If you are anything like me, you may be feeling some resistance to those New Year resolutions as 2024 arrives. I used to start the new year with some really great intentions. But after a month or so, those new habits would be harder to keep up. It wasn’t until I read the book Do Less by Kate Northrup that I started to set my intentions in alignment with the cycles of nature. Northrup’s book opened my eyes to the fact that I had been living not only against nature but also my internal cycle – aka the menstrual cycle! Yes, I am going there!
So that resistance that you are feeling, is completely natural! Think about it. Here in New England, it is winter. Take a look outside and see what nature is doing. It has come to a halt. Animals are hibernating, the trees have shed their leaves, and the plants have stopped growing. Nature knows how to conserve energy for when conditions are more favorable.
Nothing was meant to bloom all year long, so why are we trying so hard? Society has imprinted on us that we have to be busy. But is that true? I am proud to say that my calendar was not full in December. We didn’t do all the holiday events that we did the year before. Instead, I chose to do a lot of internal work. I told myself that it was okay to slow down, and I didn’t have to feel guilty about that. My children just want my time and attention.
I also used to believe that I suffered from seasonal mood disorder. However, I now see that it was the pressure of having to do all the things when my body wanted to rest. I experienced a mental struggle believing I needed to get so much done but not having the energy to do so. On top of that, I had no idea how to tune into my own body. What I did have energy for was full present moments with my children and that is enough. As a mom, we are constantly giving and that takes up a lot of our energy.
Below is a guide to energy management based on the cycle-syncing guidelines for seasonal, menstrual, and moon cycles:
Winter/Menstrual/New
- Slow down and rest. Take things off your plate by deleting things on your calendar that don’t bring you joy. Limit tasks to 1-3 per day.
- Evaluate and research.
- Minimize social commitments. You don’t have to say yes to everything.
- Try to eat healthily and implement light movement – i.e. yoga, nature walks
- Limit screen time – journal instead.
- Cozy up or take a bath and listen to calming music.
- Sleep more – go to bed earlier and sleep in a few extra minutes (if your schedule allows)
- Treat yourself to an item on your wishlist.
Spring/Follicular/Waxing:
- You may notice you are feeling more like yourself. Like nature, you may feel you are starting to bloom.
- Set new year resolutions now.
- Create, brainstorm, and plan – for work and your life.
- Try something new – i.e. workout or recipe.
- High-intensity workouts with protein-rich foods.
Summer/Ovulation/Full:
- Connecting, collaborating, and communicating.
- Get social.
Fall/Luteal/Waning:
- Focus and complete projects started from the spring or follicular phase.
- Tackle that “GET to do” list.
- Detailed orientated work – i.e. cleaning out closets, organizing fridge
- Towards the end of this phase, you will start to feel the slow down and wanting to go inward – the perfect time to reflect on things you want to let go of.
Whether we like it or not, women are cyclical creatures. Unfortunately, we haven’t been taught to embrace this. We are usually taught to work against this aspect of ourselves. If there is one thing I want you to take away from this article, it would be awareness. Just simply being aware of cycle-syncing and starting to make a mental note of how you are feeling as you experience them.
I don’t want you to feel like this is another “should do.” These are just suggestions and it is super important to take a bird’s eye view. Even more important for you to tune into your own body and energy to figure out what works best for you. Try to give it a shot, I promise it will be empowering, but for now, I give you permission to slow down, go inward, and do YOU, mama!
