Imagery: Unsplash

Words: Emma Vidgen // @emma_vee

Do you ever find yourself saying yes to things, while thinking “I know I’m going to regret committing to this.” Literally the words “Yes! I’d love to!” are coming out of your mouth and you’re internally you’re thinking, “Why am I saying this? I don’t even know what I am having for dinner let alone what I’m doing in two weekends time”.

As women we’re so deeply programmed to be accommodating and polite. As little girls we were taught to be obliging, compliant, cooperative. All that conditioning means we so often say “yes” without really asking ourselves what we really want..

This last mercury retrograde of the year (from 17 November until 7 December AEST) is going to be particularly conducive to speaking before we think, and one of the ways as women we’re most guilty of that, is saying “yes”. Add to that the seasonal intensity this time of year brings, when the pressure to “do” – at work/ school/friends/family is at its most hectic and you’ve got a recipe for overcommitting.

“We so often say ‘yes’ without really asking ourselves what we really want…”

So this mercury retrograde we’re gonna give “yes” a rest. That doesn’t mean we have to blow off every invite or offer that comes our way. Just allow ourselves the space to pause, take a moment and say “let me check my calendar and get back to you”. It might not feel easy or comfortable (after all, this is not how we usually roll) but we guarantee you won’t ever regret taking a moment before you commit.

How to survive the final Mercury retrograde for 2018

“We so often say ‘yes’ without really asking ourselves what we really want…”