Mercury celebrates the new year with a different outfit, slipping into his Aquarian garb. It's slick, sporty and fashion-forward with a social conscience that is more than just trendy — it's essential to the wellness of the planet. Between this change and the recent shift in Jupiter, the group mind becomes more inclusive, tolerant and open to change.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). As long as you're going to have ideas about yourself, you may as well focus on the ones that contribute to your happiness and confidence. Let the negative, disempowering stuff go.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). It is natural to pick up mannerisms, sayings and attitudes from people you admire. Sometimes you do this unconsciously, but right now you benefit from consciously picking and choosing what you want to adopt.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Matters of taste come up. Don't think about things in terms of what's good or bad, rather consider what's working better or worse. You will sharpen your awareness by studying effectiveness.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Take a break. Ideas won't come to a stressed-out mind. What would it take for you to be more at ease? Make yourself comfortable, as that's half the work.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Your interactions do not have to be serious to matter. To show up in a casual, lighthearted way will be a gift to others. A beautiful thing to add to the mix — levity, buoyancy, a wink or a giggle.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). There's something you need to "ship," at least metaphorically. It will require organization to pull off — not because it's difficult but because it's so easy that its importance could go overlooked.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You'll act as a project manager of sorts. You'll determine what has been done and what still needs doing. You'll make course corrections and plan for the next checkpoint.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Being involved with yourself isn't inherently bad. In fact, you could use more of it. You are the only one who can keep an eye on your inner world and therefore it is your sole responsibility to do so.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Worry has value, but a little goes a long way. Let your worry lead you to action. And if that action is simply to distract yourself from worry, it's still a plus!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Motivated by a juicy goal, you'll go full speed ahead, passing competitors, temptations and distractions. To pause to ponder or chat would spoil the delicious momentum.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You get to call the shots today. It begins when you say it begins and ends when you say it's over. Power is fleeting, so enjoy it while you're in it and use it well, tending to what you deem important.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You're thoughtful and will offer up symbols of your affection and appreciation. These tangible tokens will serve as touchstone reminders of the intangible generosity you deliver on the regular.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 1). You'll invent a new order for life and love. Certain things that have taken your time and energy didn't give back, and now you'll set the balance straight. By placing your efforts in more fertile areas, your world bursts into blossoms. New resources open up to you and you'll do something extraordinary with them. Aries and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 20, 22, 14 and 9.

GIVE 2022 A LUCKY START: Lucky foods are a tradition in many cultures for inviting fortune to favor the new year. Where I live in the American South, it's considered good luck to eat black-eyed peas, collard greens and cornbread on the first day of the year, and extra good luck to throw ham into that mix. In Italy and Brazil, it's lentils. Greeks have a cake with a coin in it. In Spain and Portugal, it's 12 grapes. But beyond eating our way into good fortune, how can we endear ourselves to the fickle fates?

Considering the Jupiter passage into Pisces, the most effective way of drawing the delights of destiny toward us will involve not so much chewing on food, but on feelings. The emotions we have stuffed down for the sake of keeping peace and civility are starting to expand inside us — an opportunity to better process what we missed the first time around.

Are you more likely to release your feelings with others or by yourself? Some are more apt to let the emotions out in a group, or even a crowd. Concerts, sporting events, church rooms and therapy rooms are places to get caught up in a group outpouring of emotion. Then there are the car singers, the shower criers and diary releasers who are much more likely to get things out in the safety of solitude. In either case, let the body and breath assist in letting go of what is doing us no good to carry around. Should old acquaintance be forgot? If said "acquaintance" is an angsty emotion, then yes. Release and forget about it!

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Two Revolutionary American heroes were Capricorns born on the first day of the year: war hero Paul Revere and American flag maker Betsy Ross. Revere was born under the warrior moon of Aries and had Mercury, Jupiter and Uranus in adventurous Sagittarius. Ross was born when the Moon was in Cancer, the sign of America and of patriotism.

Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

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