If it’s your birthday

Keep a close eye on family or household finances. Keep a balance between what you invest in your home and what you invest in your business. Where there’s potential risk, there’s potential gain, though you would be wise to take a conservative approach and make sure the basic bills are covered -- that will give you freedom to do much more. You share a birthday with Gladys Knight, Patch Adams and Carey Mulligan. MARCH 21-APRIL 19 Make sure that your basic needs are met before you strive to take care of others. This isn’t about being less generous, but rather about organizing your priorities in a way that works better for you. Your solar chart strongly suggests you need some time to yourself, out of the fray. APRIL 20-MAY 20 Mercury in perfect harmony with Neptune this week is offering you many possibilities for turning an idea into something real. You might experience this as a creative process requiring several revisions. Think of yourself as working in layers, and pause every time you get to an interesting place. AUG. 23-SEPT. 22 Leadership involves working with difficult people. It’s not usually sold that way; however, it’s obvious once you’re in charge of anything. This week, go out of your way to understand what’s motivating people. Sidestep discussions involving blame and guilt, and guide people into taking responsibility for their actions. SEPT. 23-OCT. 22 Be cautious not to get entangled into the dramas or problems of others. Keep reminding yourself about your own priorities, goals or ambitions, and keep your focus there. If people try to lure you in, politely decline, step away or say how busy you are doing other things. OCT. 23-NOV. 21 If you’re being honest with yourself, you’ll admit that you have two opinions about an important issue that you need to be solid about. Here’s a clue: These two positions have considerable common ground. Study them carefully, identify the strong points, and proceed from there. NOV. 22-DEC. 21 Tread lightly at work this week, and steer clear of anyone who seems hot-headed or confrontational. Going blow-for-blow will not help anyone, or improve anything. Ultimately, you’re probably the one with final authority, so don’t dig into a defensive position. Let the situation develop a little. DEC. 22-JAN. 19 Be kind to the people who help you. There’s no use rebelling for its own sake, or doing something just to prove a point. Receive graciously what’s offered, and have the courage to be openly grateful, in both word and deed. There’s no room in this equation for pride. JAN. 20-FEB. 18 Remember that differing opinions over creative projects can be very helpful. It’s OK to let the sparks fly and hash out the best idea or approach to a problem. However, you can do something truly mature: pause the conversation, and find out what goals everyone shares. FEB. 19-MARCH 20 This will be a brilliant week for you, and you might invest more of your energy into art, music or love than you invest in your day job. One thing undeniable about you is that you need a steady diet of art, sensuality and relaxation. Write that in bold italics on your bathroom mirror.