Year of the Ox: personality, love and years

The Wood Ox is more open than its relatives. Wood gives it a feel for people and a willingness to cooperate, so it hears a new idea out before rejecting it. It stays hardworking and dependable, but it can also change its mind when someone gives it good arguments. On a team it often brings together people who would never get along on their own.

Fire gives the Ox the assertiveness it usually lacks. The Fire Ox is self-assured, has a talent for leadership and readily takes responsibility for others. It works with zeal but can be hot-tempered and proud. Admitting someone else is right costs it more effort than the whole project.

Earth is the Ox's fixed element, so the Earth Ox is the Ox squared: patient, practical and highly reliable. Its plans reach years ahead, and what it builds usually lasts. Others trust it with important matters because they know it won't let them down. It only has to make sure caution doesn't turn into resistance to every change.

The Metal Ox is the toughest Ox of all. It has iron discipline and clear principles and rarely strays from its chosen path, which makes it effective like few others. Its loyalty needs no words. Still, the people close to it would sometimes like to hear more about what it feels, because Metal makes it keep its emotions under lock and key.

Water makes the Ox calmer and more flexible. The Water Ox listens better, gets along with people more easily and judges its own abilities realistically, so it rarely takes on more than it can carry. It works patiently and methodically. Sometimes it weighs a decision so long that the opportunity passes it by.