Cancer is the protective, caring, and home-loving energy of the Zodiac, but even with all of the great qualities it has, that doesn’t mean it isn’t without its challenges. If you have important Cancer placements in your astrological birth chart, what weaknesses should you watch out for?
In the article below, you will find some negative traits that Cancer may struggle with, but also some ideas about how to work through them to bring out the best in your Crab.
1. Mood Swings
Cancer has deep emotions. As a water sign, it “runs” on feelings. This definitely isn’t a bad trait to have, but where it can get Cancer into trouble is when its emotions run hot and cold quickly, giving Cancer the appearance of being moody. Others may not appreciate the difficulties Cancer may have with regulating its emotions and it could turn people off.
2. Overly Protective of Others
Threaten one of Cancer’s loved ones and you will see the Crab’s claws pretty quickly! Cancer is very protective of the people it loves. When taken too far, however, this could come out as being too protective with Cancer putting its defenses up too quickly and when it really wasn’t necessary. A Cancer that is on “high alert” may find itself in many confrontations if it is being overly protective of the people in its life.
3. Hermit
There is no place that Cancer loves more than its home. It’s cozy, safe, and also houses the people it loves most. However, Cancer may feel so safe and secure in its home that it may find it hard to leave. Without a strong enough stimulus to lure it from its safe place, Cancer may be content to be a homebody. This becomes a problem for Cancer when it stays in its comfort zone for too long and personal growth is stunted.
*Learn all about Cancer’s positive traits here!
4. Bad Temper
Combine Cancer’s incredibly deep well of emotion with its instinct to protect itself and others, and this sign can have a very hot temper. This anger could be simmering just under the surface and come out quickly and unexpectedly. When it feels threatened, Cancer can also be passive-aggressive, lashing out “under the radar” at the person that hurt them. This sign runs on emotions so not only does Cancer feel anger very deeply, but it also has the potential to know exactly what to say or do that will emotionally wound its opponent the deepest, as well.
5. Smothering
Cancer loves to take care of others. It is a very noble and endearing trait of this sign. When taken too far, however, this can come through as being clingy and smothering the other person with affection and care. This may come out the most if Cancer feels insecure in the relationship. Cancer may appear needy or it may not allow the other person any space. It may become preoccupied with the other person and put all of its energy into trying to make them happy and maintaining the connection.
*Want to know what my VERY favorite astrology books are? Find out here!
6. Gives Too Much of Self
Cancer is a sign that can be selfless, helping the needy and offering support to those who are vulnerable and need it most. Of course, this is a wonderful trait and can be a gift to those who benefit from Cancer’s love. But, it can be hard for Cancer to find balance in this quality. Cancer could become too giving of itself and not take care of its own needs. It could be taken advantage of by someone else, or it could give too much as a way to keep the focus away from itself as a way to avoid inner-issues Cancer doesn’t want to deal with or face.
7. Overly Sensitive
The water sign offers Cancer the gift to be able to “speak” the language of emotions easily. It can feel a wide range of emotions and can “read” emotions well in others. However, because Cancer runs on emotion, there is the potential that it can easily have its feelings hurt. Some people lead with logic and reasoning and not everyone thinks with emotion first. Others may say something that hurts Cancer even though they didn’t intend to at all. Also, Cancer may have the ability to pick up emotions from the people around it. It could be reacting to a feeling that doesn’t even belong to it. Those around Cancer probably wouldn’t understand why it is emotional for “no reason” and leave them confused or even annoyed at Cancer’s “over-sensitivity.”
8. Wants to Fix Others
Because of its helpful nature, Cancer may develop a pattern of attracting people with personal problems, thinking that with enough love and care it can help “fix” the other person. Even though it could potentially give too much of itself and take on too much of an emotional burden, Cancer gets a few benefits out of the deal, even if the relationship is toxic. For one, it gets to be needed, which is huge for Cancer. Also, Cancer may feel as though, as long as it behaves in a selfless way and focuses on the needs of the other person, the other person may be more likely to stick around.
9. Overly-Protective of Self
In attempts to protect itself from being hurt emotionally, Cancer may put up walls, not allowing many others “in” at all. Cancer needs to make itself vulnerable in order for its soul to evolve, but putting oneself out there could prove to be too scary or risky for Cancer. The sign may keep its true feelings about things bottled up and may not share its fantastic imagination with the world in order to stay safe. However, staying safe limits personal growth.
10. Trouble Focusing
The Moon lends Cancer an incredible imagination. So much so that it could be difficult for Cancer to focus. This sign could be caught daydreaming when it should be listening or paying attention. It’s just so hard when there is such a fantastic dream world inside your own head!
11. Enables or Coddles Others
Because Cancer loves to take care of others, this could be taken too far and come out as doing things for others that they can, and should, be doing for themselves. Cancer loves to dote on its loved ones. This is wonderful, but can become a problem when Cancer enables bad behavior in others or spoils its loved ones too much in the name of “being supportive.” When support limits the personal growth of someone else it isn’t really support at all.
12. Struggle to Move Forward
Cancer dwells in thoughts and feelings from the past. This is just in its nature. Sentimentality can be a sweet and loving trait, but holding on too tightly to the past can turn this strength into a challenge. Cancer has the potential to get “stuck” in the past, rethinking and rehashing things that have hurt it. It can also be so preoccupied with how things were that it struggles to look toward the future and move forward in its life.
13. Possessive
Being abandoned is one of Cancer’s greatest fears. This sign does not prefer to “go it alone” and has a need to feel as though it is needed and wanted by others. When the stability in its relationships feels as though it is threatened, Cancer could become possessive, wanting to monopolize the time and energy of the other person in attempts to keep them close.
14. Hard to Figure Out
Some signs in the Zodiac are pretty transparent and what you see is what you get. Cancer may not be one of those signs, however. All of the deep feelings lent to Cancer by the water element and the Moon could make Cancer quite complex. There may be a lot of feelings swirling around in Cancer’s head, but that doesn’t mean that it will let them be seen by others, necessarily. This could result in Cancer coming across as too hard to read or figure out, overly complex, and difficult to figure out.
Ways to Keep Cancer Balanced
Even though it has its negative traits, as all signs of the Zodiac do, Cancer has a great deal of love to offer to the people in its life and the world. It simply needs to find balance in its great qualities in order to do so. So, what are a few ways Cancer can find this balance?
Journaling
Cancer needs to get its feelings out and writing them down may help fill that need. It also helps when trying to not overwhelm someone with heavy or deep emotions. Spending a few moments journaling first thing in the morning, before bed, or anytime the need arises in between may help Cancer to find a healthy release for its feelings while not bottling them up or trying to hide them away.
Creative Outlets
The imagination may be a very rich place within Cancer and it needs to be let out! Allowing itself to completely let go of reality and throw itself into a creative outlet can be incredibly therapeutic. It allows feelings to be expressed in a variety of ways as well.
Focus on Personal Growth
Because Cancer has the potential to pin its identity and sense of self on its relationships, it can be very beneficial to make time to focus on building skills, or working on goals or hobbies that help Cancer to grow. Feeling a sense of pride from achievement can build confidence and this could help Cancer to remain more in balance when it begins to feel insecure. Finding things that it likes to do and try are also help to pull its attention back to itself when it has the urge to give all of itself, or more, to others.
If the Crab is a big influence in your astrological natal chart, hopefully, this article gives you some things to watch out for, but also a few ideas on how to pull out the best from your Cancer sign!
