if ur exes, old friends, & past dramas are completely absent during mercury retrograde pre shadow period, it means you do not have messy, lingering unfinished business tying you to those old timelines.
the venus in leo transit is here to remind you that you're amazing and is pushing you to be more confident. and in most cases, confidence is built it's not innate, especially if you didn't grow up in an environment that allowed you to believe in yourself but now you can do it.