If you’ve ever wondered why you radiate confidence and creativity during some weeks and crave slowing down and solitude during others, there’s a biological explanation behind that shift.
According to Nicole Jardim, Certified Women’s Health Coach, creator of Fix Your Period, and founder of the Institute for Menstrual Health, creativity isn’t meant to be constant for women. It’s meant to move.
“Creativity shifts because hormones aren’t static,” Nicole explains. “They rise and fall in a predictable rhythm, and those fluctuations directly influence brain chemistry, energy, focus, and our emotions.”
In other words, your creativity keeps pace with your menstrual cycle. Understanding this allows you to maximize it and flow with it (pun intended) instead of struggling against nature.
We’re not meant to feel the same every day
We live in a world that expects the same level of energy, output, and motivation day after day, but biology doesn’t work that way.
“Estrogen tends to support verbal fluency, idea generation, and outward expression,” Nicole says. “Progesterone shifts us inward. We become more discerning and intuitive.”
So when the creative juices aren’t flowing, they’re not gone. They’re just changing shape.
Women’s creativity is cyclical
When you stop judging yourself for not being “on” all the time, something shifts.
“When creativity is cyclical, a slower phase isn’t a failure,” Nicole says. “It’s just part of the process of being a human who cycles.”
That mindset change alone calms the inner confusion. Instead of pushing through or forcing output, you start trusting that each phase has a purpose. And that trust creates more ease—mentally, emotionally, and creatively.
The follicular phase: The mental wake-up call
The follicular phase begins right after your period ends, and many women describe it as a mental reset.
“Rising estrogen supports curiosity, optimism, learning, and mental flexibility,” Nicole explains. “Many women feel like their brain is ‘coming back online.’”
Ideas flow. Motivation returns. New projects feel exciting instead of overwhelming. That fresh-start feeling isn’t random at all. It’s hormonal, and you can take full advantage of it.
Ovulation: Time for communication + sharing your work
During ovulation, women often feel the most outwardly expressive.
“This phase is driven by a peak in estradiol and testosterone,” Nicole shares. “Communication feels easier, confidence is higher, and there’s often a desire to share ideas or be seen.”
This is a great time to pitch, collaborate, present, or put something out into the world.
The luteal phase: Misunderstood, but essential
The luteal phase gets a bad rep, but it’s actually incredibly useful for creativity.
“This phase is excellent for editing, refining, problem-solving, and noticing details,” Nicole says. “Progesterone supports discernment and pattern recognition.”
The problem isn’t the phase. It’s expecting luteal energy to feel like ovulatory energy. “Our modern world rewards endless productivity,” she adds. “That’s where the mismatch happens.”
You gotta embrace where you’re at cycle-wise and just go with the flow.
Menstruation: Intuition, clarity, and big-picture thinking
During menstruation, estrogen and progesterone drop to their lowest levels.
“That drop often creates a mental and emotional reset,” Nicole explains. “There’s less mental noise and more access to intuition and honest reflection.”
Many women feel especially clear during this phase. It’s a powerful time to check in, recalibrate, and set intentions before the next wave of creative energy arrives.
If cycle tracking feels overwhelming, keep it simple.
“Start by noting when your period comes, how long it lasts, and how your energy, mood, and focus change,” Nicole says.
Over time, patterns emerge, and those patterns can help you work with your body instead of against it.
Syncing creative tasks to your cycle 101
Think of this as a loose guide, not a strict schedule:
- Follicular: brainstorming, learning, starting
- Ovulation: sharing, pitching, collaborating
- Luteal: editing, refining, problem-solving
- Menstruation: reflecting, resting, big-picture thinking
“The goal isn’t rigid structure,” Nicole says. “It’s alignment.”
If there’s one thing Nicole wants women to release, it’s the expectation of peak performance every day.
“Stop expecting the same output all the time,” she says. “When that pressure lifts, creativity often deepens.”
You know those premenstrual feelings that so many of us struggle with? Look at them as feedback, not flaws.
Different day, different energy
“Female biology is rhythmic, not linear,” Nicole stresses. “Women’s hormones change day to day and week to week.”
When we don’t understand that, it’s easy (especially for us high-achievers) to secretly worry that something’s wrong, which only makes us feel worse.
“Burnout comes from overriding internal signals for too long,” Nicole says. “Working with your cycle protects your energy, creativity, and nervous system.”
The biggest takeaway here is that your creativity was never meant to be constant. It was meant to ebb and flow, to come back again and again.
The content provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or consultation. Poosh, LLC is not engaged in the practice of medicine or the rendering of medical services.
