On a winter solstice boasting three cosmic squares, the fates offer games instead of treats, challenges instead of comforts, tests instead of tickets to ride. These are the times that show us who we are, where we need to grow and how we can more effectively love, support and learn one another. This solstice invitation is not for one night or one week, but it will hold the entire season: Come one, come all to join a better version of ourselves.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You'll be invited to an enticing role outside of your comfort zone. They think you have what it takes, and they're onto something! Count any self-doubt you feel as inaccurate. Maybe you're not technically qualified yet, but don't let that stop you. Move forward, and obstacles will fall away and support will come together.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You've reached a conclusion, though you have not yet acted on it. The holdup, though tense, is legitimate. Don't rush to act. It's better to bear the pace of life than to force your part of a plot that is actually much bigger and broader than what you can see at the moment. When the time comes, all moves with ease. You'll be glad you were patient.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Your brain is a high-performance engine. Some inputs are fuel. Some are sludge. There are things in your environment working against you. You can't change all of them this week, but you can notice them and make a plan. And you'll experience immediate benefits from doing whatever you can to avoid sludge and fuel positivity.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You'll be wrapping up projects, closing loops and making decisions that will allow you to soon embark on a fresh start. Some things will feel complete. Some endings are like graduations, joyful and bittersweet. Some endings are just relief — not sadness, but relief. There's no need to judge or analyze now, only to swim through.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You're never working alone this week. Even when it's a solo task, you'll have invisible partners. Sometimes the universe helps more when you stop micromanaging. If an effort feels forced, consider backing way off. Leave a space between you and the activity — that's where help, inspiration or even genius will drop in.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You'll adopt a "no demands" policy, neither making nor receiving them. Obviously, you're not solely in charge of every outcome. You're in a co-creation with reality, and it's polite to leave room for reality to do its part. You're responsible for your efforts, not the timing. Relax, get curious, pick what's ripe and do what's easy.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You've been measuring yourself against an ideal version of yourself. The stress this causes is not about low self-esteem but high expectations. You have a vision of your fully expressed self, and anything less feels like being "behind." Give yourself permission to be the in-progress version. You're stepping toward the ideal. Let that be enough.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Because you were the most mature person in the room, you assumed the role of the emotional babysitter. Now you'll be expected to: introduce people, soothe someone, carry the vibe or the conversation and more. At least consider what's in it for you. This emotional labor should, in one way or another, be compensated.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). A lot of people can deliver the goods once or twice. You do it hundreds of times. This week highlights a very specific truth about you, and about how real success actually works. The magic isn't in occasional bursts of brilliance but in always returning, sometimes imperfectly, sometimes slowly, but steadily. How it accumulates!

CAPRICORN(Dec. 22-Jan. 19). This year, you've worked your way past a thousand obstacles. Each time it felt like "getting through a situation" but it was also "creating yourself" as a stronger, better-informed and skilled force in the world. The tangible outcomes will be glorious and well deserved, so enjoy them this week.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You'll see your options clearly. This is your moment to be strategic. By thinking ahead, you can often position yourself better. And you can choose to do things with people who match your intensity level, or do things solo, instead of going into arrangements where you are sure to find friction.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You are saying "yes" a lot these days, which is much easier to do when you're around people you know, like and trust. As for the ones you don't know very well, it's good to go slow, not out of fear but wisdom. It's simply more joyful — and a little magical — for all when it takes a while to earn the VIP pass to your heart.

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS: Welcome to your Year of Sweet Convergence, when things that once felt scattered begin to move within your grasp, heed your need, respond to your control and find their place in the puzzle of your life. Priorities align, plans come together, and people around you harmonize and move in synchronistic support, like a tight group of background singers. More highlights: a financial glow-up, hot-ticket experiences with a special loved one, and a project that gains momentum fast, showing you the most auspicious application of your talent.

Holiday Mathis' debut novel, "How To Fail Epically in Hollywood," is out now! This fast-paced romp about achieving Hollywood stardom is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

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