not automatically bring happiness into your own life? Even if it is…a “pebble” kind of token.
“Pebbles” Take the Pressure Off
Perhaps the best thing of all about the act of pebbling is no one has to go broke in order to do it. Handwriting a note of love to your partner, encouragement to your child, or support to a friend counts as pebbling. Writing a letter for someone to open “just in case” (just in case they are having a rough day or just in case they aren’t feeling well) counts as pebbling.
Creating a quick video on your phone with a joke or a great story about your relationship with someone and sending it their way counts as pebbling. Printing off some inspirational quotes on colorful paper, putting them into a mason jar, and gifting it/them counts as pebbling. Scheduling a virtual coffee date with a long-distance friend counts as pebbling. Curating a playlist for someone counts as pebbling.
DIY’ing some coupons counts as pebbling. Putting together a photo collage from pics on your phone with a special someone and texting or emailing it over to them counts as pebbling. Running an errand for your bae that you know they hate doing counts as pebbling. Shouting out someone on social media for all of the reasons why you adore them counts as pebbling.
And do you know what all of these things have in common? They don’t cost a dime. While yes, getting someone their favorite scented candle or knitting someone a scarf also counts as pebbling, I just want to make sure that it’s also on record that the brilliant thing about being a pebble-person is you don’t need coins to be one. You just need to be thoughtful, you just need to set aside a little bit of time, and then you need to execute. That’s it.
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The mission (should you choose to accept it): Think of 3-5 people this week who you can “pebble.” Determine to do something different for each individual (something that fits their uniqueness) and try your best to have it cost as little as possible. That way, you can get into the habit of giving without feeling like it has to cost you something. As a “pebble-r” myself, I can vouch for the fact that, before you know it, you’ll be pebbling all over the place…while inspiring others to do the same.
A woman by the name of Rashida Rowe once said, “Relationships are about 'give and give,' not give and take.” In other words, relationships — healthy ones, anyway — are all about reciprocity. When folks learn that giving doesn’t always have to be extravagant, that pebbling is another way to go, it makes “giving and giving” so much easier to do.
You’ve got more pebbles to share than you probably think.
Give one. Then another. And then another.
Then watch the “ripple effect” that it (ultimately) has.
Beautiful.
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