IN THE STARS

You can be mean to yourself sometimes. You wouldn’t hang out with people who talk to you the way you talk to yourself when you’re being mean. Interrupt the pattern. Look for positive influences. The way that words, ideas and art are conceived will have a direct correlation with how they are received. What comes from the heart will go to the heart. Taking charge of your own focus seems like a basic right, but your life and work can be so tied in to the lives and work of others that autonomous acts can be hard to carry out. At least you’re needed. You’re going to have a hard time carrying out the goals you believe you be committed to, but it won’t be hard at all to do the things you really to do. So the trick is in wanting what’s good for you. Success will be a matter of taking charge of your definition of it and then honouring that. Be reasonable. There’s no point in getting mired in a history of all the things that haven’t worked so far. VIRGO You used to give yourself credit for learning new things, but these days, picking up new skills is a daily adaptation to the escalating pace of technology. Still, pat yourself on the back. You keep getting smarter! Humans are social creatures for whom the approval of others can be a matter of trivia or a matter of survival. Presently you have a relaxed attitude that doesn’t change based on your approval rating. The things that reward one person may not mean much to another. It will be especially important to get this right on a you-to-you basis, as it will be hard to motivate yourself without the proper reward. Time and trust are the themes of the day. Time frames have a lot to do with people’s willingness to participate. Tell people up-front the amount of time they’ll be expected to put in. Start brief, and build. CAPRICORN What appears from the outside to be a solidly built relationship may be, from the perspective of those in it, more like a set piece on a stage. Respect that every relationship is different, and make no assumptions. The role of caregiver can be a soul-enriching one, especially when the other person really is your responsibility. But when the other person is taking advantage of kindness, it’s another dynamic entirely. New relationships will start with a simple hello. No special knowledge or attractive qualities need come into play, because what really matters in building rapport is the exchange of pleasant vibes.