Taurus (April 20–May 20)

When you’re right, you’re right, right? Not so much. As it turns out, you’re wrong roughly as often as the rest of us, you just admit it less often. ‘Fessing up may be more loathsome than eating a wormy apple, but sticking to your guns long after you realize you’ve made a mistake is far worse—for everyone else, anyway. The next time you slip up, don’t try to cover it up or hide out of sight. Be an adult and cut things short before they spiral further out of control. It may be embarrassing, but it will save a lot of people time and grief; isn’t that worth a smidgen of your pride?

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

Your ability to take things apart and put them back together (frequently better than before) is impressive. However, it’s not universal or infallible. Occasionally you can’t get all the pieces to fit back into place. I hope these failures have taught you to be more cautious when determining what you can productively mess around with and what’s better left alone. That’s a murky judgment call at best, I know—especially because the most exciting scenarios are those with a bit of risk. This week, however, err on the side of caution; when deciding whether or not to tinker with something, lean toward leaving it be.

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

Some seeds need a hard frost before they’ll germinate. Certain trees require forest fires to reproduce. In those cases, new life can only emerge from hardship or seeming disaster. You can’t build anything new until the junky old buildings get torn down and the rubble carted away. Think of all that the next time you suffer or get spattered by shit flying through the fan. Instead of focusing glumly on your misery or on what’s ending, get excited as you contemplate what may now finally begin. What will you create now that there’s space to do so? Freed of limitations, the only thing stopping you now is your own mind.

Leo (July 23–Aug. 22)

Saying it ain’t over until the fat lady’s sung isn’t exactly right. She could always return for an encore, or even a comeback tour. It’s probably safe to say that this isn’t over until she keels over dead (and that hasn’t happened yet). In other words, don’t give up. Even if this reads like the final chapter of a book, there’s room for a happy-ending epilogue or even a sequel. Acting like this is really the end may add to the delicious drama of it all. Play it up if you want to, but don’t believe it, not even for a second.

Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)

Imagine how frustrating this scenario would be: You spend hours or days preparing for something only to have someone swoop in and improvise something more effective and efficient, almost without trying. Now try to remember that the gifted extemporizer is frequently you. You’re usually so busy fixing stuff up that you don’t even notice the resentful vibe from all the people whose hard work you made look sloppy and ridiculous. Tough shit for them, right? Maybe. However, there are times when it would behoove you just to sit back and let things happen on their own, even if that means they fail (or don’t run as smoothly as they could). This week, keep your tinkering to yourself, and let things play out without your involvement.

Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

This week, tune into the beauty you’ve been missing. You have a tendency to move too fast, and consequently to focus only on the loudest or most urgent details vying for your attention. These are all too often negative and ugly, unfortunately, which leads you to the conclusion that the world is a bleak, grim place. It is in many ways, but even the most dismal places have elements of loveliness. You just need to slow down long enough to actually notice them. This week, don’t let external events determine your pace, especially if it’s too hectic to allow you to appreciate the good stuff.

Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Right now you’re like a sidewalk tree. You have a cube of soil to occupy, but it’s boxed in by concrete, sewer pipes, and subway tunnels. With nowhere else for your roots to grow, your life and potential are necessarily limited. Forget about breaking through the barriers constraining you; there’s nothing useful on the other side of them. What’s required here is a complete transplant. While traumatic in and of itself, it’ll still be totally worth it, since you’ll be going from a place you can survive to one where you can thrive. If you haven’t already packed up your roots and hitched a ride to sunnier pastures, think about setting things in motion to do just that. It’s overdue.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21)

Of 10 people trapped in an elevator, three would shut down and just wait for it to be over one way or another. Three would just plain freak out, potentially making the situation worse. A few could swing either way. Only one or two, though, would have the leadership potential to save the day. They’d refuse to give up, no matter how bleak things looked and no matter how much resistance or scorn they faced. You have the resourcefulness, the charm, and the thick skin to be that obstinate person who never gives up. You know that, right? If you’re not already exemplifying that, this is a great week to begin.

Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

While I don’t blame you for wanting to eschew the corny, chronic earnestness of a couple of the other signs, that doesn’t mean you should abandon sincerity altogether. Whenever things get the least bit sentimental, you usually crack a joke or crank up the sarcasm. That’s fine, most of the time. But there are occasions when you’d be better served by honest vulnerability—all the more powerful coming from someone who doesn’t employ it all that often. File the slightly trite option of simply opening up and sincerely sharing your feelings right next to your more typical responses—it is after all just another way to respond to a situation. In some cases it might be the best one—especially this week.

Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

Opposites may attract, but I hope they’re not the only ones on your radar. You may find a better companion in someone of mostly like mind. Butting heads may generate sparks, but simple harmony could create a far cozier, sexier, and more sustainable warmth for both of you. I might be wrong here—you might never be happy except with someone who constantly challenges you. But I think it’s worth a try. In any case, finding people with whom you have much in common should be far easier than encountering the kind of person you’ve historically been attracted to, so giving my theory a go should be quite easy.

Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20)

Imagine you were a bird, with built-in instincts compelling you to migrate vast distances to suit the seasons. I don’t think birds spend a whole lot of time questioning this drive. For them it’s quite simply the “right” thing to do—that is, the thing that’ll enable them and their progeny to keep on living. You have similar instincts—in some ways these are better suited to generate happiness and well-being than your rational mind is. You almost always know what’s “right”; what often thwarts you is how illogical it seems. Your busy brain says “That can’t be right.” It is. Ignore your brain and do it anyway.

Aries (March 21–April 19)

Just like a Labrador who’ll never tire of fetching tennis balls, this is a game you’ll never really get sick of. Anyone playing it just to humor you (and secretly hoping you’ll just get it out of your system) is going to end up bitter. Similarly, any chapter in which you pretend you’ll be happy without this particular brand of fun would also come to a semi–tragic conclusion. No, you simply have to find someone who actually, truly wants to play the same game as you. Keep looking until you find that person, because nothing else will really do.