Tips and Tricks for Surviving This Extra Spooky Bout of Mercury Retrograde

Every few months, for a period of about three weeks, the planet Mercury looks like it's moving backward on its elliptical orbit. It's not actually, but that's how it appears to us earthlings. When this happens, it's referred to as "Mercury Retrograde," and, if you're into astrology, this is the period when things get a little wonky. 

During Mercury Retrograde, we're supposed to take a beat, slow down a bit, and take stock of our current situations. But it can also... well... mess us up a bit. And this next Mercury Retrograde, the last of 2019, is a doozy.

2019's final period of Mercury Retrograde starts — spookily! — on Halloween. Oct. 31 will begin that period where things become topsy turvy and you're meant to look deep within yourself. 

According to Cosmopolitan, "when Mercury Retrograde happens in Scorpio, we aren't only experiencing technological hiccups and the occasional text from an ex — Scorpio's energy asks us to review our relationships with trust, intimacy, repressed emotions, and the darker sides of our minds." Sounds extra fun, right? 

Because Mercury Retrograde lands in Scorpio this time around, it's time to get down and dirty with your emotions. Don't shrug off problems in relationships that have been bothering you. This is the time to share where you're at emotionally and kick all those issues out from under the table you've been hiding them under. 

That being said, this isn't a time to make huge life decisions "based on your emotional state," according to Cosmopolitan. Yes, air your dirty laundry, get it out there, but then let it dry before you yank it off the line and do something with it. 

Use the time to reflect and connect with those around you on a deep level, and sit in that! Don't do anything drastic while Mercury is still in retrograde. Cosmopolitan also suggests that these three weeks are not the time "to be engaging in attention-seeking behavior. It'll likely be taken the wrong way by the wrong person."

Mercury Retrograde, as much as it gets a bad rap as a time when everything falls apart, really is just a reminder to slow down, recognize your position in the world, take care of yourself (seriously, now is the time to self-care it up), and to really sit with your emotions and allow yourself to make your well-being the priority for a few weeks. That doesn't sound so bad, does it? 

Still, this kind of time can be exhausting for many people. This all probably has you wondering...

November 20 is technically the last day of Mercury Retrograde for 2019. By this time, you should be through the bulk of the bumpy stuff, but do be warned that all Retrograde periods have "shadow phases" that last for a couple of weeks after they officially end. (Can't we ever get a break?)

This particular shadow phase will last until Dec. 7. During this period, as if you haven't sloooowed things down enough already, just take a breather, wrap up all the Mercury Retrograde drama that's lingering in your life, and take lots of deep breaths. Once Dec. 7 hits, you don't have to worry about another Mercury Retrograde until February 2020.