37. Inner Spring ft. Alyah Al-Jasser

Holly Lamb (00:00.859) Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the No Fucks Given podcast with me your host Holly Lamb. This week I am joined again by Alyah who is a women's mindset coach and menstrual cycle mentor and this week we are into Inner Spring so this is our four part series this is Inner Spring so we're just gonna dive right in. Thanks for joining me again Alyah how are you doing this day? Well not any of you guys. Alyah (00:26.143) I'm well. It is, yeah, it's sunny where I am. I'm joining you this morning from Kuwait. I went out today. Holly Lamb (00:31.577) Yeah. Alyah (00:35.458) just briefly to go to the bank and in linen trousers and some sandals so not to make you jealous or anything but it's colder inside the house I feel than it is outside so if that's any consolation. Holly Lamb (00:47.001) Yeah, yeah. Well, have the UK weather. But you were back in Scotland, weren't you? So you understand the lovely British weather that we have in the UK. Alyah (00:57.645) I do, I do, and I don't envy it. It's only kind of romanticised around Christmas time and then the rest of the time I don't understand how anyone can really pull through so I really take my hat off to those people that are dealing with 4pm sunsets. Holly Lamb (01:02.863) many years. Holly Lamb (01:08.346) Yeah. Holly Lamb (01:12.155) Yeah, I think that's what's getting me more than anything. dark by half is three, really. Half three is going to be half, and you just want the summer back. anyway, we digress. We're talking about Spring, which is all about renewal and birth and transformation and kind of stepping in. Well, yes, because I saw you all real today and I was like, ooh. Alyah (01:21.165) There we go. Alyah (01:29.325) Or is it? is it? Yeah. Holly Lamb (01:37.96) it. like it. Yeah, talk about what you posted today because that's quite a different take on in a spring which I love. Alyah (01:42.864) Yeah, okay, inner spring. mean, if you're listening to this for the first time and you're getting into the inner seasons for the first time, obviously spring marks the beginning of your follicular phase, so your period or your bleed is now over. Energetically, you could maybe still be towards the end of your bleed and moving into some rising energy. So the follicular phase is marked by your estrogen levels rising. Physically, that can feel like having a bit more energy. I like to say that I have like, ability to give a shit comes back a little bit more about the external world. And because sometimes if you are spending that downtime in the inner winter, when spring rolls around, the burst in energy can feel a little bit overwhelming. And that follicular phase that's marked by a bit more energy that's marked by estrogen levels rising, we call that the inner spring. Holly Lamb (02:18.299) Yeah. Holly Lamb (02:33.293) Mm-hmm. Holly Lamb (02:43.291) Mm-hmm. Alyah (02:43.556) Typically, inner spring will be associated with what we associate spring with, right? So growth and sprouting and renewal and coming back to life. And if you're only watching and reading and listening to things that you find, you know, primarily on things like Instagram or TikTok, it can feel a bit like that's all that it stands for. And in my experience, there is definitely that. Holly Lamb (03:06.651) Mm. Alyah (03:12.212) but that's not the only part of it. And I can go into it in a minute, but give me a little bit about where you are, first of on your cycle, what day are you on? And just your take on inner spring, and then we'll go into maybe the light and shadow. Holly Lamb (03:22.028) Mm-hmm. Holly Lamb (03:27.109) Mm-hmm. Mm, yeah, bro. So I'm day two. Alyah (03:33.705) hello there! Holly Lamb (03:39.041) I know. So I'm tired and slow and just very calm though. Feeling very calm. This cycle's been, even my inner autumn was quite calm this time. So it's quite nice. think because of the seasons changing in the UK, you find it easier to slow down during your autumn and your winter rather than when it's summer. Alyah (03:43.998) Mm-hmm. Alyah (04:04.626) Mm. Holly Lamb (04:07.343) So I'm feeling, I am feeling good where they're just a little bit tired, but in a spring for me, I do, I do now enjoy the rising energy. However, for me until I really deep dive into the, when I did the Mentorality Leadership Program and until I kind of deep dived into my cycle with the help of Jane, I didn't realize why, why there was a block with my inner spring, which I discovered. Cause I'm very much a, I like being in my autumn and my winter, the more introspective, the more. gaining insight, intuition aspect of it, which I really enjoy. And there was a disconnect with the inner spring. And it was, what I came to realize was it was because obviously the