Explore your sign’s 2024 horoscope predictions to learn what is in store for you this year in love, career, and more. Check out the love compatibility of each sign to learn more about zodiac pairings and all things compatibility.
2024 is a significant year for love, and with the month of love here, this energy is even more prominent now. As you take a look at your love life, notice where life has come full circle for you and where the community, closeness, and abundance surround you. Things may look differently than expected around this time of year, but where do they look better? Emotionally, there has been a lot to process over the past few years, and there is something about taking more time out for the joy and happiness in your partnerships and love life today.
Whether you are single or in a relationship, love starts from within you and can lead you to places fear won’t go.
It’s all about trusting your intuition and what your emotional world is telling you right now. This is one of the best years for couples getting married, as this is an 8-year in numerology, which means it’s a year of abundance, balance, and commitment for many. The energy flowing through the world is reminding us that love takes courage and dedicating yourself to the things you love is rewarding. February, in numerology specifically, is defined by the number 2, which represents partnership, emotional clarity, intuition, forgiveness, and grace.
Overall, this is a time to put more focus on the love in your life and where you want to see things grow. What you commit yourself to right now is just as significant as what you are letting go of, and it’s about finding the balance here.
Read below for a message for singles and those in a relationship, for guidance in love right now. Read for your sun and moon sign.
February 2024 Love Horoscopes, Based On Your Sun & Moon Sign
February 2024 Aries Love Reading:
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Singles Horoscope:
You have been through a lot, and you need time to grasp and process your emotions. Love for you as of late has been a learning lesson, but one you have needed before you move into your new journey of love. Changes have happened abruptly, and this is divine intervention pushing you in a different direction. Your guidance at this time is to let go of the insecurities and the challenges you have been playing on repeat in your head. Things are going to get better for you and your heart, and it’s time to see your future in a more hopeful light, Aries.
Couples Horoscope:
Dreams are fulfilled, and the wishes you have made are falling into your lap, Aries. This is a fortunate time for you and your partner, and one where you have plenty of love to give, and space to receive it in return. You are headed toward even more emotionally fulfilling spaces romantically as well, and it’s only going to continue to get better for you from here. Love for you right now is about expecting the unexpected and allowing the universe to surprise you with something magical. The more you shine in your truth, the more you allow love to meet you halfway.
February 2024 Taurus Love Reading:
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Singles Horoscope:
Some important decisions may need to be made soon, Taurus. You have been having fun, exploring your options, and balancing what you need with what you want, and it’s time to refocus your energy. Your love life has felt a little scattered recently, and it’s because you are playing with too many fires. It’s time to decide on what’s more important to you and to prioritize your energy and your heart. The spark won’t go out once you commit to something; it will only deepen and strengthen for you. Remember that right now and get a little more downtime to process everything.
Couples Horoscope:
Be patient with what is blooming for you in your relationship, and nurture your worlds, Taurus. You are birthing something new in your life, and these things take time. What you have been preparing for and setting your intentions for in this relationship will see fruition, and now is the time to keep your heart in the present moment while it happens. There is beauty in where things are today, and it’s okay to ask for more of what you need when you feel your intentions aren’t being received. Seek gratitude, speak of love, and allow things to fall into place.
February 2024 Gemini Love Reading:
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Singles Horoscope:
Things are coming together for you in ways you may not be expecting right now, Gemini. Someone from your past may be coming into your life soon, and this is going to be a pleasant and rewarding surprise for you. You have learned a lot and grown even more, and you are not the same person you were back then- yet this may be even more reason why someone falls in love with you again. Past, present, and future are intertwined, and your heart is taking in the joy of what is coming to the surface for you right now.
Couples Horoscope:
This is a new beginning in your relationship and one that is going to be setting the tone for things financially in the future here, Gemini. You have been focused on setting goals together and building your dreams, and you are on the right path right now. Continue to put things into perspective when it comes to your financial dreams and ambitions, and make sure you are both on the same page. Being honest with yourself and another about what abundance looks like to you and where things are currently can help you build on more solid ground for the longevity of the relationship.
February 2024 Cancer Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
You have everything you need right beside you, Cancer. You are emotionally in a place in your life where you are single, yet there is still a lot of support, love, and community surrounding you. Emotionally, you are in a space that most people are in when they feel like their dreams have been fulfilled, and that is saying a lot. You have been working on healing your inner child, finding your inner joy, and focusing more on the blessings in your life- and it has worked. Love is fueling your life and your world, and you are in a good space for something magical to happen here.
