Horoscope: Monday, Aug 17

If you make any kind of promise today you must make sure you are in a position to deliver on it, otherwise your reputation will head south faster than you thought was possible. Your best course of action is to make no promises at all.

Resist the urge to pry into other people’s private affairs. If you let your curiosity get the better of you chances are you will cause bad feeling among those who have something to hide. Who says you have a right to know what that something is?

Construction on streets or buildings might make it difficult for you to get around your neighborhood today, Taurus. Traffic could be backed up for blocks. If you must run errands, either walk or get them done early in the day. The work could foul up the phone lines as well, at least for a while, so you might miss some calls you needed to take. This could be a frustrating day. Keep yourself busy at home.

What happens over the next 24 hours will remind you that it is not where you look but how you look that determines the way the world appears to you. A positive mental attitude is a must if you want to get more joy out of life.

This will be one of those days when you want nothing more than to be left alone with your thoughts. If anyone is so silly as to invade your personal space they will soon learn the error of their ways. You’re in no mood to be subtle.

You may have been spending or saving too much money, Cancer. It's clear that a rebalancing is in order if you're to find pleasure rather than eternal frustration. It's a curious phenomenon. It's as though you have lost contact with your body. Yet it's in your body where you will ultimately find your balance. You certainly won't find it in your head!

As Mars moves into the communications area of your chart this weekend others will notice that you become more verbally aggressive, but you may not see it yourself. Watch what you say and who you say it to Leo. Be nice – it costs nothing.

If you go out of your way to help people in need this weekend the universe will reward you later on when it is you who is in need of assistance. And if they have brought their troubles on themselves? It doesn’t matter, help them anyway.

Get to work on something of a creative or artistic nature and don’t let other people’s doubts hold you back. If you put in the required effort over the next 24 hours, both physical and mental, you are sure to make a huge success of it.

With both the Sun and Mercury, your ruler, moving through one of the more challenging areas of your chart it may seem as if things are going wrong but it’s just the universe’s way of toughening you up. You’ll be thankful for it one day.

Get out in the fresh air today in whatever way suits your fancy, Libra. It's important to exercise your body with some brisk physical activity, or at least refresh your spirit with a ride in a convertible. This is a terrific time for you. You feel alive and joyous about your life. Join with others to recognize all that you have, and give thanks for your meal tonight.

Forget about what is going on in the world outside your door and focus on your private life for a while. According to the planets you have become so immersed in other people’s struggles that you have forgotten you have struggles of your own.

You have every right and every reason to enjoy yourself now and no one has the right to suggest that you take life in a more serious fashion. What does “serious” mean anyway? What’s serious to someone else may seem hilariously funny to you.

Make a point today of doing something that brings a smile to your face, something that makes you glad to be alive. Yes, like everyone else you have your share of problems to deal with but they won’t seem so bad if you laugh at them more.

Mars in your sign over the next few weeks will endow you with strength and stamina and, above all, ambition. You know in your bones there is nothing you cannot achieve if you want it enough and are prepared to make the necessary sacrifices.

If you take an unnecessarily negative view of other people’s motives today you could miss out on something worth having. Everything will go right for you if you have the courage to take a few risks. Don’t let fear of the unknown hold you back.

You have been asking yourself a lot of questions of late and some of the answers you get over the next two or three days will surprise you. They could also have a beneficial effect on your health, IF you trust your inner voice.

The most important thing over the next 24 hours is that you do not let others pressure you into backing down about something that to you is a matter of principle. Think tough and act tough even if you don’t feel tough. Put on an act.

If you waste your energy on trivial things today you are sure to regret it. Don’t listen to what others say you should be doing – listen instead to your inner voice and do exactly what it tells you. You already know what your ultimate goal should be.

You may feel a need to get moving today, Pisces. Almost everyone at times prefers quiet activities, books, art, and even just sitting around to physical activity. But your health can suffer if you're too inactive. Fresh air, exercise, and sunshine are vital to your well-being. Don't resist the urge to get up and do something active. Chances are good that you'll really enjoy it.