Cancer Personality Traits

Changeable Cancer

Each astrological sign tends to have at least one key characteristic that really identifies it. Librans are famous for their diplomacy and Sagittarians are famous for their happy-go-lucky nature. Cancers, whether fairly or unfairly, are known for their moodiness. This is because Cancer’s ruler, the Moon, waxes and wanes with the changing tides. Just as the moon has its phases, so too does Cancer. This can be a help, as we’ll see, or a hindrance.

Imbedded within Cancer personality traits is their emotional nature. For better or for worse, Cancer feels very deeply. Similar to the dark, murky depths of the ocean, people of this sign allow their emotions to swirl, and sometimes stew, within.

Notable Cancer Personality Traits

Let’s now try to decipher some of the most notable Cancer personality traits.

Happy Cancer

A happy Cancer is one that is allowed to express his or her feelings without fear of rebuke. Shy Cancers are deathly afraid of being rejected, so if they feel that there’s even the slightest chance that will happen, they’ll immediately pull back, or recoil, into their shell.

Cancers also feel best when they’re sharing their love for something, like writing or poetry, with those around them. Often, they’ll have a strong creative force, one that involves them at least in some capacity, with the arts. This usually makes them feel wonderful about their role in the world.

Resentful Cancer

Another one of Cancer’s personality traits is that they can become resentful and petulant rather quickly. If they feel that they’ve been slighted in some way (whether real or imagined), they’re likely to let the resentment they feel build up inside until it finally explodes.

The trouble with Cancer is that anything can make them feel resentful. They have incredibly fertile imaginations, and when they are not using this creativity in a productive manner, they can sometimes use these talents destructively. Simply put, it’s very difficult to please a Cancer at all times. The best you can do is to simply wait until they snap out of it and return to their usual charming selves!

Cancer’s Role

Their tendency towards resentfulness not withstanding, Cancer people offer many things to the world. They have an incredible wellspring of kindness within where given half the chance, they’d gladly love to show you. Other traits include:

• Kind: There’s a big difference between being nice and being kind, and Cancer is truly aware of this. Whether it’s rescuing a stray dog or feeding the homeless, Cancer (along with soulful Pisces), is the first one in line to offer a helping hand.

• Dependable: While their moods may flicker like that of a candle caught in a storm, there is one thing we know for sure. You can always depend on them. Whether it’s for love or money, or simply to lend a helping hand, Cancers are known for coming through in a pinch.

• Intuitive: Perhaps most importantly, Cancer, and by extension, the role of the Moon in astrology, teaches us how to intuit. Along with their great capacity for love comes a strong intuitive force that seems to guide them. Much in the way the moon’s light guides us in darkness, this intuitive ability guides them through life. Just being with a Cancer can help you learn how to do the same.

For Inspiration

For inspiration, Cancer’s needn’t search far. There have been many famous and influential Cancers. Perhaps the most influential of them all was the beloved Princess Diana of Wales. In many ways, she truly captured some of the very best Cancer personality traits. From a fairy tale wedding at the tender age of nineteen to svelte media powerhouse, all of the genuine and best characteristics of Cancer are there.

Beauty in spades, kindness galore, a desire to help the less fortunate; all these quintessential Cancer qualities were there. Not only that, but because of Diana's genuine nature, the public responded with affection, admiration and a reverence that still holds true today.

Here are some other Cancers that embody the best of this sun sign:

• Heir to the British throne, Prince William, born July 21, 1982
• Actress Meryl Streep, born July 22, 1949
• Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, born July 2, 1908
• Producer Merv Griffin, born July 7, 1925
• Athlete Arthur Ashe, born July 10, 1943