Aries (March 21-April 19)Your connection with someone is your connection with them. You don’t need anyone else’s permission, opinion, or approval. Even though having those things is nice (and there can be consequences when you don’t get them), they’re not actually necessary. Make sure your stubborn independence and determination win the day, because there may be unreasonable obstacles, rules, or limitations placed on you regarding you and another consenting adult human being. Ultimately, the decision about whether and how you relate to someone is yours, and following your heart, gut, and conscience must take precedence over someone else’s two cents. Taurus (April 20-May 20)Everyone exaggerates a little from time to time. But when tall tales (or inflated resumes) can potentially get someone into hot water, it might be your duty to drag them down to earth—gently, if possible. It’s no fun to pop someone’s balloon, I know—but it’s even less fun to watch them sail so high into the stratosphere they can’t breathe, or to observe them plummeting from such a height. Since no one else seems to be doing the dirty work of keeping a fanciful friend’s feet on the ground, that lousy job has fallen to you. Get to it.Gemini (May 21-June 20)Just a reminder: Life’s not fair. Expecting it to be only leads to disappointment. However, despite that sad reality, you should strive to invest equity and equality in all things you have a substantial say in. There’s no compelling reason to perpetuate the injustices we all encounter every day, when you have the power to create a situation where they don’t play much of a role. Since this week you have a significant amount of power to determine whether others are pleasantly surprised by a sweet situation, or have their cynicism reinforced, strive for the former, not the latter.Cancer (June 21-July 22)Everyone has a friend who enjoys taking charge, and occasionally makes people feel like bit actors (or worse, props) in a play written, produced, and directed by them. While being part of these productions can sometimes be tremendous fun, it can also be a terrible drag, especially when your own preferences are overruled or dismissed. There’s no need to dredge up your own inner diva here, but sometimes simply standing firm and insisting on your own way—especially when it really has minimal impact on anyone besides you—is the only reasonable way to go. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)Don’t let a miscommunication, missed connection, or spasm of insecurity or shyness keep you from what might very well be a tremendous opportunity (or at least learning experience). Passing up something so potentially cool because of a weak moment is something you’ll kick yourself over for ages, if you let it happen. Don’t! Suck it up, slap a smile onto your face, and seize whatever chances come your way, whether or not you’re actually feeling it. Remember, the biggest source of regret for most people isn’t the stuff they did—it’s the stuff they never did.Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)You’ve already discovered that when you try to impose your standards—especially regarding tidiness, cleanliness, or organization—on someone else, things don’t tend to work out too well for more than a short-term arrangement. Anyone can clean up their act for a little while (if they’re a guest in your home, for example), but requiring them to change their whole way of being isn’t particularly reasonable. Asking them to meet a basic standard in these departments is fair—but your standard tends to be far above that, even if it feels perfectly normal and reasonable to you. Take it down a notch and cut them a whole bunch more slack, won’t you?Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)Even though you’re generally exceptionally adept at seeing both sides of a picture, you’re not necessarily as good at wrapping your head around someone else’s needs when they’re ones you don’t share. You may not be able to understand why someone needs the things they say they do, but it’s not your place to argue with them or stand in their way. You must simply take them at their word and let them do what they must. If it’s not something you can tolerate, then walk away, but don’t try to tell someone not to feel the way they feel—that never works out, and just makes you look like an ass.Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)You’re usually pretty good about keeping your nose out of people’s business, even when they (accidentally or on purpose) wave it in front of your face. Every once in a while, though, something happens that tempts you to interfere, even though rationally you know it’s not likely you’ll be helpful, and in fact may make matters worse. Such thoughts don’t erase the temptation, though. However, since just such a compelling and dangerous situation is likely to appear this week, you must marshal all your willpower, rally distractions, and enlist help to just stay out of it. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)Boredom with life is not something many Sagittarians feel particularly often, if ever at all. However, it does afflict certain people you know. While you can’t force them to take an interest in the things that keep you stimulated and excited about life, you can inject a little more joy and adventure into their lives, if you choose to. They may not always be open to it, but don’t let past rebuffs deter you from trying again. This week, most everyone you know will be gratefully receptive to just about any well-intentioned distraction from ennui you provide.Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)Everyone has embarrassing secret worries and fears. The best part about such things is that almost every time, saying them out loud to someone else greatly diminishes their power (even if it’s embarrassing in the moment) and sometimes even makes them go away completely. You might not know this, because Capricorns are notoriously closed-mouthed about such mortifying insecurities, and thus rarely benefit from the blessed benefits of sharing them with someone else. This week, break that pattern. Gather your nerve, choose a trusted friend wisely, and then confess your private fears, and watch them (at least mostly) melt away.Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)Clean up your own messes. While it’s easy to put off such unpleasant tasks, and simple to decide that anyone complaining or stewing about them is just being too persnickety and anal, the simple fact of the matter is that it’s your mess, and it’s simply not fair to force someone else to clean it up for you. This is a rough lesson to learn, and sometimes those trying to teach it to you are less than gentle or subtle. However, that shouldn’t keep you from learning it nevertheless, even if the messes are more subtle or intangible than spilled milk, or more annoying to clean up than spray-on glitter. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)Most people throughout history who vocally questioned the status quo were called, essentially, “crazy.” Some, of course, were quite out of their minds—but many were simply privy to a truth different from whatever version was most popular at the time, and were either unable or unwilling to keep silent about it. This difficult role has frequently fallen to you Fish, who are often able to see things in different ways than the rest of us. While it may be tempting to simply bite your tongue and avoid the criticism or dismay of those who disagree with you, speaking your truth is one of the most powerful and important things you can do. Please have the courage and integrity to do it, especially this week.sign.language.astrology@gmail.com