Seasons of Life & Good News about Ageing
How our menstrual cycle resembles our life
Hi, I'm Kat!
What I am most passionate about is to inspire you to see that your life is your own and biggest masterpiece.
A couple of weeks ago, I had recorded an episode on cycle synching and why this is so important for every woman. Today, I want to circe back to this but with a focus on your whole life and not only on the monthly cycle.
Because the same seasons that we have during our menstrual cycle, we can experience in life (well, roughly) and it will give you a perspective on planning life and enjoying life. I think I had the download for this episode when I was recording the previous one about habits because my habits have changed throughout life and I wish I had known what I know now.
I think it was Angelas Dwer’s Ted Talk about confidence when she explained that we reach our highest level of confidence at around 60 years old. This was actually hard to believe for me. But I slowly come to understand where this comes from. And it plays into the seasons …
So, short recap …
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The four cycles of the menstrual cycle
Follicular Phase
Hormonal effect on the brain is one of trying new things, creativity and beginnings
Ovulation Phase
Verbal and social centres are stimulated by the hormonal cocktail in your brain. It’s all about communication and collaboration. Present ideas, follow instincts, sell, negotiate, work in teams
Luteal Phase
This phase is cut in half. In the first half you are full of energy, can move mountains, can concentrate on others. In the second half, you are going to want to focus on your own well-being, set boundaries, make yourself a priority to make sure you can preserve energy and enthusiasm
Menstrual Phase
In this phase, you are most likely to turn inwards, to analyse and review and take assessment. And, this is also the phase where your two hemispheres, so the left side and the right side of your brain are best to communicate to each other – so you can articulate feelings and are more in synch with your thoughts and your feelings.
Overall - this is life
At least, I do see it that way. When you are a kid, you are open to new things, you are creative and explore the world, everything is a new beginning. The next phase is about socialising and communicating with your peer group, creating your circle of friends, finding out what you are good at, working in different jobs, starting companies and figuring it all out. The third phase is the one where you already achieved some things and some of them have become habits, you can take on more, maybe you have kids, buy a house, have a mortgage, have bigger projects – you are full of energy and can spend it on so many things. But, as any mom can tell you at a certain point, you will draw the line, take care of yourself to be able to persevere and to continue being the best version of yourself, which finally leads to the last phase, where you are really in synch with who you are, with what you want and you don’t care about saying it out loud. That to me is the course of life in a big pictures.
To me, this is a great blueprint to live by – for both younger as well as older women. Because, being armed with information is always better than to live on autopilot without any knowledge about our bodies and our psyches.
Kids and teens
For kids and teenagers, it is still about beginnings and creativity, it is about exploring, it is about opening up as many books and interests and avenues of life as possible. To seek joy and adventure and to find out what you like and dislike what you are good at and not. If you are in your twenties, it is about finding the people in your life, finding your friends, your romantic partner, your work crew, your team, your mentors. And it is about getting your ideas out there (after the phase that you developed and harnessed your interests), finding the team to make them reality, founding companies, doing things together.
Your twenties
This time is about finding the people in your life, finding your friends, your romantic partner, your work crew, your team, your mentors. And it is about getting your ideas out there (after the phase that you developed and harnessed your interests), finding the team to make them reality, founding companies, doing things together.
The thirties and the rest
In your thirties, it is about juggling it all – probably you are mum if this is something you aspire – you have a job, you have interests and you will go full steam ahead. Until you realise enough is enough and you get back to your number one priority: YOU. Even if and even more so if you have kids – you need to be your best self to set a role model for them. And then it is all focus on what you actually want – and this phase extends until you finally leave your human experience.
Great news
I think that sums it up pretty much – and honestly. Had I known, I would have done some things differently in my life. But even now I am absolutely grateful to have this information because nobody says that the phases are equally long in duration. The first phase in a human life is about 20 -24 years long, the next probably 10, the third also about 10-15 and the rest … well that is the fourth phase all focused on you. Your desires, your goals, our well-being. With our average age-span continually rising I think that means that a lot of time is being lived in the great time that right and left hemisphere are in unison and that you are totally in synch with your mind, your body and your soul. How awesome is that.
And that brings me to the good news about ageing. Ageing is not about wrinkles and loss of memory and bone mass. It is about gaining self-confidence and self-knowledge and not giving any f***s anymore what anybody thinks. That is true star potential. And to underline this point, I have amassed some great examples of women that realised their potential rather late in life compared to our youth-obsessed Western society.
Wonderful examples of women who found success after the age of 40
- Vera Wang – 40 years old when she started out in the fashion business
- Julia Child – 50 years old when she published her first cookbook
- Nina Zagat- 51 years old when she published the first Zagat guide with her husband
- Viola Davis – 43 years old when she got her breakthrough part as an actress
- Toni Morrison – 40 years old when she wrote and published her first book
- Lucille Ball – 40 years old when “I Love Lucy” started and catapulted her into fame
- Martha Stewart – 41 years old when she published her first book
- Laverne Cox – 41 years old when she got the part in “Orange is the New Black” and became an international force for LGBTQ+ rights
- Betty White – 51 years old when she got her breakthrough part in “The Mary Tyler Moore” show
- Anna Mary Robertson Moses – 78 years old when she created her first painting, she became a very prolific painter and one of her paintings sold for over 1 million dollars.
- Ariana Huffington – 55 years old when she created the Huffington Post and created her namesake empire.
This phase of focus on oneself, when having amassed knowledge and tried all routes – it does have beauty and is the birth of some great new ideas and bold steps. This is exiting. So, this, the longest phase, seems like successful bliss and is to be enjoyed.
With all my love!
xx
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