In the early part of my career, I worked as an attorney in a top international law firm. This was almost 25 years ago, at the dawn of the era of “casual summer Fridays” — before year-round casual Fridays, before casual every-day, and before the work-from-home era.
Appearances mattered, and as an up-and-coming New York lawyer, and woman on the charity gala scene, I acquired the wardrobe to fit my roles. My personal style tends to gravitate toward classic pieces, and when it came to the staples, I didn’t just buy — I invested.
Especially when it came to my shoes.
This was the era of Sex and the City — the original TV show. Although my shoe collection wasn’t as extensive as Carrie Bradshaw’s, it was of a similar quality.
I viewed shoes as an investment, and I treated them as such. I often went straight from the store to the shoemaker to have the shoes fitted with toe taps and heel protectors, to protect the bottoms of the shoes from the harsh wear. I had special shoe trees made for the pumps, to hold their shape between wearings.
I kept my shoes snuggled in their dust bags in their original boxes, which were neatly organized on shelves in my closet.
Over the years, my lifestyle changed. My stiletto pumps were impractical for the extensive walking required in my real estate business. And as I evolved my business to coaching and spent more time working from home, and then in the post-pandemic work-from-home climate, I hardly had need for shoes. I also learned how damaging high heels are to the body.
I’ve spent the past several years working to undo the damage those shoes had done to my feet and posture, living mostly in barefoot sneakers.
Yet I never got rid of my best shoes. They are all classic, timeless styles, they still fit, and you never know when you’ll need to call on an old pair of shoes.
This past weekend was one of those times.
When it came time to find shoes to go with the dress for my nieces’ bat mitzvah party, I knew exactly what I needed and where to find it.
I went to my storage unit, pulled the box of Jimmy Choo gold strappy sandals off the shelf, and tried them on.
Like Cinderella at the ball, the shoes were a perfect fit.
I practiced walking up and down the hall. I even did some squats to make sure I could really move in them. I walked out with a pair of “brand new” 20-year old shoes that cost me less than half of what I’d have to pay today.
That’s what you call a good investment.
The timing was perfect for this week’s ingress of Venus into Capricorn. It will transit through Capricorn from November 11-December 6, 2024.
Venus in Capricorn: Quality Over Expedience
Venus is the planet of love, relationships, money, beauty, art, and fashion.
Capricorn is an earth sign that is about foregoing instant gratification for the hard work, discipline, and perseverance to build for the long term.
Venus in Capricorn understands the value of investing in quality, craftsmanship, and classic styles that will stand the test of time rather than spending capriciously on the instant gratification of fast fashion pieces that will barely last a season.
It reminds us of the difference between “spending” and “investing.”
This mindset extends to all Venusian matters.
Creating What Endures
Capricorn plays the long game. This cardinal earth sign is about creating solid foundations and building something enduring.
Venus in Capricorn reminds us that it is not necessarily easy, cheap, or convenient to create something enduring. In fact, to create something that will stand the test of time requires an investment, the full value of which might not be realized until some future point of time.
Whether we are building a wardrobe, a relationship, a business, focusing on a creative endeavor, or seeking to create a more equitable and just world, Venus in Capricorn reminds us of the power of delayed gratification and consistent effort over the long arc of time.
It prioritizes reliability, commitment, and integrity, and invites a practical, grounded, and thoughtful approach to pursue what has long-term potential over what might appear to offer instant results.
Play the Long Game
Whether we’re building a business, a relationship, a new product, or any other endeavor, it’s natural to gravitate towards the promise of instant results. And we live in a world where we can fulfill our desire for instant gratification in many areas. But when it comes to creating things that we want to endure, that approach doesn’t work.
Just like cheap shoes that fall apart after one season, quick fixes rarely stand the test of time.
The real question isn’t “How fast can I get there?” but “What am I willing to invest in?”
Investment isn’t just about money – it’s about time, attention, and consistent effort. It’s about showing up day after day to build something real.
Sometimes that means saying no to the promise of instant results. And sometimes it means doing the unsexy work of maintaining what we’ve built — like those trips to the shoemaker or regular check-ins with your team or partner.
The structures we build — whether in our closets, our relationships, or our work — need both initial investment and ongoing care to endure.
What looks expensive up front often proves invaluable over time.
The invitation of Venus’ transit through Capricorn is to invest in structures that will help us show up consistently and persistently to cultivate and nurture our relationships and projects into those which will continue to serve us for years to come.
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