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Venus Retrograde Could Make Dating Trickier Than Usual — But These Love Affirmations Can Help

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You probably heard the news already: Venus is going retrograde on Oct. 5, which could make dating and relationships a little more difficult than usual. But don't worry quite yet: I asked Mecca Woods, Bustle's resident astrologer and the author of Astrology for Happiness and Success, out now from Simon & Schuster, to share some love affirmations from her book to help you navigate cuffing season and Venus retrograde.

"With Libra being associated with romance, partnership, and marriage; it’s kind of a no-brainer that Libra season is also the start of 'cuffing-season.' You know, that time of year when everyone is done with the summer fling thing and find themselves looking for a special someone to love and keep warm with during those chilly autumn nights," Mecca Woods tells Bustle. "But with Venus, the planet in charge of Libra, going retrograde from Oct. 5 to Nov. 16, dating and mating may be a little more challenging than usual. As with any retrograde, it’s always a time for review, reflection, and renegotiation. When it comes to Venus retrograde, it’s a reevaluation period for love and relationships."

If you want to know how to navigate cuffing season and Venus retrograde, read below for your sign, and pick up Astrology for Happiness and Success, available now.

Astrology for Happiness and Success by Mecca Woods, $14.99, Amazon or Indiebound

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22)

Although you’re the zodiac sign linked to partnership and marriage, you secretly fear that you may never find the right one, and reinforce that fear with relationship choices that don’t serve you well. The following affirmations are designed to help you find the right match for you — a match that is based on mutual respect, attraction, and adoration:

  • I am loved and I am complete with or without a partner.
  • The right relationship for me is mutually beneficial.
  • The perfect relationship for me is full of both substance and romance.
  • When I communicate with my partner, I feel heard and respected.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21)

The following affirmations are designed to help you release your fears around love while also helping you to tap into your potent powers of attraction, drawing in the kind of relationship you truly want:

  • I am willing and brave enough to open my heart to love.
  • I release my past partners and relationships, and I receive the lessons they taught me about how I deserve to be loved.
  • The right partner for me is stable, secure, and always there when I need someone to lean on.
  • My partner is someone who I can talk to about anything and everything, no matter how deep or intense.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21)

As an optimistic and philosophical Sagittarius, you also know the power that thoughts and words have when it comes to achieving happiness in love. The following love affirmations are designed to get you thinking more about your current beliefs surrounding commitment and intimacy:

  • I attract romantic partners that are honest and possess integrity.
  • The right relationship for me is as passionate and sexually fulfilling as it is real, substantial, and deeply intimate.
  • The perfect relationship for me is supportive of my independence, yet also teaches me the value of dedication and emotional intelligence.
  • My partner is someone who I can travel with and who is always up for fun.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19)

As a sign that loves a plan, you’ll especially love using affirmations to set a plan for your love life. These daily motivators will also keep a negative outlook about love at bay while reminding you that you are deserving:

  • My perfect match is equally dedicated to our partnership.
  • I honor my need for tenderness and sexual compatibility.
  • My partner encourages me to be open to change and brings positive new experiences into my life.
  • When I’m with my partner, I can truly be myself.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18)

As much as you celebrate your personal freedom, you can be incredibly self-conscious deep down about fully being yourself —specifically in an intimate relationship. The following affirmations will help you turn your love life around by recognizing the accepting, loving relationship that you deserve:

  • My partner loves me and accepts me as I am.
  • My partner understands me and gets my unique point of view.
  • Friendship, communication, and true partnership are the hallmarks of my relationship.
  • The right person for me is genuine, fun-loving, and always up to try something new.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20)

A romantic at heart, love is never too far from your mind. The following affirmations are designed to help you attract the reciprocal relationships that you deserve and expel the unbalanced relationships that you don’t:

  • I am capable and worthy of being loved as I want to be loved.
  • I am discerning with my heart and my tastes. The perfect partner for me demonstrates their love through words and actions.
  • The perfect partner for me is trustworthy, thoughtful, and romantic. I feel comfortable trusting this person with my heart.
  • My partner is my rock—stable, loyal, and supportive.

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

The following affirmations incorporate "I am" — because an important component of love and attraction focuses on the affirmation of self. There’s a reason why confidence is so sexy:

  • I am sexy, vivacious, and inspiring; people can’t get enough of me.
  • I am in control of my love life and connect easily with those who are meant for me.
  • I am patient with myself and know that I am not in a competition with anyone when it comes to getting the love I want.
  • I am able to make room for another person in my life without losing my independence.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

Affirmations serve as a reminder of what you are and are not looking for in a partner, so even when love is blind, you are not:

  • I am worthy of a stable, committed relationship filled with romance and joy.
  • I am worthy of a devoted and loving partner.
  • I am worthy of a sensual and physically pleasurable relationship.
  • I am worthy of a partner who encourages me to step out of my comfort zone.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

Words are a big part of your problem-solving superpower as a Gemini: how you use them often determines your ability to develop solutions, create opportunities, and get what you want:

  • If you choose words that affirm the relationship that you want, that becomes your truth.
  • I am ready to do the work it takes to maintain a happy, healthy relationship.
  • I welcome a relationship where each day is an opportunity to share with and learn something new about my partner.
  • I am ready for a relationship that pushes me to explore my deeper feelings in a safe, supportive way.
  • I am ready for a partner that respects my ideas, my opinions, and my independence.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

How would you feel if the perfect mate for you were standing right in front of you? How would this person make you feel regularly? Use those feelings to strengthen these affirmations:

  • Love is always available to me, with or without a partner.
  • The right relationship for me offers me stability and mutual support.
  • My perfect match gives me the intimacy and affection I need.
  • The perfect partner for me appreciates my vulnerability and respects how I feel.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22)

Use the following affirmations to help you attract mates of a higher caliber: people who will not only treat you like royalty but who will also be regal in their own right. At the same time, look to these affirmations when you need to be reminded of how special and worthy you are, so you don’t settle for less or betray what your heart really wants:

  • I radiate light and beauty wherever I go; I attract love with ease.
  • The right relationship for me is filled with passion, playtime, and creativity.
  • My partner adores me and makes me feel like royalty.
  • The right relationship for me is based on loyalty and trust.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22)

The love affirmations that follow are geared toward accepting your imperfections and identifying good versus bad love matches, so that you can find a healthy, happy relationship with someone who wants and appreciates you but doesn’t necessarily need you. Wouldn’t that be nice for a change?

  • I am healthy and whole; I love myself as I am. My partner is healthy and whole too.
  • The perfect partner for me showers me with unconditional love.
  • The perfect partner for me works to consistently bring their best self to our relationship.
  • The right relationship for me provides me with a strong mental and emotional connection to my partner.

Excerpted from Astrology for Happiness and Success: From Aries to Pisces, Create the Life You Want--Based on Your Astrological Sign!by Mecca Woods Copyright © 2018 Adams Media, a division of Simon and Schuster. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.