Astrology Year Ahead Planning: How to Accomplish Your Goals with a Real Plan that will actually WORK
- Shanae Smith
- Jan 3, 2023
- 15 min read
Updated: Mar 5
EXACTLY HOW to Use Astrology Year Ahead Planning to Effectively Map Out an Upcoming Year.
I love making new goals and stuff like that, so you can guess that the ringing in of a new year is a time of joy for me.
🤌I love fireworks.
🤌I love sparkly dresses and glamorous shoes.
🤌I love toasting champagne. ♉
And yes, I especially love sitting down with my journal to plan, reflect, and obsess over the year ahead. Whoops, Scorpio energy showing. ♏
But - I'm not going to be shy - this is a decent amount of work, even for astrologers themselves. You might think "wow, I'm not sure if all this effort is worth it! Maybe i'll just watch 50 year ahead forecasts on youtube." 🙃
Not only do many general astrology forecasts create a false sense of anticipation, offering predictions based only on your rising sign—but they miss the deeper, more personal influences shaping your year. If you want to understand why personal astrology investigation is worth the work, read this post on why broad forecasts aren’t enough.
Why Should You Read This Post? - Year Ahead Planning That WORKS
Use astrology to plan your year with more awareness so you can anticipate major shifts and align your goals with cosmic timing instead of working against the flow.
Track key transits and planetary cycles so you can make informed decisions about career moves, relationships, personal growth, and new beginnings.
Understand which areas of life will be most active so you can focus your energy where it matters most and avoid wasting effort on misaligned pursuits.
Navigate retrogrades and challenging periods with confidence so you can work with the energy rather than feeling blindsided by unexpected delays or obstacles.
Balance intuition and planning so you can stay open to new possibilities while still using astrology as a guide to structure your year effectively.
How to Use Your Astrology Chart to Plan Your Year
Think of your chart as a dynamic process—a roadmap or treasure map that evolves with planetary transits.
💡Start seeing your life and your chart as a process -- it's kinda like locating your pip-boy when you start playing Fall Out, uncovering the treasure map, or finding the first clue in a scavenger hunt.
Need a primer on how astrology transits work? Check out this beginner friendly post.
How do you know what you should be focusing on in any given year?
Here are the key areas to focus on when planning your year:
1. Saturn: The Master of Lessons and Growth
Saturn is the lesson master and teacher of the zodiac and he is responsible for showing you what in your foundation needs your attention. If there are things that you're either ignoring or ignorant to Saturn will bring those up in accordance with the sign and house that he's transiting in your chart.
This is "Father Time", and your impatience means nothing to him.
⚠️Everyone's chart has a Saturn. EVERYONE has difficulties and challenges. NO ONE knows how to "life" perfectly and ALL will have to prepare adequately to effectively explore their limits and boundaries to find growth.
When Saturn changes signs and houses, challenges in the area he was in will start to unblock, as long as you've started using the thoroughly tested system of infrastructure in your lifestyle that Saturn approves of - remember he rules tradition and hard work, responsibility and discipline.
How to work with it:
Find where Saturn is transiting in your chart.
Reflect on the Saturnian lessons you've learned in that house.
Prepare for Saturn’s influence in that house over the next year: restrictions, testing, and ultimately growth through persistence.
Example: If Saturn moves from your 2nd house (finances, earned income) to your 3rd house (communication, mindset), you’ll shift from building financial systems to refining your communication and intellectual processes.
Every house builds off of the last and supports the next. Remember, start seeing your chart as a process to work, vibe, and flow through. Expect at least a medium to high level of difficulty in the house topics for planning purposes - while it may not be the case (perhaps you don't have placements connecting as intensely as other times in your life) it will be better for you to err on the side of caution here.
Where Saturn transits we need to plan to work persistently and without being given much in the form of reward. Saturn can give reward after hard work, but you should be expect to put in hard work for the sake of having a sustainable life, not for getting paid out in this area of life.
Using Saturn in your Year Ahead Planning
Saturn teaches through restriction, delays, and opposition. This is the 'snow' in your forecast - you need to leave early because of so you can safely get to your destination - it makes everything take longer and there are real consequences for overdriving the conditions.
Do not plan for leaps and bounds and increases in this area of your chart this year. Plan for developing and working on systems and strategies to better accomplish your dreams and goals and stop being afraid of trial and error.
Make the point of goals in the Pisces part of your chart "smoothing out/understanding/exploring/creating standards in how I act in this part of my life".
If you have planets in one house but not another, expect that the one with planets will likely a more difficult experience. If both have planets expect it to be more intense if they are closer to earth - Moon/Sun/Mercury/Venus/Mars, less obvious but more transformational if it is an outer planet, or if this is in the same or opposite sign as your ascendant or midheaven.
