Maintaining Flow State: Calendar for Menstruating Folks
Flow state. It’s that feeling when you’re “in the zone,” and time stands still or becomes irrelevant. I'm sure you can recall a time when you've experienced it. And it rocks. But maintaining this elevated, effortless state can feel like a mystery. The secret? Continuous self-awareness: knowing what you need, when you need it and — most importantly — giving it to yourself as such.
Before I understood where I was at in my cycle, I would often become derailed by emotions or overcome with negative thoughts and feelings. Now, I understand these hiccups as my body’s way of communicating its needs to me. When I’m cranky or self-critical, the reason why can often be found in my calendar, and the solution can be found in caring for myself accordingly.
Through a deeper understanding of my cycle, my body, and what it needs each day and week, I have far more successful and positive days than negative ones than I used to. As someone who has struggled with PCOS, ovarian cysts and impaired self-esteem, I can now share with confidence that by adjusting my lifestyle to cater to the four phases of my female cycle, I have been able to curb much of the stress and negative feelings that I used to experience. Still working on that all ;;)
When we arm ourselves with routines to support our bodies as we move through each week, we can find more ease and freedom in our lives. Solutions become easier to navigate, mental clarity is at an all-time high, and the elusive flow state becomes more accessible, allowing us to tap into our peak performance and creativity with ease.
Embracing the cyclical nature of our bodies transforms our perception of time and productivity. Instead of fighting against our natural rhythms and being privy to their pitfalls, we learn to ride the waves of our energy levels, harnessing the power of each phase for optimized living.
HERE is the printable guide you can print and write on, or scroll on for all the info you need to embrace your cycle, harness your superpower, and step into a life of greater flow, ease, and empowerment!
Menstrual Phase (Days 1-5)
Hormones: Both estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest.
Potential Mood Impact: Some may feel a sense of relief as the premenstrual symptoms subside, but low estrogen could still contribute to feelings of sadness or low mood.
Self-Love Tips: Days 1-2 might be particularly challenging. Engage in gentle self-care rituals, rest as much as possible, and practice mindfulness to stay connected with your body.
Weekly Schedule: Prioritize rest and gentle activities throughout the week.
Self-care:
Skin Care: Focus on hydration and gentle cleansing.
Hair care: Use a nourishing and hydrating scalp and hair oil to combat any dryness or brittleness caused by hormonal changes.
Aromatherapy: Use lavender for relaxation, or thyme and clary sage for hormonal support.
Nutrition:
Foods to Incorporate: Iron-rich foods like spinach and legumes, magnesium-rich foods like bananas and dark chocolate, warming dishes like stew, and blood-building foods like red meat. You may also find it helpful to drink chamomile tea and supplement with Dong Quai.
Foods to Avoid: Caffeine, salty and fatty foods, and alcohol.
Movement & Meditation:
Gentle Walks: If you feel up to it, engage in short, gentle walks.
Yoga: Gentle, restorative Yoga, child’s pose.
Pranayama: Diaphragmatic breathing.
Lifestyle and Emotional Well-Being:
Prioritize Rest: Ensure adequate sleep and grounding practices.
Emotional Wellbeing: Partake in journaling to reflect as you are your most intuitive. Release emotions and avoid more social activities or calls. Encourage journaling to reflect and release emotions.
Follicular Phase (Days 6-14)
Hormones: Estrogen begins to rise, peaking just before ovulation.
Potential Mood Impact: Generally, this is a phase of increased energy and better mood, but you may still feel low in stamina. For some, the rapid rise in estrogen can lead to anxiety.
Self-Love Tips: Around Day 7-9, as estrogen starts to significantly rise, take time for grounding practices if you’re feeling unstable. Engaging in breathwork or gentle yoga can help.
Self-care:
Skin Care: Implement exfoliation or a clay masque as the skin begins to clear.
Hair Care: Your hair might need extra moisture during this time, so consider a deep hair oil treatment to keep your hair hydrated and your scalp healthy.
Vibrational Healing: Use Grapefruit and Rosemary Essential Oils to enhance memory, improve mood and reduce anxiety. Meditate with or wear Tiger’s Eye for enhanced confidence, courage and focus.
Nutrition:
Foods to Incorporate: Metabolize all that estrogen with sprouted and fermented foods like broccoli sprouts, kimchi, and sauerkraut, and consume plenty of lean proteins, vegetables, and foods rich in iron and Vitamin B like beans, leafy greens, lentils, red meat, and wild-caught fish. Drink nettle and dandelion root tea.
Foods to Avoid: High-glycemic foods like white bread, cereals, starchy vegetables, sweets and processed foods.
