Mars retrograde resonates with themes of leadership that range from the global to the personal. Leading people is, on its most elemental level, leading thoughts. Nowhere is the art of persuasion more difficult to apply than in that most tricky of relationships, the one between you and you. It's not that you are inherently difficult. It's that no one is a prophet in their own country. To stand against one's own resistance takes more might than to stand against an army.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). As any mother who's birthed multiple children knows, to commit fully to the moment involves a phenomenon of forgetfulness. To embody the fearless, life-loving energy of someone who doesn't yet know all the ways it could go wrong, we must forget that it can. This week, let bygones be bygones and go heartfirst into the moment.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your forte this week is excellent timing. It has to do with noticing what's impacting the moment — or not — and reacting in accord to that. What worked before might work again sometime in the future, but the fact is that it's not working now. Staying current has everything to do with accepting what's creating impact in this moment.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). The best experiences — games, excursions, friendships — teach you how to navigate them moment by moment. Life works the same way for you this week. You'll learn as you go, reading the signs and taking cues from the more subtle communications. It's not that you get where you're going this week. It's that you're always there.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). As humans, we don't think to do what others are already doing for us. It's not because humans are selfish so much as built for efficiency. So instead of judging the thoughtless, careless, messy people we know, try asking why. Is someone enabling their behavior? Does that "someone" happen to be you? If so, you'll stop and love what develops.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You don't need or want extra attention, though you also feel it's your duty to keep the scene alive. It is! People count on your entertaining vibe! This week, you'll continue to foster trust as you respond to events in a more or less predictable way, though not without the impulsive twist that sparks surprise and keeps relationships dynamic.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Maybe you're not feeling particularly brave this week, and that's fine, too. You don't need courage to do brave things. You just need to stick to the decision to go forward and through. The act of follow-through gives you the experience, and the experience makes you competent. Sometimes bravery is just being competent at the things other people are afraid of.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It feels like you're holding coats so others can go on the ride. On the one hand, it's so good to solve a problem, be useful and know unequivocally that you've made someone's life a little easier. On the other hand, when is it your turn? Take it. Make it happen. If not, your strong sense of responsibility will be the gift that turns into a curse.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). The success of a worthy endeavor will be its own reward, its own teacher, its own world and rules. You'll do as no one has done before — at least not in quite the way you do it. As you search for a model that works, you may find it helpful to drop the rules because only one will be necessary: what works, works.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). What goes disguised as a complex problem actually has the simplest solution imaginable: ignore it. Ignore it and it will go away. There's so much that's healthy to ignore. Ignore what can't be solved, ignore what's not yours to solve, and ignore what can only be solved with more time and resources than you have.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You'll find yourself working while the others play, or taking on the task that no one else wanted while others sail off on their first choice. Even so, you'll never really be in a down position because time will favor you in ways you can't imagine now. Later, you'll look back at this as a pivotal moment in which fate favored you with a tricky winning hand.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Your heart is full of daring this week. Change will favor you, though not right away. The early part of a process will be awkward. Give things time to settle in. And take notes because you'll later think about this part of the journey with great delight and respect for the person you are today.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Look for the best in people and not only will you find it but they will, too. Remember that people care most about how they feel around you. And when they feel like a hero, star, kind soul and/or fun, cool genius, well, of course they are going to want to be around you more often.

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS: As you fall into deeper love and acceptance of yourself, you've never felt so powerful. You'll coax yourself past roadblocks and be truly creative in your methods of motivating yourself to a meaningful prize. You've a gift for meticulous project management, but because you're open, intelligent and intuitive, you'll take chances and go off plan to adventure with delightful people. More highlights: new friends, interesting job offers and a shift in your personal rules that liberates your creativity.

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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