It’s time to introduce you to the next season of your menstrual cycle. Hopefully you have filled your cup in your winter phase like we talked about. If you have used this time to rest and recharge, you should emerge from the ‘period cave’ ready to climb the mountain that is the next phase…
Spring: pre-ovulation (~days 7-13)
Once your period has finished, you’ll move into the spring phase of your cycle. Oestrogen levels are steadily rising as you prepare to ovulate. You may notice a surge in energy and motivation. Oestrogen also increases serotonin making us feel happier and more confident. For some people, spring can feel like they are back to their ‘normal self’ again. In fact, many women say it’s their favourite season in the menstrual cycle!
Superpowers
Take charge
This week is all about getting things done. Menstrual coach Lucy Peach calls it the ‘do’ phase. If you’re prone to overthinking like me, you’ll find it’s much easier to make decisions. Don’t be alarmed if you also become more assertive…
Lucy says to use this power to put your hand up in lectures, speak up in a meeting or take the lead in a group project. If your friends are deliberating in the group chat, make the call. They will probably be grateful someone made an executive decision!
Do you take ages to write an email too? If there are any lying unanswered in your inbox, now is the time to hit reply. I find this is the best time for me to write letters to doctors at work.
move your body
With so much energy to burn, it’s time to get physical! If you enjoy the gym, lift some weights. Studies have shown this is the best phase of the cycle to build strength and muscle mass. If you love to run, put on an upbeat playlist and hit the pavement. Not your cup of tea? Move your body in any way that feels good. I personally love a dance cardio class.
TAKE ACTION
While your motivation is high, kickstart new habits or recommit to old ones. I often find myself reading self-help books in this phase.
All those life admin jobs you have been putting off like booking the dentist and doing your tax return? Now is the time to get them over and done with. Write a list and enjoy the satisfaction of ticking them off one by one!
Hopefully you laid the groundwork for any upcoming assignments or work projects in your winter phase. Come back to your notes and smash them out now while you can focus. As Lucy says, you are primed for productivity this week and the more you get done now, the less guilty you will feel for resting later!
WING IT
While I wouldn’t routinely recommend it, if you have left things to the last minute, this is the one phase you can probably get away with it! You’re more likely to thrive under the pressure, unlike in your winter phase.
plant the seeds
That great idea you came up with in your winter/dream phase? Time to plant the seeds. It could be an idea for a new podcast or side hustle. This is the phase to do most of the prep work. You don’t need to get it all done in one cycle. These things take time. Keep coming back to it in your spring and watch your new idea grow!
Don’t launch it in this phase though. As cycle coach Claire Baker warns, you are still new and vulnerable in this phase, like a fruit tree that’s just started blooming after winter. Wait until your summer phase when you have developed thicker skin before you go and share your idea with the world!
get organised
Make the most of your organisational prowess and do a ‘spring clean.’ Label the contents of your pantry, tidy up your desk or file fold your clothes Marie Kondo-style.
Plan and prepare
Use this phase to plan your diary for the month ahead. Try to schedule tasks according to where you will be in your menstrual cycle (more on this later). You may also like to do some meal prep ready for your autumn and winter phases.
BEAUTIFY YOURSELF
After laying low during your winter phase, it’s time to get back in the game. Wash your hair, shave your legs and attend to any other beauty maintenance you may have neglected. Your pain threshold is at its highest in this phase. If you wax, make sure to schedule your appointment for this week (I do!).
Try new things
While you can be super productive this week, balance this out by having some fun. Claire says there is a playfulness to the spring phase. Tap into your inner child, experiment and try new things. Take a class or teach yourself a new skill.
When learning anything new, you will probably suck at it to start with. We all need reminding of this sometimes (myself included). But give yourself permission to try. Who knows, you may just find your new ‘thing!’
Challenges
FEeLING IMPATIENT and frustrated
You are firing on all cylinders and operating at double speed this week. Everyone else can seem exceptionally slow. I am usually a brisk walker but in this phase, I power on ahead of my husband Bobby. It seems to take an age for him to open the car door. I get frustrated and impatient that he isn’t keeping up. I’m up in the middle of the night writing down new ideas and things I need to do.
Fortunately, Bobby knows just to let me go in this phase. There is no time for cuddles. I am on a mission. It helps to warn your significant other about this and let them know you’ll be back soon, with plenty to give!
Feeling overwhelmed and anxious
There are days where I feel more anxious and overwhelmed. After tracking my cycle, I noticed it was always in this phase, particularly closer to ovulation. It feels like there is so much I should be doing (i.e. composting, starting a morning routine, eating fruit, reading more books), I don’t even know where to start. Self-doubt also starts to creep in and I question whether I am doing enough, particularly at work. Lucy says this can happen as oestrogen and testosterone are peaking. Just knowing this was helpful for me. If you feel this way, you can recognise why and know that it will pass.
BURNOUT
When you come out of the ‘period cave’ bursting with energy, it’s easy to push too hard too fast. Make sure to pace yourself otherwise you will wind up exhausted before you have reached the peak…
By peak, I am referring of course, to the next phase of your menstrual cycle. Look out spring, summer has arrived!
Courtney x
