HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY:

ARIES ( March 21- April 19). Even as you long for things to be different, recognize the preciousness of this time. Long stretches of sameness are a necessary backdrop to change. The movement and the stillness are equally lovely.

TAURUS ( April 20- May 20). You’re focused on what you get to do instead of what you have to do. Of course, they are the same action items, but that one- word change makes all the difference.

GEMINI ( May 21- June 21). In relationships, what succeeds or fails isn’t in the actual real- world exchanges but in the participant’s heads. You’ll increase the impact of your actions by focusing beyond them and into the mind of your counterpart.

CANCER ( June 22- July 22). You can climb the success ladder higher and higher until you touch every rung, but it’s only going to bring you fulfillment if that ladder is leaning against the right building.

LEO ( July 23- Aug. 22). The smile- thief named “unmet expectations” is a prodigious and stealthy collector. Many robbed never even knew they had expectations in the first place. Being truly expectation- free offers impenetrable security.

VIRGO ( Aug. 23- Sept. 22). Why would a person try, on purpose, for a goal more likely to bring failure than success? The short answer is because that person is extraordinary. Building muscles around rejection is a move that pays off.

LIBRA ( Sept. 23- Oct. 23). You keep picking up more skills. Today, it’s soft skills such as reading the room, guessing what another person is feeling and needing, and then finding that cool way to offer up just the thing that would make the difference.

SCORPIO ( Oct. 24- Nov. 21). Memories bubble up. You’ll learn by examining things in the past that didn’t go so well. Why now? Because this is the moment of optimum readiness. Everything needed for the processing is right here.

SAGITTARIUS ( Nov. 22- Dec. 21). As for psychic pain, it’s a symptom like any other. If the wound were healed, then you wouldn’t be hurting. This day comes with an emotional x- ray to show you exactly what the problem is.

CAPRICORN ( Dec. 22- Jan. 19). Just know that if you reach, you’re going to be off- balance; the precariousness is just part of it. Seasoned reachers stay rooted in the ground, even as they open their arms, ready to receive.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20- Feb. 18). Do you know your purpose with a person? Once you’ve nailed that, you can choose ahead of time what to focus on. When you do get the chance to connect, your connections will flow in the direction of your purpose.

PISCES ( Feb. 19- March 20). You will use positive words to describe yourself and your life because you really feel that way. Really feeling that way isn’t a function of being a positive person; it’s a function of focusing on the positive.

IF TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: Despite the times, your social swirl still manages to heat, fortify and fascinate you. Then, what a thrill when your work receives an acknowledgment from those you admire. But the best part is when you realize that you’ve evolved to a place where the quest is actually the prize. Cancer and Leo adore you. Your lucky numbers are 7, 12, 40, 4 and 13.