how to harness the superpowers of the menstrual cycle to create magic in business and life

If you have a menstrual cycle, lmk if this is you:

One week you’re energized and ready to take on the world. Work tasks flow with ease. You’re taking meetings and giving presentations like a boss. Overall, your energy is in sync with the demands of the outside world.

Cut to a week later, and *poof!* that energy is gone. You try to show up for meetings and presentations like you did last week but it just isn’t the same. You’re tripping over your words and the thought of a networking event makes you want to crawl under a rock.

It’s hard not to question yourself, your drive, or even your self-worth in these moments. You may ask yourself: “why can’t I show up consistently?”

Here is the reality: We experience cyclical hormonal changes that affect our physical energy, mood, and even the ways our brains function.

The problem isn’t you! The problem is a society that expects you to show up as the same person every single day.

I want to be clear that I’m not saying you can’t do things as well or as consistently as men and ppl w/o cycles. However, there are times in your cycle where certain tasks and energies flow more naturally. Each phase of the menstrual cycle has its superpowers that you can use to create more sustainability in your business, work, or creative projects. Instead of fighting against your cycle, you can live in alignment with it.

Menstrual Phase

The menstrual phase is the 3-7 days of your period. During this phase your hormones are relatively low, and your energy levels are lower as a result. 

The menstrual phase is like the season of winter, when the activity of the outside world is low. Plants are dormant underground and animals are hibernating.

Rest should be prioritized during the menstrual phase

I know that rest can be difficult to implement in today’s world, especially if you are a highly driven entrepreneur or if you work a 9-5 job. But the rewards of taking time to rest will set you up for success to “do” more in the other phases of your cycle. 

This could look like taking day 1 of your period off, working from home if you can, or taking more intentional, restful breaks throughout the day. 

The menstrual phase isn’t just about rest though. Just as in winter, the world may appear dormant, but there is still activity happening beneath the soil.

I used to be an organic farmer, and we planted garlic cloves in the autumn, so that over winter they would root. Come spring, the stalks would bloom and by late summer it was harvesting time. Voila! The clove had transformed into a full garlic bulb! Like the cloves resting and rooting in the soil over winter, use your inner winter or menstruation to plant seeds and intentions for the cycle ahead. 

Since your hormones are low and your energy is more inward focused, the menstrual phase is a brilliant time to reflect and set intentions for the cycle ahead.

Follicular Phase

During the follicular phase, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) rises to stimulate follicles in your ovaries to start preparing for ovulation. As the primary follicle (the chosen one that will ovulate) matures, it secretes rising amounts of estrogen. 

In a 2023 study on the effect of menstrual cycle hormones on the brain, researchers found that FSH was positively associated with a thickening of the outer part of our cerebral cortex, aka grey matter, of our brains. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “grey matter is the place where the processing of sensation, perception, voluntary movement, learning, speech and cognition takes place”.

During the follicular phase, tasks like scheduling, planning, and speaking clearly feel more easeful. This is the time to take your intentions from the menstrual phase and put them into action. 

The follicular phase is like the season of spring. Flowers start to bloom and we humans come of our winter hibernation with a renewed sense of hope and excitement for the warmer months ahead.

I recently had a client call this phase “the Friday of the cycle”, because she said it feels like a Friday when you have the whole weekend ahead of you before Monday. She suffers from painful periods (which we’re working on healing) so her period was “the Monday” in this situation. But I thought it was relatable to spring, when we feel the anticipation and excitement of the whole summer ahead.

Your superpower at this time is to harness your increasing, spring-like energy and get shit done! Planning and scheduling flow more naturally. Social engagements and networking is easier because of your increasing energy.

These superpowers are more aligned with the masculine rhythm of society. So it may feel easier to fit into the demands of work or others’ expectations at this time. 

Ovulatory Phase

As the follicle prepares for ovulation, it releases increasing amounts of estrogen, which peaks right around ovulation. When estrogen peaks, the brain releases Luteinizing Hormone (LH) to help push the egg out of the follicle and ovary and into the fallopian tube of the uterus to meet a potential sperm. 

Whether you want children or not, the creative energy of this phase can be harnessed and applied to your business or life.

Think of the ovulatory phase as the season of summer – where everything is fertile and blossoming! Like the summer months, you’ll probably want to go out and be social. It is a great time to schedule meetings, connect with others and network. 

Physically, our bodies are attempting to create a life with ovulation and attract a potential mate. Many clients notice their libido and confidence increase at this time. They report feeling more attractive, sexy, and confident during this phase. Whether you want children or not, the creative energy of this phase can be harnessed and applied to your business or life.

Use this phase to get creative with your craft, whether that’s writing, drawing, designing, or creating content. You may find yourself more confident to put yourself out in the world via social media. I personally like to batch create content at this time when I’m feeling myself the most!

Luteal Phase

After the egg leave the follicle at ovulation, the follicle transforms into a temporary endocrine gland called the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum secretes progesterone for around 12-14 days until your next period.

During the luteal phase you may find yourself more sensitive to sensations or objects in your environment because of an increase in sensory information intake. 

Progesterone has an opposite effect on our brains to FSH, and is associated with less cortical thickness (grey matter) in the brain. During this phase, many clients find it difficult to speak as clearly or eloquently. This could have to do with the reduced grey matter thickness.

In another study, higher progesterone levels during the luteal phase were tied to greater volume in the perirhinal cortex, an area of the brain that receives sensory information. During the luteal phase you may find yourself more sensitive to sensations or objects in your environment because of this increase in sensory information intake. 

Declutter, tidy, and organize – not only your physical space, but also the spaces in your life or business that need it – think clearing out your email inbox or ticking off those little administrative to-do’s that have been haunting you.

Release anything that is no longer serving you and make sure to celebrate your wins!

The luteal phase is like the season of autumn. Just like leaves falling from the tree, the luteal phase is the time to shed and release anything that is no longer serving you. Because we are more sensitive at this time, you may become keenly aware of things you could put up with or ignore in other phases. Take stock of these things in your business and personal life and release what you can.

You might experience PMS symptoms that negatively affect your mood. (PS – if you want to heal your PMS symptoms, let’s chat to see if my program Nourishing Cycle Magic is for you!). Take intentional time in the luteal phase to celebrate your wins from the past cycle. No matter how big or small, whether in business or my personal life. Remind yourself of all that you’ve accomplished during a time when you may feel less energized and confident. 

To recap: the four phases of the menstrual cycle are the Menstrual Phase, the Follicular Phase, the Ovulatory Phase, and the Luteal Phase. Each phase of the cycle has strengths that you can utilize to create more flow in your life and business.