Your daily horoscope: September 9

HOROSCOPES IF TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY

Take an inventory of both your strengths and your weaknesses and then set about planning the year ahead according to those traits. The more you know about yourself the more you will be able to focus on the aims and ambitions that truly matter.

ARIES (March 21 – April 20):

Ignore those who say you don’t know what you are doing and keep hammering away at your current task. By the end of the day your efforts will start bearing fruit and by this time tomorrow even your critics will be singing your praises.

TAURUS (April 21 – May 21):

The planets warn you may have been trying too hard over the past week or two, so slow down and give your mind and your body time to recover. Even your rivals will admit that you deserve a break, but only you can grant yourself one.

GEMINI (May 22 – June 21):

You have every right and every reason to indulge yourself a bit, so ignore those who say you need to be serious every minute of every day, and have fun when the opportunity arises. What’s that old saying? Ah yes: if it feels good, do it!

CANCER (June 22 – July 23):

You have been incredibly patient when dealing with friends and colleagues who operate on a slower mental and physical level and they will show their appreciation today. It’s a law of the universe: If you are nice to other people, they will be nice to you.

LEO (July 24 – Aug. 23):

You need to let go of any lingering regrets about what you did wrong in the past and move on with your life. The simple fact is you are still one of the lucky ones and your luck will improve even more if you look forward rather than back.

VIRGO (Aug. 24 – Sept. 23):

As Mercury, your ruler, joins the sun in your sign today your thoughts will come together and you will find it easy to do something special with all those big ideas that have been flooding your mind. Life is good and about to get even better.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 – Oct. 23):

The fact that you have got away with certain transgressions in the past is no guarantee you will get away with them in the future. No one expects you to be perfect but friends, loved ones and colleagues do expect you to be honest with them.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 – Nov. 22):

There is no reason why you should limit yourself to the same old places and the same old faces. On the contrary, cosmic activity in two of the more adventurous areas of your chart demand that you get out into the world and explore new horizons.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 – Dec. 21):

You may be going through a challenging phase on the work front at the moment but if you stay calm and keep your mind switched on you will come through unscathed. You may even impress the powers that be enough to earn a promotion.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 – Jan. 20):

The most important thing as the new week begins is that you focus on an activity that excites you. With the sun and Mercury moving through the most adventurous area of your chart it could be one of the best things you have ever done.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 – Feb. 19):

You may not want to take a leadership role but at some point today you are likely to find yourself in a position where others look to you for guidance and you must not let them down. Use your ingenuity to resolve a challenging situation.

PISCES (Feb. 20 – Mar. 20):

You won’t find it hard to be decisive today but you will have to deal with people who are not in your league when it comes to getting things done. Cracking the whip can take you only so far – what they need most is encouragement.