A Once in a Lifetime Upgrade Begins Today as the planet of Uranus enters the zodiac sign of Gemini for the first time since 1941. It takes this planet 84 years to revolve back to the same point in the solar system, which means my current readers have never seen this and will never see this again in our lifetimes. This marks the first page in a 7-year chapter that will close in May 2033.
Even if you’re not astrology-curious, the planet of Uranus is fascinating just from an astronomy perspective. It is a beautiful, ice-blue giant with bright rings, and unlike any other planet in our solar system, Uranus rotates on its side! This is a primary reason Uranus has the reputation of being the oddball planet, the rebel planet that is unapologetically different, daring to move through the cosmos on its own terms.
😋 Flavor of the Week: Foreshadowing Innovation
Most of us may not really notice anything different right away. This is merely the beginning, and Uranus will retrograde and cross this same territory again in 2026. So for now, it’s more like a foreshadowing of the kind of work Uranus could do over the next several years. The innovations won’t be immediate or sudden. In a sign like Gemini, we’re likely to get frequent iterative progress. Lots of drafts, lots of edits, before we land on a final draft at a later date. Yes, those drafts and edits are likely to be quick, but we’ll still have to exercise patience and perseverance in the process of getting to our desired result.
Uranus in Gemini is a call to get comfortable being uncomfortable. If you’ve been hoping for things to slow down and return to “precedent,” this will likely challenge you. Things are likely to be even less “precedented” as we move forward. We know that change is the only constant, and that change will continue to happen more quickly in the years to come.
It’s true that while I’m personally excited and optimistic about the possibilities of this new-to-us energy, I know so many people might struggle with this. Each of us has a personal relationship to change, to speed, to time, surprise, newness, and novelty. It’s okay if you’re not thrilled now or in the years to come. I write this not to influence the emotions or opinions you have about any of this.
I am writing this to encourage and prod all of us to focus on our power of choice, agency in action, and opportunities to create and facilitate the changes we want to see. I implore us all to not surrender the co-creation of our collective future to the fascist few.
One of my favorite directives that I’ve ever given is this:
“We need to stop preparing students for the future and start preparing students to shape the future.”
And I elaborate on this in an article I wrote nearly 10 years ago:
“Futurist pedagogy focuses on imagining and creating ethical forms of technology in the present to influence the future. It pushes us beyond the now cliché rhetoric of ‘preparing students for the future.’ That idea is not only inadequate; it’s downright hazardous. This notion of being prepared for the future suggests to all parties involved that our futures are inevitable and determined solely by forces far outside of ourselves. If this current political season illustrates anything, it’s that the future teeters, constantly, on the choices we make in the present.”
Uranus is a classic example of “breakdown to breakthrough.” It will break things in order to show us what needs upgrading and how. Yet we are still responsible for making the choice to install the upgrade. Uranus will show us, will spur us. Yet we still have to choose to act in accordance with the new revelations. That includes society itself as well as traditions, beliefs, and paradigms. Uranus is ultimately a planet of revolution, of the avant garde, of liberation. And we, my people, must be at the drawing table of our own lives and our collective futures.
☕️ What’s Brewing?
Soulful Leadership Training Series: I’m launching the Soulful Leadership Series—a unique training and speaking experience that integrates the most powerful insights and practices I’ve developed over years of teaching, coaching, and guiding change. Contact me if you’d like to learn more!
Full Cup Fridays Live on Instagram: A community fave is back! Instagram live streams, this time focused on connecting with and loving on each other, providing a space to breathe and smile at the end of the week. Join us Friday afternoons around 1pm ET!
St Jude Children’s Hospital Marathon Fundraiser: If you’d like to help me cross the finish line, my running helps support children receiving cancer treatments at St. Jude Children’s Hospital. You can make a donation of any amount through the St. Jude portal or Cash App/Venmo @ColorismHealing.
🎤 Open Mic
Our featured voice for this week’s Open Mic is a poet and visual artist that I think is such a “Uranus-style” creator: Krista Franklin. I’ve followed her for years and try to introduce people to her work whenever possible! I’ve included below a brief interview and reading that also shows some of her visual pieces.
With Love,
Dr. Sarah