Cycle Planning and Why it’s Important
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