Hey Susan, how are you? Some very good soul searching here. I'm with you on everything.

Hope all is well. x

The Ben has good advice.

And I'm fine... as long as you still give good hugs... when appropriate.

Do remember that being "fixed" is usually taken in a different context by men... ...not a positive one.

"Fixing" is a virtue though in your field of work. You "make it happen" and that is good overall. Your customers will love you. Your boss? Well as long as you are not being taken advantage of.

However, in one's personal life good boundaries are a better rule. What's a good boundary? I dunno. (something I'm working on...)

Hope you don't mind, I 'borrowed' part of your horoscope to post on my Facebook page.

I suppose you've been on this changeover for a year or two now. It doesn't happen overnight. I'm on the same long journey. Though your path now is a healthy one, and you'll progress better if you reduce the time you spend beating yourself for having been a fixer in the past. Some of your earlier decisions made more sense--in context--than you can see right now. Repeating the mantra "I was a total fool," no matter how beautifully expressed, may stiffen your resolve, but can also have the effect of eroding your confidence in your makeover.

Plus it's not true, not in the negative sense. The only thing total about you was idealism, and from there you were human. Not wanting to completely lose your urge to help others is the best thing you said. Lately I've had more success convincing people to take care of themselves by subtle means than I ever did by blunter ones. If you see someone running with scissors, steer them away from the slippery floor. They'll put down the scissors by themselves.

Here's what you need reminding of: You are admirable now, and you were admirable then. Mistakes and all, you were doing the right thing based on what you knew, and that's wonderful.

The horoscope could apply to many of us, regardless of star sign but melancholy is something I'd find difficult to put aside at times.

As for the rest, yes I'm another people pleaser and know the hurt and frustrations of not being able to put things right for everyone. But that old cliche you can't please all of the people all of the time still holds good.

A shoulder, an ear, a smile or a hug are sometimes all others need from us and you're right to try and take a step back and focus on your own needs for a while.

Happy Humbug to you and yours too.

oh wow.
i see a lot of me in here. i'm a big time people pleaser, even though i've been forced to disappoint many with my religious endeavors. but still, i'm convinced (even though i'm told the contrary) that i do have control over other people's reactions.

i do i do i do!

i'm working on not being a "fixer" too. i'm finding i get a lot more friends that way. go fig

LOVING the horoscope. I think I need to read it a few hundred times until it's seared into my memory.

you go girl...love and hugs to you and thomas....

oh a MEppy CHRISTbug

This horoscope sounds like it was written by a drill sergeant, get out of bed – drop down and give me twenty!!

"Melancholy people are only appealing in works of fiction."
~ what a interesting observation....

Merry Christmas!

I missed this wonderful entry the first time. I get where you are coming from. I guess I was lucky because cancer came and tossed a cold ice bucket in my face at age 40. I immediately had to drop baggage. I tried not to pick it back up.

My thought on your wish list is that the easiest thing to change is to lose weight (I can hear you laughing yeh right). I didn't mean it was easy, just the easiest to put as your first step. Once you are feeling better and have more energy, more of the list will fall into place.

Whatever you decide - I support you spending time on you .