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Stand your ground.
By Emily Ratay — Written on Sep 29, 2018
There are some things in life you will probably never do. Not in an "I won't get a chance to experience this thing" kind of way, more of an "I will never negotiate on this one thing" kind of way. These are things you will never compromise on.
They are your core values that you can't live without. If you compromised on the things that made you so uniquely you, then you would be betraying yourself, wouldn't you? Okay, this is probably a little confusing, so let's take a step back.
Let's say that you are an amazing friend. Everyone knows that they can count on you to be there whenever they ask and that you're the kind of person who will always go above and beyond to make your friends happy – it's just who you are!
You could say that your one of your core values is being a good friend (for simplicity's sake). So, you could never compromise on how valuable your friendships are to you.
Not if someone wanted to get you to trash talk one of your friends, not if the new person you're dating wanted you to break your plans with your BFF, and not even if binge-watching The Handmaid's Tale sounded like a better Sunday afternoon than helping a friend move.
When you make a promise to the people you care about, you keep it, period. Every zodiac sign has something like this that they would never compromise on. For some zodiac signs, it's something specific like never compromising on their friendships or themselves.
For others, it spans more broadly, like never compromising on love or integrity. But no matter what you'd never compromise on, it's a part of yourself you know you could never give up.
And refusing to compromise on something makes you strong, brave, and sometimes even a little unpopular – but it also means you can tough anything out as long as you stand your ground. Usually when we compromise on things that are important to us, it makes us feel like we're betraying part of ourselves.
Compromising can be exhausting and stressful, and it can eat away at our self-respect. Rather than standing up for what you believe in, compromising means caving in to what someone else wants.
Of course, there are times when compromise is a good thing – like in relationships – but there is a difference between compromising on fighting for what your relationship needs and compromising on fighting for your relationship. You'd never compromise on sticking with your partner through thick or thin, but you could definitely compromise who pays for drinks next time you're out.
Astrology reveals what traits are core to your horoscope, at birth. Of course, you're free to choose, but do you? Here's what you'll never compromise on, based on your zodiac sign.
ARIES (March 21 - April 19)
Aries, you’re certainly not the kind of person to listen to what anyone has to say – especially if they try to control your life with their opinions. But it isn’t because you’re stubborn or insolent. It’s because only you know what’s best for your life and your future. And if there’s one thing you’ll never compromise on, it’s yourself. You need to be an original in this world.
Life is way too short for you to let someone else live vicariously through you. People might try to give you some pointers on making the right decision or tell you that they know best, but you believe in making your own mistakes and trusting your process. You want to look back on your life and know that you did it your way, not anyone else’s way.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)
Taurus, you are one of those people who secretly works harder than everyone else around you. Of course, not a lot of people know this because you’re not one to brag about how much effort you put into things that matter most to you. But whether people know about it or not (and they’ll only really know if they see you in action), you push yourself for yourself, no one else.
You will never compromise on hard work. You’re not afraid to get your hands dirty because you know that the satisfaction of a job well done is one of the best feelings in the world. Whether it’s keeping your relationship strong, working your way up the career ladder, or sticking by your family through thick or thin, you’re always ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20)
Gemini, you try to be everything to everyone. One of your best traits is that you would rather spread yourself thin to make everyone happy than only share the love with a few people. While you wish there was an easier way to be in two (or three or four) places at once, you’ll settle for making time for everyone. This is why you’ll never compromise on your ability to compromise.
When you’re able to stay flexible and easy-going, it means you’re able to be there for whoever needs you. You want to be everyone’s best friend, so you’ll do whatever it takes to be that person. You’ve always been a pro at adapting to your situations, too, so even when life gets busy, you still carve out time for the people you love.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22)
Cancer, your family is your lifeblood – that is why you would never compromise on them. Through thick or thin, they are the ones who will always have your back. You know better than anyone that life can get chaotic and stressful, but like a crab with its home on its back, you always keep the things and people you love most close to you.
For you, the family doesn’t just mean the family you were born into. It can also mean anyone who has always been there for you, anyone who has taught you about the world, or anyone you look up to. You could never compromise on the people who helped you become the person you are today, so no matter where life takes you, your family is the one thing you’ll never leave behind.
LEO (July 23 - August 22)
The phrase YOLO has gone from inspiring to eye-roll-inducing, but you can’t deny the basic message, Leo. You really do only life once, so you might as well live it up as much as you possibly can. You don’t care if someone calls you reckless and crazy or irresponsible and wild, one thing you’ll never compromise on is living your life. Plus, you learn best through experience, which means you have to live it up, right?