If you have planets in this house
Google: "transit Saturn conjunct natal (your planet)"
How to use this in planning:
Google: "Saturn transit (the house Saturn in transiting this year) house"
2. Jupiter: The Planet of Growth and Expansion
Jupiter expands things. When Jupiter transits a sign he brings growth and increase to that house in your chart. Everyone's chart has a Jupiter. EVERYONE has luck and growth. NO ONE gets to plan for their luck or be solely responsible for their growth. It could be objectively positive or negative - increased bank account/increased utility bill or subjectively positive or negative - increased responsibility, social events, or substance use.
⚠️ Manage your envy when you see others growing if you're restricting or stagnating in an area of life. Jupiter is pointing you toward the growth of a certain plant -- water that one right now.
What it does: Jupiter brings growth, optimism, and opportunities, but it can also amplify challenges.
How to work with it:
Identify the house(s) Jupiter will transit in your chart in the upcoming year.
Plan for growth and expansion in these areas, but stay mindful of the growing pains that come with Jupiter’s influence.
Example: If Jupiter is in your 4th house (home, family), you might see changes like a move, renovations, or shifts in family dynamics. When it enters your 5th house (creativity, romance), the focus may shift to pleasure, hobbies, or children.
Jupiter might be increasing the time you're spending with, or bringing your priorities toward your family, especially your parents, or time spent in or on your home.
For your long term goals: Check when Saturn will be visiting this house in the future. Right now you'll create dreams and goals for the next dozen years, and eventually Saturn will be coming to check in on your progress here. Look to number 1 if you need a refresher on what Saturn's questions might be, but think of them for your home (in this example).
Using Jupiter in your Year Ahead Planning
Jupiter is another type of cosmic teacher. Jupiter rules Sagittarius and Pisces, which are the signs that rule religion (Sagittarius) and spirituality (Pisces). Think of the church and the concept of forgiveness -- you don't ask permission from God, you ask forgiveness after you've gone out there, lived life, and made mistakes.
While Saturn teaches through restriction, delays, and opposition, Jupiter teaches through expansion, blind faith with optimism, and by doing and making mistakes.
This is the 'wind' in your forecast that you can use to your benefit or detriment on your way to your destination -- adjust your sails to manage your resources to safely get to your destination.
Make the point of goals in this part of your chart "having blind faith and optimism that I am supposed to grow and excel in this area of my life, and if I truly believed that how would I be acting in this part of my life".
How to use this in planning:
Google: "transit Jupiter conjunct natal (your planet)"
"Jupiter transiting (the house Jupiter is transiting) house"
Plan opportunities and increases in this area of your chart this year but know that you can't really plan in this area either. This is luck, this is optimism, this is foolish naivety leading toward something working out grandly, or not working out and teaching you priceless lessons.
Jupiter and Saturn agree on this one thing: stop being afraid of trial and error.
3. Eclipses: Shocking and Pivotal Moments
Where there are eclipses in your chart during the year, you'll find shocking and sudden moments of upheaval, change, loss and gain that you weren't expecting. These will act as pivotal moments in life and lifestyle transformations.
People are almost always shocked by their eclipse events. Because eclipses almost always happen in pairs we may feel like we've got both feet in 2 separate boats.
What they do: Eclipses bring sudden shifts, upheavals, and moments of destiny. They often align with life-altering events.
How to work with them:
Identify where the eclipses are taking place in the coming year, and see what houses in your chart will be activated by conjunction/opposition and by square.
Reflect on events from previous eclipses in these signs (eclipses happen in cycles of 9 and 18 years).
Stay flexible and open-minded, especially around the dates of each eclipse +/- 2 weeks.
A Personal Example
When the Taurus Scorpio eclipses occur and activate my chart themes of home and career are highlighted. In 2012 and 2013 I moved about every 6 months of my own free will. I was going here and there and it felt in my control.
However 9 years later, in 2022 when the north and south node were reversed, the themes were still activated and I still moved around every 6 months, but it did NOT feel like it was of my own accord. I felt like it was not in my control what so ever.
Now I know that this is a time where my housing situation is turbulent, but in the future the details and circumstances will change. I don't have to feel out of control, I can instead choose to feel curious about where we're going next.
"Using" Eclipses in your Year Ahead Planning
This is the 'tornado' that the meteorologist can't really predict for you in your forecast. It starts to feel stormy after the previous moon's lunation, and sometime between then and the next non eclipse lunation in late May or Early June we will have some kind of surprise that requires us to just release control and wait for the storm to pass.
