About 3 times a year, Mercury looks like it backtracks in the night sky. This is what retrograde means. In the last few years it’s become kind of a catch-all for irritating things and minor inconveniences. It is a time where forward motion can feel like you’re slogging through jello, metaphysically speaking, but it’s such a good time for introspective work and some creative works.

So, here are a few things that are actually a good idea to do during Mercury Retrograde.

It’s a great time to look inward and work on self reflection. And this particular one, happening as we settle in for winter is especially good for turning inward as we finish out the year.

It’s a fantastic time to get creative. Been thinking about doing some writing? Getting out the old sketchbooks? This is a great time to do so, especially first drafts. Don’t stop and critique it, and make a point to ignore that inner voice that often tells us our work is crappy. A lot of the creative juice will come from deeper in your subconscious than during normal times, so don’t worry about processing it till after. You’ll likely be able to see it in a deeper way as you make any changes at that time.

It’s also a good time, believe it or not, to revisit a habit change. Maybe you started a meditation practice and life got in the way. Maybe you started journaling and just tapered off. The fact that your subconscious is closer to the surface during the retrograde will work in your favor as you do give something a second chance. You’ll still have that internal resistance to change, but you’ll be more likely to be able to see *why* you’re resisting, and that can only help you on your way.

Lastly, it’s a good time to practice kindness and patience-for ourselves and for others. People will stumble in communication, plans may get tossed out the window, moods may get frazzled. Taking a deep breath and a mental step back from intense situations is often the moment we need to keep from adding to an intense situation.

Social media likes to make a giant deal out of everything, so it can seem like a retrograde is The End Of All Things, but it’s really just the universe doing the things it’s always done so there’s no real reason to panic. Just remember to take a few deep breaths and use this time to look inward and maybe think about what’s next.