Interweaving the cycle of the moon into our lives with Merilyn Kesküla-Drummond
Merilyn Kesküla-Drummond is an incredible entrepreneur, speaker and mentor. I first met her a few years ago when she was flaunting between San Francisco and Monaco before she ended up working in Zurich and embarking on a corporate career. She reached out to me then when she was at the point of burnout and have been feeling anxious over if it was right to explore a new way of working.
Since then, Merilyn has launched a business called Mylky Moon Lab, where she works with individuals and corporates to question how to live and work in tune with the cycles of nature to create a life and way of working that feels more holistic and grounded. She also runs a digital marketing agency, Keskula Digital, that applies the Moon Method and principles of Digital Minimalism in its work with social media and content creation.
In this blog, we’ll explore why Merilyn created a portfolio career, interweaving the cycle of the moon into our lives, how to get in tune with the cyclical flows of the moon and how its wisdom can be used in a corporate setting. (Do you prefer to listen? Head on to the podcast!
Discover why Merilyn created a portfolio career
Samantha: On the outside, it seemed like you had a pretty cool corporate job where you get to travel a lot of times. Why were you called to create a portfolio career?
Merilyn: I’ve always wanted to do my own thing since I’m very rebellious and independent. I find it really hard to work in a hierarchical structure where I have to align myself with somebody else's path.
So working in Sennhiser was like a vacation to me. Don’t get me wrong; the job was still tough however it was a vacation to me in the sense that even though I wanted to build my own business when I was still working at Sennheiser, I didn’t have to worry, wear different hats and create a structure as I would if I became an entrepreneur by then.
At the end of the day, the soul wants to do what the soul wants to do, and I needed to go back to my own path. I knew all along that I was not on holiday forever, and at some point, I have to do what my soul came here for. That was when I decided to create a portfolio career.
Interweaving the cycles of the moon into our lives
Samantha: Would you be able to give us an overview of what the moon cycles are, and can someone make space to understand what they are and interweave them into their lives and career?
Merilyn: Interweaving the moon's cycles is a radical new way of thinking. It requires us to get more intimate and familiar with our needs. If you’re a person who’s used to putting others first, remember that putting yourself first is not just for your own benefit but also for the benefit of the company.
You can always mirror the moon's cycles into your life no matter who you are or where you’re from. The full moon, Blue moon, super moon, etc., gets a lot of attention that we often forget the balancing act, the dark moon.
The dark moon is the time before the new moon. It’s the time when we are really invited as human beings to come back into our own inner terrain and allow the soil to rest. It’s the time to sit in the void for a while, which can be uncomfortable. It’s the time to get insights, directions and wisdom.
We usually try to be “on” all the time and be full of energy. What happens is we start using our time, resources and energy in unwise ways because we think we must spend them all the time. The dark moon gives us the space to sit in and gain insights.
Sometimes it takes a while to even be able to hear and connect with your intuition when you’ve become so used to ignoring them. But trust the process, and they will come back to you.
How do we get in tune with the cyclical flows of the moon?
Merilyn: There are many tools we can use to get in tune with the cyclical flows of the moon. The problem is we don’t fully lean into it because we have been so used to being “on” all the time. As a result, we override our body's messages, which isn’t a sustainable thing to do in the long run.
The next time that you feel called to slow or calm down, fully lean into it and use the tools that are available to you. It can be through yoga, journaling, or taking walks in nature. It can be your own toolbox you can create for yourself since we are all so different, and what works for one doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for another.
How can this wisdom be used in a corporate environment?
Merilyn: It really is time to start perceiving people as unique individuals who have unique needs. People work differently, have different needs, and can all bring something special to the workplace.
The wisdom of leaning into the different cycles of the moon can only be used in a corporate environment when managers and industry leaders are open to extracting information from people and not just looking at them as robots.
Bringing in cookie-cutter wellbeing programs for companies won’t really work since everyone is unique. For example, managers can’t expect everyone to enjoy a yoga class when it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. So it really requires flexibility from the company and from the management to bring in strategies, programs and benefits for people.
Conclusion
Do you want to add more to your toolbox so you can fully lean into your dark moon cycles? Then, enrol for this month’s masterclass, Reduce Stress and Anxiety. You’’ learn how to better cope with stress and lead others around you with deeper vision, commitment and intentionality.