The nagging voice in our head urges us to make another list, to schedule another play date or dinner, to get the laundry done before we head out for the long weekend camping trip. The voice inside our head leads us through a barrage of tasks, stripping us of the joys of spontaneity, yet enticingly defining us as “master multi-taskers”.

We grin and bear it. We post another instagram pic of ourselves in the shirt that says “Goal Digger” or “But first, coffee” or “Run Now, Wine Later” or “BeastMode”, like we have to be balls to the wall 110 percent of the time. Then later we’ll get wasted to forget this hellish day. It’s exhausting just watching this chaos. And we seem completely unaware of how to slow down.

Of course, anyone who is into health & wellness at any level has heard of this one thing that can really help to calm the crazy. This powerful practice, with the immense ability to help us quiet those voices in our heads, and let go of all the things.

Say it with me now – MEDITATION. Yes, yes, that’s the one.

Now you might read this and think a lot of things. You might have a lot of justifications why meditation isn’t your jam. So I’m here to unpack some of your stories for you.

Top 3 Meditation Excuses

1. “Oh ya, nope. Tried it. Didn’t work. Not for me.” – I used this line. Before discovering that – AMAZINGLY – just because you tried something once and didn’t succeed, doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t try, try again! So the day/time/position/method/setting you tested out meditation in didn’t provide the results you were seeking… Lucky for you, there are many many methods of getting out of your head and into your breath (keep reading for a few options).
2. “I’m too busy to meditate” – You know who is huge into meditating? Tony Robbins. Ever heard of him? Massively successful motivational speaker who’s written 4 best selling books, and generally kicks ass every 12-14 hour day spent motivating the masses? Ya that guy finds time to meditate. Know who else meditates every day? Oprah. You know that lady must have a pretty full plate. Knowing that people like them find the time kinda made me feel silly about using this line. We’re not too busy, we just don’t make it a priority (also, I discovered that the “I’m too busy for xyz” line almost always translates to “I’m not making that a priority”).
3. “I can’t stop thinking” – This is a full on message that meditation is what your body sorely needs! Overthinking is merely a habit, just like all the others things we do in a day. But it is 100% possible to retrain your brain to not only settle into silence, but to LOVE it.

There is a zen proverb that says:

“You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day – unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour.”

Now, I won’t accept a lot of justification in not having any kind of meditation practice, but oh my goodness I can certainly say with two kids under 5, a full time job, YHC Certification training, starting a business, and writing these beautiful blogs… I do not have 1 hour in which I can place priority on meditation.

Luckily for us there are many beautiful steps on the path to the perfect meditation practice, all of which provide ample benefits.

The Stepping Stones to Your Mindfulness Practice

1. Yoga Nidra Sleep Meditation – There are endless free recordings online to help decompress, quiet your mind, and breathe into all areas of your body, preparing you for restful sleep. This is a great place to start because it doesn’t take any time out of your day. When you’re ready for bed, just pop in your headphones and drift off to peaceville.
2. Guided Morning Meditation – Guided meditations are a beautiful stepping stone to a solid practice. Filled with kind words, generally including some positive affirmations; short guided meditations are great for starting the day right. By listening to the voice of someone else, you can effectively quiet that little voice inside you.
3. Meditating on a Topic – This could otherwise be referred to as brainstorming, but with enhanced intention. Come to your meditation space – this could be the end of your bed, your living room carpet, your backyard, basically anywhere you won’t be disturbed by people or technology – and bring your notebook. Choose your topic (eg; my next blog post, my kid’s birthday party). Sit down and breathe, allowing thoughts on the topic to flow freely. As good ideas come up, break to jot them down so you can expand on them later. As unrelated thoughts come up, just let them go. Just a heads up – you might get insane levels of creative in these sessions.
4. Moving With Mindfulness – Choose a task that you complete without much thought, such as brushing your teeth, doing dishes, folding laundry, eating, or to a certain extent, driving. Now just do that thing, and breathe. This one was mind blowing for me. It is wild how many random, useless, and mostly negative thoughts I had floating around in my head when I actually paid attention to them. Now I’m getting pretty good at moving with mindfulness, catching myself in the thought spiral, and letting it go with a smile.
5. Timed Meditation – starting with 1 minute even. Set your timer so you don’t have to worry about whether you need to get up and check your phone. Just commit to breathing for that one minute. Then go to two. Then 5, and so on.

