When a planet returns to its natal location—that is, where it was at the time of your birth—it’s called a planetary return. What this means in practice is that the planet is getting a new start and giving you renewed energy in the areas over which it rules. Mars, a fiery planet that rules over self-starting Aries, is the planet of physical energy, drive, and ambition. So, when an individual goes through their Mars return (which happens about every two and a half years), they might experience a newfound burst of go-getter energy.

“Your Mars return is a rebirth of your willpower,” says astrologer Ryan Marquardt. “If the sun is your will, Mars is how you go about fulfilling your will.” he says. Astrologer Celeste Brooks adds that “Mars is very primal… [It] doesn’t think about anything else other than getting what it wants.” This celestial body represents what gets us out of bed in the morning and our passion. It “rules things like anger, aggression, fighting, and conflict,” she adds. Basically, being familiar with when your Mars return takes place might help you contextualize the actions and emotions taking hold in your life and remind you to check your more impulsive reactions.

“Your Mars return is a rebirth of your will power.” —astrologer Ryan Marquardt

So, when can you expect your Mars return to take place, exactly? Both Marquardt and Brooks agree that the best way to find out the exact timing of your Mars return is to work with an astrologer. That said, you can also take a gander at your birth chart—which you’d do by inputting the time, date, and location of your birth into an online birth chart generator. Once you have your chart, look at which zodiac sign Mars was in at the time of your birth. Then, you can use an astrology app or planet tracker to let you know which sign Mars is currently occupying. From there, keep an eye on the planet until it’s closer to the sign it was in when you were born.

Below, learn what else you might expect from your Mars return as well as Marquardt’s and Brooks’s tips for making the most of that energy.

What you might expect during your Mars return

Folks might feel much more active and social when they’re going through their Mars return. “As Mars moves past its point in your birth chart, it’s building its momentum and you’re regaining strength and energy,” says Marquardt. “It really is a total revitalization of your stamina.”

That stamina might lead you to hitting the gym more, feeling more inclined to socialize, or making some changes to your sleep schedule—like, maybe you wake up a bit earlier to get a head start on your day, Marquardt adds. Mars also rules over sex drive and sexual desires, so when it comes back to the point it was during your birth, you may have more, um, frisky energy, he adds.

Mars also rules over unideal emotions, which may lead to some half-baked decisions during its return. You may find yourself more irritable, angry, or aggressive, but you might also find that you experience conflict with others who display those traits, says Brooks.

Luckily, both astrologers have tips for curbing the not-so-desirable effects of a Mars return.

3 tips for working with the forward-propelling energy of your Mars return

1. Get some rest before your actual return

Before Mars travels back to its natal position, you’d best benefit from taking a beat, says Brooks. “Mars is known for accidents—like tripping, falling or having a fender bender,” she says. “That could happen if you’re just rushing through this world.”

With this in mind, staying in might be your best bet around this time. Not just because you’ll avoid the accident vibes, but also because doing so will provide you with time to figure out what steps you want to take with the renewed energy, sponsored by your Mars return.

2. Plan for where you want your life to go

Since your Mars return propels you to take steps toward your life goals, you first need to figure out what those are. You might think about where you want to live, what you want to do for work, or how you want to spend your free time.

“Start looking at your options and trying to figure out what resources you might need to gather in order to make a move,” says Marquardt. However, if you’re not quite ready to make the jump during the exact moment of your Mars return, that’s fine, too. After all, you have a few years on your side where “you’re a total funnel with your motivation,” says Marquardt.

3. Try not to be impulsive

“We can get really impulsive with Mars,” says Marquardt. Additionally, Mars is a personal planet, which means that it can have a more powerful influence over relationships. And impulsivity is not necessarily ideal for nurturing healthy connections.

To keep those Mars-return-induced impulses in check, Brooks suggests prioritizing movement. “Exercise is great to be doing during your Mars return,” she says. “Make sure you’re staying active and not just sitting with your anger.”

Of course, there are myriad things that count as exercise—so by no means do you have to join your local CrossFit gym. You might also just take a stroll around the block to help clear your head. Now that you know a Mars return provides you with a burst of energy, you might just be able to time your endeavors accordingly. Then, just sit back and watch your hard work pay off.

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