Leo: The Good, The Bad, and the Loyal

Born in late August under an unruly summer sun, I truly embody all that is Leo. Fiery passion, loyal and proud. I have my flaws and my boons and wouldn’t have it any other way. If you’ve never met a Leo you liked before, it’s because you haven’t met me. We have a lot to offer, both good and bad.

First, let’s talk about the good. Leo’s are known for being full of life, like these giant balls of energy and fun. It is no wonder that they are also known for wanting to be the center of attention. Many make the mistake that thinking all Leo’s enjoy having all eyes on them and love to put on a show. While I have my moods, I am more of the silent observer who waits like a lioness on the hunt studying the world around me before deciding if I want to surprise everyone or not. I do, however, agree that having lots of passion and creativity is something that flows through me.

I am extremely protective, especially to friends and family but even to strangers. Anyone that I perceive as needing protection. In middle school and high school, I referred to myself as “the bullies bully.” I got along with almost everyone but I could never understand the need to pick on someone for something, especially if it was out of their control. Maybe it was because I am coming from an abusive family, but once my abuser died and I was freed, I felt empowered to make sure that wasn’t happening to others. I hope that I can continue that trend in my life.

Now for the not-so-good stuff. Leo’s can be very stubborn and I think that is because we are the fixed Fire sign. There's a cardinal, mutable, and fixed sign within every element (fire, earth, air, water) and there are 3 Zodiac signs for every element. Being the fixed fire sign we Leo’s are resolute and hard-headed and have a lot of pride. I mean, hello, our totem is a Lion and a group of lions is called a Pride. This brings me to the next kind of bad thing about Leo’s. Sometimes our pride gets in the way of so much. Like accepting help - in any form - but especially when it comes to money. Leo’s will not take handouts and we absolutely loathe needing to take money from anyone for any reason. I remember as a kid forgetting my lunch money and refusing to take food from my friends and going home hungry. It was something so simple and I told myself that I didn’t want to take away from them but really it had to do with being so stubborn that I would rather deal with a rumbly stomach and hunger pains than accept a little bit of help. It is a habit that as an adult I have not been able to break.

Despite our sign’s faults, Leos are natural-born leaders and the best friend you’ll ever have. In my opinion, the best leaders can also be followers. I know I have but have you ever had a job where you constantly said to yourself, “they have never done my job, why are they making the parameters for it?” I think that’s why I loved the show Undercover Boss - it proves my point. The CEOs would constantly change policy after doing the “grunt work” and discovering that it doesn’t work the way they have been doing it. That’s what good leaders do, they get down in the trenches and work with you to ensure that everything is running smooth. That’s my leadership style - I’ll never ask anyone to do something that I myself wouldn’t do. That includes my friends.

There have been times where I have been a much better friend to them than they ever have to me. Leo’s aren’t usually known for forgiveness but amongst my friends, I would say that I forgive things that others wouldn’t. For example, my best friend from high school slept with and had a relationship with my first love. We had only broken up because I moved across the country for school and the long-distance didn’t work. I learned from his mother about the affair and even though it tore us apart and it took years to build our trust back up with one another I am still friends with her almost 15 years after the fact. I helped her when her daughter was born and we even lived together for a time many years later. Is this chalked up to my “Leo Loyalty” as I call it? Perhaps. I could just be a sucker, but if I am I’ll never tell due to my pride.

If this hasn’t sold you on getting along with a Leo then that’s too bad. We truly do like to have a good time, share the fun and pack it all up when we are done.