Couples Horoscope:
Trust your intuition right now, Cancer. You have been getting glimpses into your future, and your strong intuition should be more cherished. You know what needs to be done and where you need to put more of the energy, passion, and focus into your relationships, and now is the time to do so. You are someone who intuitively knows what others need, and this is a gift that is brought into your relationships with others. Own your power of divine insight, and go where your emotions are leading you to. Spice things up, protect your relationship, and trust yourself right now.
February 2024 Leo Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
Things are going to start picking up for you again soon in love, Leo. You have been in a place of stagnation emotionally, and life has required more patience out of you than you may have wanted to give. Yet, you are now moving into a space where things are going to start getting interesting for you in love. You are still very focused on your individuality and doing things alone and your way- yet you are willing to allow someone to run wild with you. Love is getting exciting and you can expect a fresh start here as the intentions you have been setting begin to manifest.
Couples Horoscope:
You are not as stuck as you currently may believe so, Leo. There is something that has been mentally holding you back from feeling secure and safe in your current relationship, and this is something to look at right now. Ask yourself if you are being restricted or protected, and where these limitations have been stemming from in your relationship. More trust and honest vulnerability may be needed to grow closer to one another, and you shouldn’t have to fight these internal battles alone. Talk to your partner about how you have been feeling, and if change doesn’t occur, believe in yourself enough to walk away.
February 2024 Virgo Love Reading:
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Singles Horoscope:
A gift is in store for you in love, Virgo, and you are exactly where you should be. You are being seen as the worthy, valuable, abundant, and loving soul that you are, and you are a hot commodity right now. Choose who you entertain and allow into your life wisely, but know that you are someone’s first choice. You have worked hard to get to the place you are at right now in life, and allowing someone to enter your life will not change that. Know that you are protected as you live your life and open up to love and that abundance wants to come in for you right now.
Couples Horoscope:
It’s all about commitment for you right now, and you are seeing the blessings of what you have dedicated yourself to, Virgo. Your love life is thriving with intent and purpose, and many Virgos may be seeing proposals or marriages occur soon. This is a time in your life when your values, intentions, and wisdom of the heart are being recognized, and your relationship is evolving to new heights. You are feeling joy with where things are headed for you right now, and there is a nice synergy in love. You and your partner are on the same page, and you are both growing together.
February 2024 Libra Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
This is an eye-opening time for you, Libra. You have learned a lot about love as of late, and need some more time to emotionally process it all. There has been an awakening in your life, and you are changing the direction in which you are headed. This time is about self-reflection, learning the lessons, and defining what you want and what you will not settle for in the future. Something massive has changed within you, and there is no more looking back on the what-ifs of the past. Know that the clarity you have found is here to stay, and your time of healing will soon turn into a blessing in disguise.
Couples Horoscope:
Your guidance for love at this time is to bring more trust and understanding into your relationship, Libra. Holding on too tightly to anything makes it more likely to fall from your grasp, and it’s time to be more confident in yourself and what you stand for in love. If you allow your insecurities to deter the decisions you make in your relationships, then you may find yourself making more mistakes than positive changes. Allow yourself to let go of what cannot be changed, give yourself more love, and be more confident and self-assured in your current partnership. You are worthy of love, Libra, and you always have been.
February 2024 Scorpio Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
It’s time to put the feelers out there, communicate, and open the door to what or who has caught your attention in love, Scorpio. This is a time of communicating yourself and expressing what your heart wants to say. A lightbulb has gone off in your life, and you are seeing your emotional world a little more clearly. You have learned a lot when it comes to love and your relationships, and you will not make the same mistakes you once did. Let go of the old stories you have told yourself about love, and create new ones for yourself today that resonate more with what you want now.
Couples Horoscope:
It’s about putting the work and dedication into your relationship right now, Scorpio. Some more time, intent, and focus may need to be put toward your loved one, and it’s time to show up. Life has felt a little more scattered and heavy than usual as of late, but you don’t have to sort through it all out alone. Open up to your partner about what has been taking your time or keeping you away, and choose to build a bridge to more connection and honesty in your relationship. You are in a space of building or rebuilding your relationship from the ground up, and your hard work will bring in more blessings here.
