How to sync your self-care to your cycle
Image: Maddi Bozzocco via Unsplash
We all know how huge self-care is these days (Instagram has a mind-blowing 53.9 million hashtags for it). And while the standard view of self-care is bubble baths and meditation (of which I’m fans of both), there’s so much more to it than that.
Like all things when you live life with a womb, what works today may not work tomorrow. If you’ve ever joined the gym with enthusiasm only to find yourself actively avoiding it just a week later, you’ll know that! Applying the same methods day in day out may keep you ticking over in terms of maintenance, but you’ll likely be missing out on the juice that makes a much deeper impact on your mind, body and soul.
Taking authentic and aligned self-care that takes into account what you truly need at any given time, is one of my pillars for an empowered and sovereign life. If you’re looking to take your self-care routine up a notch, here are some tips to sync it to your cycle:
Start tracking your cycle
Knowing where you are in your cycle is key to to knowing what you need, when you need it. I have a free, printable cycle tracker with a video tutorial to get you started.
Create your map
If you’re a pen to paper type, separate a piece of paper into 4 quadrants by drawing a horizontal and vertical line across the page that meets as a cross in the middle. You’ll then mark each quadrant: spring, summer, autumn, winter. If you love to use your phone, you can do the same in your notes app, either by creating a new note for each season, or simply segmenting one note into 4 sections.
My free tracker and guide will help you to understand the different seasons of the cycle, or you can read my blog posts for each season (spring (approx days 6-12), summer (approx days 13-19), autumn (approx days 20+), winter (approx days 1-5). Remember, your cycle may not be 28 days long so this is where tracking comes in handy.
Start mapping your self-care
As you move through your cycle, make a note of the things that help you to truly drop into your body and self, feel better or more connected. For example, you might practice yoga every day, but notice that days 7-10 of your cycle is where you prefer a slower flow and can get lost in the practice in a way that doesn’t happen elsewhere. Self-care will look different for everyone, so whatever it is for you, note it down whether it’s walking your dog, singing in the shower or doing your admin. You’ll add each self-care practice in the corresponding quadrant on your page for where you’re at in your cycle. For the yoga example given, it would say slow flow yoga in the Spring section.
Add your wish-list
Make a note of things that come up as self-care practices you’d like to try in the corresponding section. For example, connecting to pleasure is a hallmark of summer (ovulation) so you may find yourself wishing for a massage, a yoni steam or self-pleasure as part of your self-care practice. In that case, note it down!
Dip into your toolbox whenever you need!
By adding the things that work for you in each phase as well as the things you’d like to try, you’re creating a box of self-care tools that will have a much greater chance of working for you and your needs. This is especially helpful if you find yourself in a funk and have no idea what might help you out of it. Go to your map and choose something you’ve listed from the phase you’re in. Easy!
So, there you have it - how to sync your self-care to your cycle in five easy steps.
Enjoy!