The "getting to know you" stage of a relationship is enlivening. Curiosities are pursued and questions answered. In the process, you clarify what excites you. But why wait for a new relationship to explore what you're about? Venus retrograde is an opportunity for pondering and self-reflection regardless of relationship status.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). What once made you happy no longer does, yet the memories have you holding on. There's no reason to rush it. Give yourself permission to follow new joys and all will evolve naturally.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You've a lucky knack for making intelligent, intuitive guesses. There are things you couldn't possibly know about that you nonetheless get right on the first try.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Go soft on yourself and others. In later days, you will all benefit from tapping into deeper wells of inner strength but for now, it's unnecessary.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You might spend a good portion of your day doing someone a favor. It's not wasted time. You'll enjoy figuring things out and you'll build up goodwill you can cash in later.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). It's disempowering to start too many projects at once because you never get to feel like you're winning at any of them. Narrow your task list so you can see and celebrate its completion.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You make it your personal responsibility to uplift everyone you meet. It's as though you're dusted with good cheer and a little of it rubs off on each person you touch.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You can stay on track unenthusiastically, but it's so much easier to perform when the energy is high and emotive. A cheering section will bring out the best in you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You will correctly assess what you can do. This sounds like it should be a given but it doesn't happen as much as people think. Correct assessment will be a key component of your success.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Though it's not your intent, you'll influence those around you because your style shines through all you do. By just doing what comes naturally to you, you'll shape the way they think and behave.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). While for many people it would be enough to meet expectations, you aren't completely happy until you've exceeded them. Picking the right person to work with is half the battle.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). If you're an imposter, then you're onto something. Acting "as if" will be crucial to your success. Keep pretending until it feels real. Next thing you know, it will actually be real.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You are complex and multifaceted but you won't show that to just anyone. You wish to make a certain kind of impression, so you'll simplify things. Organize your mind around a single motto.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 19). You'll pause, assess your relationships and determine where you most would like to make a difference. You'll uplift or even save someone. Bolstered by a giving high, you'll start projects, make deals and advance your own interests. Upgrades in transportation and seeing more of the world will be a theme. Taurus and Cancer adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 3, 11, 4, 44 and 29.

FORECAST FOR THE WEEK AHEAD: THOUGHTS ON A VENUS RETROGRADE: There's much we overlook in the name of being human. We see past what things are, getting right to what they mean to us. We do this for the sake of action. Instead of taking the time to carefully observe, we scan to get enough information to make our next move, which must be decided quickly so we can react at the pace of life.

Love takes deeper deliberation. It requires that we override the automatic to really try to know another person. The Venus retrograde is a call to slow down and consider how the other person may be feeling. This simple habit can transform a personal life.

WINTER SOLSTICE: On the 21st, the sun slips into Capricorn. Earth's poles reach a maximum tilt away from the sun. Cosmically, we get an update to help prepare us for this time of festivities, togetherness and extra expectations. In the same way our phones need a full charge to update, and will often update while we're sleeping, we need to be fully rested to get a new perspective. Maybe it's not glamorous advice, but whatever you can do to get better sleep will improve your holidays.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: The child of a director and a screenwriter, Jake Gyllenhaal turned his talents toward the big screen from an early age. Four luminaries in the high-energy sign of Sagittarius indicate confidence, charisma and an adventurous spirit. A witty Gemini moon says Gyllenhaal is the life of the dinner party or, in the case of his upcoming thriller, the life of the "Ambulance."

Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

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