Busy Phillips, a Cancer.
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images
Mercury, which moved into courageous Leo yesterday afternoon, links up with Saturn today, helping you to think clearly and seriously about the path forward. You’re unlikely to get carried away by grandiose schemes or fall for false promises right now; you’re too practical for all that. At the same time, though, this doesn’t mean you have to shut down your imaginative side; creative thinking can lead to practical results.
For the most part, you’re happy to move at your own pace, neither slowing down to make others more comfortable, nor speeding up because you fear that you’re falling behind. Lately, though, you might worry that this approach has been too lax, and that you’ve wasted valuable time. You’re anxious that you’re running out of time, that your moment will pass you by and you won’t even realize it. Your fears are probably unfounded, but even so, decide today that you’ll stop waiting for later, and take meaningful steps toward your goals.
Today, you can accomplish virtually anything if you can only manage to focus. That’s easier said than done, though; there are so many potential distractions waiting to draw your attention away from the task at hand. You’ve got the skills and smarts to make huge strides, so don’t worry that you’re lacking the necessary tools. Your challenge is to resist being pulled away from what you truly care about — and if you do get sidetracked, to notice it and get back on track.
The best way to get the information you’re looking for, in most cases, is to simply ask knowledgeable people. This seems straightforward enough, but it’s easy to convince yourself that you’re coming across as annoyingly inquisitive, or that you’ve asked too many questions already, and you “should” be able to make do with the information you already have. But remember that there’s nothing wrong with wanting to learn. And today, people are more likely to be charmed than irritated by your curiosity right now, so don’t stifle it.
It’s easy to undervalue whatever is most familiar to you — and conversely, to overvalue whatever seems novel. You get so used to the people or places you see every day that you stop noticing what’s special about them; the new ones, on the other hand, seem glamorous and exciting. Today, though, do your best to assess the situation accurately. If you apply some critical thinking, you’ll be quickly reminded of the best qualities in the familiar, and notice the flaws in what appears shiny and new.
You could start second-guessing some of your big-picture goals today, wondering whether this is really what you want out of life, or if there are more worthy ways you could be spending your time. Part of you might instinctively try to shut down this line of thinking, fearing that questioning yourself at all will only open the door to crippling self-doubt. But right now, you don’t need to fear: Asking yourself the tough questions is more likely to strengthen your resolve and clarify what you need to do next.
There are times when open-ended plans are good enough. Needing to have everything perfectly arranged can be a lot of pressure; giving yourself room to make decisions on the fly, in contrast, can be freeing and invigorating. But today, just make sure that you’re not using your desire for flexibility as an excuse to avoid potential problems. Taking the time to create some structure — even if it’s bare-bones — right now will serve you well in the future.
This is a good day for talking over your ideas with people you trust; they’ll have valuable insights to share, and can help you to refine your thinking and improve your plans. Just be careful not to approach the conversation from a place of defensiveness, quick to see every suggestion as a veiled criticism. If what you’re really looking for is a bit of reassurance, then say so; there’s no shame in needing some gentle, uncomplicated support. Otherwise, try to set your ego aside and be willing to listen.
Sometimes, it’s important to do things you don’t particularly want to do. Taking care of yourself can feel like a chore, and helping the people around you isn’t always the most fun option on the table, but both are still worthwhile, and you do them because you know it’s right. Just remember, today, that you don’t necessarily have to do everything that others believe is important. You’re allowed to ignore everyone else’s “rules” for what makes a good life, as long as you’re following a code of your own.
You understand that everyone is unique, with their own idiosyncrasies and gifts. Sometimes, though, you wish your own quirks were a bit less pronounced: The better you’re able to blend in, you imagine, the easier life is. Today, though, don’t waste any energy trying to conceal or eradicate the weirder parts of your personality, and instead, focus on finding ways to use them. You are who you are, and if you can accept that and work with it, you’ll get much farther than if you keep forcing yourself to change.
Sometimes, you can be hesitant to ask the really deep, probing questions. The issue isn’t that you’re scared of confrontation, or of seeming too direct, but that you worry you won’t like what you learn. There are some things it’s easier not to know; you don’t want to create unnecessary problems for yourself by indulging in your curiosity. But today, go ahead and take the risk: The clarity you’ll gain will be worth any momentary awkwardness.
It could be easy for you to get caught up in stress today. There’s so much worth worrying about, and even if you know your anxiety doesn’t help matters, it at least lets you feel like you’re not just sitting idle. But try to get out of your own head, and into the world around you: Even a few small actions can make a genuine difference right now, and doing something, however modest, will help you to feel stronger and more capable.
Most of the time, you’re good at staying patient, but lately, you’re getting tired of waiting around for your life to change. You want to see results, and you aren’t afraid to work for them. But don’t start racing around and looking for shortcuts — right now, you’ll quickly get in your own way if you try to rush the process. If you have a reliable plan in place, stick to it. As annoyingly slow as it can be to take one step at a time, you’ll be glad you did.
Buy Claire Comstock-Gay’s book, Madame Clairevoyant’s Guide to the Stars, here.
