Honouring the cycles of life
We tend to live in a constant state of doing and we forget the true essence of our feminine nature, which is just to be. To be present, to trust the ebbs and flows of life and work with our needs rather than against them. Sound familiar?
In a world where busy seems to be a badge of honour and overwhelm and burnout is just the norm, it is difficult to imagine living in any other way. But if you slowed down and started listening to your bodies natural needs, would you feel more at peace? For me, the answer was yes! Slowing down didn’t feel comfortable to start with but my body and mind have thanked me for it. Let’s be real, sometimes we do just have to power through, especially if we have children and jobs, but just the small tweaks and awareness can make all the difference.
Honouring our cycles (in nature and our bodies) allows us to move through life with more ease, balance and self-compassion. Women are cyclical beings, our bodies do not function on a 24 hour clock like the men in our lives, our bodies naturally flow with our monthly cycle. When we go back to the simplicity our natural cycles - this was the way we use to live - it can change the way we care for ourselves.
We use to live by the four seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Each season has its own energy in we use to use this energy in all aspects of life. By the moon cycles (we all notice how crazy things can go on the full moon) - which again come with different energy throughout different stages of the cycle.
And it might all sound crazy or woo woo - but if you are honest with yourself, is the norm of the ‘hustle’ culture really working for you? Honestly, every time I have got into a hustle mindset I have burnt-out quickly! And then achieved nothing that I set out to do… You see where I am going with this.
Honouring your cycle isn't saying be lazy, it is just reminding us that when we slow down we can hear what we need. And when we know what we need, we can make decisions and actions in our life that work with us rather than against us.
If this is new to you there are a few simple ways you can start honouring the cycles:
Start tracking your menstrual cycle and the lunar cycle and notice how you feel in each phase. Tracking your mood, energy and how your body feels is an amazing way to get to know yourself better and help you work with how you are feeling at various stages of the month.
Pay attention to the seasons, set goals in the spring, be social in the summer, reflect in the autumn and let your body rest in the winter.
If you can let yourself wake up to natural light and avoid looking at your phone first thing in the morning. The same goes for last thing at night, try and stay away from your phone and bright artificial light before you go to sleep. Try replacing your bedside lamp with a Himalayan salt lamp.
Get outside, whatever the weather and brave the elements. If you are feeling overwhelmed then get by the sea - the sound of the waves has been proven to calm our nervous systems.
I am a bigger believer in micro changes, we don’t want to add more to our already full to-do lists. But I will give you a challenge, try this for a month and see how you feel, even if it is just one thing off the list!
If you are ready to start connecting with your own natural cycle then download my free ‘RECONNECT’ guide. A gentle guide to moving in harmony with your body’s natural rhythms.