early menopause diagnosis, not that children was ever really a big thing for us anyway, but kind of having that option taken away from you. And if we wanted to have a child, it would be IVF. That's what we were told. Alyah (04:39.1) Mm. Holly Lamb (05:04.827) And for me personally, that's not a route I want to go down. It's not something I to put my body through, my relationship through. So I think what came to light by doing the guided experience within the programme was that the disconnect was that I hadn't really grieved for that properly. It's kind of something that happened and you don't really get time to process it. So for me, I really didn't enjoy spring up until... Alyah (05:06.28) Okay. Holly Lamb (05:31.959) I kind of had that realization and the menstruality workers helped me move through that each and every cycle. So now I really do enjoy the rising energy and I'm able to enjoy moving through the seasons. Easier now, if that makes sense, because I've had time to process and grieve the fact that, you know, that's not going to happen. And like I said, it was never a big part, but Alyah (05:34.503) Absolutely. Holly Lamb (05:57.795) I think when the option's taken away from you as a woman, you maybe feel like you're not, you're not, you're not whole or you're, there's something wrong with you because you're not able to do something you were put on this earth to do. Alyah (06:10.752) Yeah, I'm like really moved by what you've just said, so maybe we just need a minute. Holly Lamb (06:16.059) Thank you. Yeah, it was a lot for me when I did that guided experience. I was just like, wow, that was it. Alyah (06:21.029) Thank Alyah (06:29.573) I think you've really touched on something there because it's, You have to edit this out. Because I feel like I'm in a similar place where it also might not happen for me. And I didn't really make this connection maybe until now or maybe that's another layer, but I made my piece with Inner Spring. Holly Lamb (06:32.443) That's fine. Holly Lamb (06:40.099) You Alyah (06:58.122) Also when, you know, I'm somebody that personally and professionally, really enjoy self-development and introspection. Obviously the energies of the luteal phase and the menstrual phase really support that. That stillness, that drop in your estrogen and progesterone levels to where you're not connecting with the external world with the help of estrogen. You're not in that inner critic loop of the progesterone. Holly Lamb (07:12.571) Mm-hmm. Alyah (07:28.15) And when they drop, you're suddenly just left with you, which makes clarity, what we call as well intuition, that becomes kind of like the filter with which you view everything. So everything becomes very clear, very honest, and also very still. And I think I really enjoyed that because on a personal level, I love that deep dive. I'm somebody that's quite... you know, I have lot of fingers and lot of pies a lot of the time. And so when I have this menstrual phase and this luteal phase, it's so grounding and nourishing and like my batteries are like recharging. And there is a danger here though to be or something to be wary of is that they can be kind of in a condition to self-development. And even if it comes from a very well-intentioned place that there's always something to fix or there's always something to remedy or there's always something that you can go back and look at and align and fine tune. And that's all good and well, but you can't spend your life treating yourself like a DIY fix it project, right? Because that's not what we are and it's not who we are and it's not how we thrive. It can support you, self-development can support you, but it's not your only setting, right? There's so many other settings. And I think that when Spring and summer came around, particularly spring, I found that more difficult because I felt like I was being dragged out of this cocoon and into this space where I was kind of forcibly being shoved into this external world. So my energy is rising. I'm not really too sure what to do with it. I've spent a long time kind of underground hibernating and I've come out and I felt really unprepared. The Menstruality Leadership Program also really, really, really, really helped me to understand that tender loving care is really needed as you emerge from that cocoon. This concept of emergence, this is kind of like the title for me when I think about me moving into inner spring. I'm not even growing or blooming or... Holly Lamb (09:37.241) Mm-hmm. Alyah (09:51.584) I'm kind of at that gestation bit, just like a little bean sprout, just right under the surface. know, like if you're in the time lapse, when like the little, I'm not even at the top, I'm like just the little, when it comes out, the little seed. I feel like that, like just