Holiday Mathis

You can’t always do what you love, and you’d be lesser for the indulgence of such a constant. To decide to love what you’re doing is where the real magic is. Commitment plus attitude makes what you’re doing become lovable — the actions, the trajectory, the purpose behind it. With this as a background, the picture will fill in with deep, resonant hues.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). A feeling of progress is an exhilarating high. The actual length of the stride forward isn’t the point. That it’s forward at all — that’s a gift wrapped in the shiny paper of hope.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Before you tend to the typical things, carve out time for those unusual pursuits. They will hold you in good stead, becoming more interesting to you as you delve deeper. You, in turn, become more interesting to others.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). The value of love is beyond anything that can be quantified. Those who are counting what has been exchanged are ultimately exchanging something other than love. It’s fine, as long as you recognize the difference.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). One myth is that people who feel great and have lots of energy get the best results. The truth is that astounding and important things happen from all kinds of moods, so appreciate whichever one you happen to be in.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You are afraid to require things of people because you want it to be easy for them to be around you. What you’re not understanding is that people need to be needed. Requiring something of them is a gift.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). What is said is important, but who is saying it is even more important. Some words must come from you, and other sentiments will be better received coming from a different voice.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You’re so concentrated on your deliverables that you don’t even consider what it’s going to feel like to enjoy the fruits of your effort. Good. It will be a surprise.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). When people praise your vision and follow-through, you can’t fully bring yourself to accept the credit. That’s because you’re honest. You realize that you got here, at least partly, by accident.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You can mostly, but not totally, be your own coach. You need someone to show-off to, impress and be accountable to and encouraged by. This, however, can be accomplished in the briefest of interactions.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). When you work, you work hard. This is why it’s so important that you choose the best things to work on. Hint: It’s probably not the task being tossed to you. Forget about the others for a minute. What do you want?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You prefer that the people around you be happy, and you’ll make efforts to that end, all the while realizing that no one actually makes another person happy, though it’s possible to create environments more or less conducive to joy.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). It will be obvious — the possession that no longer serves a purpose, the baggage that has both spiritual and actual weight, the subscription you don’t use or habit that you’ve outgrown. This calls for ruthless subtraction.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 15). The secret to winning at your game is refinement. In matters important to you, you’ll review your process, pour over data, invent improvements to try, reassess the data, double down on what’s working, cut out what’s not and endlessly strive for mastery. Your relentless attitude pays you in an abundance of joy. Leo and Gemini adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 30, 1, 27 and 17.

WEEKEND LOVE FORECAST: ARIES: Attractions are made stronger or weaker through pacing. Consider the role that time plays in a seduction. TAURUS: The most eloquent expression is the one that helps the other person feel understood. GEMINI: Love’s potency is stronger in a small, specific gesture than a big, general one. CANCER: Let another person talk you up, and then enjoy slightly more respect, attention and attraction. LEO: Everything matters, but a micro-focus will do more harm than good in relationships. Stay off of the emotional zoom lens. VIRGO: It’s more fulfilling to know more about one person and love that person deeply than it is to love many. LIBRA: People evolve. To keep up, make sure to see them with fresh eyes every day. SCORPIO: It’s always a charming scenario when you happen to be with a charming person. SAGITTARIUS: Anyone who withholds their stamp of approval until they get the validation of external sources is not self-actualized enough for you to take their opinion seriously. CAPRICORN: Pay attention to the feeling you’re getting from the overall interaction. Don’t give any specific words or moments more credence than the overall vibe. AQUARIUS: Your guess is probably right, and you’ll do well to act on it, though perhaps in secret while you wait for the proof to finally, and inevitably, arrive. PISCES: Just when you think you know what you’re getting with a person, what you actually get is surprised.

COUPLE OF THE WEEKEND: Pisces and Taurus aren’t going to have a comfortable time of it, but comfort can be overrated. Without that friction, there are no sparks. No sparks, no fire. This is why people love to observe the chemistry between seemingly mismatched individuals. It’s fascinating to see it and even more so to be inside. The heat of the Pisces/Taurus chemistry will transform them both.

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