Horoscope: Thursday, Dec 18

The fantasy world that you've built for yourself is a pleasure to behold, Aries. People frolic in your world and have a grand time. Your presence delights people with pleasure. Today, however, this world may be threatened by harsh realities coming in the form of electronic information. This force is powerful and apt to be quite erratic and spontaneous. Be prepared to stand your ground.

You may have to accept a supporting role of some kind today but it will be good practice for when the Sun moves into your opposite sign of Scorpio a few days from now. The value of teamwork is that it makes success more likely.

You need to take charge over the next 48 hours and make sure everyone does what they are supposed to be doing. If you don’t you may find that others take it as a sign of weakness and try to steal your authority. Don’t let that happen.

Days like today push you to act in the areas of your life where you may have hesitated before. Does your love life need a breath of fresh air? Have you been dreaming of a nice candlelit dinner with your partner? A weekend in the country? A new home? It's time to stop dreaming of happiness and do what you need to do to get it. It's well within your reach.

Are you thinking of switching careers, Cancer, or traveling to the other side of the world? Perhaps you just want to pull a “Greta Garbo” and stay home with the shades drawn tight. A series of small incidents you've recently experienced at work is likely to inspire the most outlandish ideas. It must be that you sense your need for a change of scene.

Sometimes you rush into situations with no thought for the consequences but if you do that today you are sure to regret it. A little caution in your affairs would be no bad thing over the next 24 hours, especially where relationships are concerned.

If you are bored with your current social scene then get up and go some place else. There must be a party or two going on in your neighborhood and, if there isn’t, there is nothing stopping you from throwing one of your own.

You have a special talent for being able to work out what people are thinking and if you focus on that today you will come up with some amazing insights into what makes friends and family members tick. Once you know that, you can help them.

Don’t worry if your plans are disrupted today. Just go with the flow and do what feels right at any given moment. Your creative abilities are such that whatever you do and however you do it you are sure to make an impression. Let fate guide you.

Try not to get emotional about an issue that needs to be dealt with calmly and logically. Practical problems require practical solutions, so keep your personal feelings out of the mix. On this occasion your head must guide your heart.

Some issues in your life are getting a bit out of hand but you are tough enough to take it and smart enough to resolve them. Anyone who gets in your way over the next 24 hours risks feeling the rough edge of your tongue. You don’t suffer fools.

Don’t commit yourself to anything that you have not checked out thoroughly for yourself. Even if a friend you can usually trust tells you there is nothing to worry about you must still make inquiries – it will be well worth the effort.

The world is full of opportunities – so why are you not taking advantage of them? It can’t be through lack of self-belief – you have plenty of that – so it’s most likely laziness. You must get serious about your future Sag. That means now, not later.

It may be the weekend but if you feel it is right to turn down a social invitation in order to spend more time with your family then do so. You can go out with your mates later on – it’s loved ones who should matter to you now.

A decision you have put off making several times in recent weeks can be made with confidence when Mercury moves in your favor again tomorrow. Give it a little more thought today though. There is still time to fine tune your ideas before you act.

Your fears have got the better of you and now you are too scared to move one way or the other. The only way you are going to get out of this rut is by choosing a course of action – any course of action – and going for it 100 per cent.

Whatever else you do today don’t push yourself too hard. The cosmic set-up is such that the more you exert yourself over the next 24 hours the less you are likely to accomplish. Give yourself some breathing space and take life as it comes.

Sudden changes will create new opportunities over the next few days but you won’t be the only one who stands to benefit from them, so be quick. You may not have as much experience as some of your rivals but you certainly have more brains.

You will have to make some compromises over the next few days but if it keeps certain people off your back it could be a price worth paying. Act as if you want to be friends with everyone – it may not be true but only you will know that.