give me time, but don't remove the top layer of soil just yet. You know, I need time. Holly Lamb (10:02.188) Yeah. Holly Lamb (10:07.229) You Holly Lamb (10:12.453) We would be, yeah. That makes total sense. And it can feel like that. It can feel like you're just like shoved back into the world and like, must now life, life must life. You must be this outgoing and vivacious person. And it's like, well, actually no, because I've been in this really nice, introspective place. And now I have to kind of... Alyah (10:38.994) Mm-hmm. Holly Lamb (10:42.403) not put on the show, be the outgoing person that society feels like you should be all of the time. And yeah, that can feel really, really difficult. But like I said, doing that work that I've done there has really helped me embrace more of Spring and I do now really enjoy that. But it is about taking your time, getting back into the... Alyah (10:50.409) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Alyah (11:08.957) Mmm. Holly Lamb (11:10.425) the spring energy and not going, okay, like boom, like one day I'm in this space and the next day I'm like here and I'm ready to go. I mean, it just doesn't work like that. It doesn't. Alyah (11:17.599) It doesn't happen like that at all. It doesn't happen like that at all. I think that there's a couple of things there. There's... So when the energy is rising, I feel like there's a lot more noise, right? It's almost like when you're menstruating, you have these noise cancellation headphones on basically all of the time and you're moving through the world, but you're moving through it, filtering it completely differently. And then as the time comes for you to move naturally into a space where... you're creating once again, you're creating life from within you, you need to be aware because co-creation doesn't only happen with yourself, right? You shed alone, and that's a very singular, very you thing that happens, and then that is your pathway to introspection. But when you're creating, you're co-creating, your body is doing that in expectancy of there being a partner. Now, regardless of whether or not that's having a child, Holly Lamb (11:48.443) Hmm. Alyah (12:12.119) sorry, excuse me, getting just pregnant or whatever, there is a sense of co-creation and that's why we come out of that cocoon with this perspective of co-creation happening. So you need to take off those noise-cancelling headphones. You need to be able to let some of that noise in in order to move into that phase, that life-growing progress growth phase, which is, you know, that external, expansive, outer part of your cycle. I think that there can be At least in my case, I felt like I couldn't enjoy, and this is again through the menstrual, menstruality leadership program, that I came to a realization that I, one, that was kind of addicted to introspection. Like I just found that it was like self therapy over and over again and I looked forward to it. And then I realized that it's probably because I didn't feel worthy of the enjoyment of the co-creation outside. That everything, felt very lonely but also enjoying that solitude and when it came to sharing my experience in the kind of the positive or the via positiva or the outside part of my cycle, so that outward two weeks of right after my period all the way up until the point where I'm ovulating. felt, yeah, like I didn't deserve to be there. This is my realization, that there was just, it flows too smoothly, I'm doing lots of bits, but I'm not fixing myself, I'm not fixing the problem, and seeing myself as problematic almost, and not being able to sit with myself, which is what I felt that I was worthy of doing. And that was a really weird realization to come to. Holly Lamb (13:43.323) Hmm. Holly Lamb (13:48.955) Mm. Alyah (14:05.657) because here I am supporting all these women to understand their cycle and yet this bomb drops that like I don't know how to deal with half of it. Holly Lamb (14:15.483) Hmm. Alyah (14:16.25) So, it was an unlearning of what the spring and summer mean to me, because I was also reading and digesting a lot of literature about how I should be expansive and this and that and diplomatic and da-da-da-da-da-da. And I could agree with one or two of those things, but the rest of it for me was like complete bullshit. I don't wanna be here. I wanna go read more and journal and be on my own. Holly Lamb (14:38.821) Mm. Alyah (14:45.273) And that was translating into my outside life. Remedying that for myself, looking at self-worth, looking at what self-development really means, it's self-acceptance in all stages of your life, including your psyche. Holly Lamb (14:49.019) Hmm. Holly Lamb (15:05.423) Yeah, yeah. Yeah, no, it's, it's interesting that, cause I think we're quite similar. mean, we've got