2006 is an important year for everyone, regardless of your zodiac sign. However, your personal Chinese animal can point the way to success in 2006.

First, you'll need to know which animal rules your year of birth, according to Chinese astrology. Use the handy chart at Feng Shui Horoscope - Your Lucky Animal.

Now, check what's in the stars for your sign, below:

Rat: Cheer up and accept good luck as your right!
For the very lucky sign of the Rat, 2006 may be a year of surprises. Romance and financial improvements will open up for you if you shed bad habits. Most importantly, don't use the past as the basis of your future expectations.

Don't let stress take charge in 2006. In other words, quit procrastinating; your resources--including minor health issues--may not be reliable in 2006. Plan ahead!

Also, don't turn to unhealthy habits to relieve stress. I'm especially talking about overspending or--at the other extreme--obsessing about money. Instead, take up yoga, walk on the beach, spend time in art galleries, go to concerts, or find other ways to bring serenity to your life.

Ox: The tide goes out, the tide comes back in.
The Ox has a challenging 2006 ahead. The tide will go out--several times and in many ways during 2006--but it also comes back in again. In cycles, career, finances, and romance may seem to be slipping away (or even running away). Remain calm, reasonable, and--above all--patient, and by the end of the year you will see solid (and sometimes dramatic) improvements in all areas.

Get to the gym to work out stress and anxieties, eat well, and trust that the tide will come back in... you just need patience and optimism, and to learn from your mistakes without excuses.

Tiger: Share the work and share the wealth.
Luck is in your corner this year! 2006's big lesson is to accept help--and share your successes--with others. If you get greedy, and try to do it all (and keep it all) yourself, life will feel pretty empty by the end of the year.

Don't rely on any one person, any one investment, or any one way of accomplishing your goals. Delegate as much as you can, and take advantage of networking opportunities at least once a month. Schedule them, if necessary. If you learn to play very well with others, 2006 could be your best year ever.

Rabbit: Learn to walk in others' shoes... slowly.
For 2006, learn from that famous "Tortoise and the Hare" story: Slow and steady wins the race. Curb your temper, and listen carefully to what others mean, not just what they say.

Take no risks, especially with your health. Start the new year with a good diet and exercise plan--not a fad (that should be in neon lights)--and then stick to it.

I won't pretend that 2006 will be easy. In fact, it may test your patience to extremes. Develop your talents in the areas of empathy and truly understanding others' viewpoints, and this may be a pivotal year that paves the way for extraordinary luck in the future.

Dragon: Appreciate (literally) what you already have.
Like other zodiac signs, 2006 will test your self-control. Unlike other signs, 2006 is your year to learn self-reliance, and to trust your "gut feelings" when dealing with others.

Don't confuse that with being impulsive! This is a very bad year to speculate in the stock market, or rush from "couch potato" mode to an "iron man" competition, or any other risky activity. Also, if you have a good romance now, don't take your partner for granted; Dragons should not look for new romantic partners in 2006.

Mostly, invest your time and resources in what you already have. By making steady improvements in yourself, your home, your career, and your relationships, you'll be ready for a dynamic 2007.

Snake: Reap the harvest, but don't fool around.
2006 is the year you've been waiting for. The hard work you've invested in the past is ready to pay off. Doors will open... perhaps more than you're used to; don't let that go to your head. Simply accept your fortune with gratitude, and keep working hard.

There's only one red flag in 2006: You're likely to attract members of the opposite sex...in droves. If you're already in a relationship, don't think that "new" always means "better." If you're not in a relationship, date only casually in 2006; things may not be what they seem, in romance.

Horse: Everyone will be envious.
If I could swap lives with anyone this year, it'd be someone in the sign of the Horse. Get ready for luck, luck, and more luck. In every area of your life, you'll meet with uncanny good fortune. Accept it graciously. That's the only advice you need. Don't blow it by becoming pompous, arrogant, or investing foolishly.

Sheep/Ram: In the face of challenges, build a reputation of integrity.
You have two choices for 2006: Either spend the year with the Peace Corps or some charitable project, or make 2006 an entirely by-the-numbers year. The good news is, if you pass this test, the future will reward you.

Honestly, in 2006, there won't be much way for you to avoid juicy temptations that can turn your life upside down. Wine, women, and song... they will sing a siren song in 2006. It's a "character building" year for you. Cut up the charge cards, stick to healthy routines, and don't try to sneak out of work early on Fridays. Drive below speed limits, and--if you're in a relationship--don't flirt, even in an online chat.

If you can stay out of trouble in 2006, you'll build a reputation that will attract all the right people--including potential investors--starting in 2007.

Monkey: Set goals, choose reasonable targets, and you'll reach them.
Monkeys are emerging from a challenging 2005, older and wiser. As you enter 2006, let the unhappy past go. Keep the good things you've learned and accumulated, set new goals, and then plan reasonable steps to achieve those goals. 2006 is your year of living a charmed life.

In fact, you'll be so lucky, if you let it go to your head, you'll set yourself up for a disastrous 2007. Be true to your friends and your romantic partner. Be generous with your clients in business, and try not to crow too much when 2006 presents one stroke of good luck after another.

Rooster: Pace yourself and accept the good with the bad.
In Chinese astrology, 2005 was your year. 2006 is not. That's no one's fault... not yours, not your spouse's, not your co-workers'. You may have to look for opportunities in 2006, but they are there, and they will be important.

You had a lot of luck that moved you forward in 2005. In 2006, you can keep most of what you gained last year, IF you quickly step up to the plate and accept a heaping dose of responsibility. 2005 provided you with many new assets. Do you know what they are? If not, sit down right now and make a list of what you accomplished in 2005, and what you can do to enhance that. Tackle each area, one at a time, and by the end of 2006, you'll be ready for another surge forward.

Dog: Affluence, luck and windfalls require sober management.
Oh you lucky dog! 2006 is going to be a year of unexpected opportunities in every area of your life. First and most importantly: Don't rush into anything. Opportunities will continue to fall into your lap throughout 2006, so don't feel as if you have to commit to any one new job, investment, or relationship. Consider your other options, especially in the first few months of 2006.

The one and only way that you can get into trouble this year is if you confuse windfalls with stable income. Don't loan money; don't invest unless you can lose every cent of it and not lose sleep at night. Don't commit to car or house payments expecting 2006's trends to continue. In 2007, they will level off.

Conserve everything that comes your way this year. They'll provide the foundation you'll build on starting in 2007.

Pig: Identify your unique strengths and stay in focus.
2006 is going to test your patience. It's also going to be a year of profound self-examination, with the potential to soar in future years.

In the past, you've been playing it safe. Even if you've been a little bit of a renegade, you've carefully stayed as mainstream as possible.

Well, 2006 is going to force you to identify what makes you different, and shine the spotlight on that. It's like "niche marketing," but it will involve more than just how you handle your career. You may need a new wardrobe, a new car, and a total lifestyle change, to accommodate who you really are, inside; that's where your strengths are.

Sure, this sounds like mid-life crisis, and maybe it is. But, if you continue to try to look like everyone else, you'll lose big as your competitors--in all areas of life--sweep success right out from under you.

Instead, be the very best YOU that you can be, and live loud and large. It may fray your nerves to make these changes in 2006, but... on a gut level, you knew that this was overdue.

In general..
The upcoming year will be challenging for most people. However, the changes that you make (and enjoy) in 2006 offer you stability and a solid base to expand on--in every area of your life, but especially in romance and finances--for the future.