Always have the confidence to speak your mind and the courage to stand behind your words.
When I was in high school, I kept a small notebook in which I would write down quotes that inspired me.
This was one of my favorites — not just as a source of inspiration, but as a guiding mantra for my life. In fact, I wrote one of my college application essays about a situation in which I embodied this quote.
Every year when Mercury transits through the sign of Leo, this quote regains its prominence in my consciousness.
It prompts me to check in with where I’m living its ethos to speak the message of my heart boldly and bravely — and to be honest about where I’m holding back or hiding.
Mercury in Leo: Confident and Courageous Communication
Mercury travels through all 12 signs of the zodiac every year.
In 2025, it will transit Leo from June 26 to September 2.
Mercury moves fast; it generally spends about 3 weeks in a sign. So this extended stay in Leo tells us that this iteration of Mercury in Leo will include a Mercury retrograde, giving us a 3-week period of review and recalibration of how we advocate for our own ideas and share our voice.
Let’s look at what this all means and how you can work with it.
What Does It Mean When Mercury is in Leo?
In astrology, every planet is an archetype that exists within us. You can think of planets like parts of yourself, or like an actor in a play. Signs are the environments in which they are working — the scenes they appear in.
Mercury: The Messenger
Mercury, is the Messenger, the Salesperson, the Advocate, and the Analyst.
It’s the planet of ideas, thoughts, speaking, writing, sales, data, and information. It is in charge of commerce, travels, and spreading ideas and analyzing them.
Mercury is both the idea itself and how we communicate it. It’s our microphone, megaphone, loudspeaker, soap box, newsletter platform, email, blog, or old-fashioned flyer taped to a telephone pole.
The various aspects of Mercury show up differently depending on where it is.
Leo: The Place to Shine
Leo is a fixed fire sign ruled by the Sun. The Sun is the center of our solar system; the point around which everything else revolves. It gives life to all beings; it shows up and shines every day—giving no heed to the clouds that may be blocking it.
Leo is the place where we find our creative spark and our sense of self. Leo is about our creative power, our vitality, and our willingness to be seen. It’s the sign of the performer, drama, and individuality.
Symbolized by the lion, Leo embodies the attributes of courage, confidence, boldness, and bravery.
Leo encourages us to cultivate confidence, embrace our true selves, and step into the spotlight.
The Vibe of Mercury in Leo
Mercury in Leo encourages us to be the star of our story and to communicate that story vividly, passionately, and, yes, dramatically. This is a sign that celebrates the drama queen (or king).
This transit is an invitation to explore your creative self-expression, and it asks us to share that creative work with the world.
The work of Mercury in Leo is to cultivate the confidence to share our ideas and messages boldly and the courage to express ourselves authentically.
When Mercury is in Leo we might feel more expressive, theatrical, and dramatic. We can also be more persuasive and convincing.
Leo is the sign of the heart. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the tongue is the gateway to our heart. Mercury in Leo takes that literally: this transit invites us to cultivate the courage to share the message that lives in our hearts.
How to Work With Mercury in Leo
In a nutshell, this is a transit that encourages you to step forward with your boldest and bravest messages.
If you’ve been swallowing your words, holding back from sharing your work, or refraining from broadcasting an important message (or multiple messages), Mercury in Leo is the time to remove the muzzle and confidently speak the words of your heart.
If you’ve been lurking in the shadows and avoiding the spotlight, this is the time to courageously claim center stage, grab the mic, and share your story.
If you tend to advocate for everyone else’s ideas, Mercury in Leo is a reminder that your ideas matter too. They have just as much value and deserve to be heard.
If you’ve been keeping a creative project under wraps, this is the time to reveal it to the world.
When Mercury is in Leo, our job is to be like the Sun. Just as the Sun shines even on a cloudy day, your job is to show up and share the light of your ideas, messages, and creativity, without worry or care about the feedback.
Trust that the right people will find it, receive it, and absorb it.
Read: 5 Ways to Use Mercury in Leo to Promote Your Big Ideas
Mercury Retrograde in Leo
Mercury retrogrades approximately 3 times per year, for 3 weeks each time. This year, Mercury will retrograde in Leo from July 18 to August 11.
Mercury retrogrades are periods of review and reflection. When Mercury retrogrades in Leo, we get a chance to revisit how we step into our creative power, share our messages, and advocate for our ideas — and where we avoid doing so.
Mercury’s retrograde in Leo will invite us to review how and where we censor ourselves, dismiss our creative powers, and diminish our ideas in deference to others.
It will give us an opportunity to reconsider how we want to claim our spotlight and use our platforms and microphones.
Starting June 30, Mercury will be in its pre-retrograde shadow. Make note of pivotal conversations, places where you’re wrestling with your creative power, or any places where you’re self-censoring. These are the sticking points you’ll get to review and resolve during the retrograde.
Mercury in Leo: Cultivate Creative Confidence and Courage
Mercury’s transit through Leo is a reminder that your story matters, your ideas have value, and you’re entitled to claim the spotlight to share your message.
The invitation is to cultivate the confidence to express your creativity and speak your mind and the courage to stand behind your words and projects.
[…] are some of the areas that will come up for investigation over the next few weeks as Mercury travels retrograde through the sign of Leo from July 18 to August 11, […]