Here's Why You May Feel You Don't Identify With Your Zodiac Sign Traits

Even if you aren't much of an astrology enthusiast, you're likely familiar with some of the defining traits surrounding the zodiac signs — such as Leos loving the spotlight or Virgos having great organizational skills. And while some people find solace in the study of these celestial archetypes as they gain a deeper understanding of themselves, others might feel a bit disappointed reading their horoscope, as they can't seem to relate to their zodiac sign. But there could be a satisfying explanation for this.

When it comes to the study of astrology, an individual's entire birth chart is key to understanding personality, life path, and relationships — so looking at just the sun sign is an oversimplification of our celestial makeup. Another perspective is to remember that the sun sign is also a symbol of what we're here to embody, not necessarily who we already are; this could be a reason someone doesn't relate to their sun sign. Here's a closer look at why you may feel you don't identify with your zodiac sign traits.

Our rising or ascendant is the sign that was on the horizon at the minute of our birth and is far more influential in the birth chart than some may realize. The rising sign is an energetic thumbprint on our personality in this lifetime, how the world might perceive us, and our inherent identity. The rising sign is also in the first house and determines our ruling planet — another reason some may feel more relation to their rising sign than their sun sign.

If you're a Leo rising, for example, then your ruling planet — or ruling planetary object — is the sun, and this means that the energy of the sun is your guiding light. An individual with a Leo rising is most likely highly motivated and energetic, even if their sun sign is in a more earthy sign, like Taurus. Many astrologers even suggest checking the horoscope for your rising sign before your sun sign, as it is so prominent in the birth chart.

If you've found that you don't particularly relate to your Aries sun, for example, it's possible that this could be due to the number of planets you have in another sign. If you have prominent placements in Pisces, then it would make sense that you don't identify with your fiery sun sign much and embody more qualities of the intuitive, dreamy water archetype. Especially if you have a stellium — three or more planets in a given sign — then it's very likely that you openly carry more traits of that sign than your sun sign.

The sun sign is still an important placement since it shows us who we are here to become, but if you're aiming to understand some of the aspects of your personality that don't quite correlate with your sun sign, then take a moment to study your whole birth chart and see where those other influences may be coming from. A professional astrologer is also a great resource for decoding your unique birth chart and can point out where your planetary placements might bring in a stronger influence from a sign other than your sun sign.

Birth charts are either day charts or night charts, and that indicates whether you were born at night or during the daytime. Your sun sign will be on the upper half of your chart — above the horizon — if you were born during the day and below it if you were born at night. If you have a solar luminary, then you are likely guided by the qualities of the sun. You may be highly motivated to accomplish your goals and have an abundant source of personal energy. Day charts tend to indicate a highly social, extroverted being who is here to express themselves in an outward manner.

But if you have a night chart, you are likely to embody the qualities of the moon — and more importantly, you may identify with your moon sign more than your sun sign. Those with night charts may rely heavily on their intuition and have strong emotional intelligence. Night charts are a bit more laid back and indicate an individual who may be softer and happy to just be along for the ride. If that's you, don't be surprised if your moon sign feels like a better fit than your sun sign.

If you've ever taken a deep dive into astrology, then you know that there are actually three sub-divisions when it comes to each zodiac sign called decans. These divisions within the signs are separated by degrees and by element, and the decans in astrology can be quite helpful in decoding your chart. The first decan of each sign is embodied by the traits you likely associate that sign with — essentially, it's the most stereotypical of each zodiac sign. The second decan of a sign will take on the traits of the next sign of the same element, and so forth.

So if you're an Aries born April 1-9, then you're in the second (Leo) decan and likely love the spotlight. If your birthday is April 10-19, you're a Sagittarius decan and likely have more wanderlust and luck than an Aries born in the first decan of March 21-30, who embodies the more common traits of the Aries zodiac sign. If you don't relate to the common characteristics of your sun sign, check your decan to see if that's the reason. You may be surprised to find that you very much embody your decan and the traits of another sign in your element.