Your 2023 Wellness Horoscope Says It's OK to Do Less

Now that we're well into 2023, how are you feeling about your health and wellness? Whether you've been working toward a big-picture goal or you've just been subliminally affected by the wellness content on TikTok and Instagram, the pressure to make a change can feel overwhelming. But 2023 isn't about doing the most — it's about doing your best and setting yourself up for more happiness and vitality in the long run. If you've been struggling to do so lately, help is on the way.

If you remember, the new year began in the midst of two big retrogrades that required prioritization of inner work and tying up loose ends. Your energy and ambition — particularly related to socializing, learning, and travel — were probably lacking at the beginning of the year thanks to Mars, the planet of action, moving backward in Gemini until Jan. 12. But March provided the promise of a dramatic shift with Saturn entering Pisces for the first time since 1996, nudging us to commit to — and fact-check — our spiritual practices. Pluto also moved into Aquarius for the first time since the 18th century, and gave us a major transformation as it related to our mind and relationship with technology.

This year includes several other astrological highlights that you can take advantage of in order to bolster your wellness, self-care, and happiness this year. This includes the series of game-changing eclipses in fiery Aries and beauty-loving Libra occurring now through and Oct. 14. These could bolster your sense of self and relationships with others. Keep an eye on Jupiter, too. The planet of abundance moved through go-getter Aries, which encouraged a proactive approach to making your own luck. Then, on May 16, Jupiter entered slow, steady, pleasure-seeking Taurus. Hopefully, the shift led you to sensual practices in an attempt to help you feel better and more centered.

For more specifics about what the rest of your 2023 health and wellness horoscope has in store for you, check out the readings for your rising sign first, then your sun sign. For the full picture of your year ahead, be sure to read your zodiac sign's 2023 horoscope, 2023 love horoscope, 2023 sex horoscope, and 2023 money and career horoscope.

Gaining traction at the start of the year was tough, Aries. That may have been because your ruling planet, go-getter Mars, had been retrograde in your third house of communication since Oct. 30, 2022. Thankfully, Mars moved forward on Jan. 12 and Mercury followed on Jan. 18, launching you into some new momentum, particularly when it came to picking up new skills that boosted your fitness and self-care regimen.

On April 20, the first solar eclipse of the year fell in your sign — a big deal, considering it was the first eclipse in your sign since 2015 — signaling a big push outside your comfort zone.

And really, it can only get better from here, thanks to Mars's trip through your ninth house of higher learning and adventure. If you've been itching to sign up for a wellness retreat or plan a trip with a dear friend or SO as part of your efforts to step up caring for yourself mentally, physically, and emotionally, aim for the end of this year, and your dream will quickly become your reality.

Though the beginning of a new year tends to feel full of promise and possibility, the start of 2023 probably felt sleepier and slower than a lot of people may have preferred. But you, Taurus, were not one of those people, because you got after your goals in an unhurried, steady way.

You've been honing your intuition and inner voice ever since, and that ability should only get stronger considering the largest planet in our solar system moved into your sign and first house of self on May 16, where it'll continue to remain for just over a year. This has the potential to be one of the most fortunate transits of all, supporting you in your aspirations to put yourself out there in the world in a whole new way. You may not only feel more ambitious and exuberant but even more seen, heard, and appreciated from now through Taurus season 2024.

After being put through the wringer with various eclipses in your sign and your seventh house of partnership since late 2021, you'll finally meet the end of the road of this particular narrative in your life around Oct. 28, when this eclipse series ends with a lunar eclipse and full moon in your first house of self. You're not the same as you were before, nor do you wish to be, and you're ready to celebrate your personal growth in a powerful way.

As much as you know it might benefit you from time to time, you're not exactly a fan of slowing down and chilling out, Gemini. And unfortunately, the energy in the beginning of 2023 only served to exacerbate that conflict since Mars, the planet of action and energy, was retrograde in your sign until Jan. 12, and your ruler, messenger Mercury, was retrograde until Jan. 18. In other words, even if you were prepared to set ambitious New Year's resolutions, you likely ran into various obstacles and felt like you were running through mud until mid-January at the earliest.

