Being a woman can be a blessing but can equally be a challenge: you have high energy one day and want to conquer the world, and a few days later all you want to do is stay indoors and get upset for no apparent reason – I know I do. If you could just understand your cycle and know what to do, would’t life be great? I share with you how I use my cycle to live my best life.
Where It All Begins
I learnt at school that a woman was getting her period at the beginning of puberty, and that it would last until her late forties, fifties. It’s her fertile years, she can make babies during that time. Then comes menopause and that’s the end of fertility, sometimes the woman gains weight.
We had pictures that all seemed a bit gross at the time, and it was a very clinical depiction of what women were going through. No mention of hormones, how you feel as a person, how to talk about it, the sense of embarrassment that can crop up when you’re an early “menstruator” or a late one.
Now that I’m more in touch with and understand my cycle, I am more educated on the topic, I feel like there is such a gap in society about the understanding of our cycle.
I would have needed to know about why sometimes I feel amazing and desirable and cheeky, and other days I feel like he just needs to say ONE MORE WORD and I’ll explode in a fury. I will also tell him why I think this might be the end of our relationship.
(Don’t worry, I love him deeply and will marry him in a few months, but my hormones can make me see red).
The 4 Seasons
Lately I read a couple of books that changed my life : The Blood Book by Ashley Cottrell and Leanna Pareja, and Period Power by Maisie Hill.
They opened my eyes on our cyclical nature, the different energies and moods we go through because of how hormones are being released in our body during a healthy cycle.
A healthy cycle is divided in 4 seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn.
The time during which we bleed is Winter and we can feel like hibernating, staying at home, not socialising much and reflecting on this new cycle that starts. All our hormones (testosterone, oestrogen and progesterone) are low and you may be prone to overwhelm, tears, anxiety. You’re letting go.
Spring is when our period has stopped and the days seem brighter, our creativity might increase, we want to be around other people. The hormone oestrogen is slowly being released, which gives us energy, enthusiasm and open to new possibilities. It might be time to plan for the coming month, in terms of work, socialising, physical exercise, etc.
Then comes Summer and this is where you shine brighter than bright. Oestrogen is at its peak, your body temperature rises, ovulation is coming so physiologically, your body will want to mate. Hello glowing skin and shiny hair, your body naturally wants to attract a lover. How mad is that ?? It literally is the best time to crush all your goals, do some CrossFit and be bold.
And finally your Autumn will start which is the period where your body sorts of shuts down to keep energy in case you’re pregnant. It releases progesterone which supports pregnancy, you might want to eat more because there is potentially a baby that needs nutrients and energy. Nature taking its course, and you’re here trying to eat everything you can to satisfy a potential sort of sadness that takes over you.
Understand your Cycle and Play With It
Now that we know what happens in our body, it’s important to act on it. It’s great to have knowledge but if you don’t use it, what’s the point?
I used to think that because I am blessed with barely any period cramps or PMS, I owed it to the other women who did, to do as much as normal at that time.
But if you do experience cramps or other forms of PMS, there is probably an imbalance somewhere because they’re not normal so you should seek professional help by someone you trust, and who understands.
Even by reading Maisie Hill’s book you might gain some deep insight as she covers so many conditions and symptoms.
Once you can identify which season you’re in, it becomes much easier to understand your cycle, what you are feeling and what you should do.
How My Life Changed
For me, I now skip my spin class just before or on the first couple of days of my period. In the days after, in my Spring, I plan my month and my weeks, what I want to achieve and how I will get there. I like to note how I feel because it’s usually very positive: excited, confident, happy, playful.
When Autumn is announcing itself, I make sure to meditate a little bit more, and I remind myself that I might be more sensitive than usual. And when my fiancé annoys me, I try to joke about it with him because otherwise it would spiral down.
If you have a significant other, I think it’s important that they know as well what you’re going through. Women are not crazy – I mean, we can be but .. – women are literally hormonal all the time, which make us do or think things differently throughout our cycle. We’re not constant, we’re cyclical.
Our moods change, our needs evolve, our skin betrays us sometimes, our body is skinnier at the beginning then retains water, we’re bloated, and we have to keep a happy face on. I mean, we’re bloody legends aren’t we?
I think it’s crucial to acknowledge our constantly evolving nature, and to master it so we can live our best life.
If you’re not tracking your cycle yet, I’d highly recommend it so you can know where you’re at in your cycle, and use it to your advantage. Start reaping the benefits of being a woman, the different mood swings and energy levels that come with it, and live your best life yet.
