Happy Birthday, Cancer! Your upcoming year looks to be quite dynamic. Expect to be facing challenges in all of the big sectors of life: career, love, and the home environment. Don’t stress too much, as any obstacles you face are likely to pave a path for positive changes in your life.

Knowing what to expect can be half the battle, as you prepare for upcoming trials. The results are likely to be well-worth the journey. Keep all of this in mind when you feel the urge to retreat back to the security of your shell.

Starting around your birthday this year, things will begin to get more intense for your love life. Expect the next few months to be full of intimacy, as a background love interest starts to become more forward with you. You are filled with an energy that makes you less reserved in your romantic encounters. Anticipate emotional intensity and passion in your relationships (whether you are committed right now or not).

Normally, you like to avoid drama and being the center of attention. Something is different about you this birthday year, and people will begin to notice soon. Your magnetism skyrockets, as early as September. You may even be in pursuit of someone who has caught your eye that isn’t your usual type. Give love a chance, and you may be in for a pleasant surprise.

Starting in October, you are beginning to become more comfortable with the “new you.” Be cautious of affairs that could get you into trouble. Don’t let your new confidence get the best of you by taking too big of a risk. Unconventional behavior continues for the rest of 2016 and early 2017. Starting later in January 2017, you will gradually shift back towards your usual trouble-avoiding self. Enjoy the excitement while it lasts! Certainly, by May 2017, your life will be calmer, as you adjust to the changes that shook you up in the second half of 2016.

Saturn remains in your 6 th house (work-related tasks and quality), as it has been for the last year. This means you may be driven to climb higher in the workplace then your present station. You are quite determined and ambitious, so anticipate making a few waves with your colleagues. Adding to the mix, Mars may be instigating some tension with your co-workers and boss from August 2 nd through September 27 th . Do your best to keep your emotions under control! People are talking about you at work in a good way during December and the first part of 2017. It is positive news for your reputation as the word is out that you are a dependable individual that can be counted upon. During this same period, you may be inspired to take on additional projects, which only furthers your reputation. You will have the Midas touch in 2017. Finances tend to be more stable in 2016, but next year there will be growth and potential for expansion. Late March through April is a good time to re-evaluate your financial planning. There are ways to capitalize on the money that is coming your way. By May 2017, you should be feeling optimistic about your future financial prospects.

Aim for balance this year, as you may be feeling pressured or restricted by others. This is especially true in late-May and June. In August, your emotions may be more erratic than usual. This could create some temporary issues in your friendship sector of life. Don’t stress too much, because you can talk your way out of most troubles.

The weight is lifted in early September. September is a big month for you, with a lot of planetary dynamics going on. From now and for the rest of the year, you will be more fun-loving and expressive. You will also notice that you are more risk-taking in the latter part of 2016. People that you normally would be cautious of are entering your life more freely. This is to everyone’s benefit that is blessed to have you as a friend!

In September and October, you will be centered on ways to combine creativity with your natural communication skills. This would be a great time to start a journal of all of the thoughts that run through your brilliant mind. December starts a phase where you are balanced between independence and cohesiveness with others. 2017 will be a year of positive rebuilding after the transformations of 2016.