The family dynamic between Jupiter and Mars is fraught with judgment. As a lover of strategy, Jupiter disdains the impulsive, impetuous moves Mars is prone to make. Mars, in turn, accuses his father of hesitating instead of handling things as they arise. This week, tension ratchets up as the two form a square, highlighting a clash of styles and begging the question: Do we understand enough about the situation to act yet?

ARIES (March 21-April 19). On this plane of existence, value is not intrinsic. The cosmic scales tilt with our opinions, and each person has their own accounting system. You get to decide what counts. This week, you realize how you're being influenced on the matter. You'll have a realization and the opportunity to adjust so you can get more of what you really want.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You have goals that you have no idea how to reach. They involve new projects, fresh skills and topics that are completely foreign to you now. But almost everything you're doing in your current life had to be, at some point, learned. And you'll learn this, too. You'll enjoy learning it. So go forward in faith.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Asking excellent questions will be your specialty this week. Not just more questions, which would potentially be off-putting to the subject and counterproductive to gathering knowledge, but the kind of questions that make people want to open up. You're interested in tilting the angle — making everyone think a little differently.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). A lifestyle upgrade means something different to you than it means to your friend or that person you follow on Instagram. This week, you're paying attention to exactly what it is that gives you a sense that things are better now. You're craving beauty that's unmistakably yours.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You're intuitive, observant and tactful, so you don't talk about what you see. You simply clock it and keep tuning in to see what pattern emerges. Bide your time. Don't act on what you know yet. Let everything settle into an order. There will come a time when you must act. You'll know it when the moment is upon you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). There's an opening in your world, but you're not desperate to fill it. As far as you're concerned, the role can remain open indefinitely. You are, however, aware of the qualities that would be a good fit. When you see them in the wild, you take note. Yours is very much a mind at work, clocking it all, waiting for stars to align.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Of course love doesn't mean always giving into what your partner wants, and yet you're so accommodating that people don't realize that you serve their preferences even when you don't share them. This week, decide what you want before others are involved, then stick to it. Protecting your own joy is part of maintaining life's balance.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Your positivity boosts everything it touches: your thoughts, your immune system, your finances, your relationships and more. This week, you'll make your way to the empowering state by noting the obstacles and going around them. First, you acknowledge what's getting in the way so it doesn't creep up on you or catch you by surprise.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You might not be able to get rid of the things that make your life harder. But if you start seeing those challenges as something that strengthens you, you'll begin to notice ways they give you an edge. It's not about removing what's in your way but working with it, knowing it gives you something others don't have.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). It's like you have a sensor for everyone and everything that can lead to your success. When you're drawn to unusual things, you go with it. Why ask why? Trust you are guided by a wisdom that, though seemingly nonsensical, will connect all the right elements in a way that works.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You'll be inspired to put extraordinary energy into an ordinary thing, elevating daily life for more than just you. Also, there are people around who want to help you. For some, it's their job. For others, it's their comfort, calling or source of self-esteem. You could do this on your own, but involving others will be more meaningful.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). To recognize other people's intelligence has an invigorating effect on your own. Whether you feel heartened by the company, excited at the prospect of collaboration or even spurred on by a sense of competition, the potential for more ideas in the mix creates an opportunity for curiosity and growth.

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS: A Year of Breezy, Honeyed Connections is ahead. You'll constantly exercise your social intelligence, to the extent that getting to know people is effortless. Your talent for turning strangers into friends has benefits immediate and far-reaching — personal, professional and political. Your diplomacy solves problems for many while magnetizing exactly what you want. More highlights: You help people and make money at the same time. You'll receive over 50 significant gifts, many immaterial. You'll finish a course, but the study is just beginning.

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: Hassan Pasha at Unsplash