At the beginning of the pandemic, Claire Baker released her first book, and went into a hyper-productive mode, galvanised by the new world we were all suddenly pushed into. At the end of 2020 she was depleted, suffering from critic attacks and her ambition completely dissolved. It’s only now in early 2023 that her creative energy is returning. In our conversation today we speak about the many ways that intimacy with our cycles manage our creative flow, our energy levels, our sense of confidence and purpose and our overall health. We explore:How cycle awareness helps us to hold the tension during phases of creative ‘wintering’, and the deep value of fallow times.The reluctant, bittersweet gratitude both Claire and Sophie feel about the learnings they’ve received from chronic illness, and burnout, and how it’s preparing them for the inevitable changes to come as they head towards menopause, and boosting their inner reserves in readiness. How we can work with inner autumn and inner spring to manage our inner critic and make more space to play and mess up. ---Receive our free video training: Love Your Cycle, Discover the Power of Menstrual Cycle Awareness to Revolutionise Your Life - www.redschool.net/love---The Menstruality Podcast is hosted by Red School. We love hearing from you. To contact us, email info@redschool.net---Social media:Red School: @redschool - https://www.instagram.com/red.schoolSophie Jane Hardy: @sophie.jane.hardy - https://www.instagram.com/sophie.jane.hardyClaire Baker: @_clairebaker_ - https://www.instagram.com/_clairebaker_/