You’re the kind of person to take this promise as seriously as possible. You love taking risks at work, making mistakes (and learning from them), and falling in love again and again. You also know that living your life means never regretting anything because there’s always a little bit of good that comes from bad situations. For that reason, you always try to live life with no regrets and a whole lot of fun.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)
Virgo, when you start something, you stick with it to the end. There’s no such thing as compromise in any aspect of your life because to you, compromise means giving up. One thing, in particular, you never compromise on is your discipline. You believe that the best things in life come from motivation, dedication, and intention, no matter how big or small.
If anyone is a role model for making goals and sticking with them, it’s you. You are the kind of person who finds the most satisfaction in achieving what you set out for yourself, so making sure you never compromise on what you want for yourself is vital. You’re incredibly inspiring this way and in the way you never let anyone disrupt your flow.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22)
It’s so easy for us to get caught up in betrayal, jealousy, and lust, but you’re somehow able to look past all that when others can’t, Libra. And one thing you never compromise on is love. You don’t care what kind of love is needed – familial, platonic, romantic – you believe that when all of the world is dark and unsure, love is something you can always count on.
For you, life is a lot better when you live it with your heart. Sure, others might see this as a way to get yourself hurt or get your heart broken, but you see it as a necessity. Love doesn’t always come easy in this world, so you understand the value of making an effort to love when you can just as easily refuse to love. But for you, there are no compromises when choosing to love and no exceptions to who deserves your love.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21)
Scorpio, you are the kind of person who takes your relationships very seriously – familial, platonic, and romantic. You believe that the relationships you cultivate with people you care about should be based on a foundation of trust. Where others would be able to let some things go in their relationships, you never compromise on trust.
Even though others don’t operate like you when it comes to pretty much anything, you don’t let that persuade you into being someone you’re not. You’re intense and you believe that people need to earn your trust, so you don’t let yourself feel like you have to change your ways for anyone. If people can’t respect how you want to be treated, then they don’t deserve you, no compromises.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21)
Sagittarius, you are another one of those zodiac signs that needs bountiful experience to really grow in life. You’re a firm believer that you can really never know something until you experience for yourself. You want to be able to use your experience to teach others, learn more about yourself, and live life the way it was intended.
For this reason, you will never compromise on growth. Experiences, heartbreaks, mistakes, and failures are your way of growing. And if something makes you excited to get up in the morning and satisfied at the end of the day, why would you want to give that up?! Growth gives you the wisdom and perspective you need to be the best you that you can be.
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)
No one likes to be in the wrong, Capricorn, least of all you. But even you know that acknowledging when you’re wrong and righting it is a sign of strength, not weakness. If there is one thing you can never compromise on, it’s the value of apologizing. This isn’t to say that you spend your entire life apologizing for things because you don’t. It means that you’re able to admit when you’re wrong and own up to your mistakes.
It takes a big person to say, “You know what? That’s not okay, let me make it right,” and you are definitely that person. You know that failure comes with the territory of always hunting for success, but you also know that failure doesn’t mean giving up. It means reevaluating the situation and diving back in, which might include an apology to yourself or someone else, but either way, it’s an important part of your character.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18)
Aquarius, you spend so much of your time helping others and making a difference in the world. And trust me, it does not go unnoticed. Anyone who knows you can see what an impact you’re making and how hard you work to make things happen. This hard work and motivation you have for literally everything in your life makes up the foundation of you as a person.
You would never compromise the person you are – more specifically, you would never compromise your integrity. Life is about practicing what you preach. You don't expect anyone to take you seriously if you can't show them that you mean it, so you spend your time proving you're a good friend by being there for others, showing that you mean what you say by being intentional, and believing in your mission always.
PISCES (February 19 - March 20)
You don't care how cheesy it sounds, Pisces – you always try to follow your dreams. Dreams are what get you up in the morning, what makes you want to actually try, and what makes you happiest. So, naturally, you would never compromise on your dreams. Even when others call you silly or tell you that you're not being realistic enough, you know that the only opinion that matters is your own.
One of the best things about being a dreamer is that you're not afraid to take risks. You know that there's always a chance that you can fail, but the slim chance that you could succeed is what keeps you motivated. Maybe you don't believe it just yet, but you will change the world one day, Pisces. If you continue to refuse to compromise on your dreams, you will make big things happen.
Emily Ratay is a full-time writer living in Pittsburgh. She's passionate about the environment and feminism, and knows that anything is possible in the right pair of shoes. She plans on writing a non-fiction book in the future.