Sun in Taurus: you feel like yourself once your life is stable and paid for

Applause matters less to you than evidence. A growing account, furniture you chose with care, a craft you can do with your eyes closed: these are what make you proud. You rarely brag, because you prefer to let the result speak.

If your self-esteem dips, look at what you have built over the past stretch of time, not at what others are doing this week.

You shine in work where effort accumulates: finance, property, food, design, gardening, crafts, music, any trade where a patient professional becomes the best in the room. You outlast colleagues who start faster.

When you ask for a raise, bring figures and results; they persuade your manager as well as you. Watch one habit: staying in a job only because leaving feels expensive.

You buy fewer things and better ones, and you hold on to what you buy. Saving comes naturally to you, and debt makes you uneasy in a physical way.

Venus, the sign's ruler, gives your Sun a strong sense of taste, so pleasure is part of how you look after yourself. Set up a small separate budget for good food, fabric, scent or music. Then you can enjoy it without guilt and still see your savings grow.

You show love through presence and care: a cooked dinner, a repaired shelf, a well-chosen gift, showing up every time. You are slow to commit and slow to leave, and partners feel safe with you.

When you are hurt, you tend to go quiet and dig in. Raise a grievance on the day it happens, before it hardens into a silent week. If possessiveness creeps in, name the fear out loud; holding tighter only makes it worse.

Hurry, clutter and constant surprises drain you. Rest, a proper meal, a long walk, time in a garden, massage or music bring you back.

When someone pushes a sudden change on you, ask for a day to think before you refuse. Given a little time, you often agree, and people learn that you can be persuaded, just not pushed.