February 2024 Sagittarius Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
Get excited about where love is headed for you right now, Sagittarius. This is a time of hope, inspiration, and adventure, and love is taking you on a new journey. You have been putting the feelers out there, setting your intentions, and envisioning your dream relationship- and this energy wants to come forth for you now. Go to places you have never been, connect with new people, travel, and get out into the world. Love is requiring you to do things differently than you have before, and by switching the energy up, you allow new love to enter your world.
Couples Horoscope:
Patience, patience, patience, Sagittarius. Your relationship needs more trust on your part and more raw vulnerability at that. A side of you that you may not truly resonate with has been coming to the surface in your relationship, causing more harm than good. You love so fiercely that you can sometimes get caught up in things going the way you want them to rather than the way they should. This is the time to focus on what is going to be healthy for you and your partner and to give each other the space needed to grow and thrive. Let go of fears and remember your heart, Sag.
February 2024 Capricorn Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
Things are heating up for you in love, and passions are running high, Capricorn. This is a sexy time for single Capricorns and one when you are feeling excited about the new chapter you are embarking on here. Ask yourself what you want most from love right now, and have the courage to let it in. You are beautiful in every way, but especially when you are being yourself, and your light is being acknowledged by another right now. You are understanding yourself better with the time alone that you have gained, and things are looking up for you. Get creative with romance, and follow the passion of your heart.
Couples Horoscope:
Choose your battles wisely, Capricorn. Often, conflict is a direct manifestation of unsettled energy, and you may need to look at where the challenges in your relationships are stemming from internally as well as externally. If you can’t meet in the middle and understand each other, how can you move on from this? You may need to reinforce some new boundaries in your current relationship so that you are both on the same page and headed in the same direction. Give yourself time to think things through, and don’t force things right now. True love will always shine through the chaos.
February 2024 Aquarius Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
Don’t lose hope, Aquarius, your life is still blooming regardless of who is in it. Your guidance for your love life at this time is to focus on your perspective of it all. Are you seeing love and romance in a positive light or with a tang of dread about opening up to someone new? There is a lot you are still growing through when it comes to your emotions, but that doesn’t mean you have to do so alone. You can still grow and renew while in partnership, and a helping hand may be closer than you think. Open your mind to the possibilities of love, and then trust that you have what it takes to receive it.
Couples Horoscope:
Something refreshing is happening in your relationship right now, and it’s time to get excited about where things are heading, Aquarius. An offer to go deeper, to love stronger, and to do things closer together is presenting itself to you now, and you can trust where love is taking you. Open your heart to the wonders of a new day, and don’t let the seriousness of your relationships weigh down all the fun and excitement of it. Do something romantic, make a wish, and bring forth the dreams and new beginnings you want to see here. It’s one thing to feel love for someone, it’s another to show it.
February 2024 Pisces Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
You have walked away from what no longer serves your heart, and you are moving into a brighter day, Pisces. There has been loss, and there has been a challenge, but your fire has not gone out. You are someone who loves because that is what is within you, and you are not someone who lets the pain of the past define your future. You have walked away from emotional burdens that were keeping you stuck where you shouldn’t be, and you are now making space for new love to enter. Being alone can be a beautiful experience, and this time in your life is about you and no one else, Pisces. Self-love is the game changer.
Couples Horoscope:
Happiness is fueling your world right now, Pisces. This is a beautiful time of harmony in your relationship, and the outcomes you were hoping for are coming true for you now. There is a good balance between yourself and your relationship, and you have been giving equal areas of your lifetime and dedication. You are feeling fulfilled with where love is taking you and how things are coming to fruition for you right now, and there is so much to be grateful for. Continue to bask in the light that is shining down upon you, share the love that is within your heart, and have a positive perspective on your current relationship.
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RELATED
At the beginning of the year, we are being shown how significant 2025 will be for love. From March 1, 2025, until April 12, 2025, Venus, the planet of love and relationships, will be retrograde. Venus goes retrograde approximately every 18 months and hasn’t been retrograde since the Summer of 2023. With love taking a step back at the beginning of the year, we move through a time of understanding the emotional world better and letting go of trying to control outcomes here.
What Does 2025 Have in Store for Love?
It’s time to refocus your relationship priorities overall, and with this retrograde happening in both Aries and Pisces, Aries being the first sign of the zodiac and Pisces being the last; there is a chapter we are closing and a new one we are walking into.
