4 Strange Myths & Facts About The Aquarius Zodiac Sign (Even If You Don't Believe In Astrology Or Horoscopes)
Aquarians are more than just "free spirits."
getty Of all the zodiac signs in astrology you could have chosen, which one do you wish you could be? The Aquarius zodiac sign, of course!
To me, Aquarians are always so intriguing and different, which only makes me want to get to know more of them. Whether it’s between Aquarius and other zodiac signs or all Aquarians, every person born between January 20th and February 18th is unique.
No other astrological personality is even remotely like the Aquarius personality.
But at the same time, they can be so relatable and welcoming to all kinds of people and ideas. They can be unpredictable and a little “out there,” but there's still a complexity about them.
As you can tell, astrology is important to many people. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it makes some feel like they can understand themsleves a little bit more. While you may not want to use your zodiac sign as an excuse when you're feeling distant or unfriendly, it adds to each person's unique narrative.
Really, astrology and horoscopes should be nothing but fun. It’s more about getting in touch with your spiritual side; how the planets and the constellations help paint a story of who you are. Granted, you might still think that astrology is nothing but a silly pastime people use to waste time at work when they should be making spreadsheets or whatever.
But even if all it is is fun for you, there are some important things you need to know about Aquarius traits, including the facts and misconceptions of this complicated zodiac sign in astrology. Because there is way more than meets the eye when it comes to the Aquarius sign.
Fact 1. This zodiac sign is always inspiring others.
Aquarius is an innovative, forward-thinking zodiac sign that sees nothing but opportunity. In fact, Aquarius is able to see possibilities where others would give up. Just because there's a sign that says Road Closed or Dead End doesn't mean you have to turn back and give up.
These signs in life are actually what push Aquarius to take the road less traveled in order to find that opportunity they so badly want. This active determination to turn everything upside down and look at the world differently is what inspires so many people around them.
They might not even know the impact they have on others, but if you spend enough time around Aquarius, you'll notice yourself becoming more interested in being a rebel and ignoring those signs, too.
Fact 2. Aquarians are multidimensional creatures.
Before all the planets in our Universe were discovered, Aquarius was originally ruled by Saturn, the planet of structure and development. Now, we know Aquarius is ruled by Uranus, which is the planet of unpredictability and rebellion.
It's important not to get caught up on one planet or the other when it comes to Aquarius because this zodiac sign is very much a paradox. There's part of them that might seem like more of the taskmaster that wants to get things done and has laser focus when it comes to goals.
Then, there's the other part of Aquarius that's all about being weird and quirky and going their own way in life. This is part of the reason why Aquarius is so unique and mysterious to other zodiac signs — there's a lot going on that just scratching the surface can't reveal.
Fact 3. Aquarians are visionaries.
If any zodiac sign could be the poster child of being able to turn your dreams into reality, it would be Aquarius. Aquarius is a fixed sign, which means that (like Scorpio, Taurus, and Leo), they are able to take a foundation of concepts and dreams and create something real out of them.
Aquarius is the one that keeps a running to-do list on their phone, plans all the vacations with the squad, and gets the promotions at work. When they put their mind to something, they know that literally, anything can happen.
And having that open-minded attitude means that anything is possible and that, even if something doesn't go their way at first, there's always another opportunity waiting to be discovered.
Fact 4. This sign is free-spirited.
Aquarius is an air sign (like their counterparts Libra and Gemini), so they need to be as free and untethered as the wind. Community and friendships are crazy important to Aquarius, but they also need their freedom and independence.
Nothing makes an Aquarius feel more constricted and confined than being told "no." Aquarius needs to be able to stretch their wings so that they can explore the world and everything it has to offer.
This might make it harder for them to anchor themselves and create deep ties to people, but they also know that those who know them best know that the need for freedom is as important as the friendships they make, not any more or less.
Of course, there are plenty of misconceptions about the Aquarius personality that we're about to debunk right now.
Myth 1. Aquarians are recluses.
It can be hard to break this misconception since Aquarius is known for loving their alone time and freedom, but it's a misconception nonetheless. Yes, Aquarius is the kind of person who easily gets burned out when they have too much social time and their social batteries might need much more time charging than other zodiac signs, but that in no way makes them recluses.
Just like they value having those tight bonds with friends and family, they also value that "me time" that most of us would kill to have, even if only for a few minutes. Aquarius might be more intuitive with themselves than they are with others, but this intuition helps them know when it's time to recharge those batteries and take care of what they need, rather than always helping others.
Myth 2. This zodiac sign is shallow and self-serving.
Because Aquarius is known to be more than a little distant and aloof, it's easy to see how they could be considered cold and out for themselves. But just like every other zodiac sign, Aquarius has that innate need to cultivate strong relationships and friendships that last a lifetime.
However, Aquarius wants to take their sweet time when cultivating these bonds to know for sure that they're real. Opening up to others is scary, and when Aquarius thinks about the fact that they could change their mind at any second and decide that this isn't what they want, they would much rather take things slow and keep everyone at arm's length to protect themselves.
Above all else, this aloof personality is a defense mechanism — not a way to show others that they only care about themselves.
Myth 3. They are preachy.
Okay, obviously it's no surprise that Aquarius is opinionated — like, so much so that it can be a good idea to keep the conversation as light as possible because when it comes to politics and conspiracy theories, there's a good chance Aquarius has something to say about it. They're passionate! But preachy? No way.
Aquarius doesn't bring up these touchy subjects just because they like to hear themselves talk. What Aquarius really wants is to ignite a genuinely honest and open conversation with you. If they're asking you about your beliefs or your thoughts on something, it's because they care about what you think.
This might incite a heated debate, of course, but an intelligent conversation is stimulating to Aquarius. And don't worry, they listen as much as they talk, so getting into it with them is the furthest thing from preachy as you can get.
Myth 4. Aquarians love to go with the flow.
This misconception might seem like it's contradicting the fact that Aquarians are free spirits, but the two are very different. Aquarius might seem like one of the more laid back signs that only cares about having a good time and not committing to anything, but inside this zodiac sign, there is a lot of contemplation going on.
They're not one to control a situation or their friends, but they also want to show that they do care about what's going on, and what you get is a jumbled mix of emotions and contradictions that can make Aquarius feel stuck. Do they turn into the structured A-type personality and control everything? Or do they take a backseat and hope things work out?
Aquarius is very open-minded to pretty much anything life has in store for them, so while they might seem like they're always low-key and not at all dead set on things, it's really just them taking extra time to make the right decision in their head. But the only thing you see is the decision, which, a lot of the time, is acceptance for letting things come as they may.
Emily Ratay is a full-time writer, passionate about the environment and feminism, and has written about astrology, relationships, and pop culture..