the same birthday. cause yeah, as, as I, mean, I, I probably discovered like the cycle awareness stuff maybe three years ago now. So this was when I was starting. Alyah (15:06.125) What do you think? I've said a lot there so you can tell me what you think. Alyah (15:15.721) Yeah, we do have this in our birthday. Holly Lamb (15:31.587) had like the early menopause diagnosis and that and I kind of discovered this as I was going through this this kind of life transition. So for me I was I was starting to enjoy the the autumn and the winter side of it and for me I felt like that was because I was in this life transition and and I'm becoming like this this wise woman as I transition and even though it's earlier than than say is medically, you know, given, but whatever that's really anything, I think women go through different things in their life. So for me, I was struggling with the outer part of it, the putting yourself out there because I think it was afraid of being seen maybe because I'm presenting myself as this person that can help. Alyah (16:03.768) Mm. Mm. Mm. Mm. Alyah (16:15.064) Thank you. Holly Lamb (16:29.677) you going through menopause but I'm 36 and maybe you're not going to resonate with that because you don't know what you're talking about or why would anybody listen to you? What do you know? There was always this I need to do something extra to I need another qualification I need to know more before I can put myself out there whereas where I'm in the introspection part of it I can just be with me and I can just do my own thing and be in my little cocoon and I'm safe in that. So, yeah, I do. I really do. I like being on my own. But doing the menstruality work and kind of having that realization as well as the other realization has helped me and especially this past month has really helped me step more into my authentic self and just being me and just Alyah (17:01.311) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I like it. That's another part. It's really enjoyable. Thanks Alyah (17:27.178) Mm-hmm. Holly Lamb (17:30.145) not been afraid to put stuff out there that is just me and it's okay and it's okay to have that opinion and I'm in another group with a load of other amazing women and we're doing this peace challenge where we're trying to cultivate peace as much as possible and a lot of that is just not saying anything and just being quiet. Alyah (17:56.181) Hmm Holly Lamb (17:56.995) and silent and you know what the clarity that comes through and especially when you're in your spring and your summer which can be more difficult because you're like I have an opinion I'm going to tell you maybe just not saying anything and the clarity that can come through even in your spring and your summer when yes you may not be as connected to self but if you just are quiet a little bit more the clarity can still come through in those phases of your cycle as well. Alyah (18:17.396) Thank you. you Mmm. That's really beautiful. Because yesterday, I'm, you know, aware of really subtle changes of my cycle. I'm on day four and a half now. And I can feel different changes. And I know it's because, you know, I'm 39 on Sunday. I know that there are, I can feel these, they're really subtle. Like if I was just to think about, I mean, my period comes on time. Holly Lamb (18:29.947) Hmm. Holly Lamb (18:41.467) Mm-hmm. Holly Lamb (18:55.237) We did. Alyah (18:56.316) and everything I have like a pretty standard cycle for my tracking over the last few years. But I noticed differences in myself. I know that I have my big bleed on lesser days, like it's that the way that my bleed it kind of expands and contracts now is really different. I don't have period pain anymore at all actually, but that I think is less about the estrogen dropping, more about my relationship with my cycle. Holly Lamb (19:02.619) Mm. Alyah (19:24.775) I know to be true within my own body. working on feelings of of unworthiness or not only seeing the cocoon of menstrual, well, menstruality as the only place that I can be myself. One, I think you need to do this in a space where you have a bit of community, where you have like a sound chamber, you know, where you can... Holly Lamb (19:26.779) Mm-hmm. Holly Lamb (19:46.587) Hmm. Alyah (19:53.853) say things and people can validate how you're feeling. Because I'm sure that there will be women that are interested, they're listening to this podcast and maybe they're thinking, okay, I wanna know but I'm not ready to do something like a leadership program solely based on menstruality. And by the way, that's completely fine. You don't have to make it your entire life like people like you and I do. There are women that just need these tools to carry on with their life and to make sense a little bit of the days that things