Life

What Your Zodiac Sign Says About The Way You Deal With Rough Patches

Ashley Batz/Bustle

We often look to the zodiac to tell us something fun about ourselves: What we should do for the weekend, how we should celebrate a certain holiday, what we should make for dinner that night. But the sign under which you were born can also tell you some serious things, too — for example, your zodiac sign speaks volumes about how you deal with rough patches. Life, after all, isn’t all weekend excursions and seasonal celebrations — and even if you don’t totally buy into the idea of your birthday having some pull over your personality traits, sometimes, it’s all worth considering anyway, even if it’s just to get a different perspective on a problem.

Examining how we deal with difficult situations requires us to have a certain amount of self-awareness: Not only do we have to know what we tend to do during these times, but moreover, we also have to know whether those coping methods are bad habits we need to overcome. It’s true that we can use our strengths to help us push through tough times — but we also all have some weaknesses we need to keep in mind, because knowing how to counteract those weaknesses might be the key to the solution.

If you’re into astrology, taking a good, long look at your sign’s strengths and weaknesses might help you figure out the best way through a rough patch or two. Here are the patterns each sign tends to fall into — and whatto do to break those patterns, if it’s needed:

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Those born under the sign of Aries tend to be a bit tempestuous, but they’re also “take charge” kinds of people — so that’s what you do when things get tough, Aries: You get tougher. You don’t run from your problems. You figure out what you need to do in order to work through times of trouble, and then you get to it, aided by your excellent organizational skills and your energy and drive. Just try not to get too short-tempered while you forge ahead.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Bull folk aren't fond of sudden changes or complications; they’re super reliable, so they don’t like it when other people or situations turn out not to be. They do, however, depend greatly on their friends and loved ones — and indeed, that’s how those born under Taurus cope with challenges: They reach out to their people. To make this technique positive, though, Bulls would do well to enjoy the time they spend with others, rather than project onto them the troubles they’re dealing with themselves. And Taurus? Cut yourself some slack, too. No one’s perfect, and although you take pride in your reliability, you’re allowed to have off days.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

When Geminis get into rough spots, they have a tendency to freeze up — their dual personalities sometimes cause them to get stuck in a place of inaction. What’s more, once you figure out what you think you need todo to move forward, Gemini, you often change your mind, which can put you right back at square one. Use your intellect, creativity, and curiosity to solve the problems you face — and then buckle down and execute your plan. You got this, Gemini.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Sensitive and intuitive, Cancers also have a tendency to wall themselves off. When you’re not feeling your best, you withdraw from the folks you care about — but it’s worth remembering that they care about you, too! They’ll be there for you if only you let them, Cancer. Building up a support network you can reach out to when you’re dealing with tough times can do wonders for helping you push through to the other side.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

Like Aries folk, Leos tend to run towards their problems, full steam ahead. They can, however, also be a little inflexible; when facing challenges, those born under the sign of the Lion may get too stubborn for their own good. Keep an open mind, and your can-do attitude will help see you through, Leo. You love a challenge, so look at it trying times as something to master and overcome.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

The perfectionists of the zodiac, Virgos are meticulous, practical, and detail-oriented — but the flip side of that is that they don’t like to ask for help when they need it. When your situation starts to get the better of you, Virgo, sometimes you just keep trying to struggle through on your own. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance! It doesn’t mean you’re any less capable; everyone needs a little help carrying their burdens every now and again. Don’t be too critical of yourself, no matter how much you want to be.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)

Libras are conflict-avoiders. This can be a strength — you’re incredibly diplomatic, and your peace-keeping abilities often come in handy in team situations — but it can also be a weakness: When you’re faced with a rough time, you tend to want to run from your troubles, instead launching yourself into something — anything — to distract you from them. But you’re bright and creative, Libra, so even though it isn’t fun to face your problems, don’t be afraid of pulling out your best qualities when you need to. Things might not be as bad as they seem — but you’ll only know that if you look them square in the eye.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

Scorpios tend to get a little paranoid during difficult times; they dislike secrecy, so they might become convinced that someone isn’t being as honest as they could be. That said, though, your assertiveness can be a boon when it comes to working through the tough spots — you aren’t as shy as a lot of other water signs are, so you’re more likely to face your problems head-on. Be confident that you can trust those around you; your friends have your back.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

Rough patches don’t usually bother you Sagittarius — largely because you don’t often feel like you have any rough patches to get through. Your optimism is admirable, but sometimes you can be willingly blind to the situations in which you find yourself. But hey, once you realize that you are having a few problems, you face them with a grin, confident that everything will shake out in the end. Just keep your cool if things take a little longer to work out than you’d like.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

Capricorns approach rough patches the same way they do everything else: Systematically, with a well-thought-out plan ready to be put into action at a moment’s notice. Although you can be a little rigid and inflexible, Capricorn, no one would accuse you of running from your problems. However, your extreme discipline might also make you prone to depression, so try to give yourself a break when you need it. It’s OK if not everything goes to plan.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Intellectual Aquarians often try to think their way out of rough spots — often because they’re bored. Instead of languishing in your boredom, though, Aquarius, try taking action instead. You might not like dealing with emotionally-charged situations, but at least they’re never dull, right?

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

My fellow Fish folk, I have bad news for us: We tend to make our own problems 10 times worse than they usually because we kind of have a martyr complex. We get a little “OH, WOE IS ME!” when times get tough — but really, we don’t have to. We like to help others, so we’d do well to try to help ourselves from time to time, too — or ask others for help if we need it. Enough with the wallowing; there’s plenty to do!