Being this close to Christmas it’s likely you’ll know where you’ll be in your cycle over the festive days. So thought I’d offer a reminder to make sure you’re looking after your menstrual cycle needs and still prioritising yourself regardless of how busy and demanding life may get at this time of year.
I get that it’s easy to feel frazzled and overwhelmed with all the festive ‘cheer’. But don’t let yourself get so carried away that you abandon your own needs.
It’s such a cliche, but you really can’t give from an empty cup!
So to make sure you are still looking after yourself and being as mindful as you can of your cyclical needs (if you do have a cycle) you need to plan ahead!
Firstly, take note of where you are in your cycle right now and work out what phase you’ll be in over the Christmas period.
If you’re not familiar with tracking your cycle then use this quick guide to help you work it out.
Day 1 is the first day of your bleed. This is likened to inner winter and is the time of menstruation.
Day 6 (ish) is when you enter inner spring, sometimes referred to as the follicular phase of the cycle (though if we’re being technical the follicular phase takes up half of the cycle, then switches to the luteal)
Day 14 will likely be around ovulation for you if your cycle is of average length. This phase is described as the inner summer.
Day 20 onwards is the inner autumn, the luteal phase. Although do remember that this is a general guide so the timings of the phases will be unique to you.
Once you know where you’re at - work forwards so you know what energy to expect over the holidays. Then plan ahead to give yourself what you’ll need.
If you already track your cycle, you’ll know what to expect but if you don’t, feel welcome to try out some of my recommendations below :)
Inner Winter - Schedule in some time to yourself. Ask for extra help if you’re the one in the kitchen (or if you’re feeling really in your power, say no to even helping with the cooking!) Be realistic about how much you can give to others when all you really want to do is hibernate. If you have little ones, I know it’s hard (or impossible) to find time for yourself, so even a few longer bathroom breaks than usual can help to give yourself just 1% of what you need, but if you can sneak off for an epsom salt bath, even better!
Inner Spring - This is the time of the cycle when oestrogen returns. You may feel like you can take on the world, but it’s important to not over do it and burn out before ovulation. Inner spring relates to our adolescence, so you may find old patterns playing out if you’re around family. Find ways to tap into your inner child and give her what she needs. It may be the perfect time to break out the christmas board games, or dance around the kitchen to the spice girls? (or maybe that’s just my inner 11 yo!)
Inner Summer - Full steam ahead. If you’re ovulating around christmas then you’ll likely find it easier to keep up with the festivities. This phase is all about being seen and its the time of the cycle when you’re most tolerant of others (bonus for the family parties!). Enjoy the peak of energy - host, cook, do all the things. Just remember that there is no obligation to pour that inner summer energy into everyone else so that there’s none left for you. Make sure to treat yourself too!
Inner Autumn - Time to delegate as much as possible. With many people experiencing PMS in this phase, as well as the rise of the inner critic it may be wise to plan some alone time here too. One of the powers of the inner autumn is truth speaking so if you have certain family members who rattle you then just know it will be harder to bite your tongue in this phase. Prepare by getting out in nature to ground yourself, incorporate some embodiment practices into your day or just set some badass boundaries and swerve the gatherings altogether!
I hope this helps! But whatever you end up doing I wish you a Christmas filled with love, nourishment, rest, and self care! - look after yourselves <3
If you're finding it challenging to live cyclically or feel that your menstrual cycle is anything other than your superpower then reach out to me here and we can chat about how best I can support you. You don't need to do it alone.
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