The best way to plan for a tornado is to have your battery operated radio in the basement before the storm.
Plan for open mindedness in this area of your chart. Plan for growth, but also be flexible with your goals here. Rigidity isn't recommended, and practicing adaptability and being willing to pivot, especially around the eclipse seasons, is paramount for success in these areas.
How to use this in planning:
Google: "eclipse conjunct natal (your planet)" Note: the conjunction needs to be close in degree)
"eclipse in (the house the node is transiting) house"
Eclipses can be on the North Node or the South Node. The North Node is about growth and new things coming in. The South Node is about release and letting go. This will add a layer of nuance to your planning.
The 2nd layer of nuance is whether the eclipse is a Solar eclipse (New Moon) or Lunar eclipse (Full Moon). If it is a New Moon its usually a new beginning. If its a Full Moon its usually an ending.
When these are paired together you can have 4 scenarios:
A New Moon on the South Node is a new beginning marked with something being released.
A Full Moon on the South Node is a ending marked with something being released.
A New Moon on the North Node is a new beginning marked with something coming in.
A Full Moon on the South Node is an ending being marked with something being released.
4. Mars: The Planet of Action and Drive
Mars represents energy, motivation, and the drive to take action. As it transits through the houses of your chart, it highlights areas where you’ll feel a surge of focus and determination. Mars can push you to tackle challenges, make bold moves, or start new projects, but it can also stir up conflict or impatience. Each Mars transit is an opportunity to channel its fiery energy into purposeful action, aligning your efforts with your goals.
What it does: Mars energizes and motivates the houses it transits, helping you take bold action.
How to work with it:
Use Mars transits to focus your energy on specific life areas.
Avoid impulsive decisions during challenging Mars aspects (e.g., squares to Neptune or Saturn).
Take note of Mars' retrograde cycle in your planning
Using Mars in your Year Ahead Planning
Mars will transit multiple houses each year. It takes Mars approximately 2 years to transit through the entire zodiac, so in one years time he usually transits around 6 signs. Mars will also go retrograde around once every two years.
When and where the retrograde cycle is occurring is absolutely worth noting, as Mars will end up spending around 6 months traversing the part of the chart that he would normally cross in only 6 weeks. This can have a "polishing" effect on any points in your chart and typically feels uncomfortable for one reason or another (whether its the house or a planet being affected).
Google: "transit mars conjunct natal (your planet)"
How to use this in planning:
Google: "Mars transit (sign) house"
This is the day in the forecast that matches what you need AND you have the time and energy to take your tasks to task-- are your plants dry? The forecast says rain. Are your plants hungry? Sunshine incoming. Have your plants already fruited and released their seed? A cold snap before rest. Mars gives you the motivation and energy to focus on what needs to be done for the environment it's in.
It's up to you to try you best after Mars exits a sign to maintain a certain level of energetic consistency over the next 2 years as your motivation and attention toward those themes descends into a motivational entropy.
While I can't give you a conclusive list that will be accurate for the general person, I can give you some ideas of what to pay attention to. This is where planning can really come in handy. Mars likes being in certain signs and places in a chart. There are times you may want to plan for a more calm, quiet and recuperating and others where you can be more confident in the strength of Mars.
Times when Mars is less likely to be cooperative.
Mars conjunct, square, or opposite transit or natal Saturn or natal Moon.
Mars in Cancer, Pisces, Taurus or Libra.
Mars in the sign of your 4th, 8th, or 12th house.
Mars is retrograde (when you can - this is a long transit, so planning for 6 months of calm might not really work...just try and really be conscious of your priorities so you can have enough energy to take care of what needs to be done).
Times when Mars is more likely to be cooperative.
Mars is in Capricorn, Aries, Scorpio, and Leo
Mars is in your 1st, 6th, or 10th house
Mars is trine your Sun, Jupiter, Saturn (for taking action on Saturn approved constructive things),
Times when Mars is unpredictable
When involved by aspect with Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, square conjunct or opposite Jupiter.
Interactions with Mercury
I do not think that you should just stop your life because of Mars transits or agonize over them occurring or not occurring. They typically are over relatively quickly -- that being said having awareness around what Mars is doing in your chart can help you avoid arguments and impulsive decisions, so I've included it here.
5. Where are any of the defining alignments this year and what is activating your chart taking place?
What are the astrologers you follow on social media talking about in the upcoming year forecasts? Are they talking about certain planets changing signs? What about the Mercury retrogrades? (While I don't typically give them a lot of weight -- I am not mercurial in the slightest haha -- they typically happen 3x per year in the same element meaning that one branch of your life -- self expression, work, emotions, or social -- is going through some revisions, and that is worth noting).
