Embracing the Wisdom of Cycles
I’ve been working a lot lately with my clients to embrace the idea of cycles. I’m also exploring it more deeply in my own life and business. Here’s what I’ve learned.
Life is filled with cycles. The natural world ebbs and flows with the seasons. Women’s bodies cycle every month. Even life itself comes and goes.
It’s all part of the process.
And yet, our modern world resists cycles.
Capitalism, the patriarchy, and hustle culture have led us to believe that our output and energy levels should be the same every day. That we should be constantly pushing for productivity. Always striving to do more.
We get a similar message from the health industry. You should be energetic, happy, and healthy all the time. No exceptions.
This always-on culture obscures the truth.
That life comes in cycles.
Going dormant
Consider the cycle of seasons.
Winter. It’s defined in the natural world by dormancy. Plants and animals, recognizing the chill of the Winter months, seek out a state of rest and reservation. They hibernate.
We don’t look at this as failure.
When the plants shrivel up in Winter, only to emerge blooming and beautiful in Spring. When the bear hunkers down in a cave, rising again to feed and care for their family.
These are celebrated behaviors in nature. A protection mechanism. An embrace of the weather and the world. A chance to regroup and recover.
Why don’t we view our lives the same way?
A natural rhythm
Everyone has their own unique rhythm.
Times they’re productive and energetic. Times they power down to recharge. Times they seek out relationships, creative inspiration, or thrill.
These rhythms are natural.
And yet, we often allow them to be obscured. We absorb the advice of others–through self-help books, biographies, advice columns–and pursue a similar rhythm. Even when it conflicts with our organic flow.
How many times have you seen a self-help guru say something like:
“You have to wake up at 5am every morning”
“You have to do your highest value work in the early hours”
“You have to do this every single day”
Maybe this will work for you. Maybe not.
It depends on your cycle and your unique blueprint for your life.
In his book, “When,” author Daniel Pink talks about peak hours. His research shows that our individual sleep cycle determines optimal times for productivity. And aligning work with the part of the day we’re most energized can be powerful. Much more so than any productivity “hacks” or other behaviors.
Cycles, hard at work.
In practice
I’ve been learning to connect with my body.
To listen to the natural rhythm of my daily cycles. Times when I feel stretched. Times when I feel productive. Times when I need to shut everything down and rest.
These are clear messages. But it’s taken me a long time to accept them.
I used to feel glued to a schedule. Like many, I’d force my agenda no matter how I was feeling. I’d push right past exhaustion. I’d ignore burnout. I wasn’t listening.
Now, my days look different.
I’m fortunate to have flexibility, and I use it to embrace my personal cycle. I take time to go to the gym. I rest when my body tells me to. I spend a lot more time working with the energy of stillness and listening to what wants to come forward through me.
I’ve also learned to embrace the cycles of business.
As a small business owner, work comes in waves. During some stages, it’s a challenge to keep up with all the opportunities. During others, work slows. I’ve learned to embrace the changing of the small business seasons.
Quiet times are okay. They don’t mean I’m a failure. In fact I’ve learned that quiet times usually mean something big is just around the corner.
Your turn
Here’s my invitation to you…
Embrace your cycle. Slow down the pace of life to appreciate its natural rhythm. Document the signals your mind and body are sending your way. Connect with your unique blueprint.
You will never connect to your own cycle in your head. So I find the best way to start is to get quiet, find a point of stillness in my body and breathe. To embrace what I truly want and need requires going within and connect with my body. I invite you to start by doing the same. Once you feel calm and still reflect on these questions:
What do I really want and need in this moment? Really allow yourself to feel the answer in your body.
What is stopping me from trusting myself to do what I really want and need in this moment? (for example fear of letting others down, fear of not having enough money or other fear based thinking can drive us into actions that are not in alignment with our own cycle).
Is my fear real?
If you need to rest, what can I renegotiate, outsource or leave until later? What must be done?
Want to learn more about cycles and how to connect with yours?
At Resources Reimagined, I’m committed to the belief that every person has the capacity for an amazing life. And that sharing our gifts with others is a beautiful calling. But often, to reach our highest heights, we first have to reshape how we view the mountain.
That’s where mindset coaching and training comes in.
I hope you’ll join me on this journey.