Mercury journeys fiery Aries, a spontaneous trek for the communication planet that signifies the sort of urgent honesty that children, who have yet to learn the nuances of social presentation and image management, so naturally express. Enjoy the liberation and learning that comes from fresh truth. As for the bigger picture, the sun, Pluto and Jupiter are involved in tension that trickles down from national to personal.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). It's that time again — time to challenge yourself to do something hard or generally not-so-fun because, like a weightlifter, you're the type of person who does hard things to stay strong and ready for whatever comes. You'll put yourself on a regime, once again proving to yourself that you can follow your own orders.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Common interests aren't the only ones worth following. Sure, not all of your attractions are to things that are good for you, but many of them do happen to be to situations and people who will promote your highest and best incarnation. At the very least, attractions are information worthy of investigation.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You don't have to know which changes are coming to be ready for them. All you have to know is that change is inevitable and the more flexible you are, the better you'll be able to adjust to the new situation. Take stock of your strengths. As for your weaknesses, stay generally alert to opportunities and solutions.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). A gentle reminder: The onus is on you to make yourself happy. When you pursue your own desires, goals, attractions and needs more seriously, the world is better for it. Don't let this idea overwhelm you. Just make your wish list and go to town. You know yourself well, which is half the battle.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You can safely assume that no human is 100% correct. The ones who are defending a position to people who are extremely unlikely to be swayed have yet to learn what a waste of time that is. Use your influence on those who are undecided and not so far off from the truth you're going with.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). The saying goes, "Build your well before you're thirsty." Think ahead to what you're going to want and need this week. Spending a block of hours in prep work will improve your efficiency, and it will pave the way for enjoyment, focus and the winning attitude that often accompanies stress-free living.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). When unsure, it's natural to look around and see what other people are doing. This week is different. You intuitively sense that people around you may know less and be more inclined toward hasty or wrongheaded action. Guidance won't come from around you. It will come from inside you, above you, or both.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You'll be effective as you realize that the purpose of every action isn't to win the game. If it gets you to the next move, that's enough, especially when you're headed in the right direction, or, in the case of this week, when you're at the top of a slippery slide. All you have to do is position yourself and give a good shove.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Empathy allows you to think of other people's experience of interacting with you and get a decent feel for their position. In many cases, you'll anticipate needs, wants and questions. You'll answer many before they are ever verbalized. Don't assume too much. Pause and invite feedback, too, and you'll be golden.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Curiosity has you in a tight grip. Once you've satisfied your hearty thirst for knowledge, you'll want to immediately act on what you've learned. This is how you can be sure you really know it. Later in the week, your creative urges will be so strong that it may feel like you're not truly alive unless you are creating.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). People who haven't made mistakes haven't made much. Ask yourself honestly, "Am I messing up enough?" To be prolific, inventive and abundantly successful — these are the rewards of failure. Notable winners are people who've taken risks, learned lessons and built on the knowledge earned by trial and error.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You're not trying to influence anyone to buy what you're selling, so much as buy into what you're representing. The excitement isn't all about the product or service itself, rather it's the concept behind things that moves people to action. You'll voice what you stand for and people who identify will want to be on board.

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS: You are poised to learn from masters and apply what you glean to create your own brand of success. You'll use resources to help others and have some fun, too. Love will be large on story, with the sweeping emotion of a romantic movie. An investment opportunity will be followed by a period of work and a chance to flex your skills and hone an aesthetic. Family ties in with finance and travel. Just be sure to do what you really want to do. Too much sacrifice isn't good for relationships.

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