The good news is that, once both planets went direct, you likely found yourself better supported in your desire to gain traction. On April 20, there was a solar eclipse and new moon that fell into your 11th house of networking and long-term wishes, which potentially inspired you to connect with a new group of friends or teammates who could support your fitness goals or aspirations to care for your mind and spirit differently. Though you're generally open to change, a willingness to move in a completely new direction should serve you particularly well now — and whatever you start could lead to a rewarding culmination point around the second eclipse in this series, which falls in your fifth house of pleasure and self-expression on Oct. 14. Your creativity could soar, and you'll feel even more at peace with how you're able to express your needs.

One time it may be especially important to prioritize self-care and self-reflection is during the last Mercury retrograde of the year: Dec. 13 to Jan. 1 in your eighth house of emotional bonds and seventh house of partnership. If you plan for them, you'll find there's actually plenty of magic and momentum to be found in these chill-out periods.

The beginning of 2023 kicked off with a full moon in your sign on Jan. 6, and in the days around this lunation, you probably felt more sensitive and perhaps immersed in heavy-duty talks with loved ones. While this was happening though, you may have had to go back to the drawing board to ensure that one-on-one aspirations — whether it was sticking to a healthy habit alongside a dear friend or making sure to set wellness-boosting boundaries with an energy-sucking relative — were on track, thanks to messenger Mercury moving backward through your seventh house of partnership until Jan. 18. This had potential to be a fruitful moment for leaning on a loved one, dear friend, or significant other to talk through how you've been caring for yourself — mentally, emotionally, and physically. But if you've been prioritizing healing, you should have started to enjoy a sense of relief and gratitude for lessons you've learned over the last several months once Mars moved forward on Jan. 12.

This year also presents a new series of eclipses in your fourth house of home life and 10th house of career. One occurred on April 20 and the other will happen Oct. 14, urging you to embrace concrete changes that will result in greater work-life balance. Switching up your approach to both areas of life will be challenging, to be sure, but it can only serve to boost your overall happiness.

You're all about making the most of a blank slate, Leo. But when Mars, the planet of action and energy, moved backward until Jan. 12, projects involving others and plans with friends were likely held up. Additionally, Mercury, the planet of communication, was retrograde in your sixth house of health and daily routine until Jan. 18, making it tougher to stick to your fitness plan and tackle your everyday hustle with the fiery verve that you usually do.

However, June brought new opportunities for emotional healing. And by Oct. 14, when the second eclipse in this series strikes in your third house of communication and learning, you could be even more eager to pick up new skills and forge intellectually stimulating and emotionally centering platonic bonds.

Meanwhile, lucky Jupiter already entered your 10th house of public image on May 16, where it remains for a little over a year, so the spotlight will certainly be on you in a thrilling way. Because your external life will be so vividly magnified, you'll want to make sure you're taking plenty of time to schedule those self-care breaks that offer you restful solo time and get you back in tune with your sense of self and inner life.

You tend to find inner calm by making to-do lists and checking each action item off in a thoughtful way, Virgo, but the beginning of 2023 didn't quite lend itself to that habit. Blame the Mars retrograde in your 10th house of public image, which continued until Jan. 12. The go-getter planet's backward movement may have left you feeling preoccupied about receiving recognition for recent hard work.

If that wasn't already enough, your ruling planet, messenger Mercury, was moving backward through your fifth house of romance and self-expression until Jan. 18, pulling your attention toward trying to tie up loose ends on a creative project. It may have also made you more easily distracted by pleasurable activities.

But productivity and progress should have come eventually, as the full moon on March 7 fell in your sign, putting you in your feelings and making you even more aware of how you could best fulfill your desires in order to experience well-deserved self-growth. On the same day, Saturn, the taskmaster planet, entered your seventh house of partnership, where it now remains for a little more than two years. This should bolster the foundations of your one-on-one relationships and allow you to better understand yourself in the process. You'll be meditating a lot on what brings you happiness and how showing up for others and fostering reciprocity benefits your bonds. All of this can lead to less stress and greater emotional peace.

