Are You a Stereotypical Cancer? Check Out These 8 Shocking Myths About this Zodiac Sign

Our sensitive Cancer friends can get a bad rap about complaining too much, being wishy-washy, and even having a tendency to smother!

In fact, these intuitive people are some of the most beneficial friends we can have in times of change in our lives, as they are so accepting and willing to be a shoulder for us to cry on. But, alas, they deserve more credit than they generally get because they can be so easily misunderstood.

Today, we are discussing some common myths about the Cancer zodiac sign that are really just half-truths.

If you’re a Cancer, you may have believed some of these rumors about yourself, so it will be helpful to learn the truth about Cancer zodiac traits!

About the Cancer Zodiac Sign

First of all, you cannot understand a Cancer without knowing the information astrology has to offer.

We know they are ruled by the Moon, which controls our emotions. So Cancers are tuned into their emotions on a much stronger level than most, and they are often tuned into other people’s emotions, even more so than that person might be!

The symbol of Cancer is the crab, which resembles their love of retreating into their home. They need a home base to recharge and feel safe and they will always try to feed and take care of everyone else.

Cancers are also a Water sign. This means they are highly intuitive and find happiness through cultivating emotional well-being rather than social status.

Read up on: Your Guide to Water Signs

8 Myths About Cancer, Busted!

Cancers deserve to be better understood for all the love they endlessly give. See how many of these myths you thought were true, and if looking at those opinions in a new light helps you understand your Cancer friends, or yourself, a little bit better.

Where is Cancer in your chart? Get your free birth chart and find out today!

1. Cancers Complain All the Time

There is a myth that a Cancer is a complainer—always finding something to complain about. However, just because they are sensitive to unhealthy foods, extreme temperatures, and bad vibes doesn’t mean they are negative!

A Cancers’ heightened sensitivity to energy ties to their equally heightened emotional centers.

Cancers need a nurturing, healthy environment and lifestyle to thrive. When people are quick to label them as complainers, they are really just misunderstanding the intuitive gift that Cancer has.

Cancers are simply keen on protecting their energy.

2. Cancers Blame Everyone For Their Feelings

If you have an emotional Cancer friend, you may notice that they talk about feelings…a lot.

It’s not that they are blaming people or trying to get attention. They are just trying to make sense of things that wipe out their energy. Cancers are highly tuned into the thoughts other people have. They will forever talk about how someone’s intentions may be affecting them.

This zodiac sign can actually read people much easier than other zodiac signs, and they aren’t afraid to speak out about it.

Don’t miss: Where is Cancer in Your Birth Chart?

3. Cancers Are Wishy-Washy

Cancers often have a range of different priorities and will make decisions differently than others.

Their strong sense of intuition cues them into things they can’t often explain, such as a premonition of bad weather or something that requires them to be at home. Cancers operate with their intuition, and following it often means that they will make plans based on a gut feeling they can’t fully explain.

This sign’s intentions are always in a good place, even if they are often non-committal.

Their feelings shift based on the day, so they won’t commit to plans because they might not have the energy to follow through and not because they don’t want to see you. It’s important to a Cancer that they are fully present when they do see you.

4. Cancers Can’t Get Over Their Ex

We have all heard how Cancers get addicted to the “bad boy” (or girl) and try to save them or fix them.

Although this Sun sign might experience a fair number of toxic relationships early in life, they are diligently learning in that process to better protect themselves in the future. As a result, they will fall into love quickly when they are young, and for people who are all wrong from them.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing! Their emotional intelligence ripens with age, and they are much more cautious with who they allow themselves to fall for as life unfolds.

It may take them a while to get over heartbreak, but each time their heart repairs, they find a better way to love themselves and accept that the people in their past were there to help them grow.

Some part of them will always love an ex, but they learn who to keep in their life and who to stay away from.

Catch up on: You Need to Read this Cancer Season Guide

5. Having a Family is Cancer’s Top Priority

Cancers enjoy close relationships where they can be there for others, often expressed through the people they care about in their families. That being said, they don’t always want to have children and rush into the responsibilities of having a family.

They may be someone who adopts later in life or chooses to help other children. 

Ultimately, they view the whole world as their family, and while a family may be important to them, helping people is probably a much bigger priority.

6. Cancers Will Smother Their Partner

Cancers can be co-dependent in their relationships, but this is often just their communication style of openness and transparency that other zodiac signs aren’t used to.

Since talking about emotions is considered taboo to some, Cancers who naturally do this are misunderstood as prying or smothering. However, they are really just trying to make sure emotions are not pushed down that could later blow up under pressure.

Cancers also need their own space and will be sure to take it. This myth is quite inaccurate because they are more independent than they are rumored to be!

7. Cancers Can’t Establish Healthy Boundaries

This is a big misunderstanding about the Watery nature of Cancer. This zodiac sign often has trouble differentiating between their own thoughts and attitudes, and those of the people around them, because they pick up on all of them.

It takes time for a Cancer to realize that they do this, but once they can separate their energy from other people’s, they actually get quite good at establishing boundaries.

This is another example of how a younger Cancer will often differ from a more wise and mature Cancer. They may fail to have healthy boundaries when they are young but will quickly learn that they can’t go along with everyone and that’s okay.

8. Cancers Are Moody

This is probably the most common myth about Cancers, and we want to set the record straight. A Cancer may have energy that fluctuates more than others, but it doesn’t mean they will take it out on you!

They may shift between feeling outgoing and introverted (because they need to recharge), but they are also kind to others even though they feel things so strongly. It’s important to note that while they may go through a range of emotions in a day, they will still be mindful about not mistreating others.

Cancers are hardwired to be loving, and they know how to move through their feelings in a way that works for them, whether that means napping, frequent snacks, or just taking a bubble bath in the middle of the day to decompress. They are probably the last people that will blow up at you.

Keep it Crabby

There you have it, folks, the myths about Cancer have officially been busted, and now you can see them for who they really are! If you know a Cancer who doesn’t quite match up with what we’ve talked about, that is because there is a whole birth chart that influences individual personalities.

You may find out that other people you know that act like Cancers has this zodiac sign show up somewhere in their chart. So if you want to understand your Cancer friend (or yourself) better, make sure to get a free birth chart done!

In order to keep up with the shifting energy of a Cancer, you can always read up on their daily horoscope to see how they may be feeling on any given day, so you can also show up for them or give them the space they may need.

Related article: Why Don’t I Relate to My Sun Sign? 

A quiz button that takes you to our quiz: How Cancer are you?

About the Author

Picture of Shannon Yrizarry

Shannon Yrizarry

Shannon Yrizarry has taught metaphysical subjects since 2013 including the deeply esoteric lineage of kundalini yoga. She has worked as a healer, clairvoyant and card reader and been featured as a dream interpreter on Viceland’s Nuts + Bolts show as well as for Mercedes Benz and Refinery29. She has read Tarot for The Zoe Report, done readings for stars and aims to bring the empowering wisdom of astrology mainstream.With a bold voice, she wants to uplift consciousness to help us evolve to a healthier more spiritual society. Her classes can be found online at www.HOI.TV/authors/shannon and you can follow her daily inspirations on Instagram @shannonyrizarry. She also teaches kundalini yoga in Portland, Oregon. What gets her out of bed is helping people align with their soul purpose.Shannon is the author of two books published by Llewellyn Worldwide, Psychic Yoga and Modern Guide to Meditation Beads.

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