And just like that, it’s February. We hope this month goes by just a little slower, especially since it’s a short one. Our monthly horoscope from Christie Craft is ready! Read a brief overview below and then find your sign in our slideshow for a more detailed forecast.

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, January’s ascent into February is little consolation as deep winter creeps toward spring. February’s stark backdrop prevails along with a quiet mood of contemplation, and we’re all driven a little more insane by another month of vitamin-D deficiency and bundling up in layers. It’s no wonder that Valentine’s Day, a glittery, heart-shaped holiday designed to bring people together and celebrate romantic love, would fall smack dab in the middle of the calendar year’s bleakest month.

Our chocolate-covered, modern-day fertility rite is backed by February’s astrological outlook, dominated by a deep, universal craving for human understanding and communion. A new moon in Aquarius opens the month on February 8th, broadening our perspective as well as our social reach, and urging each of us to nurture our most unique qualities. This is no month to be a recluse—network and mingle socially as much as possible. You never know, you may find yourself rubbing elbows with the influential social climber destined to bankroll your first feature film.

Mercury and Venus will join together in a planetary embrace with Aquarius between February 13th and 16th, highlighting our need for self-love and acceptance. In romantic affairs, respecting your partner’s individuality and honoring your core friendship will become imperative themes this V-Day season. The month closes on a crest of energy with a Virgo full moon on February 22nd, which may signal the end of a long job search or the finalization of an important work assignment.