Relief is a form of gratitude, though it's one that often sneaks up rather than being consciously cultivated. With two retrogrades ending in this week of Thanksgiving, we're reminded that gratitude wears many disguises. Sometimes it's joy or connection. Sometimes it's the warmth of pleasure or laughter. And sometimes it's just the quiet "thank you" that comes when the weight finally lifts. Relief.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Don't drive yourself too hard this week or you'll rebel against your own orders later. A slight stretch is good for you, though. Taking on the right-sized challenge is your key to success. Try something that feels a little beyond your comfort zone — different enough to wake you up, but not so extreme you'll burn out.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You favor those whose emotional temperature matches or regulates your own. You love someone who can hold your intensity without flinching or make things feel simple, calm and clear. This week brings nervous system harmony — connections that make your whole body feel right.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You have exactly the right attitude for what you'll go up against this week. You'll take delays in stride. Timelines are elastic and so are you — adaptation is your forte, and you'll turn moments into what you need. You don't have to be productive every second of the week. Staying kind and self-aware is the point.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You're forming a bond with someone new. It feels like there's something key at stake here, and it puts a bit of tension into the pursuit of the relationship. Too much admiration without accessibility feels worshipful and distant. Too much accessibility without admiration feels ordinary. You'll find the perfect balance.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Every home is like a country with its own rules and culture — its own personalities and belongings and food and smell and feel. Domestic hospitality can be an immersive experience, and you don't take it for granted. When someone invites you into their home, it's a privilege, and one that, like travel, expands you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). The truth usually changes things. It will be like turning on a light. Everything looks different because of one moment, one flip of the switch. This week features a potent realization, a confession or some other little nugget of truth that demands notice. Honesty begins a process of healing. A relationship improves.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Even as you work on something that will pay off years from now, you appreciate today. These moves you're making may look like a person sitting at a table looking at papers or a screen, but they feel like something else entirely — years of growth. Everything you did to become who you are. They feel like showing up for yourself and for your people.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). When you get around certain people, you feel very driven to protect your energy, your body, your budget, your heart. And you may need to distance yourself from them so you can more easily regulate yourself. The important thing is that you're addressing what you need to this week, and that gives you vitality.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Joy has a weight lighter than air. Inner peace can't be quantified. People will count their success in dollars, likes, pounds and other metrics, but the most profound successes are beyond measure. You'll have moments of being powerfully expanded by such a success this week in the realm of relationships.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Instead of thinking about what you must achieve, think of what you must practice. Because the best things in your life are not goals to accomplish; they are ongoing states. A loving relationship, a strong body, fulfilling work — these are all things that must be made and remade every day. They are things to tend, not things to win.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You don't have to waste energy fighting for your rightful place, your talent, your relationship, your value. What's yours is yours and cannot be taken from you. This week, you'll make your confidence and authority visible as you embody your gifts. There's no need to defend who you are; just demonstrate it.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). We tend to favor those who see us as we wish to be seen — those who sense our potential similar to the way we do. You and a special someone will feed one another's vitality this week. You'll laugh and create together. You'll support with encouraging words and with meaning-infused silences.

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS: Welcome to your Year of Golden Bridges. This year's magic comes through connection. By making the effort to join people and entities together, you'll build relationships, projects, professional inroads, familial comforts, celebrations and your own self-esteem. It takes courage to initiate some of these builds, and you're brave, creative, persistent and consistent. More highlights: A joint venture that doubles your income, a family celebration that heals old wounds and a sense of belonging that sticks.

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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