Get ready for shit to start going awry. Yeah, you guessed it. Mercury goes into retrograde on July 26th, 2018 and the suffering will last until August 19th. Planet Mercury controls communication, so it’s no wonder why you and your significant other end up having a full-blown argument from a simple statement or your computer takes a dive. I used to get this overwhelming feeling of chaos, and every time I’d check, we were smack dab in the middle of Mercury Retrograde. Now, I’ve smartened up and I prepare myself for this frustrating but useful time of year.

For those unfamiliar, Mercury Retrograde occurs between 3-4 times a year. Luckily, we only have to endure it 3 times in 2018!  Mercury passes the earth in its orbit. It appears to be going backwards, but it’s not. A year in Mercury is 88 days. So while here on earth where we experience 365, Mercury has already undergone about 4 years.

Some things to keep in mind that should be highly avoided if possible:

Signing contracts- Simply because there may be overlooked wording or misunderstanding in what you are signing. If you must sign that new lease agreement, make sure to have an extra set of eyes to go over it.

Communication- Are you and the BFF easily annoyed with each other as of late? Or, does your boyfriend seem to be on your last nerve with anything he says? Well, that is typical when in Mercury Retrograde. Also, double check you don’t hit “reply all” to that important and confidential email to your business partner. Recognize there is a failure in communication during this time period and don’t let it hold too much weight. This is surely not the time to be overly sensitive.

Technology- This would be the best time to make sure all your data is backed up on the cloud. Also, be extra cautious around your devices. That glass of water will just happen to knock over, drenching your phone.

New endeavors- Don’t start new projects during this time. I even halted the release of my blog because we were in a retrograde. It is also suggested avoid making any big purchases. That new car you want can wait a couple weeks if it’s going to prevent you from a complete headache in the future.

Travel- Since Mercury rules communication, you’ll often find that you’ve booked your flight for the wrong day, the GPS is not working on your road trip, or the computer system at the hotel has crashed and they are unable to check-in guests.

Now that you are completely terrified of what is to come next week, let me enlighten you with the positive. Use this time to wrap up any loose ends. Anything that starts with “RE” as in review, readdress, redesign, etc. will be beneficial to finish during this time period. We have so many incomplete projects; this is the perfect time to put anything new on hold and take care of unfinished business. Once I was prepared for this planetary shift, it didn’t seem to have as big of an impact on me. You got this, babe!