Around Christmas, I had plans to spend January holed up inside, resisting alcohol and take-out. I imagined myself steaming kale every night, reading, saving money and working towards my goals.

Nope.

Venus entered the grandiose sign of Sagittarius on December 30th, 2015. Venus is our pleasure principle, governing our relationships, values, money, and what we like or don’t like. The sign Venus is in influences our tastes. In the expansive sign of Sagittarius, Venus likes indulging to excess. On a bad day, she can be a voracious glutton, compulsively consuming expensive cocktails, turducken and macaroons. That’s probably the worst case scenario. Maybe we just have a serious craving for fatty, sugary, exotic or expensive foods. Venus in Sag doesn’t care about the price tag, as long as it quenches her desire. “Because I want it,” she nonchalantly rationalizes.

As it turns out, I’ve attended four going away parties since January 2nd, 2016 (none of which will be permanent since Mercury is retrograde), and of course all of these events involved going out to a bar. Plus, I’ve had insatiable cravings for pizza, as well as other favorite dishes from my favorite restaurants. Last week, I ate pizza for dinner 5/7 nights. I can at least reason that one of them I made at home with vegan cheese and lots of veggies, but still. 

Venus in Sag also loves games and gambling. Sagittarius can never have too much fun. How interesting that the Powerball has been such a hot topic! Inflated numbers at that! Just as I’m writing this article, I realize that my newly rekindled love for solitaire is no coincidence. I’ve been playing the shit out of that game all week!

Venus finally leaves Sagittarius for conservative Capricorn on January 23rd. By then, it should be much easier resisting the urge to excessively spend, go out, and enjoy too much take-out. When Venus is in Capricorn, we must earn our enjoyment. It’s not automatically deserved. That means steaming kale Monday through Friday, and then eating out on the weekend, for example. Venus in Capricorn is more goal oriented, loyal and focused on the end in mind. Here, Venus doesn’t care so much about the price tag; she can survive on the raw basics or treat herself. What it comes down to, is “how will this serve the end goal? How is this useful?” Venus in Capricorn has the ability to be more discerning. She has an easier time saying “no.” So if sticking to a new diet plan has been difficult, don’t give up just yet!