Meanwhile, guess who's still retrograde? Mars, the planet of desire, action, and energy. And the red planet is snuggling up nice and close to Earth this week. It will appear nearly as bright as it was 15 years ago. Normally, Mars inspires us to become the more courageous, even more volatile, versions of ourselves. But at the moment, it's opposing Venus, so it will be more focused on cultivating romance and excitement in our lives — and in our book, that's always preferable.