Madame Clairevoyant: Horoscopes for the Week of August 18–24

Monday’s full moon in Aquarius invites you to listen more seriously to the part of yourself that’s unique, idealistic, or weird. It isn’t your job to be just like everyone else: Focus on the ideas that nobody else could come up with, on the plans that seem a little off-the-wall, on being wholly, authentically you. The sun will enter wise and analytical Virgo on Thursday morning, ushering in a season for taking care of the practical details of your life. It isn’t about being finicky or hypercritical, but about understanding that by tending to the small stuff, you make it possible for your bigger dreams to flourish. In the meantime, find the weekly horoscope for each zodiac sign, below.

You enjoy daydreaming with your friends, batting around ideas about the ambitious projects you’d like to take on someday and the ways you want to change the world together. If you could only make room in your schedule, or if you came into a little extra money, or if living in the world was easier, you’d have the time and resources to accomplish so much more. Though this may seem like idle chatter, your imagination carries more weight than you realize. You’ve been laying the groundwork for action without realizing it. Now, you might get the opportunity to leave the dreaming phase behind and start doing.

Instead of getting lost in pie-in-the-sky dreams and imagined futures, you find it much more useful to live in the present, focusing on what you can see and touch. Over time, all this practical, steady work pays off; this week, in particular, you may notice that seeds you planted long ago are finally beginning to flower. But be prepared for your efforts to pay off in ways you weren’t expecting, and try to stay open. You’ll miss out on the best parts if you’re too rigid about what your life is “supposed” to look like.

You’ve been trying to be smart and careful about your choices lately. You’re sick of life being chaotic and unpredictable; you’re ready to feel solid ground beneath your feet. This week, however, you might find that no matter how much you try to play it safe, no matter how much you think a cool, steady approach is what’s required of you right now, you’re probably going to be proved wrong. Like it or not, adventure keeps calling. There’s a time and a place for caution, of course, but there’s also a time for spontaneity and boldness. Don’t be afraid to go big.

Most of the time, you’re willing to be accommodating in order to benefit the people you care about. If your own preferences inconvenience everyone else, you’ll put them to the side; if doing a little more than your fair share of the work makes the group function more smoothly, you’re happy to step up. Still, the small imbalances are likely becoming glaring; the inequities you thought you could live with suddenly seem untenable. Your job isn’t to shove your resentment down and make the best of it. Use this opportunity to make a change for the better.

Standing up for yourself is a necessary, beautiful thing. It’s a way to affirm — both to others and yourself — that you deserve to be treated like you matter, and you won’t accept anything less. But your needs might come into direct conflict with those of somebody you love this week. If you try to “win” the encounter, or to get your way at the expense of theirs, neither of you will end up happy. It’s possible to think creatively and find a way forward that works for both of you. Sharing the world with other people isn’t a burden but a gift.

Once you’ve developed a routine and settled into it, change can feel almost impossible. Your habits, good and bad, come to seem like part of you; it becomes difficult even to visualize a different way of structuring your days. But your imagination will suddenly expand this week. It’s clear that your life doesn’t have to be the way it is, that you’re strong enough to do anything. Small transformations and radical ones are equally possible because you’re not on autopilot anymore. You’re making choices all the time, so why not make different ones?

You can be slow to make decisions or take action, but this isn’t because you’re fearful, contrary to what others may think — far from it. You prefer to take the time to weigh all your options so that you can make informed decisions rather than impulsive ones. Once you do make a decision, you commit to it with courage and conviction. Try to quiet the voice of that sensible inner critic. Express your opinions without worrying so much about whether they’re “correct.” Follow your inspiration where it leads and you’ll be happy where you end up.

You understand that the past is constantly shaping and informing the present, but this week, you may find it happening in even more dramatic ways. Conversations with people who knew you long ago could change your perspective entirely; new insights into your family history might finally answer long-held questions. It could just be a matter of revisiting old, unresolved feelings from a place of greater wisdom. As much as you try to avoid getting bogged down in the past, confronting it now could bring you the closure you’ve been looking for. Even if some questions remain, you’ll still feel lighter and freer as you move forward.

This week could be a busy one for you, with lots of unexpected invitations, requests, and demands on your time. Your usual instinct is to say “yes” to everything, no matter how busy you already are, telling yourself that you’ll find extra time in the day somehow. But at this moment, it’s impossible to do everything that’s asked of you, and trying will only make you miserable. Your challenge is to prioritize: Do the tasks that are absolutely required of you, but make sure to save a little room for the fun stuff too.

You sometimes judge yourself according to other people’s standards. Would your social circle be impressed by your achievements? Would your friends from high school? Would a stranger? The trouble is that there’s no universal idea of what a good life looks like, no shared agreement about what accomplishments are most valuable or meaningful. Remember that what you want isn’t necessarily what everyone wants, and that’s okay. Forget about the people whose opinions don’t actually matter; instead, focus on living a life you can be proud of.

As much as you value your personal freedom, you also understand that you’re not the only person on earth, and it’s necessary to make certain concessions to decorum. But it’s tough to strike the right balance — give up too much of your uniqueness to satisfy others around you and you’ll end up feeling stifled and resentful. Let your individuality shine, and you may find that others are more receptive than you feared. Yes, you’re living in a society, but there’s room in that society for you, exactly as you are.

You’re observant and perceptive, constantly picking up information from the world around you. From the emotional undercurrents in a space to other people’s unspoken opinions, nothing gets past you. This gives you a rich and well-considered perspective on life, but it can also make it difficult for you to access your own true feelings. All the noise gets in the way. You aren’t an island, and you don’t have to be totally self-sufficient, but sometimes it’s necessary to filter out the chatter. Spend some time alone this week to get in touch with what’s going on with you.

Read the weekly horoscopes for the week of August 11. The weekly horoscopes for the week of August 25 will be online next Sunday.

Buy Claire Comstock-Gay’s book, Madame Clairevoyant’s Guide to the Stars, here.