Living in the Flow of Your Menstrual Phase

Wondering what your menstrual phase feels like? This phase is also known as shark week, Aunt Flo, and the bleeds. Your period can be a few days or a week or more, and trying to act like nothing is different in your body can add to the frustration you already feel. At The Agenda, we know the power of syncing your life with your cycle. Think of your work and your life as a Venn Diagram; both impact your mood, time, energy, and activities when you overlap it with your period so that you can harness your energy in a new way. 

Do you ever wonder why you are so tired, and moody on your period?

We hear you. 

The Agenda app understands what your body needs, what’s going on, and how you can utilize your flow, not in a boss-babe-your-life-and-squeeze-out-every-inch-of-productivity kind of way but a follow-the-breadcrumbs-and-progress-not-perfection type of way. 

Studies show we get more work done when we are in a state of joy and contentment:

• Life is more manageable.
• Choices are more straightforward.
• We show up in more alignment and integrity.

It’s an easy link to see that when we go with our natural rhythm, it can influence our choices and life.  

So, this is part four of our blog series called “Living in the flow of your cycle.” We’ll go through each of the four stages and touch on working with that stage through an everyday life lens. In our next series, we will also have a different blog post through a work lens. Remember the Venn Diagram? We’re here to give you tools you’ll use to help you show up in the ways you want.

What your Menstrual Phase is:

For this explanation, I’m sharing a snippet from Red Thread: Weaving an Embodied Life of Joy by Aj Smit. She calls the menstrual phase the New Moon phase. As the moon cycle also has four phases at 28 days it’s a good reflection of the average person’s cycle.

Your energy starts dropping during your New Moon stage. If you are bleeding, you see the blood, and your brain clicks into place. Oh yeah! My period—that’s why I was off last week. Your Estrogen is low, and your uterine wall is shedding. All your body craves is a soft blanket, some sangria, and a good movie or book. Some may joke that your uterus is taking a knife to redecorate her walls. While this is theoretically true, it’s essential to realize that this is your time to breathe and rest.

She’s doing a lot of work; can you imagine if she wasn’t self-cleaning? (Yeah, you’re welcome.) 

Give yourself grace and salty chocolate. Take naps, and journal during these 3-7 days. Your New Moon time is also a time of deep connection, a great time to vision and dream for the month ahead. Ask yourself, “In my life right now, what do I like, what do I not like?” and “What truth am I avoiding right now?” These can be big questions—but you aren’t acting on them yet—you are just brushing off the busyness of the month to do an accurate check-in with yourself. 

The archetypes in this phase are The Sage and The Wise Woman because your intuition is through the roof. Your dreams may be more vivid, so don’t panic if they are different than usual. I sleep with a journal next to my bed if anything pops up in my dreams I want to remember. 

As women, we often say yes without knowing how many activities we are genuinely balancing and can overcommit ourselves for others’ approval. If you have to make a big decision, bleed on it (or Moon Mull if you don’t bleed). Lisa Lister wrote about “bleeding on it,” and I thought it was such a weird but witty phrase because it reminds you that the awareness you get during this time is more evident. It’s been a game-changer for my life, so I pass it off to you now. 

Feed your body well during this time. As much as you crave junk food, eat some vegetables and protein, and drink approximately a boatful of water. Half your body weight in ounces is a general rule of thumb. 

Exercise helps cramps and sluggishness—so do hot baths and showers, vitamin B, and sleep. If you rest now and use the time to reset, you’ll have a fresh vision and be ready to go when you cycle back into your Waxing Moon stage. If you do not rest, you will go into your next phase frantic and exhausted. Overwhelm is often people’s default—because we don’t know any different. We keep going at full speed, and then our bodies break down every few months. Oh, look at that lovely self-perpetuating cycle. 

Tips for tending yourself

Be really gentle with yourself, this is not the time to push your body to their limits, or hop on the I-Hate-Myself-Train. Your emotions may be high so it may be wise to treat yourself like a toddler here. Take naps, eat food, drink water, and do the next right thing.

Things to do

*Cozy reading

*Vision cast for the next month

*Do introspective journaling to see what needs to shift

*In depth meditations or deep spiritual practices

*crock pot meals for you and your family 

*Slow down

Questions to ask yourself during your Menstrual Phase

*What is bugging me that I need to address?

*Is there anything out of alignment in my life?

*Is there anything I need to reschedule, delegate or change in this upcoming cycle?

*What do I need to say no to?

Curious about what stage you are in? Download the Agenda App to track your cycle and sync your life and work to your body’s flow! Find it on Apple HERE, or Google Play HERE.