Cyclical Living & Cycle Syncing 

Cycle syncing is a huge "feminine flow framework" of cyclical and seasonal living, and teaching of feminine energy wisdom. 

The patriarchal world culture that exists in much of our globalised world today has conditioned you to live and work and achieve in a specific way. This "one way of working" has become mutually exclusive with success. In other words, if you want to be successful in the world today, this is how you have to work and show up. I could write a whole book about what that looks like - what it has looked like for myself and how I see it play out with client after client - but let's leave that for another day. (You can also check out the post "Harness Productivity Through a Masculine & Feminine Balance" here fore more information on this topic). 

What you need to know right now is this: The masculine teaches us that life is linear. There is one way to be successful, in which you must show up, do the work, follow the strategy, hustle hard enough, and then you will be successful. Easy peasy lemon squeezy, right?

Except, it's not.

In this heavy masculine energy, we carry far more than we were ever meant to: stress, trauma, shame, emotions, and more.

We expect more from ourselves and our bodies than what is actually healthy, sustainable, necessary and aligned for us. And most importantly, this linear model of life and success keeps us in an ever present state of "not enough-ness." We are constantly trying to "make it" to the next level, the next goal, and the next achievement, so that we can "fill" this void where we are apparently "lacking" something. Not only that, but we're taught to do so with certain timeline markers - to get married by a certain age, have kids, build a career, get a promotion, buy a house, and so on. 

The expectation that life is in fact linear is the reason you create a plan of what you want to have happen and then you stick to it as though your life depends on it. The truth is, you can't control most of what happens. It's all happening outside of you. You can only control YOU. So how can you plan and achieve without attaching yourself so much to the outcome that it begins to literally weigh you down & make you miserable. 

This is exactly what the feminine teaches you to do. To release the linear model of life and success and allow yourself to be guided by the cyclical nature of your being. The feminine teaches you a framework to life and success that FLOWS. 

The feminine energies teach you the flow framework of cyclical living, and today I am going to kick off the series of breaking down the different phases and season of this cycle... starting with FALL.

Keep reading to find out how to live cyclically with the season of fall, how this inner fall connects to the luteal phase of your menstrual cycle, and how to use this energy and wisdom for your work, rest, success, and of course, sustainable balance. 

There is so much wisdom that is funnelled into cyclical living, from the intricacies of the seasons, to how to implement it into daily life, to executing it in relationship to work and success... which is why I have an entire 6 week on-demand course "Rest For Success" that goes deep, giving you all the foundations and more, to creating and stepping into your very own cyclical life of success. 

The Phases and Seasons of Fall

What do you think of when you think of fall?

Maybe it's your favourite season. Maybe it's not. Maybe you think of the crisp mornings and the changing colours of the leaves. Maybe you don't "see" the change of the seasons where you live, but you think about the warming foods and one pot meals you feel drawn to make. Perhaps you think about going on an excursion to a pumpkin patch or picking apples at the orchard.

For me, I think about big cozy sweaters, the days where it gets darker earlier, reading books, lighting candles, and wearing cozy socks. I think about baking and I feel more drawn to inside activities, like exploring cute coffee shops or spending hours in book stores or picking up knitting again. I also think about the "back to school" vibes (even though I haven't gone to school in years) and the desire to flow back into routines and healthy habits.

Share with me in the comments what you think about and what you feel like doing when you think of fall? 

There is a particular energy that goes along with all the above examples. Can you feel it? After the heightened, warming, active, blooming energy of summer, there is a shift as the energy begins to slow down and turn inwards. 

Fall is the shift into "inward" energy, and also marks the first "feminine" energy based season after two masculine energy seasons, spring and summer. 

Fall brings the energy of slowing down, starting to tune "in" (inside yourself and inside your home), and also a great celebration, harvest and release. It is the time of harvesting crops, so in similar fashion, you are being asked to reap the rewards of the seeds you planted earlier this year. It is time to celebrate all that you have created and achieved, embrace the feeling of "having done it" and relax into basking in that before jumping straight into the next thing. This is also a great time for reflection. Just like the leaves falling from the trees, you too are being asked to let go. To let go of what is no longer serving you, to let go of what you "expected" to happen, to let go of any old narratives or belief systems.  

