America Ferrera, an Aries.
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photo: Getty Images
On the heels of last week’s lunar eclipse, Mercury retrograde begins Monday evening. For most of April, while the planet of communication moves backward through fiery, impulsive Aries, it’ll be easy to make choices quickly and confidently, but perhaps not wisely. Given that, the more you can slow down, ask for advice, or even put off making important decisions altogether, the happier you’ll be in the long run. Then, on Friday night, Venus enters Aries, where it’ll remain until the end of the month. During this time, your love life will benefit from direct communication: no dropping hints or waiting around for the phone to ring. The best way to get what you want (always, but especially this month) is to ask for it. In the meantime, find the weekly horoscope for each zodiac sign, below.
You get the impression, sometimes, that people wish you held yourself back a bit more, that they’d be more comfortable if you were less: less brave, less interesting, less free. They seem to take your confidence as a personal affront, your independence as a sign that you don’t care about anybody else. They imagine that your happiness comes at the expense of their own. This isn’t true, of course, and it isn’t your job to convince them. If other people are determined not to understand you, that isn’t your problem. Let them believe what they want. Live your own life, satisfy your own expectations.
It can feel impossible to be “authentic” when you know that others are watching. It’s not that you have anything to hide, only that the attention creates pressure and gets you stuck in your own head. If you know you’re being observed, it’s hard to lose yourself in your thoughts. When you sense you’re being judged, you don’t feel free to explore and make mistakes. While an outside perspective can be helpful, it isn’t what you need to be most mindful of this week. You may find that what you need, instead, is privacy: the space to dream, to be creative, to experiment, without worrying about other people’s opinions.
One of the most frustrating experiences in life is when others ascribe to you bad intentions that aren’t there — when they take your genuine friendliness for artifice, or your straightforwardness for aggression. It might happen more than usual this week, not because you’re doing anything wrong, but because people are exhausted, feeling vulnerable, and not thinking as clearly. Try not to take it personally, or to close your heart to other people. Keep being your sociable, inquisitive, kind self, and over time, your good nature will win them over.
You understand that you need to advocate for yourself. If you have a great idea, it’s up to you to make the case for it. If you deserve more credit than you’re getting, nobody’s going to speak up but you. On the other hand, you’re keenly aware of how easy it is to lose perspective, stop listening, accidentally tread on others’ toes. That doesn’t mean you should pull back, retreat into yourself, and refuse to speak up lest somebody thinks you’re being too loud. Your job this week is to find the right balance.
When you take big swings — make impulsive life changes, test out bold ideas, try activities that are new to you — you’re sometimes going to miss. It’s inevitable. Nobody can smash it out of the park every time, even you. This week, especially, you’re likely to make some mistakes. Creative projects might hit snags, new relationships might not develop how you’d hoped, your foundational theories about life and success might be challenged. Just remember that, even if that happens, it doesn’t mean the risk wasn’t worth taking. You’re learning, and your efforts aren’t wasted. You’re building toward something better than you can imagine.
One of the great joys in life is to have friends who are on the same wavelength as you. You can tell each other stories with a single glance; you just get what the other is saying. This week, however, be careful not to take that understanding for granted. Miscommunication happens; the point you’re trying to make can be misconstrued. Don’t jump to conclusions about what other people mean — even the ones you know best. Ask questions. Go into the details. Take the time to spell it out.
More than most people, you approach the world with curiosity and open-mindedness. You’re willing to take in information that challenges your preexisting ideas, to ask questions, to be changed by what you learn. Genuinely listening to what others have to say helps expand your mind and prevents you from becoming rigid or dogmatic. This week, just remember that all criticism isn’t equally valid, and other people’s ideas aren’t inherently better or more valid than your own. At a certain point, it’s okay to shut out all the noise and go with your gut.
Most of the time, you’re cautious about taking on new projects, initiating new relationships, committing to new habits. It bothers you enough when other people start things they can’t or won’t finish; you can’t bear to do the same. This week, though, you’re hungry for change, for novelty, for something to happen. And you worry that if you wait until you’ve thought through every detail, you’ll never get going. Give yourself permission to experiment, to risk failure. You deserve to have adventures, are entitled to make mistakes like anyone else, and don’t have to know the outcome before you begin.
The more uninspired you’ve been lately, the more exhilarating it’ll feel as your energy returns to you this week. Suddenly, the universe thrills you again, and your life seems full of wonderful possibilities. It isn’t that everything suddenly looks perfect, but that you feel motivated to take action again. Just be careful not to get ahead of yourself. Your mind is quick — too quick for your words (or your feet) to keep up right now. Don’t take on more than you can handle in a burst of enthusiasm. Take your time.
This week, people in your life — especially those closest to you — are apt to behave in unexpected ways. You can blame it on Mercury retrograde, but everyone seems to be acting out of character, contradicting themselves, making choices you would never have predicted. It’s natural to get frustrated, because you’re worried about them or because it makes life more challenging for you, but try to keep an open mind. Maybe they’re showing you a side of their personality that was there all along, hidden from view. Maybe they’re growing. Either way, the more you can embrace surprises, the happier you’ll be.
At work and at home, your calendar is crowded this week, your to-do list overflowing. Even if you’re not usually forgetful or easily distracted, there’s so much happening that it’ll be easy for things to get lost in the shuffle. Don’t waste time beating yourself up, and don’t take it as a sign that you’re lazy or uncaring. You simply have a lot going on. So write down reminders, ask friends for help, or let some unimportant tasks fall to the wayside. Do what you need to in order to make life easier for yourself.
You may get the sense, this week, that everybody you encounter is trying to rush you. When someone has a question for you, they want an answer immediately; When your boss gives you a task, they want it done yesterday. Every need seems urgent (or so they insist), and people keep trying to persuade you that their tight timelines are your responsibility. Your challenge is to push back. If someone is giving you impossible deadlines, say so. If you need time to think before making a choice, ask for it. Hurrying through important decisions won’t do you any good, so slow down.
Read the weekly horoscopes for the week of March 24. The weekly horoscopes for the week of April 7 will be online next Sunday.
Buy Claire Comstock-Gay’s book, Madame Clairevoyant’s Guide to the Stars, here.
Carol Dennis is an entertainment aficionado with an eye for all things pop culture. She dives into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry, from movie premieres to music festivals. Carol’s passion for storytelling extends beyond her reporting, as she’s an aspiring screenwriter in her free time.
