Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

Surprise, surprise. One of those people who's always opposed you has decided to speak up again this week to tell everyone how wrong you are. You're used to this by now, so hopefully you'll be able to defend yourself without getting huffy or petty. Making a good impression right now is an especially good idea because someone you've never teamed up with before is considering hopping over to your side of the fence. I don't need to tell you what a great ally s/he'd be, but it might motivate you to know this: If you get him or her to come around, you'll get everyone to come around.

Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

You've never been gung-ho for instant gratification (just find a Leo or Gemini if you need an expert on the topic), but you do fall prey to its charms occasionally. You've learned that there are often consequences that come with demanding what you want, now, and they're only occasionally worth the satisfaction of having your whims granted. This week, beware the temptation to push too hard to get what you want as soon as possible. Letting things unfold at a more natural pace may take patience but is more likely to result in success. What's more, if you allow events to happen that way, they're also likely to come with at least one or two pleasant surprises.

Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20)

A friend of mine is taking some medicinal drug whose side effects often include intense, frequently unpleasant dreams. You, of all people, should know what he's going through, since you often have these without the help of any pharmaceutical substance. His strategy for shaking them off as quickly as possible is to have a sense of humor about them. Follow his lead. Making things funny (even when they're awful) is your best weapon this week against unpleasantness of all sorts, both inside your head and out in the world. Make jokes of everything that bothers you; the worse it is, the more you ought to make fun of it. Laugh long, laugh hard, and laugh often. It's better than crying.

Aries (March 21–April 19)

It's so easy to get distracted, I know. And all those distractions are such great fun, since whatever you're supposed to be paying attention to really isn't that thrilling. It might even be a drag. However, toeing the line now will result in more excitement later than can be had from indulging even your wildest whims now, so it's well worth it. In other words, put up with the drudgery of doing your job, whatever it may be, and wait until later to be whimsical and carefree, when you can afford to, and have a clear conscience, besides.

Taurus (April 20–May 20)

Misery loves company. In this case, someone else's misery would love your company. Don't go over to their dark side, though, no matter what tactics they use to get you to come there. You don't need to sever your connection with whatever sad sack is trying (probably unwittingly) to drag you down, but you need to be sure to dig in your heels and resist being sucked in. Tugging them free of their doldrums might be an option, and is certainly worth a try, but don't be too hard on yourself if it's not possible. You may have to settle for waving to them from your side of the fence, where the grass is greener, and making sure they know they're welcome to clamber over and come hang out.

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

You've worked hard to get to where you are. Let's be realistic, though. Most of your motivation has been mainly selfish; you did it to make yourself better off in some way. There's nothing wrong with that, of course. However, here you are, and because of all that hard work, you're in a position to help another—perhaps many others. It might not immediately occur to you, because it's not exactly in line with your original intentions, but I hope you'll consider doing it anyway—not because it's the holidays, but just because it's a really good thing to do.

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

In conflicts like the ones you'll face this week, there is no right and wrong. Because of your loyal nature, you're likely to see things in stark moral black-and-white, but in actuality all of this stuff is cast in shades of gray. You're not exactly in the best position to mediate these kinds of fights, because of your strong personal opinions on the subject. But it would be brilliant if you could take yourself out of the equation as much as possible (since it has very little to do with you anyway) and try to be an unbiased negotiator. If you can help both sides get along—or amicably agree to disagree—you'll have done your job, and then some.

Leo (July 23–Aug. 22)

You're a creature of routine. Don't deny it. Although you're perfectly capable of rolling with surprises and breaking from your rhythms, secretly you're quite attached to certain things you do every day, and miss them when you don't have the chance to indulge in them. The holidays are full of fun, but that's mitigated somewhat by being away from your tried-and-true, reliable sources of comfort and joy. This week, try not to be too attached to your pleasurable old habits—though re-creating some might be possible, finding new (and possibly better) ones is even more likely.

Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)