Living In Rhythm: How Cycle Tracking Helped Me Accept My Emotions, Energy & Authentic Self

For most of my life, I thought I was inconsistent.

Some weeks I’d be social and buzzing, other weeks I’d want nothing more than to stay home in trackies and avoid the world. Some days I had energy pouring out of me, full of ideas and momentum. Other days, I’d feel foggy, tired, snappy, or flat — and I’d tell myself I was being unmotivated, flaky, or too emotional.

Sound familiar?

It wasn’t until I started learning about my menstrual cycle that I realised — I wasn’t inconsistent. I was cyclical.

Understanding my cycle has been one of the most empowering things I’ve ever done. Not just for my health and hormones, but for how I see myself. Cycle aligning gave me a whole new lens through which to understand my energy, mood, cravings, focus, and even my productivity and relationships.

You’re Not All Over The Place — You’re In A Cycle

As women, we’ve been sold the idea that success and balance means being the same every day. Same focus, same energy, same emotional state. But the truth is, we’re not linear — we’re seasonal.

When I finally started tracking and aligning with my menstrual cycle, I realised my emotional shifts weren’t wrong. My introverted weeks, my tired days, my surges of creativity followed by a need to retreat — they all made sense within a bigger rhythm.

Instead of pushing through with guilt, I started planning around my phases.

• I said no to things that would drain me in my Dream or Take phase

• I leaned into visibility and creative work in my Do and Give phases

• I gave myself permission to rest without shame

Suddenly, I didn’t feel so chaotic anymore. I felt aligned.

But What About The Non-Negotiables?

Let’s be real. Life doesn’t always line up perfectly with your phases.

There are birthdays, Christmases, work events, family trips, and random commitments that can’t be moved to suit your inner rhythm. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still work with your cycle.

Inspired by the concept of Optimum Times from Miranda Gray, I started planning around those events — being more intentional about:

• How I prepared in the lead-up

• What I said yes to around it

• How I nourished myself before and after

Even if I couldn’t change the date, I could change how I showed up — and how I supported myself before and after.

This helped me avoid burnout and guilt, and made the full experience feel more conscious and enjoyable (not only for myself but those around me - iykyk 😅). If you're planning big events during your Take or Dream phase, you can still show up beautifully — just plan for recovery and support around it.

Here’s how I support myself practically when I have to show up during a phase that might not naturally suit it:

• Dream Phase: I lower all expectations outside of the event itself, build in rest before and after, and give myself permission to be quieter or more observant on the day.

• Do Phase: This one often lines up well with social energy — but I make sure not to overcommit. I’ll plan a soft start or spacious evening to anchor myself.

• Give Phase: I let myself show up fully and shine — but I also stay mindful of people-pleasing or overextending. I leave white space in the following day to integrate.

• Take Phase: I prepare in advance and keep the day itself as calm as possible. I say no to extras, plan nourishing food, and schedule a complete wind-down afterward.

The Four Phases of the Menstrual Cycle (And How I Align My Life With Them)

I love the language Lucy Peach uses for the cycle phases: Dream, Do, Give, and Take. These names capture the energetic feel of each phase so much more than just hormone charts. Here’s how I understand and work with each phase, with wisdom also woven in from Miranda Gray’s beautiful cycle writings.

1. Dream Phase (Menstruation / Days ~1–5)

Inner Winter – Rest. Retreat. Receive.

Mood & energy: Low physical energy, increased emotional sensitivity, intuitive insight

Best for: Journalling, reflecting, resting, receiving guidance, visioning the month ahead

Supportive foods: Warming stews, iron-rich veggies, herbal teas, easy-to-digest meals

Body care: Gentle movement, naps, castor oil packs, saying no

This is a sacred inward time. I keep my calendar light and let myself process what’s been and dream into what’s next.

2. Do Phase (Follicular / Days ~6–13)

Inner Spring – Create. Initiate. Plan.

Mood & energy: Renewed energy, optimism, excitement to start

Best for: Launching ideas, setting goals, beginning projects, brainstorming

Supportive foods: Fresh, light meals, vibrant salads, lean proteins

Body care: Cardio, strength building, morning walks, movement that energises

This is when I feel most clear and ready to get things moving. I start mapping out content, setting intentions, and booking calls. Big group friend catch ups also happen here.

3. Give Phase (Ovulation / Days ~14–20)

Inner Summer – Connect. Express. Lead.

Mood & energy: Outward focus, confidence, joy, generosity

Best for: Teaching, social events, collaboration, visibility, deep conversations

Supportive foods: Fresh produce, smoothies, hydrating meals, cooling foods

Body care: Dance, group fitness, sharing energy with others

This is my “say yes” phase. I love recording podcasts, running live calls, batch creating videos, and catching up with friends.

4. Take Phase (Luteal / Days ~21–28/30)

Inner Autumn – Edit. Complete. Reflect.

Mood & energy: Focused, discerning, emotionally attuned, easily overstimulated

Best for: Admin, decluttering, editing, wrapping up, clearing space

Supportive foods: Complex carbs, dark chocolate, magnesium-rich meals

Body care: Slow yoga, stretching, solitude, early nights

This is when I go inward again. I do behind-the-scenes work, pull back from social spaces, and focus on boundaries. If I see friends I normally make it a one on one.

Miranda Gray calls this the subconscious phase — it’s when our intuition sharpens and our inner critic gets loud. I use this phase for refining, cleaning, noticing what needs letting go, whilst making sure my inner critic is being constructive and not mean.

How I Track & Align Practically

I’ve tried lots of different tracking and aligning methods, but what works best for me is:

• A cycle rhythm in my bullet journal journal to remind me in dot point form of my focus for each phases when I am planning in my calendar

• My own custom GPT I created to help plan my month and suggest activities aligned to my phase (if this is something you are interested in, send me an email, if there is enough interest I will make it available to you once I have refined it).

• A phase calendar in my Trello board and my Bullet Journal calendar with my phases mapped out so I can plan work, holidays, and even social events in a way that feels good

When it comes to food, I don’t follow any strict cycle-based nutrition plan. I eat intuitively and in a way that supports my body day to day — and I’ve noticed that the foods I naturally crave and gravitate toward usually align with my phase anyway. That said, what I eat also depends on the actual seasons here in rural NSW. If it’s 40 degrees in summer or 4 degrees in winter, my body will prioritise temperature and grounding over any textbook recommendation — and I fully honour that.

Final Thoughts

Understanding your cycle isn’t about being perfect or always getting it right.

It’s about coming home to your rhythm.

It’s about releasing the pressure to be the same every day.

It’s about trusting that your body knows what it’s doing — and that each phase brings something valuable.

If this speaks to you, I invite you to start tracking this month. Just note how you feel each day — energy, mood, hunger, cravings, clarity. Notice the pattern. Then let it guide you.

This is one of the ways we move from self-judgement to self-trust.

And it’s one of the most beautiful shifts I’ve ever made.