Another significant factor that is influencing relationships this year, is Jupiter’s entry into Cancer. Jupiter brings blessings, abundance, luck, and expansion, and in water sign Cancer, brings these gifts to your emotions. Cancer rules emotional safety, foundations, close loved ones, family, support, and emotional well-being, and with Jupiter in this sign from June 9, 2025, until June 30, 2026, we experience blessings in stability within love. This is a good year for building stronger foundations in love, aligning with those who are loyal and supportive, knowing what you need emotionally, and being a lot clearer on it.
Letting Go of the Past: The Astrological Theme of 2025
Overall, the guideline for the year when it comes to love is to focus on the bigger picture and let things work themselves out without forcing them to. Magic will come in for you this year when you can assess your needs and wants, let go of illusions or smoke and mirrors, and focus on the things you want for yourself rather than what you don’t. Your focus and beliefs on love are the priority right now, and things will be coming full circle for the better.
Read below to see your personal 2025 love forecast. Read for your sun, moon, and rising signs.
ARIES
2025 is one of the more significant years for you, Aries. A lot of the major transits are happening in your sign, which includes Venus retrograde in Aries at the beginning of the year, Neptune in Aries from March 2025 until 2039, and Saturn in Aries from May 2025 until 2028. Not to mention, Chiron, the wounded healer is currently in your sign until 2027.
What this means for you when it comes to love, is that you have learned a lot about where you want to be here, and it’s the year to implement more of these tools and knowledge of the heart.
This year for love is about honoring your integrity and what you need personally to thrive in life and creating that space to let it in. You need someone who will be there for you through whatever you are experiencing in life and not someone who adds to these challenges. This year is a time of rising above, and choosing better for yourself.
TAURUS
2025 for you when it comes to love, is all about perspective and taking better care of your heart, Taurus. Uranus, the planet of change, rebellion, progress, and upheaval, has been in your sign since 2019, and this year you get a break from all of the surprises. From Jul. 7, 2025, until Nov. 7, 2025, Uranus leaves your sign and enters Gemini, giving your mind and your heart some time to breathe.
This year you are being given the opportunity to see things for what they are, rather than what you fear them to be. You are able to see your relationship dynamics clearer, allowing you to feel more confident in what you are building and creating for yourself in this area of your life. What you are working on this year is letting go of overthinking, and allowing things to play out the way they are meant to in love.
GEMINI
This year you are feeling in balance when it comes to love, Gemini. Relationships are important to you in life overall, as you are a relationship-oriented sign, but it can be difficult at times to keep the balance and perspective here. This year, with lucky Jupiter in your sign until June, you have the opportunity to be blessed with some fortunate circumstances personally and within romance.
You are feeling yourself this year, and this is attracting you success and new opportunities within love.
Uranus will also be in your sign this year from Jul. 7 until Nov. 7, and some surprises are in store for you. Pay attention to what happens in your love life during this period, as similar themes will be coming back around for you when Uranus officially enters its Gemini transit from 2026 - 2032. Overall, this year is about balancing what’s coming and going in love, and finding your peace within your inner confidence for it all.
CANCER
2025 for you, Cancer, is about stability in love. You are growing emotionally from the ground up, and are feeling a sense of support, confidence, romance, and receptivity in your love life this year. You are one of the lucky signs of 2025, and this is due to Jupiter, the planet of blessings, entering your sign from June 9, 2025, until June 30, 2026. While Jupiter is in your sign, your life expands and you are able to see the gifts of your world that may have been harder to come by previously.
This is a year of spending more time with your loved ones and feeling more heard and supported emotionally. Safety and security are especially important to you this year, and you are only entertaining the people who feel that way about you and provide that. Many Cancers will be expanding their families this year or developing a long-term relationship, and overall this is a year of feeling stronger when it comes to love.
LEO
When it comes to love this year for you, Leo, it’s about trusting your intuition and listening more to what your heart is telling you. There are not many major transits happening in Leo in 2025, which means there is a lot of room to grow, but you may be feeling a lack of support or encouragement to do so. A lot of Leos are taking a step back to look at where they are currently in love, and yearning for some change and a new direction here.
Neptune will be in your 9th house of adventure for most of this year, and you are being asked to get inspired and do things differently, but don’t take unnecessary risks in love that may not serve you in the long run.
It can be easy to get lost in the fantasy of love rather than the actual reality you’ll live in here, and taking more time to understand yourself, your relationships, and the dynamics in your love life will be necessary. Overall, your heart is healing this year and you are moving away from the past and creating your new future.
