LEO HOROSCOPE

You thought you and your partner were on the same page vis-à-vis future plans, but now it looks like your noses are in different books—if not libraries. It's disconcerting, to say the least, but you've handled bigger difficulties. You know that this person will eventually come around to your way of thinking, but the trick is to not show your hand. Continue to be agreeable and obliging in all exchanges as you gently nudge them in the direction you want them to go. The best maneuvers are the ones where the other person thinks they came up with the idea entirely on their own.

Recently you pushed for things you thought were right and stirred up quite a ruckus. It wasn't easy challenging the Powers-that-Be, but you won support for your cause, and now a number of people want to see you succeed. Mars retrograde on December 6th could bring a case of cold feet. Do you have to finish what you started? Or is there some way to climb down off that high horse and quietly make an exit? Mars does not go gentle into that good night, so better to go out with a bang for something you believe in than to end with a whimper.

You know you have a great idea, but that's not what's staring back at you from the drawing board. What started out as brilliant and inspired looks flat and cliché. What to do? Take it apart and start again. Part of you will howl in protest. The deadline is looming, and people are expecting to see something, but trust the stars. You won't be happy if you turn in anything less than your best. The beauty of Mercury retrograde (November 25th to December 15th) is that bosses and clients are dealing with their own surprise cancellations and delays. They won't mind allowing for extra time.

You may not have everything you want, but you have everything you need to make you happy, and that's a start. It's an important distinction because so many people waste energy on coveting others' successes or yearning for things they can't have. One of the plus points to being born under Leo is that you're very present tense. No dwelling in the past or fretting about the future. You'll work with what you have to create a better tomorrow, and that's what the Sun/Pluto sextile on November 21st is all about. Get ready to prosper in ways you never thought you could—or would.

Either you're rising up or being thrown down. It isn't easy to tell when Uranus, the only planet that orbits the Sun on its side like a spinning top, is passing over your solar midheaven. If prospects are on the rise, then shake yourself free of constraints and move quickly to capitalize on them. This isn't the time to look to others for the go-ahead; you must think for yourself. And if you're being thrown down? Then ask yourself what you did to create this situation because it's not too late to make amends. A fool repeats his mistakes; a wise person learns from them.

Nothing short of your personal best will do, which means you'll do everything in your power to exceed expectations. It doesn't matter if you're running for president or competing in a Bake-Off. If you can think of a way to improve your performance, you'll immediately put it into action. You won't wait to see what others think, and you won't be big on listening to advice. You'll have little patience for angling and maneuvering. Why settle for progressing inch by inch, when you can score a big touchdown or a home run? Indeed, given your love of excitement, the more down-to-the-wire things get, the better!

You’re tired of a loved one getting away scot-free. Rules don’t seem to apply to them. Maybe it’s a sibling who always gets bailed out financially, a parent who’s never called out for unfeeling remarks, or a child whom your spouse spoils and protects. You insist on accountability, but the Mars/Neptune trine on October 28 shows that it’s time to let this person off the hook because your resentment is eating away at you. It’s not your job to make someone see the light. They’ll see it eventually when they have to deal with the consequences. Meanwhile, you need to look after your own emotional well-being.

You don't always have to have the bright, shiny answer to people's downcast problems. As a Child of the Sun, you feel like it's your moral duty to revive depressed spirits, rekindle their low-burning faith, and rouse their better selves. After all, the Sun always rises on a new day, right? Well, this week, people need a commiserator, not a cheerleader. Sit down with a troubled loved one or friend – knee to knee – and ask what's going on. You don't need to have a solution or a game plan. The fact that you're listening brings all the comfort and solace that this person needs.

Are you ready to abandon ship? It's a distinct possibility with Venus forming an opposition to Uranus on October 14th. Uranus is famous for sudden reversals of fortune and radical upsets, which is what you're experiencing right now. Yet Uranus is also known as the planet of revelation, so don't be surprised if a lightbulb goes off over your head regarding a certain relationship or association. Yes, you took a chance aligning yourself with this person, and it's a chance you're glad you took, but if the ship's sinking, it doesn't pay to stay when everyone else is making a beeline for the lifeboats.

Business is business – which means nobody can fault you for severing ties with those who failed to keep their part of the bargain, nor should you think twice about switching from an underperforming client to one whose star is on the rise. Nevertheless, there's still a way of doing this gracefully and with class. It’s always best to be proactive in situations like these, so take the time to meet with the people you are saying good-bye to so that you can tell them this news in person. They won’t be happy about your association ending, but they’ll appreciate the respect you showed them.