Everyone copes with stress differently. Some people meet it head on, rising up to the challenge as if they have something to prove. Other people fall apart. You might be the sort who sits down and analyzes it—or maybe you laugh in its face! Did you know that your astrology chart might be influencing your response to stress?

　　There are three ways of looking at why you’re stressed based on your element or your zodiac sign. One is to examine the traits of your Sun sign, because this is who you are at your core. Another is to look at your rising sign, because this is how you present yourself to people.

　　You also have to look at your emotional responses, and those are found when you figure out your Moon sign. Of course, aspects made by other planets to these points in your birth chart will also impact how you handle stress, obstacles, and petty annoyances that happen in everyday life.

　　

Fire Signs — Don’t Overcommit & Burn Out

The fire element signs are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. On the whole, you’re the ones who are going to meet things head on and not let them get the better of you. You don’t like to be told what to do. You hate to feel you’re not in control of things, so you’ll do whatever possible to get back on top of them.

　　Your impatience may get the best of you at times, though. I can be easy for you to alienate those who could help because you try to be so fiercely independent. Work hard to bring things back into alignment, but don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. Reach out when you need help to overcome stress.

　　Aries

　　You stress yourself by trying to cram too much into too short a time period. As a cardinal quality, you’re a natural leader, but you’re also human, so don’t overstretch yourself. You invite anxiety when you have over-committed yourself and have to let someone down.

　　You have to look after yourself if you’re going to successfully manage others! You’re no good to anyone if you’ve burned up all your fiery energy. Even though exercise is invigorating and stimulating, for you, it’s often a way of relaxing, as it utilizes a different type of energy.

　　You may even balance out some of your fire by choosing a water sport, such as swimming or kayaking to help you unwind. Even relaxing around a campfire or scheduling a day just to pamper yourself works. Don’t overlook your own needs, practice self-care. You’re worth it!

　　Leo

　　You’re such a control freak and that wears you down quicker than anything. You’re the fixed quality fire sign. You want to govern every aspect of your life, right down to what the other people in it are doing! This brings unnecessary stress into your life because no one can take away another’s free will or predict what they’re going to do.

　　If you’re going to learn to be happy, you have to learn to stay in your lane and only focus on controlling what is within your power to do so. When you relax, you have to really relax—and that’s hard for you. It’s your nature to assume the role of leader, and organize the campout or plan the party.

　　Your best plan is going to be doing something that you love, and doing it by yourself, even though you’re very social by nature! The less people there are to herd and organize, the less stressful the activity will be for you and the more relaxation you will get out of it.

　　Sagittarius

　　You love to socialize, and you invite unnecessary stress into your life by jumping from situation to situation without really taking responsibility for anything. Yes, you need your sense of freedom and get stressed when things start to get too involved or complex. Although you’ll feel anxious and frustrated if nothing in your life has meaning or purpose.

　　You’re the mutable quality fire sign, and you’ll only feel at ease with your life when there’s a balance between the two. Your recipe for relaxation is to go explore something. This might be anything from a new location, to a new group of friends, to a new philosophy. You have to stay active and you need time outside in order to remain on top of your game.

　　Above all, take your responsibilities seriously, but don’t accept too many of them. You’re going to feel the most stressed when you’ve got too many work or family obligations. Make sure that you always consult your schedule before you commit to something and make sure you can do it before you say “yes”.

　　

Earth Signs — Stay Grounded & Composed During Stress

The earth element signs are Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. You’re down to earth and practical by nature, and usually meet a challenge by working through it step by step, issue by issue. It takes a lot to ruffle your feathers, but you do lose your cool when things get too complicated.

　　You don’t like a lot of fuss and you will usually avoid confrontation whenever you can. However, you don’t like the idea of failing, and when the pressure’s on, so are your stress levels. If you are responsible for something you want it done efficiently, and you want it done right.

　　Taurus

　　You’re the fixed sign of the earth elements and you take that to the extreme by being stubborn, even when it would be best for you to lighten up a bit! This only complicates issues and leads to further exasperation. Why are you making things so hard on yourself?

　　Your life will be a lot easier if you relax a bit more. No one knows how to relax quite like a Taurus—unless it’s a Libra because you’re both ruled by Venus. You enjoy sensual pleasures, such as good food, fine wine, great music, and of course, intimacy with a loved one.

