In Episode 5 of Midlife Mess, Lara digs into why astrology resonates so deeply in midlife—especially when identity, emotions, and life roles start shifting. Prompted by social media chatter about 2025 being the Year of the Snake and 2026 being the Year of the Horse, she explores how the Chinese zodiac connects (and differs) from Western astrology, and why both can be useful tools for meaning-making during seasons of change.

Lara breaks down the basics of a birth chart—how your sun, moon, and rising signs work together—and offers a memorable “house” metaphor: your rising sign is the curb appeal, your sun sign is how the house functions, and your moon sign is what it feels like inside at night. She explains how midlife often brings a collision between these layers: how you’ve been functioning, who you said you were, and what you actually need now. Using her own chart (Aries rising, Cancer sun, Scorpio moon), she shares how this framework helped her understand boundaries, emotional truth, and the shift from surviving quietly to living honestly.

The episode closes by tying the “snake-to-horse” transition into a broader message: 2025 as internal shedding and emotional excavation, and 2026 as outward movement and decisive action—a powerful invitation to align your life with what’s real and nourishing now.