VIRGO
This year when it comes to love, you are going through changes that are aligning you closer to your goals and dreams here, Virgo. You are focused on making things work that you want to see bloom, and also letting go of putting effort into people that aren’t reciprocating the same energy. With the North Node entering your sister sign Pisces and the South Node moving into your sign from Jan. 11, 2025, until Jul. 26, 2026, you are doing a lot of letting go over the next year.
However, with the North Node being in your 7th house of love, new doors and gifts are also opening up for you and your partnerships. The more you can let go of perfection and overworking your mind and your heart, the more blessings you will experience when it comes to love this year. In 2025, you also have two Eclipses in your sign, and there are overall a lot of changes Virgos are moving through this year. Your main guidance for love is to stand by the things that serve your heart and release yourself from what burdens it.
LIBRA
Love is coming to fruition for you this year, Libra. You have been through a lot in your personal life these past few years, and walking into 2025, you are ready for some positive change. This is a year of feeling in balance with your personal goals and dreams, and what you are experiencing romantically and financially as well. Relationship dynamics are serving you and your sense of abundance, and many gifts are coming your way in love this year.
With Neptune, Chiron, and Saturn all being in your 7th house of love, your love life and partnerships are the main focus for you in 2025.
You are moving through changes, overcoming previous obstacles, and bringing back the dreamy energy here. With Chiron in the 7th, you are still doing some healing of the heart, but with Neptune now entering, it all feels a little more romantic and spiritual at the same time. This year is about believing in the impossible in love, taking care of yourself, and allowing someone else to take care of you as well.
SCORPIO
This year is all about opportunity when it comes to love, Scorpio. You have your eyes on the prize and are focused on what you want for yourself, but also how you want to show up for love as well. You have goals and intentions that you are setting for your love life this year, and a lot of them reflect the passion and strength you are feeling as you enter the year. Vesta is in your sign this year until September, and you have a spark within you that is a magnet for success and love. You are walking forward confidently and are feeling inspired, sexy, and magical this year.
This is a very sensual and powerful year for you, and this energy is being reflected in the relationship experiences you are having. Jupiter also enters your 9th house of adventure halfway through the year, and there is something special about the trips you are taking and the risks you are taking in love. Overall, this is a year of doing things your way and attracting love to you through your inner confidence and charisma.
SAGITTARIUS
This is a beautiful year of feeling balanced and abundant in love, Sagittarius. There is a lot of energy coming in and you are giving a lot of love as well. This sense of synergy you are feeling within your love life this year has a lot to do with Juno, the asteroid of soulmates, in your sign from Feb. 19 - Apr. 15. Your people are coming in and you have options this year, Sag.
This is a year of feeling loved for the inspiring, outgoing, and unique being you are, and meeting more people who match your energy.
Saturn also enters your 5th house of romance this year, and you are learning a lot through your experiences with others. You are learning how to be more confident in who you are and what you want for yourself and also recognizing the importance of making more time for fun and playful experiences. This is the year to see love as a more light-hearted experience and to not take yourself too seriously.
CAPRICORN
You are letting things come to you when it comes to love this year, Capricorn. You are feeling beautiful, capable, and worthy, and you are receiving the gifts that come from this sense of confidence and patience. This past year, you were setting a lot of new goals for yourself and your relationships, and in 2025, you are experiencing the results of these efforts.
Jupiter moves into your sister sign Cancer from June 9, 2025, until June 30, 2026, and enters your 7th house of love, partnerships, romance, marriage, and harmony. Your love life and experience of it all are expanding this year, and benevolent Jupiter is sending blessings to this area of your life. This is a year of things coming full circle for you in love, and you feel less confused about it all and more sure of yourself and what is becoming for you here.
AQUARIUS
Love is a highlight for you this year, Aquarius. You are coming together with another, and many Aquarius’ will be forming new relationships or growing within a strong relationship. You are experiencing the fruition of your dreams in love, and are also able to heal and let go of past emotional experiences that have been overwhelming for you in the past.
The North Node enters your 12th house of closure this year, and you are motivated towards change, cleaning house, and releasing the cobwebs of the past.
You are walking into new emotional experiences with less baggage and self-doubt, and are experiencing a fresh start in love. This is a year of asking for what you need emotionally and receiving it. Love is coming in for you in harmonious and magical ways, and you are rewriting your story in love in 2025.
