Denial is procrastination on an existential level. Things don’t always go away just because we’re ignoring them, but sometimes they do, so it can’t be completely ruled out as an effective tactic, especially now, with Jupiter’s retrograde. A solar/Neptune trine whispers a counter-idea: Actively handling life is still the most direct route to happiness.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Don’t give up. If you want it enough, you’ll keep trying new ways until one clicks in. Probably, this has to do with striking the right deal with the one in charge. You are one good negotiation away from the prize.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You’ve no social agenda except to have and be a good time. For you, this means getting to know people, being curious about them and bringing out the surprise in everyone you meet.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You often feel upbeat about the way life is going for you, and then sometimes you don’t. For instance, you’ll have to talk yourself into optimism today. It will be the best talking you’ll do.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). The main action of the day will come with a ticking timer. The good thing about not having much time to make a decision is that one way or the other, it gets made, sometimes by default.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Gossip is a poison spell. It’s better not to talk about people or listen about people. Be a part of what’s good and you’ll be surrounded by the best people.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You accept that there will be bad moments, and you’re willing to work through whatever comes. With this mature approach to life, you’ll cut out a lot of unnecessary noise inside your own head and get to work creating more good.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). People say “no limits” as though the absence of rules makes for a better existence, when often the opposite is true. Today creativity and productivity will thrive under certain rules.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). The milk is placed in the back of the grocery. To get to it, you’ll have to pass a number of enticements that aren’t on your list. This will be true of more than just milk. Put blinders on and go straight to what you need.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Sing, laugh and dance and you will be happy. Oddly, it won’t happen the other way around today. You’ll have to get into motion, and then the motion will make the emotion.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Are you under-confident? It’s an advantage. The ultra-confident won’t ask, “How am I doing?” And that’s the question that will get you valuable feedback or endearment or both.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). There’s so much goodness that will get set in motion when you reach out to the right person at the right time. The instinct to do so will be intuitive. You’ll feel it and follow through, to tremendously positive effect.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You’ve gone long stretches without changing, and you’ve also had everything change overnight. This time, it will be something in the middle — a slow growth situation. Be patient.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (July 8). Your top aims are not what they used to be. Make a list and give it a think, and then take it to the mountaintop and give it another think. Once you figure out your priorities, you’ll nail the leading items on your list before the year ends. Communicate clearly to loved ones about the support and resources you need and they’ll oblige. Scorpio and Pisces adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 40, 33, 18 and 45.

FORECAST FOR THE WEEK AHEAD: Venus, the First Lady of Love, has been freely and generously swinging her heart-shaped spotlight onto relationship matters for the past few weeks, highlighting the hope, the best of what we have to offer one another, the delights of knowing another person. That optimistic point of view will narrow this week as Venus enters Virgo, turning that spotlight into a microscope.

Don’t despair! Many things have been solved through the lens of a microscope — things that a spotlight couldn’t begin to get to the bottom of. Diseases, for instance — maladies invisible to the unaided eye. This Venus change may be just what is needed to heal relationships at a cellular level.

To sum it up, romantic interest has a way of bringing out a version of ourselves we wish we were instead of the version we currently are. This can be positive — especially when we rise to the occasion by becoming the person we project. Or it can be deceptive, if the chasm between the real version and the projected version is too wide. This Venus placement helps us see ourselves and others with more accuracy, so we can build relationships on the truth.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: The upcoming movie “Life in a Year” stars Jaden Smith and Cara Delevingne in a heart-rending love story. Smith’s maternal Cancer sun and his natal moon’s being in Capricorn (the sign of fathers) intimate his royal show business lineage; he’s the son of Fresh Prince turned King Will Smith and maternal queen Jada Pinkett Smith. Jaden is also mentored by family friends Kid Cudi, Drake and Jay-Z.

Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis@gmail.com.