If you’ve been feeling pessimistic about the future lately, today’s Taurus moon — backed by support from Mars and Saturn — bolsters your confidence and ambition. You don’t need a miraculous stroke of good fortune: There are practical steps you can take right now to build the life you want. It’s possible that luck will still find you; just remember that you don’t need it — you’ve got your own persistence to rely on.

Sometimes it’s fun, even useful, to let your imagination run wild. Worrying about worst-case scenarios can prepare you for a disappointing outcome, and fantasizing about the best-case ones can help you to clarify your desires. But today, try not to get too worked up over things that haven’t actually happened — and might never. It’s not that you’re wrong to plan for the future, just that doing it too much can scramble your logic. For now, deal with what’s right in front of you before stressing yourself out over the rest.

Lately, you’ve been struggling not to compare yourself to others. When you see a friend experience a big milestone, you’re happy for them, but a quiet part of yourself also worries that you haven’t achieved as much; though you admire other people’s unique talents, a part of you can’t help but feel like your own fall short. Today, your challenge is to stop judging yourself against other people. Instead of giving so much emphasis to the things you imagine you lack, learn to value the things you have.

You’re good at making the best of any situation; you observe, adapt, and find your way. Rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity to find you, you start from where you are and use what you have. Today, remember that you don’t always have to simply accept your circumstances as they are. Instead of always trying to mold yourself to fit into the world that exists, you’re allowed to decide that you want something more and fight to make that change.

It can strike you as dangerous to have too much confidence in yourself — that’s how you end up making careless mistakes or biting off more than you can chew. You forget that it’s often every bit as damaging to lack self-confidence; it pushes you to shrink away and settle for less than you want or need. If you feel more optimistic or self-assured than usual today, don’t fight it — let it motivate you to express yourself, take action, or simply have fun.

You know that you can deal with any challenge, but sometimes you simply can’t be bothered. Maybe you’re tired, or it just seems easier to hang back and let someone else take the lead. Today, though, waiting around for reinforcements will only make you feel powerless and stressed. When you’re given the opportunity to shine and show everyone around you what you’re made of, seize it — you’ll be glad you did.

It can feel like all you ever have time for are the unglamorous chores that keep life running smoothly. While some people may turn up their noses at these humdrum tasks, you understand that they truly matter. Today, though, remember to carve out time for the fun and exciting parts of life, too — and if you have to let some household chores fall by the wayside, at least for the time being, that may be worth it for the sake of your greater fulfillment.

You enjoy setting the people around you at ease, and you’re good at it — you know how to make anyone feel welcome, and you can successfully resolve practically any conflict. But today, remember that a bit of friction isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you want to be honest with your friends, tough conversations are occasionally necessary; in order to get what you need, sometimes you have to be a squeaky wheel. Don’t be afraid to sit with discomfort.

While you tend to have high standards for the people in your life, they’re nothing compared to those you hold yourself to. You’re your own harshest critic; you see your flaws with brutal clarity. If you’re struggling with self-acceptance, then today try to see yourself through the eyes of the people who love you. They aren’t nearly as unforgiving as you are; the faults that you fixate on probably don’t seem so bad to them. They aren’t looking for you to be perfect, so stop expecting it of yourself.

In general, you try to choose your battles wisely: If you let yourself get riled up over every thoughtless comment or minor inconvenience, you’d have no energy left for the conflicts you truly care about. But when you let the small stuff slide too often, people might be tempted to take advantage of you. Today, see what happens if you stop tolerating every little slight or frustration and instead resolve to do something about them. For now, calling out bad behavior in the moment can be the best way to stop it in its tracks.

As much as you crave other people’s respect, you’re not one to run yourself ragged trying to impress them. You understand that you can’t make anyone like you, and you’d rather work hard for your own sake and trust that there will be people who recognize your gifts of their own accord. Even so, today may be a good day to be a little flashy. You don’t need to put on a big performance for anyone, but don’t be modest, either. If you make an effort to stand out, it’ll pay off.

You genuinely enjoy taking creative risks and stepping outside of your comfort zone; pushing the envelope invigorates you. But it’s important to balance action with rest, to give yourself time to recover after you’ve exerted yourself. Today, seek out the people and places that make you feel secure, and focus on the activities that don’t demand too much from you. You aren’t being lazy — life will inevitably throw more challenges your way, so when you get a chance to relax, take it.

Some people seem to require constant chatter and activity; they’re unnerved by even a moment of silence. You aren’t afraid of spending time alone, though. You have a rich inner life, and you enjoy your own company. Right now, just make sure that you aren’t avoiding the outside world or cutting yourself off from your social circle. The more people you interact with today — from friends to strangers; from deep discussion to small talk — the happier and more connected you’ll feel.

Buy Claire Comstock-Gay’s book, Madame Clairevoyant’s Guide to the Stars, here.