Retrograde Season and Burnout
Why you’re so tired (and what to do about it)
I rocked this hat to summer camp drop off today and three moms stopped me to laugh and say, “girl same”. The burnout feels so real for all of us, despite it being the peak of summer.
So, what’s up? Why are we all waking up exhausted, regardless of how much sleep we’re getting? Why are we all feeling foggy when it comes to our messaging, our sales, and our feelings about our businesses in general?
5 Major Planets are in Retrograde.
Back on July 18th, Mercury joined Saturn, Neptune, Pluto, and Chiron in retrograde. And while retrogrades get a lot of hype for tech glitches or emotional chaos, what they’re really doing is pulling our energy inward.
I like to think of them more as invitations to slow down, reset, and see what’s no longer aligned.
Here’s a quick energetic briefing on each one:
Saturn is asking us to stop striving. If you’re feeling extra frustrated by trying to hold it all together, she’s literally telling you: it’s time to rework your system.
Neptune is peeling back illusions. You might feel disoriented, but it’s because you’re finally seeing clearly (especially those things you didn’t want to see).
Pluto is digging up deep power patterns like control, performance, identity. Things that no longer fit are falling apart for a reason.
Chiron is bringing old wounds back up… not with an intention to punish, but to help us integrate and heal.
Mercury is twisting the way we think and communicate. Think of her as casually reshaping how we think, speak, and process. Don’t be surprised if you’re second-guessing things that used to feel certain.
When we layer this on top of summer’s outward, social energy, it can feel extra confusing… kind of like you're supposed to be shining, but all your body wants is to go dark and rest.
But, that tension is exactly where the medicine is.
You’re Not Broken. You’re Mid-Reset.
We’re in a collective season of recalibration. We’ve seen it across sooo many examples, it’s uncanny. We are quite literally in a period of unraveling old rhythms so new ones can emerge. This kind of burnout is universal feedback.
Think of it as a call to:
Rework your relationship to effort
Let stillness be sacred
Trust that integration happens in the pause
Which leads me to this simple root reset ritual:
Find stillness. Sit, stand, or lie down. Let your body land.
Breathe in for 4, out for 6. Let your exhale be longer than your inhale. Do this 5 times.
Drop your attention to your legs or feet. Imagine roots growing down. Into the floor, the soil, the quiet.
Say (out loud if possible):
I don’t need to push to be powerful.
I let myself reset.Stay for one more breath. Then return slowly.
Remember that you’re not meant to bloom all year and you’re allowed to pause without a plan. This is your permission to do less right now.
And if you’re navigating a transition and want support (energetic, strategic, or both), you know where to find me: my office hours are on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays for Clarity Sessions!
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~Jess