By Mara Tyler

As the year of the Metal Rabbit comes to a close, it’s time to start thinking about Water – the ruling element of Dragon year, 2012. While Metal years encourage us to be steely, stern, and single-minded when it comes to our relationships and goals, this isn’t so with Water. 

We’re all going to need to take a step back come 2012. It’s time for a different approach – one that’s softer, more fluid, and flexible. Water reminds us that communication is the cornerstone of life, and that we all need to get better at it! The written word, verbal presentations, and one-on-one exchanges are going to be important in Dragon year. 

Of course, not all signs are going to have an easy time with this. Metal-ruled signs might not like being all loosey-goosey, while Fire-ruled signs could also find Water year somewhat of a challenge for their bold and fast-acting natures. But in the end, we’re all going to benefit from being open, understanding, compassionate, and thorough in our communication next year. 

It’s time to work on how we communicate in our relationships, our jobs, and even with ourselves. The good news? Writers, actors, politicians, and other people with communication-focused careers can probably expect a good boost! 

Whatever your sign, start thinking about how your communication style might need to be changed in order to make the most of Dragon year. Also, check out your 2012 Dragon Yearly Forecast to get the lowdown on your Chinese Animal Sign – learn what to focus on, what to avoid, and how to make the most of Water’s influence in the coming months. You might be surprised by what you read…