Inner Fall + the Luteal Phase + Waning Moon 

When I refer to "inner" seasons, what I mean is the inner seasons you go through every month. Just like the seasons in nature, you are part of nature and so you have your own cycles within yourself. Namely - as a womb woman - your menstrual cycle. Working with the inner seasons of your womb and understanding your Womb Wisdom is immensely powerful in managing your energy, birthing creations, harnessing your productivity, and knowing when to work and - just as importantly - rest.  

The inner season of "fall" is also known as the "luteal phase" of the menstrual cycle. 

The luteal phase is the equivalent of inner fall and of the waning phase of the moon, where it's getting smaller as the new moon (or "no moon") approaches. It is the third of four phases and the phase most of us are taught to ignore. As we discussed earlier, in our masculine patriarchical society, there is an expectation to be "on" all the time... so slowing down and tuning in just wouldn't be productive - obviously. Just like in the actual season of fall, our inner season of fall asks us to slow down and tune inward again. 

How to work during this time:

When harnessing the energy of fall for work and productivity, it is a great time to start wrapping things ups. Similarly to what we talked about during the season of fall, it is time to harvest. During your inner fall phase focus on finishing projects up, editing things, and doing detail oriented work. This is a great time for bigger work-blocks for specific projects and really allowing yourself to "get lost" in them. For example, I'm currently in my luteal phase finishing up and editing a handful of these blog posts right now.

This is also the perfect time to dive into some deeper belief work. Reflect on your past month; what went really well, what are you proud of, where does the little bitchy bertha voice in your head coming up and telling you you didn't do enough? As you reflect, hold space for yourself. During this phase, you tend to come face to face with your inner critic (aka Bitchy Bertha). The practice is to hold space and really nurture yourself more during this time... hence, you gotta make some extra time to do that. Journal, cry, release, express your anger (in a healthy safe way), book a coaching session, talk to a friend, and prioritize managing your mindset.

For both work and rest, you are primed for being discerning during this phase. Set boundaries, say "yes" only when you really mean it, and say "no" more often with the mindset that it opens you up to the yeses that are in favour of your own nurturance. 

How to rest during this time:  

In the name of holding space for yourself and nurturing yourself during this time, do things that make you feel good and cozy from the inside out. During your literal inner fall luteal phase, your energy levels are decreasing with the drop of estrogen and rise of progesterone (a "relaxing" hormone). This phase leads up to menstruation (inner winter) where we are being asked to prepare for our "hibernation," so now is the time to start turning away from the outside world. 

You probably feel it even just on a physical and emotional level during this time. You start feeling more tired and you might be more anxious/emotional/moody - also known as PMS. With that there is a desire to "separate" yourself more from the world. Of course, when you are feeling irritated or more emotional, the last thing you want to do is constantly be surrounded by people. The deeper desire is that of separation and space. Now is the time to start giving that to yourself. Do more cozy things at home, be with loved ones you feel close to who you can explain your needs and boundaries to, and do things that fill up your soul. 

With the soon arrival of inner winter - the next phase and season - this current phase of inner fall is a great time to start preparing for your inner winter. Get some final tasks done, clean your space, go grocery shopping and even meal prep so that you can take a greater amount of time to rest during menstruation.

How to Live in Flow with Your Cyclical Nature

Living in alignment with your cyclical nature means working with the wisdom of your womb and uncovering the inner seasons of your monthly menstrual cycle to learn how to best work and rest.

If this wisdom is calling you to go deeper, and you want to harness the power of all your cycles and beyond - namely, connecting with your intuition, learning the language of your body, and working and succeeding through the art of the feminine, the Rest for Success course is calling your name. Get all the details here and reach out at [email protected] or on instagram @decluttered.intentions with any questions. 

Share with me in the comments what your favourite fall things are! Plus, let me know if cyclical living is something you already do - and if so, how! - and if not, what resonated with you most about it?