Your body is speaking, are you listening?
Do you experience shifts in your motivation to work out? Don't worry, that's normal.
When I try to work out in the wintertime, it always feels like I’m forcing it so I often end up listening to my body and doing more walking, stretching and intuitive movement. But once spring arrives, I can’t wait to move all the weights, explore my physical capacities and set new goals for this newfound energy. With summer, it’s effortless to maintain this output and, as fall arrives, I naturally move inward and look forward to being more bundled and exerting less effort.
These days, I find myself naturally following this rhythm whether I’m conscious of it or not. And as I shift with the seasons, I also shift with my inner-seasons, though I wasn’t always aware of and didn’t always live in alignment with this rhythm. The beauty of the menstrual cycle is that we get a chance with each coming cycle to live more in alignment with our natural rhythms.
Currently in my inner-summer, it feels natural to push myself to do things that challenge myself.
Are you aware of your inner seasons? Do you find yourself shifting your exercise, productivity, diet, creativity, social calendar and business mindset in accordance with these seasons? Do you find yourself comparing your winter to someone else’s summer?
What do you notice when you ignore your body’s innate craving for resting after a period of high-output?
As women, we are so privileged to have this direct biofeedback mechanism (our menstrual cycle) to signal to us when something is going out of balance. Painful periods, heavy/light flow, severe PMS, mood roller coasters, extreme cravings, self-criticism and more, are all ways our bodies are telling us to slow down and listen.
When you ignore your body's communications, it starts to elevate its voice from whispers to screams.
Over the years, what started as period cramps turns into endometriosis, what started as simple sugar cravings turned into PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). Instead of masking these communications with “the pill”, try considering: What is your body trying to tell you?
Clearly, there are SO many great reasons beyond conception and contraception to be aware of the shifts in your menstrual cycle! This rhythm is essential for a life well-lived. If you're interested in learning more about how to use your cycle to point you in a direction of healing or helping you live life more authentically, I'm here waiting for you to commit. I want to walk this path with you. View my offerings here to get started.
If you're resonating with what I’m teaching you here, I can’t wait for you do dive into my course: Resilient Motherhood: a self-paced guide to preparing for conception and beyond!
Resources
If you’re interested in learning more about your “inner seasons” I highly recommend the book Wild Power: Discover the Magic of Your Menstrual Cycle and Awaken the Feminine Path to Power and this Menstrual Calendar Journal (pictured below) to get started.
These are some of my favorite ways to support my cycle: journaling in my Menstrual Calendar Journal, Wishgarden herbs, Doterra oils, skin brushing, hot water bottle, my June Cup and some herbal tea.
