Hello again, and welcome back to the Burnout Buster series that is going on and on and on. I swear that I could talk for days on end about burnout and how to fight it. It is so prevalent in our culture that it is just seen as normal and sometimes even rewarded. I cannot express enough how damaging this is to our internal systems and the research is growing on its affect in all sorts of cancers and diseases. We really are our own worst enemies sometimes. The good news is, it does not have to be that way. The even better news is that a few small shifts can make a dramatic difference.
Throughout this series on burnout we have covered everything from doing a values check-in, spending more time doing the things you enjoy, to catering our lives to our biology. Last week, we touched on how natural it is to make shifts in our lives based on the seasons. The more you lean into seasonal shifts, the more ease you create within your system. This week I want to take a look at a shorter cycle that we can all integrate into our lives: the moon cycle.
Why Follow the Moon
The whole idea behind living cyclically is that living in go-go-go energy and mindset is not sustainable in the long term and it causes major stress in our lives and bodily systems. The moon operates on a 28 day cycle and gives us a chance to integrate rest, analyzing, planning, and work energy into each month. Men and women alike can integrate this cycle into their lives. It can be as simple as knowing what phase the moon is in and planning your week to be more in line with the them of that phase. Let’s get into it a little bit more.
Moon Phases And How to Integrate
New Moon
The New Moon can be compared to Winter. It is a great time to rest and reflect. Those who menstruate can compare it to menstruation. It is a great time to go inward and evaluate how things are going in life, work, and relationships.
Waxing Moon
The Waxing Moon can be compared to Spring. Our energy is growing and now that we just spent the last week resting and evaluating, we are now in the planning stages. Brainstorming changes that need to be made, projects to work on, and future goals and plans. We are doing the prep work before the action.
Full Moon
The Full Moon intention and energy is all about getting the plans into action and putting yourself out there. This energy can be compared to ovulation and sweet Summer. This is a great time to work with others, get out into the world, and share yourself with others.
Waning Moon
The Waning Moon is a time to reel it in and start slowing down. This is similar to Autumn. This is a great time to wrap up projects and tie up any loose ends. We start to go more inward and is a great time for self-care.
Making The Shift
It all starts with awareness. I recommend pulling up a moon phases calendar and just checking in where you are at. What shifts can you make in the coming days to live more in line with what phase the moon is in? What shifts can you make in the coming weeks and different phases? It doesn’t have to be anything major either. Maybe its just 10-15 mins of analytic type journaling the week of the New Moon. It can look like making your social plans more around the time of the Full Moon. It might feel weird at first, but I swear, the more you do it, the more natural it becomes. I have gotten to a point where I don’t even need to look at where the moon is because I can feel it.
I would love to know what you think and how these shifts are fitting into your lives!
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