Aries (March 20-April 19) — If you think friendly thoughts, you will see friends everywhere. If you’re thinking darker and more suspicious thoughts, you might see conspiracies around you. There are two things going on: one is that these days, your thoughts are powerful projectors of your reality. Experiment with this: as you change your thoughts, your reality will change. You might need to convince yourself to try this for the sake of the experiment. The other phenomenon is the sense that all people and events are somehow interconnected. This might manifest as making the discovery that people you meet already know people you’re connected to; you might experience other synchronicities that reveal the extent to which the world you see is the projection of your own mind. The beauty of this discovery is that it reveals how much influence you have over your own life.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You may get the feeling that others are demanding more than you can give. But what are they really asking for? Seen one way, it’s a sacrifice of some kind; seen another way, you’re in a situation that’s calling for you to rise to the occasion of your own maturity. Growth presents challenges, and those are worth the effort if, on the other end, you collect the benefits. What you’re experiencing now is indeed about receiving the advantages of previous personal development projects. You merely need to be the best person you already are. This means seeing yourself as equal to any task, and worthy of the trust that people invest in you. If you see ‘authority figures’ as people from whom you can learn, and who facilitate your growth, you will take the pressure off of everyone and have more fun.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Mercury, your personal planet, is about to move into Scorpio. The psychological insight offered by this sign will help you make some sense out of people or situations that were previously not quite adding up. You’ll also have more tolerance of things being out of balance in that characteristically 21st-century way. The thing to remember is the human factor. People have egos, and they tend to be oversensitive, just like you get sometimes. When they’re in that condition, what they need is empathy. This might come as recognition for what they’ve accomplished, even though you might perceive this as excessive pride or childishness. Humor people. Tell them what great work they’re doing and they will be much more cooperative with the great work that you are doing.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Nearly all the energy coming at you involves sex in some form or another. That might include desire, love, lust, attachment or attraction. And, because many people have some issues around sex, a diversity of shadow emotions are possible — meaning the things that are difficult to acknowledge or understand, such as shame, guilt and repulsion. How you experience these things depends on your state of mind. We live in times when the seemingly logical first thing to do is to get offended (rather than to laugh at something). You have better options open than that. Given that laughing or taking offense is not necessarily appropriate, you might try talking with whomever else is involved, by which I mean speaking and listening alternately till you gain some understanding. You might make a discovery, such as what initially seemed weird or offensive turns you on like nothing before.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You need to find some level ground with the world, a place where people don’t seem to have all the advantages over you. I would propose that will come from taking care of yourself first. Center your life around your physical and emotional wellbeing, starting with rest, water and some time to yourself. This will help you settle into your body and your feelings, which will in turn give you more confidence. It’s true that you have many demands on your energy and much work to do. In order to be fully present and to offer yourself in service, you need to have all your resources available — to you. Over the next few days the logic of this will seem more apparent, and you’ll naturally go in that direction. Just remember, this is not at cross-purposes to all that you want to get done. Rather, it’s the essential ingredient.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — As Mercury makes its way into Scorpio, you may find it’s easier to talk about all those difficult-to-express things. I don’t just mean complaints and issues. I mean the deep secrets you want to express, and the desires you have not articulated. Begin with yourself, getting it out into essays or your journal. Then do the unthinkable: share your writing with others. You might even start there, and say exactly what you want to say to everyone you want to say it to. While you might use some discretion among people you work with (where there may be official policies in place), everyone else is open season. This does involve taking a risk, and that feeling of being on the edge is the same feeling as speaking your truth, with love.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You seem to be grappling with self-esteem, but really it looks more like self-judgment. Address the second and the first will take care of itself. You will feel better if you depend less on external influences for reassurance. You don’t need people to tell you that you’re great, and you don’t need to be better than anyone; take a break comparing yourself to others and you’ll feel more centered. It matters not whether anyone is ‘better’ or ‘worse’ in any way; the mere gesture of comparison puts you at a disadvantage. When you enter that state of mind, you lose. You are your own exemplar; set the example for yourself. It’s possible to accept yourself for who you are, and consciously engage in learning and growth at the same time.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Take the slow, steady approach in business or professional affairs. Remember that the web of life is woven one relationship at a time. This spans from the seemingly most minor or trivial associations to the most profound and meaningful. There is less difference between them than you may think. For maximum benefit, treat them all the same: with the utmost respect. When you encounter people, remember that on some level everyone is dealing with pain, loss and disappointment. It’s not that you have to coddle people; rather, be as gentle as you can, and have the fewest expectations. This will cultivate natural humility: rich or poor, young or old, happy or sad, we’re all in the same boat. Slow down with each person until you can feel the common ground that you share. Listen and notice. You will make some unusually beautiful discoveries.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Remember, you have your options open. You might start to feel like you’re in a pinch, financially, emotionally or otherwise. Should that happen, stop and take a wider view of your life. Make a list of your possible choices for how to handle your situation. It’s likely that you’re missing something obvious. You might seek the input of someone who knows you well and can help you see some of the potentials that might elude you. They exist, and going through this exercise might result in your seeing some truly excellent possibilities you would have missed otherwise. At least one of them will involve working with a few other people, or seeking resources through your network of contacts. What you need already exists. It might even be in the same room as you are right now.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — People already notice you. You don’t have to go out of your way. They already know you do good work; you don’t have to impress them, and you don’t have to impress yourself. If you’re going to be proud of your achievements, make it the mild, laid-back kind of pride, like sitting in a chair and knowing you’re a good dancer. The key idea here is understatement. If you show off your skills or talents, that’s likely to backfire. Focus on getting the job done well and on time, and forget about recognition and even about the money. Put everything you have into quality and devotion to your work for its own sake. If you’re feeling insecure, this may be more of a challenge; though you have what it takes. Insecurity can be a fine inspiration to do what needs to be done. A measure of uncertainty will help you to be thorough and keep an eye out for your mistakes.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You’re being offered the help you need; are you open to receiving it? Consider that for a moment, and then let’s go a step further. If for some reason you’re not open to assistance, you might consider why that is, and whether it’s actually the correct position to take. You don’t really need that much help. You might need some companionship, though even that is minimal. Then consider the other possibility: that you would benefit from being more open to assistance. What you and those around you must know is that it’s not really going to benefit you if it’s not on your own terms. Be polite about this. Get an understanding of what’s being offered, and select the elements that you need. Then establish a clear understanding with whoever is involved. In your calmest, most relaxed mental posture, you must be the one who takes charge.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — While you’re taking care of day-to-day business, keep some focus on your medium- and long-range plans. If you don’t have plans, come up with some ideas. You need a vision that you can grow into — one that’s either not limited by your current commitments, or which extends them to a totally new place. Then, it’ll help if you act on your ideas as soon as possible. Take some tangible step in the direction that you want to go. If you experience any resistance, keep going, a little each day if necessary. One of the themes of your chart for the foreseeable future is leadership, and the most important form of that is self-leadership. Think of this as a series of commitments that you make to yourself, and then you fulfill them. And keep going.