How will Venus retrograde affect my career in October 2026?

Venus stations retrograde in Scorpio on October 3, 2026. According to astrology app CHANI, Venus retrogrades can make relationships of all kinds more tumultuous, including the dynamics in your office, and it can be harder to tap into the things that give you joy. It's a good time to reflect on what matters to you at work.

When does Mercury go retrograde in October 2026, and what does it mean for work?

Mercury stations retrograde on October 24, 2026. This retrograde nudges you into reflect-and-review mode, so take your time, be intentional with your communication, and address any elephants in the room at work.

What is a double retrograde?

A double retrograde is when two planets are retrograde at the same time. In October 2026, Venus (the planet of love and beauty) and Mercury (the planet of communication) are both retrograde, which asks you to slow down and approach your relationships and your work with extra compassion.

How should I handle work during a double retrograde?

Take your time, communicate with intention, and address any elephants in the room rather than avoiding them. Lead with compassion for yourself and the people you work with, and make your biggest pushes on the month's brighter days, around October 15 and 16.

October 2026 Career Horoscope: Venus and Mercury Retrograde

Q: What are the best days for career moves in October 2026?

The bright spots of the month fall around October 15, when the Sun sextiles Jupiter (the planet of abundance and good luck), and October 16, when Mars (the planet of drive) trines Saturn (the planet of discipline). On these days, it may be easier to make an impact, and your efforts are more likely to be noticed.

Girlboss Wellness Wednesday in collaboration with Pendulum.

Lara here, Girlboss’ contributing writer. 👋

There’s never been a better time to reflect and review, 👀 according to the stars—and our friends over at CHANI, the cool-girl astrology app. ✨ Today, they’re breaking down everything we can expect for the month ahead, and apparently, it’s a particularly good opportunity to address those elephants in the room. 🐘

Other stuff the Girlboss team is yapping about on Slack:

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💪 Here’s how a professional confidence coach deals with performance anxiety.

🙄 Women are officially less likely than men to get paid time off.

👯 How to make (and keep!) friends as a grown-up, according to science.

⏰ Have you ever abandoned a job app because it took too damn long? You’re not alone.

🤔 How much should you actually pay yourself as a founder?

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October’s Cosmic Forecast: Roll Up Your Sleeves and Get to Work! 🔮

Welcome back to Astro Moment, a monthly cosmic check-in with our friends at CHANI. On the first Wednesday of every month, you’ll get the 411 on what’s written in the stars and how it might shape your work life for the month ahead. Here’s what’s in store for October. 🌌

Let the shadow work begin. On October 3, Venus (the planet of love and beauty) stations retrograde in Scorpio, asking us to face all the parts of ourselves we’d rather not look at. 🪞

Venus retrogrades are famous for bad hair days and exes sliding back into our DMs, but they go deeper than that. They can be tumultuous times for relationships of all kinds (for example, not just the person you’re dating, but the dynamics in the office). And it can be harder to tap into the things that give you joy during this time.

As you sort through the shadows that creep up over the next 40 days and 40 nights (give or take), you’ll reclaim what matters to you. It might even be something you’ve had all along. 🫂

The bright spots of the month happen around October 15, when the Sun sextiles Jupiter (the planet of abundance and good luck), and October 16, when Mars (the planet of drive) trines Saturn (the planet of discipline). Not only will it be easier to make an impact on these days, but your efforts are more likely to be noticed. 👀 So roll up your sleeves and go all in.

And then Mercury stations retrograde (yes, again) on October 24, nudging us to enter reflect-and-review mode. As much as you may want to fast-forward through the coming weeks, this double retrograde wants you to take your time, be intentional with your communication, and address any elephants in the room. 🐘

Just remember to do all of the above with a heavy dose of compassion—for yourself and the people around you. We’re all in this muck together.

✍️ Your October journal prompt

Think back to October and November of 2018, when Venus was last retrograde in Scorpio. What came up for you around love, beauty, creativity, and/or desire? What did you learn? What themes are resurfacing for deeper understanding?

For more tips on how to work with October’s astrology and info on where it’s landing in your chart, check out the CHANI app.

What Team Girlboss has been loving lately.

🧣 Cashmere without the sticker shock? Yes please! Leave it to Quince to make Mongolian cashmere starting at $45. We’ll be living in this cropped cardi for in-office days all season long.

🚿 Contributing Writer Lara recently got her husband this MALIN+GOETZ hand and body wash for his birthday, but it smells so damn good she can’t stop sneaking pumps in the shower. Oops!

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🍣 The Girlboss team recently had the cutest girls' night out at Chotto Matte, a Japanese-Peruvian restaurant. Their new Girl Dinner set menu pairs small bites like dragon rolls, Caesar salad, and truffled yuca fries with your favorite martini (the dirtier, the better!). If you're planning a visit to Toronto or San Francisco, grab your girls and go. Trust.

🩸 The Carrie TV series dropped on Prime Video today, and it’s the perfect spooky October watch: it’s a modern retelling of Stephen King’s classic novel, set in the social media age.