Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21)

It might sound weird, but words and ideas have more power than almost any other tool you can wield. Changing the way someone thinks (and therefore acts) is an incredible way to transform your world. You know all this already, and you’re probably prepared to brandish your thought-weapons any second. This week, however, is all about timing. For your words to have the greatest and best impact, you have to choose the moment when your target is the most receptive. That might mean biting your tongue for a while until that moment comes. Wait for it.

Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

Imagine that what you want is lying at the bottom of a lake. If you dive in and maniacally swim to the middle of the lake and just plunge right in, you’ll never be able to reach the bottom without drowning; you’ll be too crazed and breathless to get that deep. You need to be thoughtful and patient in your approach. Ironically, in order to reach your goal, you may need to sit and quietly float for a while, doing absolutely nothing. Luckily, you have the virtues of foresight and patience in spades. All you need do is exercise them.

Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

As much as you’d like to shed your skin and become something totally different, you suck at it. Even if you succeed at putting on another outfit for a day or a week, your true shape shows right through if anyone looks at you for more than a few moments. Like the other fixed signs (Taurus, Scorpio, and Leo), you have trouble camouflaging your true self. As with all strengths, this is also sometimes a weakness. That might never feel truer than it does this week. Even while feeling frustrated that you can’t hide who you are for even a second, at least take comfort that you (and the people around you) know exactly who that is.

Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20)

While your Aquarian neighbors have trouble hiding who they are, you Fish sometimes have trouble just remembering or figuring out who you are (today). This can be very confounding, of course—not just for you, but for anyone who knows you, as it can feel as if they’re having to get to know a completely different person every time you meet. I understand everyone’s frustration, but chances are this isn’t likely to change much. While core facets of your personality will remain constant, much of you is in continuous flow. Instead of trying to hide that characteristic, flaunt it. Then you’ll have more of a chance of attracting people that that excites, rather than frustrates.

Aries (March 21–April 19)

Usually you have no trouble making decisions (and in fact are sometimes prone to making them too quickly), but this week may present a crossroads that’s stickier and more complicated than most. Whether it’s a surprise pregnancy, an unintended affair, or a job opportunity that will separate you from your lover, there is no perfect outcome. Every choice you make will involve sacrifice, pain, and disappointment. That makes choosing one of them tougher than you’re used to. Take some time with this one—but not too much time (don’t let circumstance decide for you). Eventually you’ll know the right thing to do (for you).

Taurus (April 20–May 20)

Sometimes confessing to something you’ve done really is about fixing the situation and making amends. Much of the time, however, the urge to do so is more about expiating your own guilt rather than rectifying the situation. Have a good, hard think about your own motivations to drag skeletons out of the closet or dig up old dirt. Will that really make things better for anyone other than you, and is it worth the potential heartache involved? I’m all for clearing the air—while the storm is already raging. Stirring up a whole bunch of shit after the dust has settled, however, is rarely a good idea.

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

Just because you’re right doesn’t mean you need to be vindictive. Even if everyone thought you were wrong until now, you should be gracious and forgiving rather than peppering the conversation with snappish “I told you so”s. You have the moral high ground here, finally, and what you do with it can set a precedent for the times when you’re not quite so lucky. I suggest never mentioning it again, except to dismiss people’s concerns and apologies as unnecessary. Rubbing it in might feel good for a second, but you’d regret it for ages.

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

Just because you’re ready to work something out doesn’t mean everyone else has to be. I understand how powerful your emotions are, and that when you feel compelled to process and move through a complex situation, it can feel urgent and undeniable. However, forcing that on someone else is wrong, especially when they tell you in no uncertain terms that they’re not ready or willing to go there. Don’t make someone else miserable out of selfish regard for only your own feelings. Move on if you must, but find your own path—don’t drag along an unwilling companion.

Leo (July 23–Aug. 22)

Of the fixed signs, you’re the most changeable because of your tendency to dramatically reinvent yourself. Although I admire your ability to transform, because it’s not generally an evolutionary process you don’t get to audition aspects of the “new you” much before they’re unveiled to the world. Some might not work. Sometimes, especially for you, the only way to make a big change is to do it all at once, without looking back. However, I believe you could manifest a chance for a test run before you go all-in. When you were a kid, summer camp was a great place to try to be the someone you wanted to become. Maybe there’s someplace like that for you now?

Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)

A perfectly toasted marshmallow should be golden and crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside. To achieve this, you need to slowly and patiently rotate it over smoldering coals, nowhere near actual flames. Most people rush the job and end up with a scorched, blackened mess that burns their tongues and tastes like charcoal. What does this have to do with your situation? You have the power to make it turn out exactly the way you want it to, but it will require extreme amounts of patience—try to accelerate things for even a second, and the whole thing will blow up in your face.

Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

Sometimes all you can do is suck it up and get through it. There’s not much you can do to improve or avoid the situation. It is what it is, and you’ve done what you can; now it’s time to quit your bitching, slap a grin onto your face, and make the best of it. Once you decide to just try to have fun with it—and there is fun to be had there, believe it or not—you’ll realize it’s not as bad as you thought it would be. (Caveat: It may still be awful, just less awful than you expected.)

Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Your “solutions” often seem to involve taking things to greater extremes. Frequently, just having one more drink, fight, or screw will actually make things worse, not get you over the hump. This obstacle may in fact be more or less insurmountable, at least right now, so trying to get over it your way will just dig you a deeper hole next to it. You might be able to climb this mountain tomorrow, or next month, but for now I’d just chill out. No point in making things harder on yourself—scaling this thing with a hangover wouldn’t be much fun.