We are not machines 🤖

Seasons and Cycles : Working Energetically & Trusting Your Chi

This month I have been talking about seasons and cycles, working energetically & trusting your chi when it comes to both content creation, product / promotional campaigns and working within our businesses.

We are not machines.

We work in seasons & cycles.

Organic cycles.

Trust in your own non-linear nature.

Our minds and bodies are not machines that can be turned on and off at will, as much as the big tech algorithms and patriarchal, profit- and production-focused business models would like us to.

We are organic creatures who work in seasons and cycles. Just as the seasons change and the cycle of the moon waxes and wanes, so too do our moods, energy levels, and creativity ebb and flow. I see learning to trust in our non-linear nature as an important step in living a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Living in Glastonbury, where we honour the change in seasons known as the Wheel of the Year, I have become much more attuned to working with the seasons and planetary activity, aka astrology, alongside my own personal cycles and seasons of Chi, aka energy.

I also think that the last couple of years and all we have been through with Covid, both in business and in our bodies, has highlighted how the 9-5 with  a few weeks off here or there, does not actually work for people and their inert nature, which is why we are seeing so many people want to keep working from home or resigning with a view to going self-employed.

I quit my job in 2007, and am celebrating fifteen years of self-employment this year! As you can imagine, my business has moved through many cycles, seasons, iterations of its own – alongside different versions of me – in that time! From DJ booking agent to podcast producer, to social media agency owner and managing director , to consultant solopreneur to digital nomad to author to … to …* insert all versions of Kdot. Now I sit here all these years later and see all these different cycles and seasons of self, collecting them and reclaiming the soul pieces, these different parts to my life’s puzzle, to be all of who I am and what my business is (as reflection of some of these parts of self) in this now moment.

None of us are the same, we are all unique, born under different alignments, to different families, circumstances and situations, which is why I find the ‘follow my formula’ work difficult in the business world. The whole ‘we all have as many hours as Beyonce’ does not wash with me. I have learnt to honour my cycles, my situations and seasons, and that of my business over the years to witness the ever-changing nature of life and to honour all the CHANGE. Learning to work with it rather than resist it.

I used to call it a roller coaster, which says a lot in itself, when speaking to the highs and lows of my business and earning cycles. Times when work was busy and times when work was quiet made the phrase ‘make hay while the sun shines’ take on significant meaning for me. Yet there really is something to that, honouring the ebbs and flows of your energy, your work, creativity, clients and projects. But for a long time, every time (and still sometimes) when it goes quiet, I get worried, and think, ‘Oh shit, is this it?! Do I need to go “get a job?!”’ Because that’s how we have been programmed. And then every year things pick back up, I get full up with amazing projects and income that sees me through the quieter times, where I get to focus on creating in my inner cave during my winter, rather than when I am busy in my summer months.

I’m learning to honour and accept this and work with this as a tool in my business and my life, constantly being called to remember that time is not linear, and we are working in and closing out cycles in all parts of our life, all the time

This is a spiritual practice, IMHO.

So, the next time you find yourself feeling low on energy or uninspired, remember that this too shall pass. Embrace the ebbs and flows of your own unique rhythm and give yourself permission to ride the waves, rather than struggle against them.

I see this with content creation and social media a LOT. People trap themselves into the non-organic cycle of the machine that never, nor needs, nor wants to, sleep.

BUT WE  REALLY need sleep.

We need to rest.

We need SPACE.

‘A high mental load consistently diminishes the originality and creativity of the response … In other words, we need space in order to be creative.'

Moshe Bar – Neuroscientist

Just as the Earth goes through phases of growth and regeneration, so do we. By attuning to our own natural rhythms, we can learn when it's best to push ourselves and when it's time to rest and rejuvenate.

Spiralling around both social media and business in a cyclical and seasonal way can support you in having space when you need it, which in turn helps you in showing up, and sharing your gifts with others, in a way that works for you. I see this as something that is really important to consider when thinking about what's going on energetically, (personally and collectively) for you and your business.

There are a number of ways to do this. A super simple way is to track your energy levels throughout the day and week. Notice when you feel most productive and creative, and plan your work around those times.

For me, I work really well and have lots of energy and inspiration to take action between the hours of 8am-2pm. Once I start to hit 3pm, my energy tails off and I go from Yin to Yang. That’s why a lot of Chi masters tell you to take naps at lunchtime to reset your Chi. I know now not to book in work calls or clients after 4/5pm unless I can absolutely help it (sometimes an issue for working across time zones!).

If you have a womb, you can also work with the energy around your menstrual cycle and seasons, as I learnt from Lisa Lister in her book Code Red.

And you could use astrology to help you understand your personal cycles. Finding out what planets and cycles you were born under can give you insights into your natural rhythms and how they might be affecting your business and creative endeavours.

Looking at bigger cycles, like the Wheel of the Year, the big astro transits and dates through to smaller ones – such as the monthly moon cycle or personal energy cycles – can all be beneficial.

And when I look at my calendar and my intentions for the next three months, I look at astrological conjunctions and what they might mean for me, set intentions and then follow the energy. A great example of this is the creation of my third book. I was very aware of the Neptune Jupiter Conjunction in April, in my sign of Pisces, with Jupiter in my house of service and Neptune in my house of professional recognition. This I interpreted as a way to expand professional recognition around my service – and that as a double Pisces (the mystic & the poet), creating something that speaks to that side of me at that time, could open doors for me professionally. Two weeks after the book came out, an opportunity to work with a high profile and exciting, aligned project came along.

Another question I often ask myself and my clients when it comes to content, products and promotion is: What feels light and inspired? What feels heavy and like a chore? If something that was light and inspired has shifted to heavy and feeling more like a chore, I see that maybe its cycle is now complete and that was something for a season. Or maybe it’s simply time to take space and rest that for a little while, so it can rest and rejuvenate, ready to come back at a later date.

By working with the seasons, cycles, and with our Chi, we can create a more sustainable way of working that avoids burnout and allows us to show up as our best selves. Not only will this benefit our businesses, but it will also help us to serve our clients and community in the best ways possible.

What do you think? Have you tried working with the seasons or cycles in your business? I'd love to hear about your experiences, let me know in the comments below.