Self-care activity ideas to match your hormonal cycle or moon phases
When you match your self-care activities to where you are in your hormonal cycle or what phase the moon is in, you may reap some extra benefits.
If you are someone who has a period, you can go according to the phase in your hormonal cycle – but if you are someone who doesn’t have a period, you can instead rely on the moon’s phases.
We don’t all operate on a 24-hour cycle
You’ve probably noticed that you can be really active and energetic one week only to just wanna curl up on the couch the next week, and it might feel like there’s something wrong but it’s actually very natural!
So instead of trying to force yourself to push through things no matter what your energy is like, you could try to lean in and take advantage of the boost that comes from aligning what you do with your energy.
This far I’ve been planning my tasks according to where I am in my cycle, but I’ve been thinking that it might be a fun experiment to see what happens if I also align at least part of my self-care to match where I am in my cycle.
This is not to say that you should *only* do activities that match your energy and that you can’t do other things, for example, I still plan on practicing yoga throughout all of the phases. But – you can be more mindful about what to prioritize or maybe do more of, or what to add into that part of the month. It might simply change the energy you do your activities with.
Waxing moon/follicular phase (after your period)
Energetically this is a good time to come up with ideas, to make plans and initiate.
Make plans for goals you want to achieve
Plan adventures
Start new projects
Try out new exercises or hobbies, learn a new skill
Make a vision board
Go grab some books
Full moon/ovulation (usually around mid-cycle, about two weeks before your next period)
Energetically this is a good time to socialize, connect, be visible.
Be social
Share things you create or thoughts you have with others
Dance and other expressive movement, go hiking
Draw, paint, craft
Waning moon/luteal phase (the time before your period starts)
Energetically this is a good time to focus, get things done, complete.
Declutter, organize, finish up projects
You might be able to ask a little bit more of yourself in terms of exercise
New moon/menstrual phase
Energetically this is a good time to recharge, rest and reflect.
Journal, evaluate how you’ve been
Read
Rest, take a bath, go for a massage
Stretch, practice yoga, and other gentle movement