Do you know that feeling of having crossed your boundaries again?
You’re tired, your immunity is low, you’re on the edge of feeling sick, sensitivities surface (for me, that’s eczema) and on top of all that, you’re blaming yourself for having let things come that far again.
Ugh. That was my state of being last week.
Crossing boundaries
The past month – or let’s be honest, the past few months – had been full, intense, and quietly depleting. And it finally caught up with me. I felt it in my bones. My immunity dipped. I was exhausted in a way that rest alone couldn’t fix.
Luckily, I’ve learned something from past experiences: to gear back and say ‘no’.
Once I noticed the symptoms, I pressed the brake and cancelled all my social weekend plans – even though I had been muchhh looking forward to them.
Semi-sad, semi-relieved, I surrendered to a calm weekend.
I wandered through the park & local market, made home cooked meals with my partner, put our renovation projects on hold, did yoga, took many naps, and bought myself a pretty pretty bouquet of flowers.
And you know what, it really helped.
The eczema that had begun to appear on my face disappeared after a few days. I didn’t fall sick-sick. My energy returned – and with it, a calmer, more compassionate mind.
Even though I had gone too far and had to cancel on my dear friends, I felt proud and empowered that I stopped before things escalated further.
We have to celebrate our steps forward & achievements in this big school of life y’all.
Yet… I must admit that some shame and condemnation towards myself still lingered.
I was in my luteal phase – that potent premenstrual time that can bring both deep insight and a roaring inner critic. And of course, in this vulnerable and sensitive state, she showed up in full force. She shamed me for needing rest, for “failing” to keep up, for cancelling plans.
Energy management
Thankfully, life has its own kind of divine timing.
While continuing our renovation works during the week, I found myself listening to the Menstruality Podcast by Red School (episodes 194 & 195 — highly recommended!), on energy management. I felt so seen.
What struck me most was hearing how even the leaders in menstruality continuously face this challenge of putting boundaries and managing energy. This was so soothing.
These are the people leading the way in this field – and still, the work of honouring our limits is daily work. Something softened in me. I remembered I’m not alone.
They spoke about our current collective epidemic of fatigue and burnout – how we’ve been conditioned by a culture that knows linearity, speed, and constant output, but has forgotten the wisdom of cycles.
We were not taught how to ebb and flow, how to expand and contract.
There’s no cultural template for rest.
We have been brought up in a culture void of cyclical understanding.
So of course we struggle. Of course we face difficulty with balancing our energy, and ourselves.
And it’s not just about our own body. It’s not just personal.
It’s our larger body as well. How we take care of our body, and push it to the edge, is visible in the larger body of Earth around us.
We are tired, overworked, over extracted, and depleted – just like the planet we live on.
Cyclical living & Menstrual cycle awareness
This is why cyclical living and menstrual cycle awareness (MCA) feel so radical and healing.
They are the medicine.
Cycles are systems of sustainability.
They are energy management systems – managing our energy, our creativity, our growth.
They hold us – if we let them.
The past years of practicing cyclical living have taught me to recognise the intelligent signs of my body sooner, with more compassion and trust.
To slow down before collapsing.
To soften into rest instead of crashing into it.
The damage was less this time. I caught it earlier. I cancelled plans. I bought flowers (self-love, in bouquet form 💐). I let myself be tired. I was pretty kind to myself.
It’s not perfect, but it’s a huge shift from how I used to power through everything, ignoring every signal until I got sick.
And this is the deeper invitation of cycle awareness: not to control or master the cycle, but to partner with it.
To let it guide us.
To surrender when needed.
And to remember that rest is not laziness. It’s needed. It’s wisdom. It’s rhythm.
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being present.
It’s about building a relationship with your energy, your body, your life – one rooted in truth, compassion, and rhythm.
Today, I’d like to close with this quote, that brought a smile to my face and a positive trigger to create more space for meditation:
“You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes a day – unless you’re too busy. Then you should sit for an hour.”
– Zen proverb
A note on Today’s full moon
Today’s full moon in Scorpio invites us into deep emotional waters. I read that Scorpio energy is transformative, intense, and fiercely honest – a mirror to what lies beneath the surface.
It asks: What needs to die so something new can live?
This lunation might illuminate where we’ve been pushing too far, neglecting our boundaries, or withholding the truth of what we really need.
It’s a powerful time for releasing, and for reclaiming our power – so a more authentic, wild and wise part of ourselves can resurface, helping us to realign with our purpose.
🌀 Reflection prompts:
- What is your body communicating to you this week?
- What might soften or shift if you chose compassion over criticism?
And in light with the full moon:
- What is currently holding you back or hurting you?
- Can you transform this into something that heals and releases you?
In sum,
You’re not alone if you’re tired.
You’re not failing if you need rest.
And your body is never the enemy – it’s the messenger 💌
Let’s keep listening.
Let’s keep remembering.
Let’s keep choosing softness over shame.
WANT SUPPORT?
In my workshops, circles, and 1:1 sessions, I help you in becoming body literate, understanding the shifts happening within your menstrual cycle, and aligning your lifestyle with your inner rhythm. Ultimately, I guide you in embracing the fulness of who you are, and stepping into your unique power. If you want support, have a look at my services or reach out directly via the contact page.
We’re in this together 💗
With love,
Stéphanie 🌞🌙
Awareness. Embodiment. Alignment. Transformation.
