Rule 1. Write it down before you look at the dates
Memory is a storyteller. Once you know Mercury was retrograde, you'll "remember" that everything broke exactly then. So note the problems as they happen — with the date — and only later compare them with the calendar.
Rule 2. Compare with a period of the same length, not with "life"
"Everything went wrong" means nothing on its own. Count how many things went wrong during the retrograde and during the same number of days right after it. That's the only fair comparison.
Rule 3. Decide in advance what would mean "this isn't about me"
Every claim needs a way to fail. If you can't name what would prove it wrong, it can't tell you anything. A method that fits everyone says nothing about anyone.
And "it didn't work for me" is a perfectly normal result — nobody is obliged to be the hero of an astrological plot.
Didn't keep notes this time? Good news
The next Mercury retrograde runs 9 February – 3 March 2027. Start writing things down three weeks earlier, on 19 January, and you'll have a clean "before", "during" and "after".
What to do this weekend
1. If you kept notes — count the mishaps during the retrograde, then keep noting for the same number of days after.
2. Pick one thing to test this winter. Just one, or you'll lose track.
3. Set a reminder for 19 January.
See it in your own chart
Your natal chart also shows your Human Design type, Life Path number and Destiny Matrix — five systems from one date.
How many things broke for you this retrograde? Count them — and compare with the next three weeks.
For entertainment and self-reflection. Not medical, financial or psychological advice.