The Dance of the Hormones: What Your Cycle Is Really Trying to Tell You
You are not broken.
You are not too much, too moody, too tired, too sensitive, too inconsistent.
You are cycling.
In a world that expects women to be linear, productive, and emotionally flatlined 24/7, it’s no wonder we learn to see our cyclical bodies as problematic. But your hormones aren’t betraying you—they’re communicating with you. Every shift, swell, drop, and surge is part of an ancient choreography your body knows intimately.
Let’s unpick this so-called rollercoaster and see it for what it really is: a dance. Messy, powerful, intricate. One we were never taught to honour.
Phase One: Menstruation (Day 1–5)
The body sheds. The world wants performance. You need pause.
Your cycle begins on the first day of bleeding. Oestrogen and progesterone are at their lowest. You may feel raw, slowed down, inward. In a more sane world, this would be your time of retreat. A built-in invitation to rest, reflect, clear out, begin again.
But instead, we’re told to push through. Hustle on. Use period-proof underwear and act like nothing’s happening. As if bleeding isn’t a profound physiological and emotional reset. As if the womb isn’t releasing more than just blood.
In practice:
You’re not lazy for needing rest. You’re wise.
Cancel something. Say no. Light a candle. Listen in.
Pain is common—but not inevitable. It can be a message: slow down, soften, nourish.
Phase Two: Follicular Phase (Day 6–12)
Oestrogen rises. So does your energy, your clarity, your curiosity.
As your period ends, oestrogen begins to build. This is your time of rebirth. The brain sharpens, energy grows, creativity returns. The follicular phase is springtime in your body. Possibility. Momentum. Often our most culturally rewarded self.
But watch how easily this becomes a trap—feeling like this is the “real” you. The productive, upbeat version. Anything outside this becomes a problem to fix. A deviation from the norm. But it’s not. It’s just a phase.
In practice:
Lean into inspiration—but don’t overschedule.
Plan projects, brainstorm, take action… but remember, this isn’t your baseline. And it’s not meant to be..
Phase Three: Ovulation (Around Day 13–15)
The peak. Oestrogen surges. Testosterone gives you edge. You’re magnetic.
Ovulation is often talked about purely in terms of fertility—and yes, this is when conception is most likely—but it’s also a powerful social and energetic peak. You might feel outgoing, flirtatious, high-libido, or even slightly superhuman.
But not always. And that matters too.
Some people experience ovulation pain, migraines, anxiety spikes, or emotional fragility. The hormonal crescendo can be overwhelming, especially if your body is inflamed, underfed, or unheld.
In practice:
Notice if you’re craving connection—or silence.
Be discerning with your energy: yes, you’re magnetic, but not everyone deserves your light.
If ovulation feels hard, that’s data. You don’t have to “ride it out” in isolation.
Phase Four: Luteal Phase (Day 16–28ish)
Oestrogen falls. Progesterone rises. Your inner world deepens.
This is the underworld. The truth-teller. The premenstrual phase is often demonised—labelled as “PMS” or “irrationality.” But progesterone’s rise is meant to soothe, slow, and steady. If you feel irritable, anxious, sad, or spun out, it’s not your hormones being evil—it’s your life coming into focus.
The luteal phase reveals what’s not working. What you’ve been tolerating. Where you’re not being met. And it asks you not to ignore it.
In practice:
Let the truths come. They’re not inconvenient—they’re sacred.
Increase protein, magnesium, and rest. Say no more often.
Don’t gaslight yourself. You’re not crazy. You’re wise.
What This All Means
Your cycle is not a nuisance to be hacked or tamed. It’s a rhythm. A blueprint. A body-based feedback system that’s been ignored, suppressed, and medicalised for centuries.
We’re taught to seek flatness. To override the very system that’s trying to keep us in balance. But when you start listening—really listening—you realise: your hormones aren’t the enemy. They’re the map.
And if yours feel chaotic? That’s not failure. That’s information. Your body might be waving red flags because it’s underfed, underrested, underheld. Or because you’re living in a world that asks too much and gives too little.
The solution is not more perfectionism. It’s more permission. To ebb, to flow, to speak, to feel, to pause, to rage.
Want to delve deeper?
My 3+ month women’s health coaching programmes deep dive into the nuances of your hormonal goings ons and I’ll help you to see it all through a new lens, whilst addressing any biochemical imbalances we find along the way. Find out more about what this entails here.
Or, if you’ve been exploring a bit already and know you want to chat it all through with me, book a discovery call here.