Self-Care Rituals and Practices for Capricorn Season
Intuitive, fiery Sagittarius is making way for the reign of ambitious Capricorn and a chance to turn last month’s dreams into actionable reality. The cardinal earth sign combines get-up-and-go energy with a knack for the tangible and pragmatic. It asks us to find focus, work hard, and show up early. But it also asks you to forge your own path and keep your eye on the prize: How can you roll up your sleeves and really work at achieving your goals and living your truth?
These self-care rituals are here to help you harness and/or survive that unstoppable goat energy.
Embrace Imperfection
It’s easy to let perfect be the enemy of good, especially during Capricorn season. Maybe this sounds familiar: You have a lot of things to do, but you get hung up on getting the first thing absolutely perfect. Maybe there’s just something you fiddle with infinitely, like getting the position of a picture rail just right. Other times, your own high standards actually set you back: You fiddle with the little details of a creative project so much that it kills the big picture. In your fervor to get your counters immaculately clean, the dishes don’t get done. Chasing perfection hurts your mental health and holds you back.
Challenge yourself to stop fiddling! When you feel yourself fixating on the final phases of a task and it doesn’t feel like you’re getting it right, take a moment to breathe and let go of the tension that’s pulling you in. A short, guided practice like Alo Moves instructor Jackie Stewart’s 5-minute Let It Go class is a great choice, or you could just take some calming breaths to reset. Not working? Clear your head with a heat-building yoga class like Caley Alyssa’s Build Heat.
Make or Update a Budget
Capricorn is concerned with tangible, real-world habits. As boring as it can seem, getting your finances in order is self care. Harness this energy to get down to brass tacks. Take an inventory of your resources and make at least some kind of plan for making sure your basic needs are covered. If you’re already on top of it, good for you — but maybe take another little peek.
Getting everything in order can even help you make more informed decisions about sustaining the fun kind of self care. Do you go for the mani/pedi today, or do you stay home and learn how to make (and use) DIY bath bombs?
Set Ambitious — But Realistic — Goals
Reach for the stars — but make sure you can actually get there. Capricorn loves lofty ambitions, but it also loves getting things done. Write down some goals you’re thinking about chasing (maybe resolutions you’re thinking of setting), then consider what it would take to achieve them without sacrificing your sanity or losing focus.
If something’s too big, set more specific, achievable benchmarks that still present a challenge. “Become a lawyer” can pare down to “crush the LSATs.” If you want to publish a novel, commit to writing a certain number of words or setting aside time to write every day. Maybe you want to start selling your handmade goods — challenge yourself to build up a certain amount of inventory.
Reward Yourself for Small Accomplishments
A little bit of praise for a little bit of work can help keep you moving and deliver small moments of joy. Cleaned the kitchen? Take yourself to lunch. Didn’t skip leg day? Watch your favorite, most garbage TV show. Made a run to drop things off at a thrift store? Buy something fun while you’re there.
For many of us, the best reward is just turning off distractions and finding a place of stillness. A sound bath can be a great way to rest, recharge, and tune out the clutter around you. Choose a length that fits into your day so you’re not distracted by your schedule — Alo Moves has sound baths as short as five minutes and as long as 45 minutes. Finally hit inbox zero? Disconnect with 15 minutes of Nourishing Nap with Avery Whitmore. Handled a stressful social situation with aplomb? Spend 30 minutes letting go of residual negative energy with Phyllicia Bonano’s Dive Deeper Sound Bath.
Get Your Hands Dirty
We don’t mean just diving deeply into every aspect of a job — although this is a great time to do so. Literally get your hands dirty. As we approach the Winter Solstice, weather is an issue, but you can adjust to your own climate. Plant some bulbs. Make a snow angel. Build a sandcastle. Touch grass. Connect with the earth beneath you in a meaningful way.
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