One of your best traits can get you ahead at work…
Some experts rank emotional intelligence as one of the most important qualities in a career—as important as intellectual ability or technical skill. EI encompasses initiative, empathy, and persuasiveness. It can help make the difference between a leader and a loser.
And who has EI by the truckload? Cancers! You’re intuitive and respectful. You’re sure of what you want and will stop at nothing to get it. You can’t learn EI from books, it develops by interacting with people, something Cancer does well. Put your emotional intelligence to work in order to excel in the workplace.
The key determinant in a Leo’s confidence is…
Lions are the only cats that live in large social groups. Friends flock to you like sun-worshipers to the beach because you’re so much fun to be around! You live in the moment with childlike enthusiasm. The ultimate party animal, Leo’s an excellent host because you treat your guests like royalty. Everyone craves your invitations, but no whiners, bullies, and bores allowed!
Your true friends feel it’s an honor just to know you and don’t mind that you want to be at the center of things. Those who do won’t stay around for long—and won’t know what they’re missing.
Where Leos should go to find the best dating prospects…
Leo is the sign of pleasure and fun, so look to leisure activities to find like-minded souls. Sporting events, art fairs, zoos, or wildlife parks are good bets. If you have a hobby, find an interest group in your area. You like to travel, so perhaps a cruise just for singles would suit style. At least you’d have a captive audience for your larger-than-life personality!
The big cat is entertaining and generous, and there are plenty of people who would love to be in your company. You want the right someone you can respect and trust. Take your time!
The best scents and perfumes for Leos…
It isn’t surprising that golden-yellow saffron, the world’s costliest spice, is associated with Leo! It’s been used in perfumes and cooking for thousands of years. Alexander the Great healed his battle wounds with saffron-infused water, and the Phoenicians used it to treat melancholy. Try its grassy note in unisex Lady Gaga Fame (from someone who knows something about theatricality).
Also associated with your sign is chamomile, found in Clinique’s Aromatic Elixer, Bvlgari’s Petits et Mamans (a flowery scent for girls), or Cadillac Black for men. Add other Leo scents of rosemary, bay, and sunflower via aromatherapy candles and potpourri.
Try this refresher for the Virgo soul…
What is the perfect diversion for this overworked warth sign? A walk in the woods. And not just any stroll, but shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing”. The practice that started in Japan in the 1980s requires participants to use all five senses to engage mindfully with nature. Leave the cell phone at home—some walks are done in complete silence. As you breathe deeply you begin to notice the texture of trees, the smell of flowers, the crunch of stones underfoot. And the health benefits are real. Stress dissipates, blood pressure drops, even white-blood-cell counts increase! If you don’t live near a forest, there’s evidence that just looking at the trees outside your window can help!
You will find that special someone…
You’re the efficiency expert, remember? If you’re searching for a partner, don’t waste time looking in situations you already know you dislike, such as gigantic gatherings of strangers. Accept invitations to smaller parties, ideally with a good pal or two. When you can talk with an interesting stranger one on one you have a much better chance of finding common interests. You might not be an avid sports fan but watching a baseball game or tennis match in a stadium or sports bar is leisurely enough to allow plenty of time to get to know one another!
This color helps you stand out, Virgo…
Gray is associated with Virgo. It might call to mind great-grandmother’s hair or a cloudy day, but it’s far from dull or gloomy. Gray can be dramatic or serene. Pearly gray nail polish is new, sophisticated, and just right for the office. Muted, stone-colored walls provide just the right backdrop for accents of green or peach. Charcoal-colored chalkboard paint turns any wall into a practical writing surface for lists and calendars (perfect for an organized Virgo). Even the garden can go gray. Shimmery silver plants from white to metallic blue include drought-tolerant succulents like agave. Try to add some gray into your everyday!
Make money with your hobbies, Virgo …
Life isn’t all about organizing, number crunching, and goal setting, believe it or not. Take a break from the brain work with an outdoor pastime. Your earthy nature means you care about living things. Flower gardening relaxes the mind as you plant, mulch, water, and prune. Smell is processed in the part of the brain associated with emotion. Of all the senses, it doesn’t lend itself to critical thinking! You could combine business and pleasure by working for a nursery or florist. And learning bonsai would nourish both the perfectionist and emotive sides of your brain!
How to know if your Taurus really loves you…
It can be hard to know just how Taurus feels about you. This sign follows their heart but doesn’t always wear that heart on their sleeve! If love is real, you’ll be wooed. Affectionate Taurus enjoys cuddling and kissing. Verbal endearments will be plentiful, too, although they might not include the L word. Taurus has no problem spending money on you either—after asking about your favorite color or flower—and the gifts won’t be cheap knockoffs, because this sign knows quality! The Bull won’t put you on a pedestal (they’re too practical for that), but if love is true, nothing will sway their affection!
The surprising tool Geminis should be using…
Shape up your shoulders, arms, and hands and burn calories with the simplest of tools—a rope! Whether you climb it, jump it, or make undulating waves with battle ropes, you can torch calories and tone every muscle in your body. Plus, jumping, an activity most people don’t do enough, strengthens bones.
For more of a challenge, find a heavier jump rope (not one with weighted handles, which can stress wrists). Other benefits of rope work, say experts, include better coordination and reaction time, which is good news whether you play softball or catch that Christmas ornament before it crashes to the floor! Hop to it!