Cycle planning was something I never even considered starting doing in my own life, even though I have been a planner my whole life. Always thinking of the next thing to look forward to. Whether it's a vacation, grocery list, or just what the next day will entail. Even my job as a hairdresser had me scheduled to the minute. I have lived the last nineteen years in the constant blur of not being truly present.
What is cycle planning and why it is important
Women have this potential to utilize their productivity to a whole other level when they begin to plan with their cycle. It sounds like it takes so much time and effort, but in the end, you will gain so much more energy and productivity when you honor your cyclical nature. It only takes a few minutes a day to begin, so what are you waiting for?
Planning with your cycle takes patience and energy to start to understand your body and what it needs to thrive
When we went into lockdown, I was already in the process of what I would call my awakening. It started in February 2020, and once I didn't have a job to go to, I began to see and feel more clearly. My need to constantly plan was my version of numbing myself to not feel anything by taking myself out of the present moment. As of March 18th, 2020, my only job was to care for my family and myself.
I decided that this was the time to do everything I “didn't have time for.” Before then, I worked out, meditated, and journaled, but it wasn't in my daily or even weekly practice. I finally showed up for me. All these things were for me and no one else, but my family got the benefits too. I became more present and was able to hold more space for those around me. I changed my mindset from “I SHOULD do this” to actually doing it. When you tell yourself you “should,” you are giving yourself the message that you aren't important enough to take the time to do the things that are healthy for you. Each day I awoke with a commitment to show up in a way that was healthy for me. I told myself what I want to embody; I am healthy, strong, confident, and worthy.
There is always time to invest in yourself and cycle planning should be apart of that investment
Life can get hard to balance work and family. I've been there. Even when I was working, I still made sure I showed up for myself. Now that I see how much I can grown as a person and how I can show up for my kids. Going back to mindless living and just getting through the days is not how I want to live. I don't just get through the days anymore. I show up and be present as much as I can. Don't get me wrong sometimes my patience is thin, or things aren't going my way. These are the days I spend a few extra minutes on myself. Here is a post about my burnout experience.
It's always easier to put on Netflix or scroll through social media, which numbs your mind. However, sitting with yourself in meditation or journaling will at least inspire growth, and to be honest, not engaging in electronics is so freakin hard! It takes practice to become comfortable with it.
Once you see the growth and benefit that comes out of it, there is no turning back. So how do you show up for yourself? I can't answer for you; only you can. I do know the key to success is growth. That means trying something new and investing in yourself, whether it's free or it can cost money. It only works if you show up.
Cycle planning is the secret to help women flourish in their life
I started to educate myself on the different phases of our menstrual cycles and how we can best utilize our time and energy at each phase. My cycle is something I've had since I was a young tween but never knew the importance of how to use it to my advantage.
A big part of my routine was journaling every night, and I began to track my cycle. I started to see I have times where I'm very creative, and other times I feel like superwoman because I'm so productive. My journal became my instruction manual. I saw the patterns and began to see how I could plan to make my life easier. If I didn't watch for the signs to wind down before my menstrual phase starts, I would be down for the count with a pounding headache and no energy for anything.
Paying attention to the subtle signs of your cycle can unlock the power within yourself
I searched for the ultimate planner to help my planning/journaling needs, and I couldn't find it. Finally, my husband recommended I get a digital planner. I started to look at digital planners and wasn't sure what they were. So I researched. I found one helpful in my journey, but it wasn't what I needed to thrive in cycle planning.
The designer of the planner I bought released a course on making a digital planner from scratch. It was a bit more than I would spend on a course, but the idea of taking this passion I had and bring it to life brought so much excitement to me. After talking to my husband about the idea, we knew it was the next step in my new career.
I started to create the planner I wish I had when I started to understand the importance of my cycle. I wanted a planner that made intentions and affirmations as a part of my planning. Resting my body when it needs rest and getting all the stuff done when my energy is at its highest. Utilizing my cyclical seasons to become a powerhouse of productivity.
