Life
As of July 26 at 1:03 a.m., until the wee hours of the morning on August 19, Mercury retrograde summer 2018 will be here and, as with all Mercury retrogrades, there's just no escaping it. Basically, we need to sit tight, not fight it, and know that we're all in this together. Our lives will be affected in one way or another — from our love lives, to our work lives, to our social lives — especially since the beginning of this round of Mercury retrograde coincides with a total lunar eclipse, also known as a blood moon.
"Normally when Mercury is in the sign of Leo many of us want to have fun and be with our friends," astrologist, Linda Furiate, tells Bustle. "We want to express our enthusiasm and joy for life in a playful manner. When Mercury takes his journey backward this summer this may influence our social life... It may not matter what sign we are to feel the effects on our social life during the Mercury retrograde."
If you feel like your social life is suddenly not what it was before, Mercury retrograde could very well be to blame. Here's what astrologers say you can expect for the next few weeks, no matter what your sign is. (Although, according to Furiate, Leo is going to feel things a little more than the rest of us.)
1
Your Interests Won't Be In Playing
With this second helping of Mercury retrograde this year, the desire to play and have fun just won't be there, says Furiate. Instead, you're likely to "feel the fire elsewhere" and where that place will be is your in work life. That's where you'll be concentrating your time and energy.
2
You May Feel The Need To Disconnect
"The enthusiasm and gusto in our desire to engage with our friends may be temporarily replaced by a need to disconnect and recharge," says Furiate. And, honestly, this could be a good thing! As a society, we don't disconnect enough. We may be social creatures, by design, but that doesn't mean we don't need time off from our fellow human beings. So if you feel the urge to cut from or deactivate any of your social media accounts, embrace it and go for it.
3
You Might Find Yourself Easily Aggravated By Your Social Circle
"Mercury retrograde is notorious for traffic snafus, misunderstandings, computer crashes (data loss), and delays," astrologer and psychic, Cindy Mckean, tells Bustle. "When the retrograde kicks into high-gear on July 26, you may want to watch how you speak to your special someone."
Whether you feel like you're walking on egg shells with your friends or are easily annoyed by what your friends are saying, it's all part of Mercury retrograde. However, in knowing that misunderstandings are inevitable during the next few weeks, you can, ideally, let things roll off your back instead of letting them turn your world upside down.
4
You Could Have More Cancellations Than Usual
Although there's no denying that canceling plans can sometimes feel amazing, no matter if we're the one who's canceling or being canceled upon, at some point cancellations can take a toll — you know, after like 25 or so, in a row. Well, you can expect cancellations and postponements to be running high during this Mercury retrograde. So either get ready now to be excited or disappointed.
5
You May Feel Exhausted By People, Places, And Things
"Many of us may feel a drain on our energy levels prompting us to stay closer to home," says Furiate. "This is an excellent time to finish reading that book or to re-watch your favorite movie."
If you feel this more than usual, don't fight it or try to force things. If everyone around you is canceling, then join them in cancellations and enjoy some alone time doing low-key things that make you happy. That favorite movie isn't going to re-watch itself for the 100th time.
6
You Might Have A Desire To Connect With An Old Friend
All this solo time is bound to make some of us feel a bit lonely. According to Furiate, this Mercury retrograde is the perfect time to reach out to someone from your past and pick up where you left off or fix what might be broken.
"If you are feeling lonely and now have the time," says Furiate, "this Mercury retrograde may offer you a superb occasion to reach out to a forgotten friend to re-kindle your relationship and to engage in fun times."
From wanting to retreat and disconnect, to having the urge to reach out to a friend you haven't seen in awhile, there's a lot going on here the next few weeks. But no matter how Mercury retrograde affects your social life this summer, just know that it's temporary. By August 19, things will be making their way back to relative normalcy.
