If it’s your birthday

You are rediscovering who you are, in a new and bold way. However, who you are changes continuously, and being stuck in one identity or self-concept is an illusion. Give yourself permission to be more than you might ordinarily believe, and more freedom to move freely than you typically would. Rather than ask permission, inform people of your plans. You share a birthday with Colin Firth, Big Daddy Kane, and Misty Copeland. JULY 23-AUG. 22 Evaluate any difficulty you may be experiencing, in any aspect of your life, as a question of self-esteem. How do you feel about yourself? Do you have a wide or narrow concept of who you are? Many circumstances this week will encourage you to keep an open mind and an open heart. AUG. 23-SEPT. 22 Mercury re-entered your sign overnight, one of the last stages in working out the retrograde that ended earlier this month. You may decide that something you already knew is absolutely true, only to doubt yourself again. Skip false certainty, and take a wait-and-see approach. SEPT. 23-OCT. 22 You’re in a rare moment of insight, though don’t let that turn to self-judgment. When you’re trying to understand those off-color emotions such as fear, guilt or anger, you must do so gently. Allow yourself impartial observation, and give yourself the room to change, which means changing your thoughts. OCT. 23-NOV. 21 Consider reversing some of your usual tendencies and see what effect you get. If you tend to be assertive, be a little more retreating. If you talk a lot, say less and notice how you feel, and what happens. Apply this to gender roles, too. You will set free a load of energy. NOV. 22-DEC. 21 Work with a conscious plan today, even if it’s a few bullet points scrawled onto a napkin. You can always modify your plan, which is the whole point -- that first draft, giving you something to build on. Whatever you’re doing, get some ink on the paper or paint on the canvas. DEC. 22-JAN. 19 You seem to be pushing against some unseen force. It’s like you’re trying to scale an invisible rock wall, with someone pressing on your head. Look within yourself for all your sources of resistance, excuse making or guilt about what you want. As the old saying goes, get over yourself. JAN. 20-FEB. 18 The discussion now shifts to matters of joint finances and business. However, aspects caution against too narrow of an approach, or being in any way influenced by the idea that there’s not enough. If things are getting tense, look for the abundance. Use your imagination; that will help. FEB. 19-MARCH 20 How do you respond when you encounter a closedminded or uptight person? Well, you can’t pry them open, and debating the matter will only make things worse. So make peace with the reality that is, and look for people who are spiritually and creatively on your wavelength. They do exist.