The key to success is growth so learning more about how you thrive should be a priority
When I started tracking and journaling, I found how to do the extra things that needed to be done but when it fits best versus forcing it to be checked off the list. For example, I always found that “Fall Cara” planned and promised so much in the luteal phase, and “Winter Cara” was too exhausted or introverted in the menstrual phase to follow through. Now I can look at my cycle and see what phase I'm in, and plan accordingly. That is when productive planning became the way I took charge.
When I'm on day 25 of my cycle, I find it's the best time to meal plan and prep so my menstruation can be a bit more relaxed. I plan easy meals for that time, so I don't push myself too hard. I am very creative during menstruation. This is the time where I design my digital stickers and draw out planner ideas. I allow myself to take it easy with working out and other things that can over-exert me.
Cycle Planning is what changed my life and I want to share why you should start
Before I realized my cyclical nature, I would have these spurts of being able to do everything. Then I would hit a wall and couldn't do anything. It was me not listening to my body telling me my winter (menstruation) was coming. Doing too much and promising things I wasn't able to follow through with. I started to listen to my body, tracking my cycle and journaling. You must listen to the signs for your to be your best version. I came to a point where taking Advil for headaches wasn’t the route I wanted to go. I wanted to know why I had the headache. What could I do to help support my body, so I didn’t have the headache? I want to reclaim the phrase “women's intuition.” We all have it, but we have to give time and space to rise and empower ourselves.
We are all unique individuals and need different things to support us at different times
I created a planner so that you can find how you operate. Take what works and leave behind what doesn’t. My planner won’t give you the answers, but it will help track how you best operate. It has insight into what to do during your cycle, but listening to what your body needs is important. We need to remember not every winter is the same so why would we expect our bodies to be the same every day? The seasons are cyclical, just like women are.
So, where do you start? The first day of your bleed is day #1, then keep counting until the first day of your next bleed and begin counting again. For example, my cycle is between 32-35 days, but the average cycle for women is about 28 days. To learn more about each phase, I have some great resources below. Also, follow me on Instagram and Tiktok for some inspiration with cycle planning.
HERE is a free printable monthly cycle tracker for you to get started.
Here are some helpful resources to get you started in cycle planning:
Floductivity Digital Planner is available on ETSY here. I created this 2022 dated planner to help teach while giving you the flexibility to plan for what is best for you. Think of it as a menu and take what works best with you at that moment. It is a digital planner so an iPad (or tablet), apple pencil (or stylus), and a note-taking app are suggested. I hope to have some other options with this concept in the future.
Here are a couple of books that I strongly suggest to help understand your cyclical nature and how to best utilize it. The great part of both suggested books is that they came about because they had issues and imbalances they needed to heal.
Wild Power by Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer
Wild Power was the book that made me look at my cycle as a blessing. It also opened my eyes to how birth control was hurting me more than helping me. It took some time to come to terms with coming off something I had been on so long. I was eating so healthy but still putting artificial hormones into my body. It didn’t make sense. Getting off the pill was the best decision I had ever made.
In the Flo by Alisa Vitti
Alissa takes the route to teach you what she has learned in her years of studying. She takes it to a whole other level. If you want the data and the facts, then her book is a necessary read for you.
Here are some insights that blew my mind into how our cycles can be affected from “In The Flo.”
Synthetic birth control does not correct hormonal imbalances; it merely suppresses your own hormonal function and allows you to go years or decades without addressing the root causes of symptoms, which makes your overall health worsen.
A few other downsides are that the pill depletes nutrients, disrupts your microbiome, and increases depression.
For real menstruation to occur, you need to be ovulating; but the pill prevents this critical phase of our cycle.
Being out of sync with our female chemistry weakens our thyroid, ovaries, livers, adrenals, immunity, and digestion. In Fact, being out of sync weakens everything about our physical health, makes our thinking foggy, and takes us out of our creative zone.
Science shows us that PMS symptoms arise only when there is an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone during the luteal phase. This imbalance can be triggered by diet choices—such as coffee, sugar, dairy, dieting, juice fasts, and low-fat fads—or by the more insidious suppression of feminine energy—the energy of change.
Ovulation, and therefore menstruation, plays an important part in osteoporosis, heart disease, breast disease, and dementia.
With Gratitude,
Cara