　　You can be very stubborn in your beliefs and routine. Make more time for and less time for holding grudges if someone has wronged you. At the end of each day, you’ll be very glad you did and chose the high road of forgiveness. Life is too short for bad energy.

　　Virgo

　　Oh, Virgo, you’re such a worry-wart! As the mutable sign, you really should learn to go with the flow more than you do! You’re so critical. While your keen eye may be useful in your chosen profession, you don’t need to strive for perfection in every aspect of your life!

　　Everyone says the wrong thing, or forgets something, or makes a mistake at some point in their lives. You’re only human, so stop trying to be anything else! Being ruled by intellectual Mercury, your downtime needs to be cerebral. Get into a good book, write or blog, or harness some of your natural creativity.

　　Maybe try doing something messy, something that is completely alien to your nit-picky ways. When you can throw yourself into something like painting or gardening. Doing something that doesn;t require perfections will make it easier for you to leave your anxieties and frustrations behind.

　　Capricorn

　　As the cardinal quality earth sign, you’ve got to learn how to lighten up and not take things quite so seriously. You have a great sense of humor but you don’t let it show often enough. Instead, you put unrealistic demands on yourself, and then get stressed out and beat yourself up when you don’t meet them.

　　Try to manage your expectations and make them more realistic. You will greatly lower your stress level if you do. Even when you’re relaxing, you’re still on the serious side. You throw yourself into your work, and you even throw yourself into your relaxation time as if it were some project you had to complete or some challenge you have to overcome.

　　Take time out just for you. Your friends and family are important, but you still need that time alone doing what you want, without feeling obligated to someone else. You are so responsible all the time that you need to have a space where you can be yourself away from the demands of the world.

　　Related Article: 3 Stress-Reducing Chakra Healing Exercises

　　

Air Signs — Don’t Fly By the Seat of Your Pants

The air signs are Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius. You’re the flighty ones of the zodiac, and if anyone is going to flit about, drifting from person to person or situation to situation, it’s you! You don’t let much get you down, preferring to flee the scene rather than stick around when it gets complicated.

　　You’re gregarious and friendly, but when you crash, man, you really crash! When you overthink things and lose your cool and it’s not pretty. You may seem calm and collected on the outside, but you have to find a way to communicate and diffuse things before they reach crisis point.

　　Gemini

　　As the mutable quality air sign, you’ve got a very easygoing approach to life. You’re like the graceful swan; you glide effortlessly on the surface, but you’re paddling like all get out underneath! Your mind is always working, and you’re often talking about your thoughts.

　　You can talk your way into or out of most situations, but you frequently fly by the seat of your pants, and that brings you frustrations and high-stress levels, even when you don’t let others see them. You need time alone to recharge your batteries. As social as you are, the incessant chatter and noise from other people, and life in genera,l has to be silenced so that you can hear your own thoughts.

　　You can’t hear your inner voice when it’s being drowned out by everything, and everyone, around you. It’s only once you’ve had some alone time that you will truly enjoy crashing a party and returning to your old gregarious self, the one that everyone expects you to be.

　　Libra

　　You’re the cardinal air sign. You do like your nice things, and you get frustrated and stressed when they’re not around you! You need balance and harmony in your life and dislike anything that is jarring or boorish. You enjoy the sensual pleasures that the world has to offer, sometimes too much.

　　Inattention to your obligations and what’s best for you will bring your world crashing down around you, leaving you frustrated and stressed out about how to bring things back into alignment. One of the best ways for you to relax is to spend some time in opulent settings. Visit a museum, go window shopping or take a walk through lovely gardens.

　　You’re a social creature, and you like people around you, but sometimes you need time alone so you know your thoughts and opinions are yours, and you’re not just agreeing to keep the peace. Once you’ve restored your inner balance, then your outward beauty will be stress-free and captivating once more.

　　Aquarius

　　It’s so easy for you to stress out about the state of the world and things that are beyond your control! As the fixed air sign, even the little things in your life, like rude people or ignorant attitudes will drive you nuts. You have to learn to distance yourself from those whom you feel are beneath you, without being judgmental or haughty toward them.

