Whitney Houston, a Leo.
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images
As positive energy flows between Mars and Uranus this afternoon, you’ll feel courageous and bold, ready to act on your instincts. This isn’t a time to hang back out of caution — trying to play it safe will only leave you unfulfilled. The best thing you can do for yourself today is to proactively try to challenge yourself and make decisive moves toward your goals. By giving your best effort, no matter the outcome, your energy and confidence will grow. Just be mindful that Mars also faces off with Saturn later tonight, which could dampen your enthusiasm — keep channeling your energy in positive directions, rather than using it to beat yourself up.
Sometimes, the only way to figure out how you really feel about something is to talk it through with someone else — or better still, to argue about it. When you and your friends challenge each other’s half-baked ideas, it forces all of you to question your assumptions, to refine your thinking, and to express your thought processes more clearly. Some people are scared of even the most good-natured disagreements, so today, try to make a point of spending time with the people who can handle your slightly confrontational energy.
Too much pressure to conform to other people’s expectations might make you forget that you have any other options. You run yourself ragged trying to make all the right choices, trying to turn yourself into the person you assume everyone else wants you to be — but today, you might benefit from a reminder that you’re allowed to rebel. It’s not always easy to go against the grain, but in the long run, it might be less exhausting than trying to squeeze yourself into a life that’s too small or predictable for you.
You occasionally get the sense that if you ever want to be taken seriously, you need to change the way you present yourself. So you try to act serious and no-nonsense, dispelling any notion that you might be flighty or frivolous. Today, though, you might decide that it simply isn’t worth it. Trying to renounce part of yourself will ultimately make you feel hollow — and it’s probably not necessary anyway. The people who truly matter won’t be put off by your sense of humor, but will appreciate and encourage it.
You often try to keep your feelings, particularly the more inconvenient ones, to yourself — whether because you don’t want to burden others, or because you don’t want them to see you at your most vulnerable. And when you do open up, you want it to be on your own terms, when you’re ready — not before. The trouble is that the people around you can read you better than you think. You might as well tell them about what you’re going through; chances are, they can sense it anyway.
It’s easy to get frustrated and jealous when others seem to be getting more positive attention than you. It’s particularly galling when it’s overblown, but even if it’s well deserved praise, a part of you still feels irritated that it’s not you getting all the accolades. But today, try to remember that other people’s successes don’t detract from yours. If you can graciously share the spotlight and wholeheartedly be happy for other people, you’ll all be better for it.
While you’re deeply committed to following your own ethical code, you probably aren’t quite as concerned with living up to other people’s standards. You don’t have any qualms about breaking the rules in the name of what’s important to you. Today, though, sticking to your values might mean that you have to ruffle some feathers. It might be uncomfortable to upset or disappoint others, but it’ll be useful to discern the friends whose principles may not align with yours long term.
When making up your mind, you try to take everyone’s input into consideration. The more information you can gather, the better you assume your ultimate decision will be. Today, just remember that others’ contributions aren’t all equally useful. Some people’s opinions will be passionate but ill-informed, others will be talking just to hear their own voice, without anything useful to say, and still others won’t have your best interests in mind. Listen to what they have to say, but if something feels off, trust your own judgment first.
Most of the time, you have a good sense for which of your friends you can (and can’t) rely on — but sometimes, for better or worse, people surprise you. Today, friends you thought you could count on might start acting flaky and distracted. It might shake your faith in people, at least temporarily, but try not to get too discouraged. If you take a wider view, you’ll see that there are also those who unexpectedly step up when you need them.
In your experience, everyone is more complicated and interesting than they seem at first glance, so you try to stay open-minded while people’s full personalities gradually reveal themselves. But it can feel, frustratingly, like nobody ever extends the same courtesy to you, instead pigeonholing you based on a fleeting first impression. Today, if somebody has a wrong — or simply incomplete — idea of who you are, it might take a bit of work to change their mind. But if it’s someone you genuinely want in your life, the effort will be worth it.
It can feel like your social interactions are all pre-scripted: You know what you’re supposed to say in any given situation, and by sticking to your lines, you can keep things flowing smoothly for everyone. Sometimes, though, this gets boring. Today, especially, you might be sick of making polite small talk and saying all the “right” things. You want to connect to people on a deeper level instead. Saying what you’re really thinking can risk getting awkward — but it might also fast-track your ability to get to know each other.
Part of you enjoys thinking unconventionally, constantly being just a bit ahead of the curve. At the same time, though, it gets lonely to feel like there’s nobody who truly gets you. It could seem like the solution is to put more effort into making yourself understood, sharing your thoughts so clearly and precisely that there’s no room for doubt. But while this works up to a point, try to remember that there’s no way to head off all misunderstanding. No matter how carefully you speak, some people will still get confused; focus instead on finding ways you can connect.
Although you might feel ready for a big change, a part of you is still afraid of losing what you’ve got. Your current life might not be perfect, but at least it’s familiar; your routines might leave something to be desired, but at least they’re yours. But change is inevitable, no matter how much you try to avoid it, so you might as well try to actualize it on your own terms. Today, try not to be so scared of the unknown that you miss out on opportunities to change your life, however daunting or unexpected.
Buy Claire Comstock-Gay’s book, Madame Clairevoyant’s Guide to the Stars, here.
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