You hear about it a few times a year, and you probably know it sucks, but what does it really mean when Mercury is in retrograde? Well, to start with the basics, in astrology, Mercury is the ruler of communication, travel, and learning. The planets move from east to west, but when Mercury goes retrograde, it moves from west to east, which is why astrologers call it retrograde. This can cause issues with communication and technology. Not to worry, Mercury retrograde usually only lasts about three to four weeks.

Some things you should not do during this time are making any big purchases. Plane tickets, cars, computers, etc, don't do it. Chances are, your car will probably break down, your computer will crash, and your purchase may not be confirmed and you wouldn't even know it. Don't have any serious, potential fight causing conversations or relationship defining conversations. Don't make any business deals, either. In fact, you should probably just lock yourself in your room for the entire retrograde.

Mercury retrograde isn't all that bad, actually. There are a few (and I mean FEW) opportunities you can take to make the most of this time. For example, since the planet is basically moving backwards, you could always retrace your steps and heal old hurts you've been holding on to. Reevaluate and revise everything. Instead of missing an important detail, you may discover things you wouldn't have otherwise. Also, something positive you can do is go about your days like you normally would, pretend you didn't read this article and you don't know what precautions to take. The only out of the ordinary thing you should do is take notes on what seems to go wrong consistently. Next time retrograde comes around, use those notes to change how you go about this time, and see how much things change!

Don't let Mercury retrograde stress you out too much. The remaining dates for 2019 are July 7-July 31, and October 31-November 20. *None of this is backed by science.