Capricorn (for those born Dec. 22-Jan. 19):  As the Western world celebrates New Year’s each January 1, many make resolutions to work harder to lose weight, to get up earlier and go to the gym, to get organized and accomplish long-term goals, etc. It happens to be when the Sun is traveling through the sign of Capricorn.

By contrast, many Asian countries celebrate their lunar new year five weeks later by taking a week off from work. They party day and night with extended family, honor their ancestors, feast on rich foods that attract good luck and generously give money in little red envelopes to children. What a difference a month (and a new sign) makes.

These two approaches symbolize the strong themes in your life right now. On one hand, you are driven to produce and accomplish; on the other, you wish you could savor and celebrate the connections with those you love. But with an eclipse (and five planets) in your sign on January 5, the crush of work obligations makes it nigh impossible for you to divert your eyes from what all the balls you have in the air to while away an afternoon with a friend or loved one.

You’re not obligated to carry this heavy load, but you took it because in your heart of hearts, you know that no one else can get it done, correctly and on time, like you do. And it’s a true statement, because you have been at this for some time. But then you start fretting about deadlines, the people who are depending on you, the fact that you are spread so thin, and soon your fears and worries take on Godzilla proportions. It’s all you can do to try to beat them down with your ever-present scythe.

When you’re feeling like this, your inner Mother Teresa is just not going to show up and tend to a needy loved one, even if that’s the true path to sanity for you at this time.

You’ve always been a workaholic to some degree, but why are things harder now? In December 2017, Saturn entered the sign of Capricorn, the cardinal earth sign that it rules, and the sign where it will remain until March 2020. After 25-plus years of being a generally unappreciated guest in other signs (let’s face it, Saturn can be a buzzkill), the ringed planet is now large and in charge of your solar first house where he can do as he pleases, which, from your perspective, appears to be unleashing a seven-headed wild beast into your life. [Continued at RulingPlanets.com]

Note: My 2019 predictions originally appeared on Christopher Renstrom’s website RulingPlanets.com. Renstrom is a published author and horoscope columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and  SheKnows.com. He teaches and practices astrology in Salt Lake City.