Your solar year started off with a bang; a dramatic conclusion of an 18-month cycle in which your identity and how it relates to that of others has been tested and forced to evolve, in some overwhelming and challenging ways. Reverberations of the recent eclipse are still intense, but a new cycle has begun and right now it’s all about you.

Developing a just self-image can be tricky, because our opinions of ourselves are always subjective. The same is generally true of any outside perspective we might seek. This is why it’s so helpful to cultivate self-acceptance. In addition, if you worry that you’re not the person you think you ought to be, first notice that word “ought” and consider that you’re likely judging yourself unnecessarily — and, secondly, at least you care about what you manifest in the world.

We’re in a time when our individual differences are being emphasized, often at the expense of understanding what we all have in common. Love and respect that apply universally are decidedly not in fashion. Yet, while it’s true that we each have a responsibility for how we live, there is surely also a place for compassion that regards only the fact that we exist, we’re alive and we’re human.

Awareness is thankfully growing regarding the impact of single-use items on the environment. It seems far too many things are made to be disposable in short order. This can impact our thinking as well; it can be ridiculously easy to decide that a project or an interest isn’t working, and to throw it over for something new without further analysis.

Don’t be afraid to express yourself if you feel your views might not quite fit in among your peers, or be acceptable to those in positions of authority. The uniqueness of a perspective can add significantly to its importance, simply by virtue of presenting an idea unthought-of before, or one that existed but no-one had previously dared to bring to the discussion.

You could see a surge in productivity over the next several months, with Mars and Jupiter working together to unleash your creative powers. You may find you’re able to turn ideas into a concrete reality with surprising speed. What this will perhaps require from you more than anything else is self-belief. In part, this means being willing to devote yourself to your ambitions regardless of how others might react, and regardless of any desire you may have to gain approval.

Thanks to many centuries of cultural influence by a religion that exhorts us all to be ashamed of existing, acceptance of who you are, faults and all, can be difficult at times. Remember that none of us is or ever can be perfect, and try not to be unduly hard on yourself. Even the shadow, to use Jungian terminology, has its gifts.

After the recent Full Moon you may have become aware of a certain mental challenge you’re facing, like a puzzle waiting to be solved. The answer is not likely to be especially simple; however, figuring this out could well provide you with significant leaps of insight, and may also release a lot of tension.