January’s Full Moon Is Going To Bring Majorly Good Vibes — Especially If This Is Your Sign

Most of the astrology-related news that's been coming out lately has been entirely negative. Between the craziness associated with mercury being in retrograde, the continuing ickiness of mercury transitioning out of retrograde during its shadow period (aka "retroshade"), and the widespread prediction that Dec. 21, 2017 would be the unluckiest day of the year, it's felt recently like the stars are decidedly not on our side. The next astronomical phenomenon — January's full moon — is expected to treat us much better. So, what does it mean if the full moon is in Cancer? January 2018's wolf moon is going to create ideal conditions for you to start working on your New Year's resolutions. Finally... some astrology I can really get behind!

There are a few important things to note about the upcoming full moon, which will rise on Jan. 1, 2018 (just in time to aggravate your New Year's hangover). Most obvious to us here on Earth will be the fact that the January full moon is a supermoon. Per Time and Date, a supermoon is a full moon that orbits especially close to our own planet, making it appear bigger and brighter to the naked eye. There are no official rules as to how close a full moon must be to the Earth in order to qualify as "super," but chances are that you'll know one when you see it.

In addition to being a supermoon, the January full moon is also called the wolf moon. This nickname is rooted in Native American history and goes back to the days when people would hear wolves howling in the middle of a cold winter night. Upon further exploration, the Native Americans would often find a full moon in the sky, forging an inextricable link between the January moon and the sound of the wolves howling at it.

While these astronomy and history lessons are useful, I know what you're really wondering is how this year's wolf moon might affect your life here on Earth. Will it help us rebound from the straight-up mental hell that comes with Mercury being in retrograde? Will it help us forget the almost Armageddon-like panic leading up to Dec. 21? Goods news, friends. It actually might.

The full moon that will rise on Jan. 1 will be in Cancer, which means that it will create especially fertile and emotional conditions. Full moons are generally thought to be ideal times for letting go of things — and according to New York City-based astrologer Lisa Stardust in an interview with Bustle, this wolf moon's New Year's timing positions it to be an especially fruitful, prolific full moon, astrology-wise.

"This full moon focuses on the balance between work and home, while asking us to assess what relationships make us feel safe and secure," Stardust tells Bustle. "As we head into the new year, we are deciding what needs to be shed today in order for us to grow. We are decluttering our lives."

These conditions will be particularly well-suited to the process of finessing New Year's resolutions and perfect for taking the first steps toward actually achieving them. With Mercury still in its post-retrograde shadow, you might find that lots of things in your life aren't quite sticking. You might wake up on Jan. 1 with an idea of what you'd like to accomplish in the new year, but the full moon rising might encourage you to make adjustments to those goals or to think more generally about what you'd like to achieve over the next 12 months.

To sum it up, Stardust tells Bustle, "we will be taking action around manifesting and birthing the new dream for the new year, while letting go of our outdated visions, which may no longer suit us." Sounds good to me!