If you’ve been scrolling Instagram or TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen the same headlines: “Mercury Retrograde is ruining your life!” “Expect tech disasters, lost emails, and chaos!”

Here's what I want you to know: Mercury Retrograde doesn’t affect everyone the same way. That viral post about chaos in your love life? It might not even touch you. The only way to know where to pause, be careful, or take extra care is by checking your own birth chart.

But first, let me explain what Mercury Retrograde really is in my video: 

So if you’re wondering how to navigate this period without fear, here’s a simple, four-step approach I follow every retrograde:

Step 1: Pull Up Your Birth Chart

The first thing you need to do is know your chart. If you don’t already have one, free online calculators make it easy ~  just search “free birth chart calculator” (I like astro.com) and enter your birth date, time, and place. Having your chart in front of you is the only way to know where Mercury is hitting you personally, rather than blindly following generalized retrograde panic.

Step 2: See Which House Sagittarius Rules in Your Chart

Once your chart is open, look at which house Sagittarius is in. That house is where Mercury is asking you to slow down, review, and pay attention. This is the area of life that will feel the retrograde most strongly for you personally, and it’s the key to knowing where to pause or reorganize.

Step 3: Know What to Watch For

The house Mercury is retrograding in shows the part of your life to be mindful about. If Sagittarius is in your first or sixth house, your health, daily routines, and habits are highlighted ,  this isn’t the time to schedule major medical procedures or start a completely new regimen. If it’s in your third or ninth house, travel, learning, and communication are affected, so it’s best to avoid booking trips, signing travel contracts, or committing to big educational programs. And if Sagittarius sits in your tenth house, your career, public image, and big professional moves are in focus ~ hold off on launches, major shifts, or anything that puts you in the public eye in a big way.

Even though Mercury Retrograde impacts these areas, it’s not “bad.” This period is actually a cosmic invitation to review, refine, and reorganize. Think of it as a chance to catch mistakes before they happen and make more aligned, intentional choices.

Step 4: Use a Journal to Track Insights

One of my favorite tools during retrograde is my Cosmic Journal. Writing down what comes up in each affected area of your life helps you see patterns, uncover opportunities, and track where Mercury is asking you to slow down. You can make lists of projects that need tweaking, conversations to revisit, or decisions to hold off on. By journaling, you turn retrograde energy into actionable insight — it becomes a time for reflection and reorganization instead of stress and fear.

Mercury Retrograde doesn't have to be "bad" at all. Especially if you know what to do and not to do!.  I like to see it as a chance to slow down, and the very best time to reorganize before stepping into the next chapter. !

Happy Mercury Retrograde everyone! xx