It’s the last night of Mercury’s retrograde and my car that’s older than me has overheated and leaked itself into a nonfunctional mess. Feeling pretty bummed, I trudged through my front door—agonizing my loss in the comfort of my brother and friends. After regaling them with the story of my misfortune, it quickly became clear I wasn’t the only one facing struggle. One by one, everyone’s tale began with a dissatisfied “well this week…” From breakups to car breakdowns it seemed we all had a reason why our week wasn’t going so great. It felt like practically everyone was in a funk of some kind—relationships were stressed, plans were falling through, and emotions were beyond high.

To say the least, that damned retrograde has left me mourning a city I no longer call home, facing the pressures of new job opportunities, suffering through an unnecessarily complicated move, and dealing with an extremely irrational someone. Although we’ve all awaited its liberating end, I’m always left asking the question “is Mercury retrograde really that bad?” Sometimes it seems as if it’s easiest to focus on the “bad” and forget the good that’s happening. With Mercury retrograde winding down, I’ve reflected on the good that’s accompanied the setbacks. This retrograde I found a lost ring, cleared the air with a close friend, and I had two good hair days! Recognizing these small victories, I can’t help but wonder if we are manifesting our own troubles. According to Well And Good, Mercury retrograde isn’t always a bad thing. It can be a great time for new beginnings, which are sometimes stressful and uncomfortable—embrace it. Beginning a new project, or finishing an old one, is a great thing to do during Mercury retrograde—noted as being a great creative catalyst and cosmic “fresh start”.

Maybe next time, instead of saying “look out, Mercury is in retrograde again!” we can all look forward to the positive change brought on by it. Focus on how the retrograde can help you. This could be a great time to finish unfinished business, channel creativity, find lost items, or engage in self-reflection.

If you stay positive, the next Mercury retrograde can potentially be something to look forward to!