Movement & Meditation:
Strength Training and Cardio: Utilize your increased energy and enjoy mid-day workouts! Weight training is a great idea now.
Yoga: Power flows and dynamic sequences like Sun Salutations.
Pranayama: Kapalbhati (Breath of Fire).
Lifestyle and Emotional Well-being:
Plan and Execute: Use this energy to brainstorm, research, try new things.
Emotional Well-being: Visualize your goals and write them down.
Weekly Schedule: Engage in more demanding work and exercise. You’ll enjoy more energy and brain power making it a good week to schedule meetings and socialize with friends and family.
Ovulatory Phase (Days 15-17)
Hormones: Estrogen is at its peak, and there is a surge of luteinizing hormone (LH).
Potential Mood Impact: While many feel great due to high estrogen, the surge in LH can sometimes contribute to irritability or mood swings.
Self-Love Tips: Around Day 15, be mindful of your mood and take breaks as needed. Practices like meditation or a short walk can help maintain balance.
Self-care:
Skin Care: Keep skin hydrated and protected with an antioxidant-rich facial oil. Consider a face mask with natural ingredients to rejuvenate and nourish the skin.
Hair Care: Focus on maintaining scalp health by gently exfoliating with a fine-toothed brush and using hair and scalp oil.
Vibrational Healing: Use Essential Oils of Jasmine and Ylang Ylang for their mood-enhancing, confidence-building, and aphrodisiac properties, and Neroli for its calming and mood-stabilizing benefits. Try I Am Connected.
Nutrition:
Foods to Incorporate: High-quality dairy and meat, zinc-rich foods like pumpkin seeds and almonds, fiber-rich foods, and anti-inflammatory foods like whole fruits and vegetables. Drink lemon balm and rose petal tea.
Foods to Avoid: Alcohol and dairy (for some women).
Movement & Meditation:
High-Energy Activities: Dancing, HIIT workouts, group sports/activities.
Yoga: Backbends like Camel Pose, and balancing poses like Dancer’s Pose.
Pranayama: Lion’s Breath.
Lifestyle and Emotional Well-being:
Express Yourself: Great time for communication and creative activities.
Emotional Wellbeing: Practice mindfulness and presence meditation.
Weekly Schedule: You’re sharp and better at speaking and thinking clearly. Have that talk. Set a date night. Pitch that idea. You’re feeling confident, so engage in social activities and challenging work tasks, transitioning to calm by the end of this phase.
Luteal Phase (Days 18-28)
Hormones: Estrogen drops while progesterone rises, then both decline if pregnancy does not occur.
Potential Mood Impact: The latter part of this phase is known for PMS, which can include symptoms of depression, anxiety, and irritability.
Self-Love Tips: Pay extra attention to your well-being from Day 25 onwards. Engage in stress-reducing activities, ensure adequate sleep, and practice self-compassion. Herbal teas like chamomile or activities like journaling can also be beneficial.
Personal Care and Rituals:
Skin Care: Incorporate a calming toner/mist and use products to combat hormonal acne if necessary.
Hair care: Combat excess oiliness by using a clarifying shampoo and avoid styling products. Incorporate scalp massages to relieve tension and stress.
Aromatherapy: Lavender, ylang-ylang, geranium, bergamot, rose, clary sage, and frankincense for their mood-lifting, stress-alleviating, and hormone-balancing properties.
Nutrition:
Foods to Incorporate: Warming foods and complex carbs like brown rice and quinoa, Omega-3 Fatty-Acid rich foods like flaxseeds and walnuts, and Vitamin-B and D rich foods like eggs, avocado, lean meats, milk, swiss cheese, and green vegetables like spinach.
Foods to Avoid: Sugar, caffeine and foods high in sodium.
Movement & Meditation:
Workouts: Moderate activity is advised, as is lower-intensity strength training.
Yoga: Gentle Yoga, Forward Bends, Gentle Twists, legs up the wall.
Pranayama: Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) to regulate te left and right brain and find a focused, calm state.
Lifestyle and Emotional Well-being:
Take it Easy: Ensure quality sleep and adequate downtime.
Weekly Schedule: Focus on completing tasks, boring admin tasks, and engage in self-reflection, organization, and slowing down.
Emotional Wellbeing: Practice kind self-talk and self-compassion as you will have higher attention to detail and become more aware of unfulfilled needs.
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I recognize the wonderful uniqueness that is you, and as such, I encourage you to personalize these practices to suit your individual needs, responses, and preferences. :)
This journey to holistic well-being is profoundly personal, and while I am here to support you with grounded knowledge and experience, I always recommend consulting with healthcare professionals before starting any new practices to ensure that the path you choose aligns perfectly with your health and lifestyle.