This year also marks a move for Jupiter, the planet of fortune and expansion. It will slide into your ninth house of adventure and higher learning, which cranks up your curiosity and desire to get out of your comfort zone and enjoy experiences that are out of the norm. This could be the year you finally take that healthy-cooking seminar abroad or sign up for that yoga-teacher training so you can support others and yourself — not only physically but spiritually, too.

Focus on doing the work this year, Libra. The year may have started out a bit less active than you might have liked, but due to two Mars retrogrades, you could be on the precipice of completely overhauling your big-picture goals and personal brand in a way that feels even truer to who you are. Yes, that can be incredibly intimidating — but also truly gratifying.

Your connections with friends and colleagues also came into major focus when your ruling planet Venus, the planet of love, beauty, and values, moved backward from July 22 to Sept. 3. The backspin occurred in your 11th house of networking, providing you with a slowdown period that you used to reflect on and reassess which platonic bonds are in line with your values. The movement was also a time to consider how to add meaning and fulfillment to your life and support your best self-improvement efforts and healthy habits. As we finish out the year, it could be time to move on from toxic relationships that are preventing you from feeling your best.

As the new year kicked off, Scorpio, you likely experienced the tail end of one of Mars's months-long retrogrades. But ever since Mars went direct on Jan. 12, you've likely been doing some soul searching around your most intimate bonds, which has probably been fairly exhausting. Use the rest of 2023 to schedule in some slow, restorative movement (think: yin yoga or tai chi).

Though the Feb. 20 new moon in your fifth house of pleasure and self-expression marked a sweet moment to zero in on an intention that made your heart happy and surrounded yourself with people who encouraged you to pursue your dreams, the sun's trip through your sixth house of daily routine and wellness from March 20 to April 20 was meant to shore up your desire to commit to healthy new habits that holistically benefit your well-being. Maybe now you find that a quick morning yoga routine or evening walk lifts your spirits and boosts your energy in a noticeable way.

The final eclipse in a series that's been in play since 2021 hit your sign on May 5, and you might have found you're at the end of a long road of self-exploration. You might look back at how far you've come in terms of knowing and standing up for your dreams and desires — and if that sets off a surge of pride, own it.

On June 21, the sun moved into Cancer, highlighting your ambitious 10th house of career and public reputation until July 22. Did you prioritize your professional accomplishments? Remember that it's OK to say no to the things that do not serve you personally or professionally. And know that by the year's last eclipse in your seventh house of partnership on Oct. 28, you'll be more self-assured and showing up even more fully in your relationship with yourself and others.

You could be feeling a little bit burned out and in need of extra self-care, Sag. Whether you were consumed by healing your bonds with friends, relatives, a SO, or reassessing your moneymaking game plan, early January probably felt pretty heavy. Thankfully, Mars went direct on Jan. 12, with Mercury following on Jan. 18, which offered plenty of relief and allowed you to get fired up about bold action steps you want to take in the year ahead.

Hopefully you took advantage of the fact that buoyant, big-picture-focused Jupiter, your ruling planet, was in your fifth house of self-expression until May 16, amplifying your ability to infuse your daily to-dos and wellness routine with more fun and pleasure. And from now until late May 2024, the giant planet will continue to travel through your sixth house of health and daily routine, magnifying your focus on everyday healthy habits that can elevate your vitality. You'll crave more balance and organization, both of which can have you feeling amazing. That said, the danger of Jupiter is that it can encourage you to bite off more than you can chew. Watch out for signing up for one too many fitness studio memberships or offering to be your BFF's workout buddy when you realistically can't commit.

Speaking of friends, around Oct. 14, the new moon and solar eclipse fall in your 11th house of networking, which could have you thinking about your platonic relationships in a new way. Support from a group of friends or serving as part of a team effort could be exactly what you need to cross the finish line on a goal that will amplify your vitality.

The new year began in the middle of your season, Cap, which probably felt quite enlivening. After all, the confidence- and vitality-boosting sun was in your first house of self, kicking your self-assuredness up a notch, and everyone around you was generally aspired to be even slightly as industrious as you, setting New Year's resolutions left and right.

