Kung Hei Fat Choi and why we love to use Astrology
Yesterday was the start of the Lunar Year of the Earth Pig. During this time of the year, we hear a lot of people giving their predictions on what’s going to happen for the rest of the year - according to your birth year, your zodiac sign, sometimes even with gender specifications.
The pig is the 12th of all zodiac animals. There are some interesting myths about why it’s the last. One says the Jade Emperor proclaimed the order would be according to the arrival of the animals in the party, and the pig was late because he overslept. Another one says the wolf destroyed the pig’s house and he had to rebuild it before he could go to the party.
“You are a pig” if you were born in 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959, 1947, 1935, and so on. According to ChineseNewYear.net pigs may not stand out in a crowd but are the practical ones who take action. They are not big spenders but allow themselves to enjoy life, treating themselves occasionally. They are bit materialistic, but this is their motivation to work hard because being able to hold solid objects in their hands gives them security.
Astronomy is a science but Astrology is not, and yet, there is an observed growing interest in the latter among millennials and gen Z individuals. On social media, astrologers and astrology meme machines amass hundreds of thousands of followers.
Reasons why
One of the reasons for this popularity is the human need to come up with an understandable narrative of why things happen. We do not easily welcome randomness. We always want to believe that there is always a reason, a pattern, a destination already set out there for each of us.
When people are stressed, at a loss, or having other problems, they sometimes turn to soothsayers. They want to hear explanations like, “Because you were born in the year of the pig you will experience some luck in your career but some challenges in your love life this year...” and so on. All these pronouncements give explanations to where the person is right now. In other words, the soothsayers sooth the stressed nerves of those at a loss, “I knew it, he was not the one, but at least my career will be great!” 
Don’t you notice how horoscopes and are kept vague that they can be relevant to anyone looking for an explanation (or excuse) for something?
Another reason I can think of is that our human mind is not really capable of assessing too many choices. I have discussed in previous articles the difficulty of calculating opportunity costs for our time and money. So when we are given some limitations because of our zodiac signs, birth year, etc. (e.g. “You cannot go into any business that involves fire this year…”) it works as a relief in the form of a reduction in the number of choices that we need to assess.
The reason why the online astrology sites are gaining ground is that millennials and gen z people are digital natives and where else to look for help than to check what’s there online.
Alternative
When it comes to spending our limited resources like time and money, what can we do considering that our human wiring always wants an understandable narrative explaining why things happen, loves the notion of destiny, and is incapable of assessing too many options?
Maybe setting our goals in accordance with our core values will be a better alternative. Share them with your family and the people who truly care about you. When we set our goals, we know where to focus our time, energy, money and other resources. We can now say no to the other options that do not agree with our core values.
So there, even without astrology, we can now filter our options, and have an understandable narrative of our life – why we pursue what we pursue even if others don’t seem to see the point yet, why we welcome some things and say no to the rest, using our core values as our compass.
May this year be your best ever. Cheers to high FQ! 
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
- If you wish to get my free excel template on Goal Setting, please email to FQMomm@gmail.com and Gem.FQMom@gmail.com with subject: “Please send me Goal Setting Template,” and we will forward it to you.
- If haven’t listened to our Episode 5 of Mom and Son Podcast, you may click any of the following links below. Our topic this week is in answer to a question about saving and investing sent by a podcast listener. If you have questions or requests for topics to discuss, please email AntonFausto@gmail.com.
Click any of the following links to listen to Episode 5:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5RefyBEfKMAl6XgOO8tG5u?si=qaDIVmKkQsW-L5Zn9aEqUg
https://soundcloud.com/momandsonpodcast/mom-and-son-podcast-episode-5-saving-investing
https://www.buzzsprout.com/241447/943060-mom-and-son-podcast-episode-5-saving-investing?fbclid=IwAR0foyLQLAFsdOgzOffB_rsUvTCbJaDBCd5b-fEQYmfyqaromk3Jy2uxHyc
https://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/mom-and-son-podcast-episode-5-saving-investing/id1449688689?i=1000429118380&mt=2
- I’ll be giving a talk on Parenting Millenials and Generation Z as part of the Byahe Karunungan and Musical Festival at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City on February 23, 2019 (Saturday) from 10:30am to 11:30am. For ticket inquiries, contact Desiree Rea at 0917-399-5975.
- Watch for our FQwentuhan this Friday with fun-loving entertainment correspondent, MJ Marfori! You’ll learn a lot from her childhood money memory and FQripot tips.
- Thanks to those who already bought the FQ Book, especially to those who took the time out to send me their feedback. Your feedback is food for my soul. To those who have not gotten their copy yet, here’s a short preview of FQ: The nth Intelligence You may now purchase the book in major bookstores, or if you want autographed copies, please go to FQ Mom FB page (click SHOP), or FQMom.com (click BOOKS), or email us at FQMomm@gmail.com
- Want to know where your FQ stands? Take the FQ Test Challenge now! Click link. http://rebrand.ly/FQTest
Rose Fres Fausto is a speaker and author of bestselling books Raising Pinoy Boys and The Retelling of The Richest Man in Babylon (English and Filipino versions). Click this link to read samples – Books of FQ Mom. She is a Behavioral Economist, Certified Gallup Strengths Coach and the grand prize winner of the first Sinag Financial Literacy Digital Journalism Awards. Follow her on Facebook & YouTube as FQ Mom, and Twitter & Instagram as theFQMom. Her latest book is FQ: The nth Intelligence.
ATTRIBUTIONS: Photos from Canva.com, pngtree.com, Lucis Philippines Press, Pam Didner, stickpng.com, Edmentum blog, bandt.com.au, and clientsavvy.com modified and used to help deliver the message of the article.
