How To not be anxious during Mercury Retrograde

Well, it’s that time of year again… Mercury Retrograde. The interest in Mercury Retrograde and astrology has had a resurgence over the past decade. It’s not uncommon to hear someone say, is mercury in retrograde? I personally think Mercury Retrograde gets a bad rap because it’s misunderstood. Mercury Retrograde doesn’t pop up to make our lives hell. In fact, Mercury Retrograde happens 3 to 4 times every single year(and as a side note, other planets retrograde throughout the year too) for approximately 3 weeks(minus the shadow phases). So, it’s not some unusual thing that happens out of the blue. Mercury Retrograde is a consistent and natural part of life.

Since it is a part of life, it’s helpful to think of it like we do seasons. It’ll come, things will shift and change, and then a new season will begin. Mercury Retrograde provides us with the opportunity to rethink our current life trajectory. It’s a brief time for us to take a step back and reflect on if we would like to adjust and/or recommit to our current goals, and to begin to release what no longer makes us happy. We often get caught up in the grind of our everyday responsibilities that we don’t take a break to really think about our lives and if we are happy with the direction we are going. Again, Mercury Retrograde provides us with the opportunity to do just that. I find it helpful during Mercury Retrograde season to remember words that start with R: reflect, rest, redo, realign, retry, recommit, and release.

The planet Mercury is connected to communication, so yes, it is true that communication and technology can be impacted during this season. When things go awry, it’s often because we need to slow down and possibly rethink our approach. Mercury Retrograde provides us with the opportunity to slow down when miscommunications happen, and when technology breaks down. We can use these moments to take responsibility, adjust how we communicate with others, and adjust any negative self-talk we may have towards ourselves. These moments also provide us with the opportunity to use our coping skills (like journaling, going for a walk or spending time outdoors, taking more naps, listening to music or a meditation, spending in-person time with our loved ones), so that we can handle this brief season and its surprises.

So, please don’t be anxious when Mercury Retrograde season happens. Try to look at it as the universe giving you the opportunity to take some time to reflect on what truly makes you happy and the space to let go of what doesn’t.   

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