But you had a leg up — not only because you're so darn driven, but also because you're all about slow, steady, calculated, long-term movement toward achievement and recognition for your efforts. And that MO probably served you well until mid-January. Why? Go-getter Mars remained retrograde in your sixth house of wellness and daily routine until Jan. 12, and messenger Mercury was retrograde in your sign until Jan. 18. When it came to caring for your physical and mental well-being so far this year, these backward spins were asking you to look to the past before plowing ahead.

On April 20, the first eclipse of the year — and the first of a whole new series of eclipses that will last until 2025 — fell in your fourth house of home life, which probably spurred major changes that could be actually quite literal or more figurative, such as self-work related to your inner life. Either way, it presented an opportunity to tune into and trust your inner voice, hone your intuition, and heal emotional wounds that were inflicted in your early life.

On May 16, Jupiter, the planet of fortune and abundance, kicked off its more-than-a-year-long trip through your fifth house of self-expression and creativity. Your default mode is to put your nose to the grindstone and work so hard that you sometimes forget just how short life is. But with Jupiter in this sector, you have hopefully found it's easier to let go of deadlines and rigorous workout regimens from time to time to be more spontaneous and make time for play, celebration, fun, and rest. Since Jupiter will be in a fellow earth sign, its energy is in tune with your perspective, which can feel truly grounding. By the end of the year, when the confident sun slips into your 12th house of spirituality on Nov. 22, you'll be even more in tune with your inner knowing.

Being so forward thinking and rational, you probably saw the start of the year as a prime time to hit the ground running, Aquarius. But for the first few weeks of 2023, you may have felt like you were slogging through mud. Mars, the planet of energy, was retrograde in your fifth house of self-expression until Jan. 12. And messenger Mercury was retrograde in your 12th house of spirituality until Jan. 18. In both cases, your action, thinking, and communication were probably a bit more sluggish than usual, which may have challenged your ability to get results out of your typically hard work — whether it was related to a creative project that benefits your mental and emotional well-being or a meditation practice you've been intent on sticking to.

By mid-to-late January, though, just in time for your season, you were back building traction. And when powerful, slow-moving Pluto dipped into your sign from March 23 to June 11, you kicked off a whole new era of transformation that likely served to bolster your self-image.

On May 16, Jupiter, the planet of fortune and abundance, began its more-than-a-year-long stay in your fourth house of home life, which led to an even more harmonious, supportive domestic vibe. Maybe you'll move into a bigger space, in with an SO, or to a new city. Either way, this transit can present a sweet opportunity to create a space that really serves your wellness goals. Find the perfect spot for your Spin bike, try a workout mirror, invest in some quality hand weights, or maybe just create a tranquil meditation or yoga corner that inspires you to stick to a restorative practice. By Libra season, which activates your ninth house of adventure and higher learning from now to Oct. 23, you'll want to plan a horizon-broadening trip or consider honing your skill set by taking your education to the next level.

This year began with not one but two planets moving backward and urging you to go inward, Pisces. Mars, the planet of action, went retrograde on Oct. 30, 2022, and moved backward in your fourth house of home life until Jan. 12. And Mercury, the planet of communication, which kicked off its backspin in your 11th house of networking on Dec. 29, 2022, was retrograde until Jan. 18. All in all, this probably translated to quite a bit of meditation on your relationships and long-term wishes.

Once both planets moved forward, you likely began to take steps toward achieving your aspirations for the year. Expansive Jupiter's trip through your third house of communication from May 16 until May 2024 could elevate your curiosity and inspire you to pick up new skills, especially alongside friends, siblings, and neighbors. You might opt to try that kickboxing class you've had on your bucket list or brush up on your swimming skills so you can finally take that surfing lesson you've been musing about. Tapping into your inner adventurer is pretty much a must, as you can easily turn a daydream into an enthralling, memorable experience — and possibly even an ongoing mind-body wellness routine.

Leo season and the confident sun's trip through your sixth house of health from July 22 to Aug. 23 was another beautiful opportunity to pursue exciting new routines that supported your mental and physical well-being. And from Oct. 23 to Nov. 22, the sun's trip through your ninth house of adventure challenges — and empowers — you to get out of your comfort zone by exploring uncharted terrain. Trust your intuition to gravitate to mentors and experts whose philosophies resonate with your long-term vision for mental and physical wellness.