This week, I made food for our dear neighbors who recently welcomed two premature twins into their family. As I enjoyed the act of service and the fact that I live in a beautiful community where people care for one another, memories relevant to the upcoming Leo New Moon came to my mind.

A few years back, I was a vegan chef in my community. I used to host big events for family and friends and make artesian vegan cheeses and other delights. I loved making the food mindfully, putting love into it. I loved setting up a beautiful, colorful table and having people over. I didn’t love that I never felt appreciated enough for my effort. I remember lying on the couch, exhausted, after long days in the kitchen, and complaining to my husband about how people did not compliment me enough for the food. Eventually, the lack of appreciation discouraged me from holding these events.

You see, I am the kind of person who needs approval and reassurance from others. This quality also surfaced strongly during the recent summer workshop I taught with my teacher, Debra Silverman. After every class, I texted my friends and asked them how it was. I texted Debra to make sure she loved it. While it is natural and healthy to want feedback for improvement, my motivation for seeking feedback was more about seeking approval. I was anxious to hear that I did great.

Does it sound familiar?

And is it a bad thing?

My perspective is that we are perfect just the way we are. There is nothing wrong with us, including our ego, our neuroses, and our need for approval. Being neurotic, to some extent, is adorable. Neuroses is what comedians work with. They point out our neuroses and make us laugh. Jerry Seinfeld is a great example. Would Jerry Seinfeld keep performing if the audience did not laugh at his jokes? Like any performer, he, too, needs others’ approval.

Leo needs to be applauded and complimented. Without it, she feels insecure. The truth is, we all need approval, appreciation, applause, and compliments, no matter how much Leo we have in our chart. We can tell ourselves that it is stupid. We can try to be spiritual and say that we don’t care, but the truth is, we all want to hear that we are smart, beautiful, and good at what we do. Don’t you?

As I see it, we have two options to work with our need for approval. We can either hide it, judge ourselves for it, and feel terrible about it—the low road of Leo. Or we can accept it, embrace it, and laugh about it—the high road of Leo.  

Comparing my experience as a vegan chef with my current experience teaching astrology taught me that when you do something you genuinely love and were meant to do, you get the confirmation you need. I was not meant to be a vegan chef. I was meant to be an astrologer. The amazing feedback I got from Debra, my team, and hundreds of students echoed like the loud applause of a thrilled audience and made my heart explode with joy.

Especially on Sunday, when the Sun and the New Moon are dancing together in Leo, it is a great time to find the humor in our neuroses and our need for approval. Call a friend and ask her to compliment you. Ask your spouse to tell you why they love you. Post a gorgeous picture of yourself and ask people to tell you what they think. Make a performance and enjoy the applause. It is all about loving ourselves with our funny little egos and all.

And if your plans don’t work, that’s okay, too. Mercury will start retrograding this Monday, so go with the flow and try to laugh about that, too. We have made it through many retrogrades and will probably make it through this one, too. Probably.

Have a wonderful week,

With love,

Yael