feel intense. and days that things feel really super achievable, you know? And that's okay, you don't need to do, if you don't feel called to do it, something as deep and extensive as an entire certification and how to teach other women to do that. Simply, it's about tuning in and paying attention. But the point I guess I was trying to make, I've digressed a little bit, was... Holly Lamb (20:23.323) Hmm. Alyah (20:49.795) looking at these feelings of unworthiness, looking at the terms of self-acceptance, seeing my cycle as an ally in my journey of self-acceptance and self-belief and self-trust, rather than being a place where I hide from those things in the caves of luteal and menstruation, has allowed me to see the gifts that come with the inner spring, for example. For me, I... notice the first very first sign of me coming into my inner spring is I reach for my agenda. When I say that it turns on my ability to give a shit, not only is it that I'm thinking about the external world, sometimes I feel a little bit of pressure to catch up on what I've missed in the kind of the day to day kind of turnings of the world, know? Work, meetings, whatever it is, know, even coffee dates and things like that. There would be a lot of things that I would have Holly Lamb (21:40.827) Yeah. Alyah (21:48.264) postponed or stopped or said no to during my menstruation. So the first thing I actually have it here because yesterday I sat or yesterday to those Saturday I sat down and that's when I could feel my energy is rising and I was like my gosh because my bleeds gonna end in a couple of days and I need to get back on track. I used to feel a lot of pressure to do everything but now time management is my friend. So I sit down with a pen and paper and I plan out the week ahead and I think, is that too much or is that too little? Holly Lamb (22:15.429) Hmm. Holly Lamb (22:21.051) Hmm. Alyah (22:22.799) And one of my biggest allies in managing that energy of the inner spring has been to look at my calendar and to treat it almost meditatively, like sit down, cup of tea, deep breath, what have I got coming up next week? Right, so that I can prepare myself, much in the same way as if you're sending a child off to a play date for the first time. Holly Lamb (22:40.859) Hmm. Alyah (22:48.022) and they don't really know who to expect and who's gonna be there, you're patient with them and you say, look, this is what's gonna happen. This is the time you're expected to be there. This is how it's gonna unfold. This is who's gonna be there. And that really helps me, like calms me so that I know what I've got to do. And it helps me to plan because come summer, I'm all over the shop. I can only play. But we'll come to that in the next podcast. But time management. Holly Lamb (23:14.181) Mm. Alyah (23:16.494) It really supported me. One of the things that has really helped me has been time management. A practical yet slow approach to managing my energy levels. Holly Lamb (23:29.433) Yeah, that's such a great idea and it's just so, so simple because we do feel like we have to rush in and do everything that we've missed and get all the things in or like you said, you've cancelled stuff when you're in your winter because you can't be asked and you don't want to go and see anybody. That's okay. But don't feel like you have to then rush into doing everything within the first couple of days of getting this energy because you want to enjoy. Alyah (23:38.477) Thank Alyah (23:44.941) Okay. Holly Lamb (23:56.879) the full spring energy and then you want to enjoy when you head into summer as well and been, know, selves out there. But yeah, like you said, we'll talk about that in summer. But yeah, I mean, been on day two, I'm definitely like still obviously quite slow. But that's something I think that I will bring in more to manage those rising energy. Because I think as well in the society that we live in, we think that Alyah (24:00.864) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Alyah (24:07.51) Mm Alyah (24:18.976) Mm. Holly Lamb (24:26.107) There's this conception around time that there's not enough time, we don't have enough time, that we're running out of time. But if we continue to tell ourselves that, then that will be the perpetuating cycle that we live in. And if we sit down and go, no time is my friend, I manage my time, therefore this is what is going to happen. We are kind of reprogramming our subconscious brain to go, no, no, no, there was always enough time. This is the time I have. This is what I want to put out into the world. And then that can also help. Alyah (24:37.568) Yep. Holly Lamb (24:55.013) to manage those rising energies as well. So I like that, I'm gonna use that. this week, hmm. Alyah (24:59.593) Yeah. great. Great. Yeah, I mean, it's