Menstrual Cycle Awareness as a Tool in Sobriety – I had never even considered menstrual cycle awareness as a tool in sobriety but after speaking to Lisa de Jong, my friend and menstruality coach at Your Cycle Matters, really it makes perfect sense.
As Lisa explains in our interview, which you can watch below, there is a cyclic nature to our lives as women and being aware of this cycle on a very body focused level has implications in our daily lives, not least our sobriety.
If like me, you have never really paid attention and tracked your menstrual cycle, then becoming aware of what is going on in your body at different times during the month can really help you on a physical and emotional level.
In terms of menstrual cycle awareness as a tool in sobriety, this can help us in many ways:
We have clarity around the times in the month when we need to rest and seek solitude. Not only that but after tracking our cycle for a few months, we know in advance when these times are so can plan and prepare for them. Lisa does practical things like batch cooking nutritious meals ahead of time, or making sure that her social activities are in line with her energy levels.
On the other side of the scale, there are times when our energy levels are high, when we need to connect with others, when we should be doing physical exercise and getting outdoors.
Lisa describes our cycle much like the seasons of the year which is so helpful and easy to understand.
When we are in ‘summer’ for example it explains why we might feel like superwoman and want to take on the world. But, when we get to the ‘winter’ time in our cycle we should be taking a step back, checking in with ourselves and making sure all of our needs are met.
Being aware of what is happening inside and with our hormones and emotions helps us to plan our self care effectively. We know when we will need to spend time with friends and connect and we can also make sure that we schedule in loving, restorative activities for times when our energy is low and we crave alone time and peace.
Sobriety is a time of ups and downs, one day we might be feeling high on life but then very suddenly find ourselves feeling down with the desire to isolate, for no apparent reason. This can be confusing and during those low moments we might be tempted to blame it on the fact that we are not drinking anymore, when really it is our hormones that are affecting the way we feel.
Knowing our strong, energetic periods and also being in tune with our vulnerable times takes the pressure off and removes the confusion and uncertainty – there is an actual physical reason why we are feeling the way we do.
Being aware of these changes is extremely powerful and if we can incorporate this simple, practical tool into our daily lives, be aware of what is going on and what to expect, then it makes the whole process of quitting drinking a lot easier to manage and helps us make the most of our energy whether we have lots of it or indeed are lacking our usual spark and zest.
I know you will get so much value out of this interview and Lisa’s explanations and advice.
More about Lisa
- Website: https://www.yourcyclematters.com/
- Get your very own menstrual awareness resource guide
- Follow Lisa on Instagram
- Follow Lisa on Facebook
If you enjoyed the video and want to go deeper into using menstrual awareness as a tool in sobriety, then I’m delighted to say that Lisa joins us in The Transform Program for a very special lesson. Join us!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this so do leave a comment below and let me know!
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