This is what Venus entering Virgo means for your love life, and you’ll want to pay attention

With all the chaos in the cosmos right now (Neptune and Pluto Retrograde, anyone?), there comes another shift in the skies: Venus is entering Virgo on July 10th and will stay there until August 7th. Venus rules relationships, which means the characteristics of the sign in which she’s currently cycling will affect how we perceive and receive love. So how will the practicality of Earth sign Virgo affect our love lives?

For starters, a good point of reference is understanding that like the five languages of love — the ways we each express and experience love — the zodiac signs also each have their own love language. Virgo is the zodiac’s most practical sign, but it is also hyper-critical and extremely analytical. Doesn’t really spell “romance,” does it? Maybe not at first glance. But if you look closer with the understanding that everyone expresses and gives love differently, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you see.

Virgos love to express their love through acts of service. For example, your partner orders your favorite pizza and cleans up afterwards because they know you’ve had a hard day at work. Or maybe it’s something as simple as washing your car or making you a cup of tea on a rainy day. They might not be grand, romantic gestures, but they do say that you’re valued and cared for.

So what does this mean when Venus, the planet of femininity and love, enters Virgo? It means the best way to demonstrate your love right now is through acts of service, as well as remembering to recognize these acts when they are done for you.

It’s also a time to work through the practical issues of your partnership, like finances, dividing chores, and any other (tedious yet necessary) things that help your relationship run smoothy. You might also want to go over things with your partner that have been irritating you, so that you can both clear the air and move ahead, feeling more valued and respected within your relationship.

If you’re single, you might pick up on red flags more quickly, swiftly determining whether a potential love interest is indeed suitable for you. You won’t feel like wasting your time — not even on a summer fling — when Venus enters Virgo. In fact, don’t bet on a summer fling during this transit; Virgos prefer relationships that last.

The downside of this time is, like a typical Virgo, we will all be more critical and judgmental of others. We could be too nit-picky when it comes to our lovers. We might hold impossible standards — like the perfectionist Virgo has a tendency to do — and become upset and dismissive when they’re not met.

Which is why it’s important to keep in mind that we are all doing the best we can with what we have. If we’re able to appreciate and value our partners for the effort they’re showing, then we will see our love lives open up in new and beautiful ways.

Virgo might trade in passion for practicality, bbs, but the lessons in love we could learn from her are invaluable. As many of us know, passion ultimately fades. In order to make a relationship last for the long term, we must not only get real, but also put in the work and effort like a classic Virgo. Here’s to a love grounded in practicality and dishes being done.