The soldier may be loyal to the core to country and troop, but the paradox of the warrior is inherent: Ideals fracture. Institutions are imperfect. Anyone bound to a cause lives in the tension of sacrificing the self to a flawed vision. Mars and Neptune in the sign of the warrior ask: What am I loyal to? And does it still feel true? The new moon on Friday brings an opportunity to adjust or reset in preparation for Taurus season.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You're building on your already beautiful style. The trends blend with your sensibility. You make everything your own. You attract fans this week. Some praise you. Others just watch you and copy you. You may leverage your influence, although you may also just enjoy being yourself on a successful streak, no extra work needed.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your logical side and your creative side are in agreement this week. What you intuit to be true is also supported by a good deal of evidence. All signs seem to point in the same direction for you. How lovely, after so much wandering, to have a path forward that feels purposeful and elegant.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). The past figures strongly into your week. Memory Lane only exists in dreams. There is no pavement to stroll, no actual monuments — only snapshots of monuments to float through. Memory Lane can still be a fun place to visit, but keep in mind that it's more of a virtual ride than an actual roller coaster experience.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You might wonder if your efforts are adding up to anything meaningful. This week, it's a bit hard to see what's ahead. You're at a point in the story where the next plot point is impossible to predict. But you can believe this: Every day you stay in the game, your legend gets more legendary.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Sometimes you feel that if someone would just say the words you longed to hear and take the actions you wanted them to take in the first place, the relationship would be beautiful and right for you. But they don't, and they won't. Unless, could you slip them the script? You'll do it this week in some sideways manner that only you could pull off.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Life seems determined to point out your age, and no matter what it is, you feel too young or too old for certain tasks, opportunities or states of being. But you really can move beyond the limits imposed. Maturity can never really be accounted for with a clock. Experience and attitude are what matter most.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Even though you are drawn to those who are a challenge to engage with, don't discount the easygoing ones who just like you from the get-go. Life is just easier when people like you for who you are. Then you don't have to perform or guess at what it will take to make a relationship run smoothly.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It's fun to dream, but what's even more fun this week is figuring out how to make one of them real. The series of steps isn't mysterious. It's mostly about doing a bit of old-fashioned hard work and putting it on repeat. The hardest part will be scheduling time to work on it regularly until it's finished.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). There are things on the agenda this week that have zero appeal. Alas, nothing moves forward if they don't get done. It won't be worth it to pay someone else. You can make quick work of this. Pretend you're playing a character who loves doing the task. This is not forever. Method acting for productivity leads to success.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The situation might not be a great match for your skills or talents, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be there. You're serving a bigger picture than you know. And you're learning. Discomfort comes with growth. You're becoming more versatile, attractive and stronger. Awkwardness just means you're right on time.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Some projects are all problem-solving. The more creative and original the endeavor, the more puzzles there are to solve. You accept this week's situation as a pile of challenges. Momentum builds because you don't back down when things get complicated. You keep showing up with that beautiful stubborn sparkle.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). As much as you would love to be part of a bright team and have new and interesting projects handed to you, it feels like you're a team of one this week, inventing everything on your own. There is freedom in that. Explore it. Follow through on instinct and impulse for immediate reward.

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS: Welcome to the Year of Fascinations That Love You Back. As you continue to study and act on your interests, you'll find community, gather skills and receive money. But the best part is how doing something that is so specific to you opens up opportunity for greater self-care. Honoring your instincts and living in your own love gives an example to others and teaches them how to love and support you better. More highlights: Transportation upgrades, a happy resolution to an ongoing issue and acknowledgement for contributions that improve things for many.

For more Holiday magic, visit HolidayMathis.com. To find out more about Holiday Mathis and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Miguel Bruna at Unsplash