Here in the US, today is inauguration day, and every 4 to 8 years, when this day rolls around, it’s the beginning of a new cycle in our democracy. When we discussed what to write for today, we kept going back and forth on this idea: Is today a ‘new beginning,’ or is it just the start of a ‘new cycle?’ And then we asked each other, what’s the difference? As females, we see this in our monthly cycle, but when you’re trying to conceive, does the end of a cycle signify a new beginning or a new cycle for you? And when you’re going through fertility treatments, does that answer change?
New Cycle
A cycle is “a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order.” This describes the female reproductive cycle. Heck, it describes life itself pretty well. So, when you get to the end of a cycle (or a round), and you start a new one, it is a “new cycle.”
New Beginning
According to the dictionary, ‘beginning’ is “the point in time or space at which something starts.” Every time your cycle restarts or you start a new round of infertility treatments, it’s a ‘beginning.’
What’s the Difference?
Well, these definitions imply that the start of every cycle is a ‘new beginning.’ But how do you see it? Is there a nuanced difference in how they feel or how you approach them? When you start a new reproductive cycle does it feel like a ‘new beginning’ to you? When you start a new round of fertility treatment, how does that feel?
Exercise
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Grab a piece of paper. Make two columns, and write ‘new beginning’ in one column, and ‘new cycle’ in the other.
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Set a timer for 5 minutes.
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Now, write whatever comes up for you for each of these phrases. These don’t need to be complete sentences, it can be a list, or you can even doodle.
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When the timer goes off, put your writing instrument down, and read what you wrote.
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What do you notice? Is there anything to notice? What feelings does each of the phrases invoke?
End Game
It’s all semantics in the end; the real question is, how do you want to see the next cycle? Do you like your current outlook or would you like it to change? If you like it, great! Keep it up! If you don’t sign up for our newsletter and download our free “Reset Your Fertility Mindset” eBook. This 100-page guide will help you reshape how you want to feel along your path to parenthood with hopefully less suffering and more joy.
