If it’s your birthday

Aquarius is the sign of patterns, and it’s time for some new ones. This includes everything from the ways that you think, to the words that you use, to where you hang out, to how you relate to your community. Try something new every day. Alter your route to and from school or work. Experiment with where you shop and what you buy. You share a birthday with Abraham Lincoln, Judy Blume, and Christina Ricci. MARCH 21-APRIL 19 You may need to make an important decision today, one that alienates you from people you work with. Still, you must do what is truly necessary, and you seem to have thought this through carefully. Others will, in the end, respect you for being willing to take on this burden. APRIL 20-MAY 20 You may be coming to a realization about life that nobody around you is even close to. If so, stay with that feeling for a while. It contains the seed of new knowledge, which is not ready to be discussed with anyone, or judged by them. It’s OK if only you know your deepest inner truth. MAY 21-JUNE 20 Financial or intimate matters of partnership may be threatening to suffer the fate of so many recent Amtrak trains. But you’ll keep things on the tracks if you slow down, take a deep breath or three, and let any emotional overreaction pass through you. Don’t provoke a fight and you won’t get one. JUNE 21-JULY 22 Nothing is carved into stone; or to use a different metaphor, you’re not starring in a one-act play. There is a second act, and today’s events are just a setup for what happens next. Keep your eyes open and your ears on, and gather information, which will surely come in handy when you need it most. JULY 23-AUG. 22 True commitment comes from the inside out. It’s not something you put on like a T-shirt. If you’re feeling like you absolutely must get the job done, trust that, and start organizing your life around making it happen. When you move your will, you also move providence. Trust that — and carry on. AUG. 23-SEPT. 22 You’re in an excellent position to see the patterns in the chaos, and to work for a positive outcome. However, as part of this, you must advocate for those who are getting the short end of the deal, or those who get lost in the shuffle. Part of your service to the planet is being an advocate. SEPT. 23-OCT. 22 Reaching for your emotional independence can be daunting, but don’t let that stop you. The sense of being alone is a necessary step on the way to standing on your own. This begins and ends with your ability to make decisions, without letting others sway you. Your life is in fact yours. OCT. 23-NOV. 21 How strongly you feel about something you hear today may surprise you. It may take you out of your ordinary state of mind and focus you on the more important things in life. Welcome that experience, and let it help you set your priorities in order. Remember to be gentle with others. NOV. 22-DEC. 21 If it’s true that you’re limited only by your determination, then you have no limits at all. Just don’t be too ruthless about accomplishing your goals. Clearly you have to make decisions, though remember they will affect people; and you might solicit some opinions first, and talk things through. DEC. 22-JAN. 19 You’ll take a mono-focused, even obsessive, approach to your work today. Once you set a goal, you’ll be determined to get it done, and you may work so efficiently that you can leave early. However, pace yourself. Breathe a little oxygen, and stop for food and water. You will not need coffee. FEB. 19-MARCH 20 You may have to stand on your own, but you’re not alone. People will do what they can to help you; though, mostly, you need to help yourself. Advocate for your cause, knowing that you’re doing the right thing. Get out of your own way and recognize how much you’re appreciated.