I first learnt about Cycle Syncing about 19 months ago.
I was listening to a podcast about how to run your business around your cycle as a woman and it BLEW MY MIND.
Why did I sometimes feel so 'not on' when recording videos or getting on trainings?
Why did I feel like I was pushing some days when others I felt like I was on fire and unstoppable?
Why could I write 10 blogs in a day one week, but the next struggle to put together a legible sentence?
Because I'm a woman. And we work on an infradian cycle (around 28 days) where as men work through a 24 hour hormonal cycle. And because most studies around health, wellness and productivity up until now have been on men OR post menopausal women. So of course it is shocking and confusing to realise that we don't live up to traditional expectations around performance.
I read the book In The Flo this year and Alisa outlines all the goods you need to know about Cycle Syncing. But I wanted to share with you some things I do to support myself during each phase as a mama running a few businesses.
MENSTRUAL PHASE
If you follow me on Instagram, you might notice that for 3-5 days of the month I don't really show up on stories. Not because I'm in cramp city, but because I don't feel like it in the 1-2 days before I bleed and my first day. I want to introvert. I want to write. Stay home. Relax. Communicate with my loves.
So I give myself full permission during that time to do nothing on social media. It's freeing!
FOLLICULAR PHASE
As energy increases, I assess what I want to achieve this cycle and start to plan. I'm naturally more creative but also need to pace myself and not try to do too much or I get overwhelmed. For me this is all about planning and intention PLUS creative writing so I journal loads, blog my heart out and map out the weeks ahead.
OVULATION PHASE
I'm out, I'm socialising, I'm going on date night, I'm filming all the things, I'm in your face on my social media. I'm communicating creatively and I'm straight forward saying the things I want to say. I'm wearing my favorite clothes. I'm dancing around the house with the kids before a pilates class then getting things done at home, watching my fave rom-coms on STAN and having friends for dinner. I'm on fire and I'm owning it. This phase for me is about flow and things feeling really good.
LUTEAL PHASE
And then this phase is where I'm rounding it all out, tying up loose ends, editing, slowing down (only a little) and getting prepped for my Menstrual Phase to come again. I'm also not great at communicating, I don't know what I want and I don't make any decisions in this week. My partner knows to just love me, tell me I'm amazing and give me lots of hugs. Not because I'm tender but because I'm sometimes a little up and down during this time and I thrive around words of affirmation and physical touch.
I don't book important chats, I keep life light hearted and focused on finishing things.
Now, this might not be you. And I don't write this to encourage you to do what I do. But I simply am inviting you to witness the phases yourself and notice where you're at. Are you massively into spring cleaning when your period finishes? Do you usually get snappy with the kids the week before? Are you social AF when you're ovulating? Maybe, just witness it. And I would highly encourage you to do two things -
Get the book In The Flow.
And get some sort of cycle tracking app on your phone so you always know which day you're on. I love MyFlo or Clue. If you start to take note, you will definitely start to see a pattern and if you're really smart, use it to your advantage!
Do you cycle sync or know much about this? Would love to know what you've noticed in the comments below!
