The Element Encyclopedia of Birthdays. Theresa Cheung

consultants and communicators, they excel as teachers, healers, writers, researchers, counselors, scientists and instigators of social and humanitarian reform. They may also channel their tremendous creativity into the entertainment world or the arts, poetry and music. They are prone to bouts of low self-esteem and insecurity, and could benefit from counseling. They may also find alternative therapies that highlight the connection between their thoughts and their physical and emotional wellbeing beneficial; for example, meditation. For self-care, set aside 10 minutes to meditate on the color blue or simply to mindfully gaze up at the clouds in the sky, to help stabilize your mood and induce deep feelings of inner calm.

      These magnetic people are generally well liked, but they do harbor a tendency to be occasionally oversensitive, reading hidden and often wildly inaccurate meanings into the actions and words of others. When they feel upstaged, put upon or let down, they may overreact and either withdraw completely and become depressed, or startle others with their sharp tongue. They need to learn to be a little less intense and sensitive in their relationships and to accept that sharing the limelight does not diminish but enhances their brightness. Around the age of 20 they develop greater self-reliance; at the age of 50 they have another turning point, which highlights emotional resilience and letting go of the fear of being upstaged by others. Once they learn to rely on their own instincts rather than the approval of others, their destiny is to brighten the world with their enchantingly joyful insights and spirits.

      Tarot card, lucky numbers, days, colors: The Emperor, 4, 5, Saturday, Sunday, sky blue, silver

      Born today: Franz Schubert (composer); Johnny Rotten (singer); Thomas Merton (monk)

      Potential: Original, magnetic

      Dark side: Insecure, chaotic

       FEBRUARY

       1 February

       2 February

       3 February

       4 February

       5 February

       6 February

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       12 February

       13 February

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       15 February

       16 February

       17 February

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       19 February

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       25 February

       26 February

       27 February

       28 February

       29 February

      

       1 FEBRUARY

       The Birthday of the Spectacular Turnaround

       “I always find a way”

      The life lesson: is coping with uncertainty about what to do with your life.

      The way forward: is to understand yourself better, reflect on what brings you joy and what you are good at.

      Luck maker: Just do something. Sometimes doing the wrong thing is better than procrastination, because at least you will have learned something.

      February 1-born tend to be nonconformist and multiskilled. They can sway others with their conviction, but it is not uncommon for them to make a spectacular turnaround. This unique combination of determination and flexibility means they attract success. They are intuitive and make clear decisions, but are also capable of dramatically changing direction to get to the same place. They have the good sense to always keep their options open.

      Born firefighters, they are drawn to careers that require quick reactions, such as paramedics, emergency staff, doctors, nurses and pilots. Management or executive positions and sales and promotions in big companies also appeal, as does banking, the stock market and setting up their own business. It’s best they avoid routine jobs. Their originality may draw them to politics, the media, writing and the arts, and their intuition toward humanitarian and caring work. Prone to anxiety, they need to find positive ways to work through their emotions and benefit from yoga deep-breathing techniques. For self-care, at the end of each day record the small steps you have taken toward making your long-term goals a reality.

      These people tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves and, being an appealing mixture of seriousness and fun, they are never short of admirers. The only danger is that by accommodating themselves to others they can lose touch with who they are. Fortunately, from around the age of 19 and heightened after the age of 49, they make powerful shifts toward deeper self-understanding. With their ability to adapt and strike out in any new direction, people born on this day are often lighting the way for others to follow. Once they know where they are heading and who they want to be, their powers of communication, combined with their versatility and charisma, have the potential to attract great success. Their destiny is to break new ground