Mercury backs into Sagittarius with a warning against egotism. Some don't realize that confidence is different from arrogance. Confident people are certain about who they are and what they can do. They also respect that others have different expertise, and they approach with humble curiosity. Arrogant people are dismissive of others in general.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Face and process your emotions in a controlled, safe environment — home alone, writing in a diary or hitting the pillow or the punching bag. This will prevent your feelings from coming out in uncontrollable ways.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You feel nervous around certain people. Maybe it's not as cute as it is in the movies. Maybe your body is really trying to tell you something about the dynamics of the relationship. Maybe your body is saying, "Run!"

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). When there's no clear path, you either make one or turn around and go home. Much will depend on how important it is to you and yours that you reach the destination you had in mind.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your worth isn't tied to another person, no matter who — no matter how powerful — that person might be. Seize the opportunity to assert your independence, if only to prove to yourself that you're whole on your own.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The performer in you comes with a thicker skin than most — part of the package deal. Because of this, you don't realize how delicate some people's feelings really are — something to be extremely aware of today.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Of course you want fun; who doesn't? But letting yourself have it whenever you want it is a recipe for weakness. Like a good parent, gently remind your inner child of the rewards for sticking to the job at hand until it's done.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). To have a vendetta in your heart can be a very motivating and positive force if used correctly. The "I'll show you" energy is powerful. Just note: No one ever "showed you" by making bad, self-destructive choices.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It's not always the case, but today things will work when they're right and they won't work when they're not right. Therefore, don't spend a lot of energy on trying to make something work when it's just not clicking in. Move along.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You're in a mood to ignore what you need to do, but the fact that you need to do it doesn't go away. Remember why. Remind yourself of the end goal. Want harder, and the motivation will come.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The silliness and absurdities of life don't get past you. Making someone laugh will be your specialty today, and it will make you happy to know you spread gales of joy across the heart of another.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). True, there's much you have to fix and more you have to do, but don't focus there if you can help it. Focus instead on growing what's already going exceptionally well.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You've been known to lose track of what makes you happy. When something makes you smile and laugh, make a note. It will help remind you to make more of these moments happen. Plus, when you look back, you'll relive the joy.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 4). Your path of compassion will lead you to care for needy individuals who turn out to give you exactly what you didn't know you needed and so much more. A reunion is in store. April begins a kind of treasure hunt. It's something else that makes your heart happy in March, but the extra money doesn't hurt, either. Scorpio and Cancer adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 4, 20, 18, 3 and 22.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTION: "This Scorpio used to make New Year's resolutions ever year, and guess what? I'm over it. Achieve success; don't achieve it. Who cares, when everything is so pointless? In the end, we all die, and it will only take a few generations before even the most successful person is forgotten."

Um... happy New Year to you, too? I will offer that success is not a collection of achievements but a path you follow to win at life at least for a moment or two. Sure, life is like Vegas: If you're lucky you might get ahead and make a nice run of it, too, but the house always wins in the end. Even so, if you can get death to chase you instead of the other way around, it will be a game well-played. So maybe the point is not to win, but to get so in love with the game that it's all you can focus on — and to get to playing so well that you leave death back there eating your dust. This is what I wish for you, dear Scorpio. But it's not something you can achieve by obsessing about the pointlessness of things. Of course, you're right that everything is pointless. This is all the more reason for you to get in there and give some of the things a point.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: The world would be a much different place for the visually impaired were it not for the efforts of Capricorn Louis Braille, whose revolutionary form of communication changed millions of lives and continues to do so today. Braille was a determined Capricorn with his Mercury in the determined sign as well and natal Venus in altruistic, philanthropic and future-thinking Aquarius.

To write to Holiday Mathis, visit www.creators.com/author/holiday-mathis and click "Contact."