PISCES
You are moving through a lot of changes when it comes to love in 2025, Pisces. This is a year of closure, healing, and giving yourself a fresh start, and the way you enter the year will be a lot different than the way you end it. The North Node of Destiny enters your sign this year, and the South Node of Karma enters your 7th house of love. So, a lot of your focus this year is on your personal goals and path, and there may be some neglect or lack of focus on your relationships.
This can create some discord with those close to you, and your guidance for this year is to try to balance the personal successes and wins you are experiencing, with the love changes that also need your attention right now. Know that what leaves your life this year is being replaced by something better, and also know that your healing doesn’t need to have a timeline and you can take as much time as you need to grow. Overall, you are turning a new page in love in 2025.
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Plus, if you've found yourself hitting major walls in the job search misadventures, sometimes it's best to take a pause and consider embracing a more radical approach that's less about action and more about inaction. Here's where the anti-work movement comes in. But what does this look like for Black women who literally need that coin to pay bills, take care of their children, splurge on that international trip, or reinvest in a side hustle? Let's get into it.
What Is the Anti-Work Movement?
Back in 2021, Black women led during the Great Resignation, and the Anti-Work Movement also gained steam, with more than 800,000 Reddit users "contemplating unemployment for all, not just the rich," according to Forbes. By 2023, the BBC reports, subscribers contributing to (or at least silently interested in) the conversation increased to 1.7 million.
The whole premise of the Anti-Work Movement centers on redefining what a healthy work environment really looks like. It's about taking companies to task about how well professionals are compensated for their gifts, time, and talents (or not), and to advocate for ways to make money that don't involve giving your blood, sweat, tears, and survival to a company for pennies on the dollar.
With the anti-work movement, there's also a sense of community where people can actually find others who relate to their struggles, who are offering solutions for a better way of working and living, and are calling out companies and managers who accommodate toxic work cultures and systems.
How The Anti-Work Movement Impacts Black Women
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With the anti-work movement, there's a sense of fighting for quality versus quantity, prioritizing self-care and balance, and fighting against exploitation, imbalance, and greed. For Black women, this can be essential, vital, and life-saving.
"I am only able to have a life-giving rest practice because I have boundaries that center my divinity. I don’t attach my worth to my accomplishments, to-do list or career," writes Tricia Hershey, founder of the Nap Ministry, an activism and community organization that promotes the liberating benefits of rest, recently wrote on her website. "I truly never have and I’m so grateful for this feat. Even when I was unemployed, I knew deep down I was enough and my life was worth so much. It’s as if capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchy had not hooked its beast-like tentacles into my being. I had escaped."
And while the Nap Ministry centers on rest advocacy and not on avoiding work altogether, it presents the perfect example of how a shift in strategy and thought process—especially when it comes to the stress and anxiety associated with a high-powered, high-paying job or a very frustrating job search—can totally change your life for the better.
Hershey's insights on unemployment (and the success evidence of her platform to the tune of more than 555,000 Instagram followers, in-demand speaking opportunities, and recent book release) prove that you, too, can survive releasing the stress and reevaluating your why in order to find peace and get your sanity back.
In her research, “You Won’t Break My Soul: Black Women’s Contemporary Anti-Work Philosophies and Post-Work Experiences,” Dr. Sharla Berry, a Southern California scholar and lecturer, explores how Black women are considering and testing out contemporary anti-work philosophies and making shifts that challenge “collective action and policy” and moves toward “individual responses to the problems of work.”
When asked last year about her interest in exploring the topic of anti-work, she indicated that the curiosity was sparked by something she could relate to. “I was doing some research, I guess, to support how I was already feeling and how so many Black people were feeling which is this idea that work is not working for us,” Berry said during a July 2024 interview with Blacktivism In The Academy podcast.
“I think what’s important about anti-work is that it doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t work,” she continued. “We still live in a capitalistic society, so not working, for many, may not be accessible or practical, though increasingly Black people are to make it, so, and we can talk about that. I think the larger idea is a stance, it’s a way of thinking critically about work, it’s a way of resisting the supremacy of work in your life, it’s an approach to organizing and collaborating around resisting work, and it's a way of thinking about how you lead and the role you take on as a boss, a manager, in your own head and in others’.”
The Unique Ways Black Women Can Embrace Anti-Work Philosophy
For Black women, the foundational concepts of the Anti-Work Movement (and the subsequent self-discovery and self-exploration that can be inspired by it) present its own set of empowering enlightenment, and a rethinking of the return on investment of your grind. (And of course, there are double-edge-sword-like challenges, since we still face workplace discrimination, unequal pay, disproportionate numbers related to serving as head of household (or breadwinner), and oh, there's that disparity of white and socioeconomic privilege related to having limits on our choices when it comes to when, where and how we earn our money.)
