Weekly horoscope readings for each sign from July 7 to 13

Frances McDormand, Cancer.
Illustrative image: By The Cut; Photos: Getty Images

On Thursday, love planet Venus enters Leo, the proudest sign of the zodiac. Over the next month, everyone (including you) is likely to be craving a little extra praise, validation, or simple attention. There’s no point in pretending to be cool right now—people will respond more to warmth and generosity than shyness and mystery. The more generous you are with the people you care about, the happier your relationships will be. In the meantime, find your weekly horoscope for each sign, below.

You’ve been having a hard time making decisions lately because every choice feels so important. You’re worried about wasting your limited time on Earth, afraid of disappointing people you care about, or stressed about the potential consequences of even the smallest actions. But while it’s important to treat your life and your choices as if they matter (because they do!), at a certain point, enough is enough. Try to take yourself a little less seriously. Let your sense of humor and inner playfulness have a say in your decisions this week. The world is scary right now, but you’re allowed to have fun, too.

It’s easy to idealize the past when the present seems bleak and ugly and the future looms large and terrifying. You start to imagine that past versions of your life were special and magical, that old relationships were perfect, and that your best moments are behind you. Remind yourself that this is not actually true. Life may be hard right now, but that doesn’t mean it will only be suffering and loneliness from here on out. Look to the future with courage. There is love ahead. There is meaningful work to be done. There is beauty you haven’t even begun to imagine.

Lately, you’ve been feeling ignored and belittled by those in authority in your life. No one in a position to give you opportunities seems to recognize your energy, ideas, and creativity—so forget the bosses and authorities this week. You don’t need anyone else’s permission to start doing exciting things with your life; you can start now. Sure, institutional support would be nice, but it’s not necessary. You have your own ideas, friends willing to collaborate with you, and inspiration to be found in your own backyard. You have the freedom to do what you want.

I’ve known people who never seem to be satisfied. No matter how much love, praise, or money they have, they always want more. You don’t want to be like them, constantly hungry for the next great thing. It’s better to learn to appreciate what you have, and live happily in the world as it already is. Just remember that you don’t have to accept Everything The universe is giving you big challenges. If your life is making you unhappy, for whatever reason, you don’t have to put up with it. You have other options. You are allowed to make a change.

Despite your outward self-confidence, you’re more critical of yourself than anyone realizes. You have high standards for yourself and can be unnecessarily harsh when you think you’ve failed to live up to them. But beating yourself up doesn’t help, so your challenge this week is to stop doing any of that. If you can’t silence the voice of judgment in your head, practice ignoring it. You don’t need to be perfect before you’re allowed to like yourself. Other people think you’re amazing; they enjoy your company and want to spend time with you. Why wouldn’t you feel the same way?

There are plenty of situations where it makes sense to keep your thoughts and feelings to yourself. You may be surrounded by people you don’t fully trust; you may need some time to process your feelings before you’re ready to share them. But don’t get angry at the people you love when they can’t understand your emotional state or read your mind. You don’t owe anyone a peek into your inner life— You You have the power to choose who you let into your life – but when you want others to understand how you feel, it’s up to you to show it.

When the future feels like it’s already written, it’s hard to muster the energy to put in much effort. If nothing you do makes a difference anyway, why bother trying? But this week, you’ll remember that anything can still happen. The universe is strange and amazing. Nothing is set in stone. Your job is to live as if a new future is possible and trust that your actions—no matter how small—will get you one step closer. Don’t write yourself off just yet. You have so much more power than you realize.

You’re not the type to spill your heart out to anyone who will listen. You tend to be a bit reserved—perhaps out of self-preservation, or perhaps because you like to maintain an air of mystery. But when you keep people guessing, you also make it hard for them to really get to know you. While it may feel safe to keep people at a distance, it can get lonely after a while. Practice sharing more of yourself than you normally would. Sometimes being in the spotlight can be exhausting, but this week, allow yourself to bask in the warm glow of your friends’ attention.

If there’s one thing you can’t stand, it’s having it imposed on you. If someone tells you what to do, you’re likely to do the opposite; if a friend tells you how you’re “supposed” to think or feel, you’ll cover your ears and walk away. However, you’ve been wishing for guidance lately. You wish there was someone who could show you how to find the meaningful life you’ve been dreaming of. Stay strong this week: Don’t look for someone else to tell you how to live. Your job is to keep looking. It may not seem easy right now, but you will find your way.

It seems like everyone—including you—is fighting over limited resources and opportunities. Everyone is fighting to get to the top, to get the most opportunities. But even if you succeed, it will not be a satisfying victory. The only real way to win now is to refuse to fight. When ego conflicts start to develop, decide to walk away. Collaboration and communication will be more beneficial than conquering someone else. Think creatively. Open your heart. It is possible for everyone to get what they need.

It’s hard to feel motivated in your work when you can’t imagine success in the future, and it’s hard to feel excited about a relationship when you’re not sure where it’s going. You can tolerate uncertainty, as long as you feel confident that everything is leading you to a better place. But for now, try to take your eyes off the future. Deep connections with others are possible, and they don’t have to serve a greater purpose, pay off in a tangible way later, or even last forever to be valuable.

You’ve been craving more excitement in your daily life; there may be plenty of drama going on in the wider world, but your days seem dull. There are so few opportunities for you to take action, to be a part of something, to show others (and yourself) what you’re really made of. If you wait for the big, bright opportunity to present itself this week, you’re likely to be disappointed, but if you wait for the smaller, more mundane opportunities, they’ll be in abundance. And every time you do something brave, every time you take a risk (no matter how small), your heart will open. You’ll be reminded of how wonderful it is to be alive.

Read the Weekly Horoscopes Weekly horoscopes for the week of June 30, and the weekly horoscopes for the week of July 14 will be available online next Sunday.

Buy Claire Comstock-Jay’s book, Lady Oracle’s Guide to the Stars, here.