helpful because it another thing as well. I mean, it's helpful definitely to look at your planner, your agenda, your journal. And also, if you're spending time in I mean, I recorded a bunch of videos on this just before we got on this on this call and how and when I'm going to use them. I'm not sure. But one of the things that really supports me as well when you feel kind of a bit kind of untethered Holly Lamb (25:21.467) Hmm. Alyah (25:28.797) moving into this energy space is revisiting any kind of journaling that you've done or anywhere that you've noted anything down that you've done during your inner winter. So if you are somebody that really enjoys that introspection, then revisit your downloads or revisit those messages from your inner sage. Because that wisdom doesn't leave you, you just look at it from a different perspective because hormonally, scientifically, we are just Holly Lamb (25:42.395) Mm. Alyah (25:58.282) Our brain chemistry has changed. So don't beat yourself up because you're suddenly not this wise witch in the forest anymore. Like, your brain chemistry's changed. You can't go back there until next month. So like, just make your peace with it. Do you know what mean? Like, it's serious, you know? Your brain chemistry has changed. So make friends with it. But if you want to feel like you're not alone, pick up your journal. Holly Lamb (26:00.859) Mm-hmm. Holly Lamb (26:06.264) you Holly Lamb (26:14.299) Yeah, no I love that. Yeah, it's true. Holly Lamb (26:20.826) Okay. Alyah (26:25.448) Have a look at the stuff that you read and I guarantee you from that perspective of feeling like a little girl reading these words you're gonna be like damn I'm so fucking wise. Where the fuck was this bitch? Like my god I am so. Holly Lamb (26:34.361) Yes. that that's so funny because the, the, the group I'm in where we're doing the Peace Challenge this week, was, this, was all about telling yourself you're the best. You're the best. What are you the best at? I'm the best coach. I'm the best dog mom. I'm the best. Whatever it is, just telling yourself and going back and reading that and going, fucking hell yeah. Look, look how, look how wise I am. Alyah (27:00.58) It's, I mean, today, today that's what I did for myself before we got on this call, because I posted that reel that was about the hidden shadows of the inner spring, which is much about what we're speaking about today. And I went and had a little look at my day one journaling, and it's just, who is she? She's great, I wanna hang out with her. Holly Lamb (27:12.859) Hmm. Holly Lamb (27:28.027) Ha ha ha. Alyah (27:28.36) And I get to be her again, right? It's just, maybe I can, the things that I come up with, you know? The way that I translate what's inside of me into words feels so poetic. There's no way that I could do that now. Like I want to, but it's like I'm muddled. And I think that trying to go back, trying to anticipate a season that's coming or trying to relive a season that has passed, now that's just suffering. What's the point, right? Holly Lamb (27:47.759) Yeah. Holly Lamb (27:59.863) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Alyah (28:03.111) you we can look at allies that we have in prepping for this time and moving through this time, we have time management really doing something pragmatic and practical because I think that another kind of danger or a little bit of a red flag sometimes when we talk about menstruality as a theme, a lot of it can feel really arbitrary for women that are not sort of reading about it and in the mix with it all the time. It can feel a bit like I don't know what you're talking about. Holly Lamb (28:29.103) Yeah. Yeah. Alyah (28:31.035) You know, it's all so nuanced and it can be quite vague. And that's almost on purpose because you make your own language and you make your own way of connecting with it and the people that get it get it. But some women will want some practical tools. Okay, I feel stress because you've told me to take time off, you've told me to cancel things, I've done it now I've got shit to do. Okay, maybe so for you, take your calendar, take your agenda while you're still bleeding, while you're still cutting everybody off. Take your calendar and plan out your next week so that when that energy rises you don't feel like you've got to fast-forward everything. You know? And then if you want to feel supported go back and have a little bit of reflection on what you've written about, discussed, talked about during your winter. And then also never underestimate the power of self caress. When you're feeling like a newborn, when you're feeling Holly Lamb (29:07.897) Hmm. Yeah. Alyah (29:27.523) Like you need that physical reassurance and you're not too sure if everyone around you, perhaps your partner or