There are ways we can empower ourselves by simply considering the different ways of thinking about how we approach work, job seeking, and placing value on how we spend our time. Here's how:
1. Rethink your ultimate overall "why" and how work feeds that "why."
This is especially important during a job search where you're not getting callbacks or you're being offered low-quality experiences for low or inadequate pay. I've experienced this, especially as a self-employed freelancer, and I've walked away from opportunities simply because I'd outgrown them and wanted more, even when I didn't have a Plan B. I just wouldn't settle for other offers to do the same work for the same pay.
I've always enjoyed pouring into others and I find joy in being able to sleep peacefully at night knowing I've made a real, tangible, measurable difference. I like being known for leadership and being visible (and openly rewarded both verbally and financially) for my impact on a company or a team.
I began to think about my bottom line, which wasn't being able to afford designer clothes or a five-bedroom house, but doing work that makes my soul smile while, at the same time, being able to afford to pay affordable basic bills, buy a few dozen new books and art every month, and enjoy the priceless elements of life like friendship, fellowship, and enriching travel experiences.
Consider taking a detour from that hyper-focus on your current industry and work a retail, remote, or gig job. Put some pressure on that side hustle and get it going. Those actions might be the better move than sending that 100th resume for that corporate marketing job.
Sometimes embracing an anti-work approach means downsizing, selling everything and moving to another city or country, finding other ways to finance lodging (ie becoming a resident assistant, live-in nurse, or joining the Peace Corps), or finally monetizing that YouTube channel that's been collecting digital dust. It might be tapping into your artistic side, applying for grants, or unapologetically going hard polyworking until you reach your sabbatical fund goal.
2. Slowly give less power to being booked and busy, and more power to self-reflection and service.
Service opportunities can put you in rooms that might have been closed to you as a random, faceless job seeker. Many CEOs, hiring managers, and executives give of their time and money to various causes, so any time you can set $50-$200 to buy a ticket to a gala or fundraiser, or you can volunteer (for free) for major causes for civic organizations, educational institutions or churches, do it.
Find people you can network with, carpool to save costs and ask for help. The anti-work movement also includes a huge component dependent on community-building and human engagement (as activism always does), so get out of that LinkedIn inbox and out in those volunteer streets.
At one time, when I was in between clients and the bills were piling up, I decided to stop with the follow-up emails and find out how I could use my talents pro bono through Taproot Foundation. I ended up connecting with a savvy nonprofit founder serving youth in Jamaica and helped the organization redevelop elements of its branding and messaging. It was a big boost to my confidence after weeks of nos and no responses and reminded me that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. I was also, shortly after the project ended, able to add to my portfolio for a job I landed.
3. Release the pressure of worrying about what others might think and really lean deeply into your calling through alternative exploration.
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When you're forced to be creative and innovative, it's a great opportunity to see what you're truly made of and free yourself from the leash that is public (or family) approval. Many of us grow up being told that when you're not working you're "lazy," "unaccomplished," or "not winning," and there's this unnecessary shame attached to it for those of us who are accomplished, smart ambitious professionals simply going through the motions of real life.
Whenever I'd find myself unemployed--whether I quit or was let go---I'd hear my Granny's judgmental (but lovingly concerned) voice in my head saying, "How you lose a good job like that?" Sometimes that "good job" is a detriment to our physical and mental health or it can be the one thing that's hindering us from doing what we're truly on Earth to do simply because we're scared of the scorn and shame of quitting. And we have every right to outgrow a role or industry.
Taking some time off of that job search, finding ways to maximize your savings, investments, and other financial support resources, and radically rethinking your approach to making money can definitely help to strengthen your sense of self, your skills, and your ability to overcome anything life throws your way.
Listen, I've worked call center jobs, did DoorDash (where dogs all but attacked me for a huge trough of chicken on a back country road), and even lived off of a severance check for a while with no effort to look for a job at times when I decided to fully release and allow God to do His thing.
Each experience taught me something deeply profound about self-reliance and independence. They reinforced that I am a slave to no job, rejection email, client contract, outstanding bill, or title. I can do all things, as God intended, and I can live fully and abundantly regardless of an economy or unemployment rate.
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