The conjunction of Mercury and Neptune casts strange emotional shadows. Don't let fear be your lens. Everyone feels inadequate about something or other. And a comparison against a person who is successful in the area of one's inadequacy would be unwise. Don't waste time with that. Channel strong feelings into improving your own lot.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Over the course of the day, you'll definitely get less done than you wanted to. That's OK. As long as you keep plugging away, you'll also get way more accomplished over the next three months than you thought possible.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). People who are more socially connected tend to be less materialistic. To live simply is a virtue and a skill that pays back spiritual dividends. In short, the less you need the happier you'll be.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Right now, your hottest clue about the future can be found in the past. This involves three magic steps. Study the history; look for patterns; and believe them when you see them.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your eloquence is undeniable. It's not about what you say; it's about what you don't say. You'll be guided by a sense of restraint that will hold you in good stead.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Take stock in all that you can do in the current situation. It's more than you could see in the beginning, and you'll continue to grow in power if you don't give your power away.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You'll be the first among your friends to recognize a need and fulfill it. To give a little is to give a lot, as it's a direction to lean into, and it starts a trend of generosity.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It's as if love really does make the world go around — and not in a particularly reciprocal sort of way. It may be that you're chasing someone or something that is chasing someone or something else.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You never know what someone else is going through. What looks like a routine action may actually be requiring great courage and perseverance of a person. Your kindness and soft heart will be appreciated.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). For today, if you can't see which option is right, then there is no right option. In such a case, the best move is no move. When it's time to act, you'll feel it.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Distraction isn't always negative. In fact, distraction can be just what's needed to help you through a healing process or a transition. You'll come back later with a more enlightened perspective.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Hope is crucial, and there's not enough of it. Be an agent of hope. When the facts do not point in a hopeful direction, hold on to hope anyway. The very act of hoping can sometimes be enough to turn things around.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). This is no time to return to where you've been and what you've done. That's over. Moving on won't be hard once you commit. The mantra now: "Tomorrow." Go ever forward.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (April 2). A liberation takes place over the next five weeks. A counterintuitive approach will be your success key. For instance, the answer to getting what you've wanted for a long time is to stop trying. An upgrade in June allows you to make more money. September brings the boost your family has needed to strengthen ties. Aries and Gemini adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 40, 3, 33 and 17.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTION: "I want a house. My wife doesn't. She's 15 years older than I am and has a grown child. She says she's already taken care of her share of houses in her life and would rather live in a small apartment and not have the work involved in a big property. But I've never owned a house. I was brought up with the idea that after a man makes a certain amount of money, he should buy a house and settle in. What advice do you have for a Capricorn married to an apartment-dwelling Virgo?"

Don't stress. Two earth signs should be able to work this one out. You both benefit from the stability that comes from ownership. What your Virgo wife is afraid of is not the house but the housework. She thinks it would most likely fall under her realm of responsibility, and statistically speaking, she could be right. This is your chance to prove to her how handy and conscientious you can be. Are you neat and tidy? Do you take care of business? Prove it by detailing her car, building her a shelf or taking over the cooking and cleaning for a string of days. Your actions, combined with the right house situation, could very effectively cause her to change her mind.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Lovely and legendary artist Emmylou Harris is in the Country Music Hall of Fame and has a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, among other accolades in a long and varied music career that is still going strong. The powerful Aries music warrior was born when Mercury, Venus and Mars were all in musical Pisces, suggesting incredible powers of empathy and a serious gift of soul.

Write Holiday Mathis at [email protected].