AND THEN – try going it alone, no guidance, no movement, no timer. And if you’re ready, prepare to receive true bliss.

Do you have a secret to letting go and sitting in silence that wasn’t listed above? We’d love to hear about it. Share in the comments below.

All my adult life, I have loathed my period. A time of emotional upheaval, uncertainty, distress. Inability to communicate with candor and care. Inability to ask for what I need without my partner giving me that look of “It’s that time of the month again isn’t it?”. Of course, it is, and I’m so frustrated that I can’t be normal right now!!

There are about 2 weeks of the month when I am an extremely creative, high functioning person. New ideas abound, along with the energy to implement them. I say yes to every opportunity and look for the silver linings in all situations. I’m social, quick-witted, and confident in myself. I’m a champ.

The other two weeks, well, I wouldn’t describe them the same.

I start to feel pushed into the things I had committed to. I withdraw from social situations; switch to autopilot with the kids. I have miscommunications with my spouse. I get irritated at questions that only a week ago would have brought me joy to answer. To sum it up – shit gets weird. And then the guilty feelings wash over me. Why did I say that? What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just get up and do things?

The answer is that I’ve been trying to do the wrong things during this time.

This is something that’s in the water in our society. We’re taught to give 100% all of the time. As business owners, we’re expected to have the same level of content output; the same level of energetic drive, 100% of the time. I think I’m not the only woman who fakes it (in business, or otherwise), probably about 30% of the time. And you better believe that once I started paying attention, I realized the “fake” days lined right up with my menstrual cycle.

Looking into the “why” behind my fluctuating ability to perform at different times of the month, I learned that as estrogen levels decline in the weeks before our period, so does our ability to think and communicate clearly…. or to remember simple words… or the fact that there’s wet laundry in the washing machine.

Over the last few months, I’ve done some deep searching and reflecting on what I expect from myself – in terms of my business and relationships, and my self-care – at different times of the month. I’ve made some beautiful realizations about what my body needs at different stages of my cycle, and am working to implement a more thoughtful approach to my business and life, using my cycle to my advantage.

Monthly Menstrual Cycles in Business

‘Connecting The Female Energy Cycle’ Photo Credit Dana Gillespie – www.mymoontime.com

Luteal Phase (otherwise known as PMS) – Estrogen levels declining:

What has long been regarded as the least favorite time of the month, has become a well-needed space for reflection on how the previous month unfolded. Stepping back from my soapbox, I go inward – assessing the successes and failures of the last month. I make lists, organize my office, update my books. I meditate and provide myself with long and loving massages. I reassess my commitments, retreat from that which does not serve me, and prepare to realign in the direction that feels right.

Menstrual Phase (our period) – Lowest Estrogen Level:

This phase is so sacred. It is the peeking sunlight after the storm. Through my processes of reflection in the luteal phase, I set new intentions for the month to come. I think about my vision. From a refreshingly emotionally balanced place, I write down my goals and listen to my gut feelings. I meditate on my business and express gratitude. It is during this time that I often get those aha! moments, where a new idea pops into my head. I take some time to outline the content of these new ideas.

Follicular Phase – Estrogen Rising:

As my energy levels rise, so does my self-confidence. I dive into my seedling ideas, have brainstorming sessions, write drafts, and problem solve the steps toward my vision. I get into conversations, connect with my tribe, reach out to the peeps who would benefit from my offerings. And I get posting on social media, sharing what’s new and shiny.

Ovulation Phase – Peak Estrogen = Peak energy:

This is the money week. Clear-headed and concise, I seek opportunities for interviews, free talks, and networking events. I spread joy. I dance and sing like my kids are watching. I shoot my videos, offering humor along with knowledge. And I batch task my social media posts, scheduling them for the weeks to come, to provide myself with that well-deserved reflection and organization time.

This breakdown of my cycle has brought so much clarity to the way I run my business and the way I treat myself. As I focus my energies as outlined above, I release myself from guilt and stress. I am anchored by the moon. And my path, though winding, is clear.

Do you align your business with your monthly cycle?

If you struggle with inconsistent energy levels or brain fog at different times of the month, it’s worth your while to pull out your calendar and start tracking these feelings. Find what works for you and when then use it to your advantage.

Post your experiences in the comments below! I’d love to hear if this helps bring clarity and prosperity to your business too.