Horoscopes by Holiday

Just ask the wind in the trees — the mighty oak grows to sway. This is why it still stands through hundreds of years of fair days and storms that would snap the unbendable things. And today, as a dwarf planet a few billion miles away appears to change direction, flexibility and adaptation will be the survival skills to hone, outlasting rigidity every time.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You're making someone's life more beautiful. Maybe that someone is you. Beauty isn't always a constant show. More typically, it's a series of deliberate, tender acts. Do less, do it brilliantly, and then let yourself feel the loveliness in that.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Somewhere in the world there's an EMT or surgeon doing the big life-saving work. That's true. But you are also doing the relentless, messy, intimate labor of life in whatever form that takes. It's real work and it deserves compassion.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). A longing feels like a locked gate. Instead of rattling the bars, accept the reality: There's nothing better about being on one side or the other. But if you simply must get in, consider options other than the obvious one in the front.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Family dynamics can be among the most difficult, but at least you're not alone in it. Every home has its weather. You can't stop the storms, but you can carry an umbrella of patience.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You've been of service and helpful at your own expense. It's time to get attentive to your own needs and dare to put them first now — it's an order that will really help everyone.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Not being where you want to be only means that you've got somewhere to go. It's not a cause for alarm or a reason for punishment. Rather, it's an opportunity for compassion and a call to get up and try again.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). When the money feels tight, just remember that wealth isn't only numbers. It's what those numbers can do. It's about having options. And money isn't the only thing that gives you options. Imagination can do that, too. Treat today's limits as creative prompts.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Your standards are so high. If something feels flattened or "fine" instead of brilliant, that's useful information. Make one precise choice toward your standard today and let that decision orient the rest of the hours.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Waiting for inspiration is like waiting for weather — unpredictable. Instead, make a daily appointment with your art. Even when you arrive empty, the act of showing up counts big time. Today, the muse accepts this as an invitation to join you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Wanting is the stuff of being alive. But that doesn't mean it feels good, especially wanting what you can't have. Consider that some of the world's most elegant solutions were born in constraint. Today's magic comes disguised as thrift.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Failure is rarely final. More often it's a rehearsal with costumes and lighting, but no audience. Each stumble adds skill. By opening night, you'll be fluent in recovery, which is the trait most admired onstage.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You've known loneliness, and you've befriended it, too, so it's no longer a void so much as a space where new music, words or connections can resound. You cherish this space like an empty stage that you begin to dress, making it ready for the next scene.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Oct. 13). It's your Year of Mastery. Courage is the down payment, practice is the installment plan, and confidence is the payoff. More highlights: You'll have three big interests you toggle between, keeping freshness alive. You'll live in a style that feels cleaner, better, smoother to you. It's about cutting out the friction. Growing your financial knowledge makes more experiences possible. Pisces and Aries adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 17, 1, 2, 8 and 20.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: With characters like Borat, Ali G and Bruno, Sacha Baron Cohen makes comedy into a kind of social experiment, exposing prejudice and hypocrisy by getting people to reveal themselves on camera. Born with natal sun in Libra and Mars in revolutionary Aquarius, Cohen brings a clever, balancing act to his work — equal parts charm and provocation. Libras are known for diplomacy, but in Cohen's hands that charm becomes a tool to disarm, creating space for shocking truths and satirical punchlines.

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.