Today's Top Features

You are correct to think that today is a great day to get a new project started, but try to pace yourself. Don't run right out and try to tackle everything all at once. You'll only end up tired at the end of the day, without much to show for it. Instead, take time up front to do some research and planning. There is plenty of time to do what you want to do, and if you take things at a leisurely pace you will enjoy the entire process a whole lot more.

Foreign influences can have a very positive impact on your life right now, so it's a great time to reach out and explore a different culture. Pick a place in the world where you have always wanted to travel and delve right into learning and experiencing everything you possibly can about it. Wrapping your mind around their unfamiliar customs, foods and music will enlighten you, help you decide if you really want to travel there or not, and provide a fun distraction from your usual routine.

It may sound irrational, but sometimes you need to do a lot of work in order to ensure that you and your buddies have a lot of fun. So, for an upcoming party or outing, take extra time to plan everything down to the last detail -- time, location, transportation. Once all of that stuff is ironed out, everyone is free to just enjoy the ride! Instead of calling around to find out where people are and what's taking them so long, you all will already be together having fun and relaxing.

An opportunity you thought was no longer available to you is actually still ripe for the picking. But now, it is going to be an even more attractive option for you than it was before. Should you take it? Of course you should -- especially if you're the tiniest bit afraid of doing so. Fear is not always a bad thing, especially when it's caused by something so exciting. It's not failing to succeed that you should be afraid of -- it's failing to even try.

Creating your own happiness is easier when you are with the people in your life who are tons of fun. It's even better when you all get together and get active. Plan something sporty to do with your friends very soon -- and if your group isn't known for its sporty ways, then suggest everyone take a long walk or go on a hike with a picnic at the end. Even a night out bowling will bring a good combination of energy and good-natured teasing into your group.

Try to fit some culture into your day -- it's a great time to attend a concert, visit a museum, or pick up a classic novel. Your emotions are in a highly susceptible phase, and you'll be greatly rewarded by seeing, hearing, reading, or otherwise experiencing artistic ideas. There is also a wonderful sense of community when you are in an audience, reading a book so many others have read, or looking at the same art that people have seen for generations.

Looking good is important, but if you focus too much on the aesthetic aspect of people, you will lose sight of who they really are deep down inside. You are a substantive person, so this tendency towards what's appealing on the surface is unusual for you. You might be working through some insecurities about your own appearance -- is it time for a bit of an update on your look? Get a fashionable friend to give you some easy tips about how you can play up your strengths a little more.

Things have been going so smoothly lately, it would be way too easy for you to put yourself on mental auto-pilot -- and that might not be such a good idea. You know the day's tasks and obligations like the back of your hand, but you still need to pay attention to what you are doing. Letting your mind wander here and there is totally acceptable -- turning your mind off is not. You can't always rely on challenges to keep you on your toes. Focus on what you're up to.

When a friend asks you about your hopes and wishes today, don't just give them the perfunctory answer you always give. This time, think long and hard about what you truly want. There is little chance that it is just more money or a better car. Material possessions are not satisfying you right now, because they often bring so much stress and debt along with them. Take a good long look at your life and ask yourself what it is missing -- chances are, it's not a shiny new gadget.

Today is a day that's perfectly suited for some career work. You will have the time, and you will have all the clarity you need to focus on your work goals. Jot down a few ideas about where you want to be in five years, and aim a little bit higher than you normally would. Lay the foundations today, and you will give yourself a valuable blueprint to follow tomorrow. If you believe in yourself strongly (and you should!), there is really no way that you can go wrong.

You will have tons of fun and also create tons of fun wherever you go today, in part because you are feeling inspired from a recent win. This is a great time reach out to new people. Make them feel welcome with some innocent ribbing. Sometimes, drawing a little bit of lighthearted attention to someone is the best way to make them relax and open up. You are a good person, and your good intentions will register with whoever is receiving your gentle teasing.

If you are dealing with stressful debts right now, you need to try to make all the other aspects of your life as stress-free as possible. And today, you should distract yourself from financial worries -- you deserve a break. Get together with mellow friends and have a low-budget day. Instead of going to a movie, why not see what classic is on TV? Instead of going out for a meal, why not cook something up together? There is no need to spend a lot of money to have a lot of fun.