ArcaMax

Humans are soft, emotional, easily overwhelmed animals. But instead of claws or fangs, we defend ourselves with behavioral tools -- spreadsheets and to-do lists that give us a sense of control when we feel uncertain. Sarcasm to deflect vulnerability. A haircut or cool jacket to manage insecurity. The margins before a Mercury flip invite a conscious look at what we use to feel safe and powerful.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Remember when you paid special attention to someone's preferences and studied their interests like a thesis? Not now. Now you'll smile and file information away. Cool, composed and still tuned in, your restraint reads as confident charm.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You will know the fire of discernment -- the real, sharp-edged awareness that you don't want to float around the ideas. You want to do something with them. You want action, traction, utility.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). People state their opinions as if they are truth, or latch onto only the part of the story that reflects their view. Even the thing that's not universally true can still be partly true, and in today's case this will be a source of provocation.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). What does it take to create a better system? How can you turn transactions into a smoother process? The answers you seek will start in awareness. A detail will catch your attention and unlock a bigger understanding.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). It will be deeply satisfying to put your hands to work today. The result is something to point to and be proud of. But even better -- the process feels right. You'll fix, build and feel your actions land purposefully in the flow of life.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). This is the time to tweak part of your routine because the new way will stick. Daily rituals can be art. Then the joy won't just be in the outcome. It's in the grace of doing it well, again and again -- the elegance in repetition.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The lessons are complex. People learn at different rates and times, or perhaps not at all, and that's OK, too. Your compassion is needed once more. We are all babies in some way. When people know better, they do better.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Your curiosity drops into places others wouldn't think to investigate. They don't see the issue. Perhaps it's too ordinary to detect. But you know that boring problems often have interesting solutions, and you'll find them.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You can't keep your own secrets today. Your opinion affects things even if you don't say it out loud. Your vibes tell what's going on inside you. The confidence, sadness, anger, love, competition or joy you feel will make change.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Social responsibility is the theme. People may be quietly struggling. Not everyone asks for what they need. Staying connected and checking in is real work -- not a distraction from life, but the stuff of life.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). A stellar presentation turns heads, stirs appetites, gets attention. Everything acceptable, expected, respectable, pretty good is in that mid-zone, which gets very little notice. Eyes go to the terrible and the exceptional.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You've an excellent read of the room today. Whether the room is homogenous, diverse, chaotic or catatonic, you'll sense it, read it and respond to it. And with your bright energy, you'll improve it.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 10). Welcome to your year of truth. You will bring the light of honesty to relationships, add the glow of realism to superficial environments and even your rants and reckonings will reward, as wrongs get righted. More highlights: a prize is fulfilling because of how hard and smart you worked for it. Interpersonal skills have you shining in multiple environments, which is fortuitous since you'll travel at least three times. Gemini and Aquarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 7, 2, 20, 14 and 1.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Celebrated actor, director and producer Antonio Banderas continues to expand his creative legacy with several recent releases in multiple genres, from "Paddington in Peru" to "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," and he even brought his star power to the stage in "A Chorus Line" at his own theater in Malaga, Spain -- a passion project reflecting his lionhearted leadership and devotion to the arts. With an Aries moon and lucky Jupiter in Sagittarius, Banderas is built for bold moves and timeless, fiery charisma.

Holiday Mathis' debut novel, "How To Fail Epically in Hollywood," is out now! This fast-paced romp about achieving Hollywood stardom is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

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