　　Finding this balance is stressful enough! Once you master it, though, your days will be much more pleasant. You might find that championing a cause helps you to unwind. You’re very humanitarian, and you do like to tinker with technology. You just can’t get too deeply involved on a personal level.

　　You aren’t going to be able to solve the world’s problems single-handedly, but your voice can make a difference. Don’t hold onto discord for long. You’re a master at holding grudges against those whom you feel have wronged you, and this is only going to add to your dissatisfaction with things.

　　

Water Signs — Go With the Emotional Flow

The water element signs are Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. You’re the empaths, the ones who act on your feelings. You’ve heard the phrase, ‘still waters run deep’? That describes you! You live life by how you feel about it, for the most part. Logic and reason seem cold to you. You’re much more interested in where you connect emotionally.

　　This means you get stressed out about your feelings—maybe more than the other signs. You’re so sensitive, and finding a way to separate your feelings from what’s going on around you is necessary if you’re going to be completely at ease with your life.

　　Cancer

　　Of all the feeling signs, you’re probably the most feely! You’re a cardinal quality, and your empire is your home and family. When they’re stressed, you’re stressed. That leads you to fuss over people, maybe smothering them with nurturing and good intention. When that all blows up—because there’s only a certain amount of fostering that anyone can endure before they’ve had enough and need their own space

　　If your care is rejected, you get moody and sulk. It doesn’t suit you, and it causes unnecessary stress in your life. The best way for you to wind down is a ‘staycation’. You won’t be as comfortable anywhere else than home. Find something that you enjoy doing, and enter into a ‘do not disturb’ zone.

　　Lavish all that care and attention, all that nurturing on yourself. You’re an excellent caregiver, but you often put the needs of others—particularly your family—ahead of your own. It’s alright to be a bit selfish and indulgent once in awhile. You’ll be better able to care for others once you’ve taken care of yourself.

　　Scorpio

　　As the fixed water sign, you’re more intense than the other two. You brood a lot, and when you get backed into a corner you’ll come out fighting. You usually manage to stay fairly cool and collected, but your stress levels will build until they’ve no alternative but to explode. You hide things and hide things, and then boom, out they pour. You’re actually very sensitive under that mysterious front that you show to people.

　　You may think that stress levels are just a part of your life, but there are ways of managing them, so you don’t explode quite so often. Your feelings are valuable, and you’ll stay in favor with your loved ones if you learn how to express them gently, rather than letting everything build up to crisis point.

　　Say something if you think people are taking advantage of you, don;t let your frustration and resentment build up. Let your actions speak louder than words. It’s alright for you to remove yourself from those who seek to bait you, or who do not want to take the time to get to know the real you.

　　Pisces

　　You frequently feel like a fish out of water, and that only adds to your stress levels and the measure of drama in your life! You’ve got to find a way to be “in the world but not of it”. You’re a mutable sign and will go with the flow, even when your gut instincts tell you that it might not be a good idea.

　　You have to learn to grow a backbone, or others will keep taking advantage of you—and that will only lead to more stress and discord. Relaxation comes easier for you than it does for some of the other signs because you’re so in tune with your emotions. You value your privacy and relish the chance to get away from all the influences around you and just chill.

　　Self-expression, romance, and being at one with the universe all help you find harmony again so that you can go out and face another day. Learning how to shield yourself from emotions and feelings that aren’t your own is imperative to your authentic happiness.

　　

Conclusion

There’s not one right way or wrong way for you to chill out and unwind. When reading the above, make sure you also consider your rising sign and your Moon sign in the mix, too, for you’re more than just your Sun sign! To really know how to relax, take these three points—Sun sign, Moon sign, and rising sign—all into consideration.

　　You might also want to see what’s going on in the 5th house of your chart, or what Jupiter is doing. They don’t call Jupiter the ‘jovial giant’ for nothing! At the end of the day, your astrology chart plays a large part in how you approach life and the stress in it, but your mindset is even more influential. Face the morning with optimism, choose to be happy, and you can’t help but have a good day!

　　Let Astrology Answers daily horoscopes guide you to a stress-free day!

　　Related Article: Decode Your Astrology Birth Chart: The Fifth House