Holiday Mathis

Humans love familiarity, and it’s natural to seek out people who are like you. Novelty is usually a lesser need than security, but the Sagittarius sun makes a strong point: Without new input, we go stagnant. Stagnation breeds toxicity. It’s easy to ignore the warning signs that stagnation is setting in. Stir things up proactively.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You’ll be a genius at picking topics of discussion, even with people you don’t know well. You aim to uplift. You’ll shut down conversations aimed to tear others down.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). It’s true that you sometimes have to talk yourself into doing the very things that were your idea from the start. To be effective in this, just remind yourself of the many reasons why you want what you want.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). People make time for people they want to make time for. “Too busy” is a way of saying “different priorities,” and that’s OK, too! Stay aware of the expectation others have of you and how you play into it.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You trust yourself, but that doesn’t mean you think everything you do is right. A healthy amount of the right kind of doubt shows more confidence than unchecked conviction.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You won’t have to seek helping opportunities, because they will be all around you. Some people are helped by little more than a warm smile. Moments of complete attention and kind words provide more uplift than you know.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). The most attractive stance is one of calm collectedness. From that place, you can see and act on opportunities. Rushed people create problems. Believe in the timing of life instead of imposed and superficial urgency.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The sensation that you’re lost can creep along the edges of your psyche, even when you think you know where you are. Breathe. Knowing exactly where to go and what to do next is unnecessary right now.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Watch your energy levels and performance while doing ordinary things. Keeping track of this in daily life (not just in demanding situations) is an act of noticing that supports your health and well-being.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Today comes with a very convenient cosmic gift. People will make obvious efforts to let you know their intentions, wants, needs and feelings. If it’s not obvious, it may not be so.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). What’s wrong will also be ugly. Gossip definitely fits the category. Many around you will trauma-band over shared disdain. It’s not a good look. You’ll stay out and stay attractive.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). People say “just kidding” when they’re maybe only mostly kidding. People say “I don’t know” when they actually totally do. You’re sensitive and aware. You’ll get more of the story because you’re willing to wait for it.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You don’t take the connections between people for granted, because you know how much effort can be involved. You’ve built bridges, crossed them and burned them, too. Today, take a boat. It’s temporary but drama-free.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Nov. 22). You will be rich in emotional commodities such as enthusiasm, hope and love. You’ll get excellent at reading people, which will help you assemble productive teams and seek relationships bound for ease and success. What you accomplish in January will attract an audience. Build on it and bank the dividends in April. Libra and Leo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 40, 11, 13 and 17

FORECAST FOR THE WEEK AHEAD: Neptune puts on the brakes to prepare for a turnaround at the end of this Thanksgiving week. The planet of dreams has been reversed for five months and enshrouded with a swirly, surreal sort of consciousness. Now it will be like we have a finger on the “sharpness” feature and can slide into clear sight some of the fuzziness we’ve dealt with in the past months. Decisions will be made without struggle or ambiguity.

With Venus newly exploring the early degrees of Scorpio, we bring new honesty to relationships and our place in them. We thought we were doing our best before, but how is it really possible to know what our best is? What we really do is the most we can in relation to the moment of challenge. When the challenge is more intense, we match it until we can’t. It is great challenge – and, ultimately, defeat – that teach us what our best is in any given moment.

Friday brings an annual Venus-Uranus opposition. To gamble or not – that will be the question. The gambler rolls the dice and then accepts that outcome even if it’s not ideal. That’s what you sign up for when you play the game. To agree to put your high hopes in the hands of fate is an agreement with loss as well.