Category Archives: CD Strengths

Quiet

BE QUIET!

That’s what my mind screamed this morning as my daughter chattered non stop.

I had risen early to write and craved quiet to settle myself and think. I needed quiet in body and mind after the crazy week I’d had.

She had risen early to prepare for work, but the roads were still icy and she couldn’t leave at 6:45 as planned.

And, so she talked. Non stop talked.  Fast. Furious. Asking me questions and not giving me time to answer.  Her mind was racing (usually is) and her mouth was doing its best to keep up.  Flitting from room to room (and bumping into me as she passed), she continued to talk even when the distance between us was too great for me to hear what she was saying.

My muscles tensed and my jaw clenched.  Frustration grew within me.  Tears stung my eyes.  The ONLY time I would have for quiet was slipping away. My mind, the one I’d hoped to settle and ground in quiet, became a roaring, conflicted mess of thoughts. I wanted to scream, “SILENCE!” and have everything fall still and silent.

Quiet.

Some people thrive in a whirl of activity where noise, within and without, feeds their innermost needs.

Others need quiet.

Quiet is more than a lack of audible noise.  Quiet is a stillness…calmness…peacefulness that allows the mind to recharge, regroup, focus – and it exists where intrusions do not interrupt and the mind is free to go about its business.

Silence was not what I needed this morning.  Quiet was.

And, quiet is what I’ve had for the past 20 minutes.  Daughter went out to sit in her car while the street thaws.  She sent a brief burst of texts in which she said she would return indoors before leaving.

And, when she does quiet will flee from the barrage of noise that will accompany her.

Where is she in her cycle? This is CD 4 for her.

Where am I in mine? Take a wild guess.

Full Throttle

Yesterday, Danica Patrick became the first woman to secure the top spot for any race in NASCAR’s premier circuit when she won the Daytona 500 pole with a 196.434 mph lap.

“I was brought up to be the fastest driver, not the fastest girl. That was instilled in me from very young, from the beginning. Then I feel like thriving in those moments, where the pressure’s on, has also been a help for me. I also feel like I’ve been lucky in my career to be with good teams and have good people around me. I don’t think any of it would have been possible without that. For those reasons, I’ve been lucky enough to make history, be the first woman to do many things. I really just hope that I don’t stop doing that. We have a lot more history to make. We are excited to do it.” — Danica Patrick

I wonder…what are we instilling in our girls?

My hope is we are encouraging them to embrace life and live it full throttle!

When Words Won’t Flow

Have you ever had days when you just can’t find the words?

Communication is harder and though there may be a conversation going on in your head, getting it out and sharing it with others is nearly impossible.

Rambling, disjointed thoughts jotted on paper are the extent of and result of any writing exercise.

Why is it some days we just can’t seem to find the words to express ourselves?

Can it be that hormones are to blame?

Dr. Laura Berman, in Hormones 101, says yes.

Hormones are the driving force behind our bodies, minds, and bedrooms.

Researchers have found that hormones control almost all our physical, emotional, and sexual functions. Hormones dictate hunger, sleep, sexual response, weight, and even your mood.

While her post centers on hormonal fluctuations experienced during menopause, she offers sound advice for all of us, no matter where in our menstrual experience we find ourselves.

We all experience frustration. We all experience days where we wonder what the heck is going on and if our minds/bodies will ever get in sync.

On days like this, patience is truly a virtue.

Performance Enhancing

Okay, I’ll admit…I’m not usually a fan of the Super Bowl Half Time Show.

But, this year I found myself drawn to it.

Not because the performer was Beyonce – but because the performer was a woman.

I wondered where she was in her cycle and if she used strengths found in this cycle day to aid her performance this evening.

And, I wondered if her performance would have differed had it fallen on any other cycle day.

As a woman, do you find that your cycle day influences your performance?

Do you use strengths found in each cycle day to aid and enhance your performance?