6. What houses are these events happening in your spouse, best friend, sibling, children, and parent's charts?
It doesn't feel like this needs much more expansion in an already very long post. I think it seems pretty straight forward that transits have a way of rippling out, and so it makes sense that you would take into account what others have going on in your planning. Why spend the year expecting your spouse to make strides in an area that Saturn is transiting? Wouldn't it be great to know that your a couple of your friends are having eclipses in their 11th houses?
Final Thoughts: Plan Your Year with Purpose and Confidence
Astrology year ahead planning offers a powerful framework for navigating the year ahead. By understanding where Saturn, Jupiter, eclipses, and Mars are transiting in your chart, you can set meaningful goals and align your actions with the cosmic currents.
But beyond the details of the planets and transits, astrology is ultimately about self-awareness and empowerment. It reminds us that while the cosmos sets the stage, we are the actors in our own lives. The planets may offer guidance, challenges, and opportunities, but it’s up to us to decide how to respond.
Your Chart as a Tool for Growth
Think of your chart as a personal blueprint—not a fixed destiny, but a guide to your strengths, challenges, and potential. Each transit is an invitation to reflect, adapt, and grow.
Saturn teaches us resilience, Jupiter brings expansion, eclipses offer turning points, and Mars energizes our drive to act. Together, they help us navigate the unfolding processes of our lives.
Practical Steps for the Year Ahead and Moving Forward
Take time to journal and reflect on the transits that resonate most with you. Where do you feel called to grow, and what areas need your focus? How does this align with what the planets are doing?
Use the insights from your chart to set realistic, purposeful goals. Remember, astrology is a tool, not a guarantee—your effort and intention make the difference.
Embrace flexibility and curiosity, especially during eclipses and retrogrades. These are moments to let go of control and trust the process.
Share your journey with others. Discussing your insights with loved ones or working with an astrologer (hi!) can deepen your understanding and strengthen your connections.
The Bigger Picture
As you plan your year, don’t forget to step back and appreciate the bigger picture. Astrology is as much about cycles and patterns as it is about any specific days. Look for themes that repeat, lessons that echo, and opportunities to integrate what you’ve learned over time. Each year builds on the last, creating a narrative that is uniquely yours.
A Year of Possibilities
No matter what the stars have in store, remember that growth doesn’t have to be perfect, and progress often comes in small, meaningful steps. Celebrate your wins, learn from your challenges, and trust that you’re moving in the right direction.
You have the tools to navigate this year with purpose and confidence. Now it’s time to put them to use—and maybe even enjoy the process along the way!
✨ Phew! That was a lot of info! I know that with this you'll have your most aligned and sustainably productive year ever!
Turn Insights Into Action for the Year Ahead
Planning your year with astrology is about more than just knowing what’s coming—it’s about aligning your choices with the cycles that support you. But let’s be real: even when you know your transits, it can be tough to translate that insight into clear, intentional goals.
That’s where my 5-Day Creating Aligned Goals FOR YOU Mini-Course comes in. This free course walks you through how to use your natal chart to set goals that actually stick—ones that reflect your strengths, motivations, and personal timing. You’ll learn how to work with your astrology rather than feeling like you’re constantly trying to push against it.
And if you’re looking for more personalized insight, I also offer 1:1 astrology consultations where we can break down your chart, discuss what’s coming up for you this year, and craft a strategy that works for your unique path. Whether you need clarity on a specific area of life or a full deep-dive into your transits, we can tailor a session to your needs.
Ready to move from planning to real alignment?
Start with the free mini-course or book a session to dive deeper.
Whether you’re mapping out big moves or simply looking for more alignment, the key is working with your energy—not against it. Trust your process, set intentions that feel right for you, and remember, you’re not locked into one path—you're shaping it.
Now, let’s break it down—here are the key takeaways:
Key Takeaways:
Astrology isn’t about rigid predictions—it’s about recognizing energetic trends and learning how to align with them for smoother decision-making.
Planetary transits highlight different life themes each year—understanding them helps you prioritize what deserves your attention.
Retrogrades and eclipses aren’t setbacks; they’re opportunities for review, recalibration, and deeper alignment.
Annual planning with astrology helps you optimize timing for important decisions, whether that’s launching a project, moving, or making a major life change.
Using astrology to plan your year doesn’t mean giving up free will—it enhances your ability to work with natural cycles instead of against them.
A Year-Ahead Consultation can provide a personalized roadmap, helping you refine your focus, maximize opportunities, and approach the future with clarity.
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