Taurus (April 20–May 20)

You already know that sometimes to make room for something new to come into your life, you have to walk away from something already taking up the space. Occasionally, the universe even intervenes and slams a door in your face, forcing you to move on. That’s pretty likely to happen this week. Instead of becoming morose and slowing down the whole process by feeling sorry for yourself, concentrate on being proactive and optimistic. Acknowledge that life has decided it’s time for you to move on to brighter and better things—ready or not, here they come.

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

There’s such a thing as trusting your gut, and then there’s becoming paranoid enough to take every suspicion or hunch seriously. Conspiracy theorists—even when they’re right—are notorious bores. Don’t become one of those royal drags, please. Stay attuned to the subtle clues provided by your instincts, but be rational enough to dismiss some of them as highly unlikely. They’re not what’s happening this week, and if you care enough to look for them, simpler, better explanations can be found for almost everything you encounter. Avoid the ridiculously out-there paranoid fantasies and stick to those instead.

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

You’ve heard the expression “Failure is not an option,” but you’ve rarely applied it to yourself. In fact, it seems like all too often you allow failure to be an option too early in the game. Cross it off your list of possible outcomes—as long as it’s there, it’s all too easy to manifest. That’s a deep and difficult mental shift to make, but it’s an important habit to instill in yourself. Nothing on your current to-do list is something you need to fail at—it’s all perfectly achievable. Failure shouldn’t be an option; stop including it.

Leo (July 23–Aug. 22)

Whomever you’re dealing with is coming from a different place and perspective, and while their behavior may be exasperating and confusing, it’s not baseless. Take a few minutes to vividly imagine how you’re coming off to them, based on where they’re coming from, and come up with a way to shift the dynamic to one that results in a happier scenario for everyone. Yes, this may involve some acting (but not necessarily lying). Leos are notoriously self–centered; it’s difficult for you to step into someone else’s shoes. But I know you’re capable of it. This week, prove me right.

Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)

While trusting your gut is good most of the time, it occasionally fails you completely. Sometimes you must give people the benefit of the doubt because they deserve it. Your suspicions are incorrect, and making a big deal out of them will just make you into the bad guy. This doesn’t mean you always need to turn a blind eye to what you think is going on—but this week it’d be a good idea, because you’re just plain wrong. Assume that most everyone in your life is looking out for you and your well-being, at least for the moment, and carry on without undue suspicion.

Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

There was a time when you could eat anything you wanted and wear whatever you found lying around and still look good. (Some call it youth.) Nowadays it takes a little bit more effort to be at your sexiest. That’s OK. This is just one of the more obvious and concrete examples of what happens when you move into a different chapter of life. The story continues! Although it’s perfectly OK to think fondly of those supposedly carefree days, it’s important that most of your head is in the game that’s happening right now. Be where you’re at.

Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Don’t settle for less than the real thing. That doesn’t mean holding out for some unreachable ideal, but rather that you simply get the authentic version of whatever’s there, good and bad. The good had better be genuine, because the bad sure will be. I value someone who’s real over a great actor any day. The actor may make everything seem fantastic, but in the end it’s too good to be true. If what you see is what you get, and you can live with that, take it. If, however, you suspect there’s a whole lot you’re not getting to see, hold off until the big picture reveals itself.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21)

There’s a lot going on in one particular scenario in your life that you’re not particularly comfortable with, but so far you’ve been biting your tongue and trying to stay out of it. Of course, that can only go on for so long with someone as committed to truth and justice as you usually are. If you’re going to step up and say or do something about the stuff you don’t agree with, this week is the perfect time to do so. If you don’t take this window, you’re better off just learning to live with the compromises inherent in that situation—they’re likely to continue for a long, long time.

Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

Sometimes when a dog has a minor cut, he’ll lick it obsessively until he’s actually created a wound that’s worse and more painful than the original. You’re in danger of doing something like that here. It’s OK to hole up and lick your wounds and heal the shit the world’s thrown at you, but there are limits. Cross those, and you’ll make the whole situation worse. Go chill out and rest up for a little bit if you need to. But keep the wallowing to a minimum. When you first have an inkling that it might be time to get back out into the world again, don’t give it a second thought—just get up and go.

Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

I know you’re good at heeding and responding to social cues, and adept at making people like you. But sometimes that’s the last thing you want to do. Did it ever occur to you that you might not particularly want to fit in with this crowd? Laughing at their awful jokes and tacitly agreeing with their views (perhaps just by biting your tongue) is not only kind of deplorable, it’s taking you away from yourself. This isn’t who you really are. This is one of those instances where a strength can become a weakness; in this case, your ability to fit in anywhere could, if you’re not careful, get you into situations you’ll certainly regret.

Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20)

It’s much easier to tear holes in someone else’s ideas and decisions than to step up and create and champion some yourself. Are you willing to do that? Do you really think you’d be better at it? Be leery of offering more than the gentlest critique to those who’ve taken on those responsibilities, because it’s all too likely that if you push even a little bit too hard, they may just hand over the reins and say, “What a relief, you can do it.” After they’ve walked away, leaving you to pick up the messy pieces, you’ll be asking yourself, “What have I gotten myself into?” Since that question has no happy answer, I suggest you bite your tongue before you rip someone else’s leadership to shreds.

Aries (March 21–April 19)

You can bluff your way through a poker game, a business negotiation, or a car purchase. You can even bluff through part of a relationship—but unlike the other scenarios, where people may never call your bluff until it’s too late, doing so in an interpersonal relationship will be something you’ll soon regret. When—and yes, it’s when and not if—they call that bluff, they’ll want a better explanation than you can come up with, and walk (or run) away when you can’t provide it. Think about that before you insert any false pretenses (however well–meaning) into this particular scenario.