a friend or a housemate or a family member, maybe isn't aware enough of how to give you that physical reassurance. Like you would, you know, hold a child or an animal that needs that comfort. You practice that for yourself, you know. Hugging yourself, oil massage on your arms, your breasts, your legs. your womb area always, but I mean really practicing some self massage, some self caress for that physical grounding into reassurance. That doesn't require you to say things like seasons and energy levels and cocoon and this is a physical thing that you can, a physical act that you can do that requires just your presence and no literature and no books and you know, no coaches, this is just you and your body and this will help you. to ground back into this energy of, okay, I'm here, I'm present, I'm ready. Holly Lamb (30:32.303) Hmm, that's great. Yeah, I love that. And it's so funny because last night we were sat watching a film and one of my dogs, I had like this big like Udi thing on and he like got underneath and it was like he was like little baby and like I got to hold him like that and I was like, that's exactly what I needed. Because I don't want human touch. No, don't touch me. Alyah (30:41.198) Mm. Alyah (30:52.105) Yeah, exactly, because sometimes you don't want that. It's too much. It's too overstimulatory. Holly Lamb (30:55.737) Yeah, but for him, Ernie, bless him, he was just there like a little cuddle monster. that was lovely. Yeah, I really resonate with that because I was like, yeah, that's literally what we did last night and that was lovely. Only for about 10 minutes then he'd had enough and then he got off, but that's okay. Alyah (31:04.482) You Alyah (31:12.81) But sometimes that's all you need, and they know better than us what we need anyway, don't they? They're so intuitive. Holly Lamb (31:16.913) no. Yeah. Bless. That'd be so lovely. I think as well with the spring, I would always pop in their curiosity. Like curious about what is going to come in because like we both love the introspective side of it, but when the energy levels start rising and you've got all these downloads and you revisit those, and then you can start putting these things into action. So the curiosity of Alyah (31:21.121) Yeah. Alyah (31:27.362) Mmm! Holly Lamb (31:46.627) Okay, how is this going to look if I put this planning to action? Because you can use that spring energy as the planning, starting to think about how you can then bring this into fruition. And especially as we're recording this in December, end of the calendar year, not the actual year, that's sorry. But people were flung. Alyah (31:49.823) Mmm. Alyah (31:54.593) you Alyah (32:03.595) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. you Holly Lamb (32:10.651) People will reflect back and look what they did and then start to plan for 2025. So depending on where you are in your cycle, then you can start to think, how do I put this into action? How do I start things that I have had these amazing ideas into action? And that's what you use Spring for as well. So there's a little bit of Alyah (32:15.329) Thanks. Alyah (32:22.517) Mm. Alyah (32:29.643) Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. I think it's a great time to plan and that's also what you're reading and you're seeing. if the women listening to this are listening and thinking, if that's what I've seen, that's what resonates with me, then try out for yourself. Don't be pissed off with yourself when it's not exactly like them. There's all this shadow stuff that we've just talked about that comes up, okay? So go back and listen to this podcast from the beginning so you can understand. But it is a great time to plan because actually, Holly Lamb (32:33.051) and Holly Lamb (32:45.774) Hmm. Holly Lamb (32:55.896) and Alyah (32:59.552) the hormones that are rising within your body are helping you to do that. Right? It's an action-oriented time in your cycle. But there is no reason to be overwhelmed with action. Holly Lamb (33:06.523) Mm-hmm. Holly Lamb (33:14.841) Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And that's what we've been talking about. there is like the archetypal cycle, as we've said, the energy rising, but because like we touched on at the beginning, there are these darker sides and sometimes you can take doing this work for years, clearly, to kind of get to see what those blocks are and why you may feel uncomfortable because Alyah (33:29.248) Mm-hmm. Holly Lamb (33:42.115) you may feel uncomfortable in the introspective side. And if you're in your 20s, then perhaps, yeah, then perhaps you are definitely more spring summer energy because you're younger and you're out there and everything's amazing. And that was me in my 20s. was like, always going out, always doing stuff because that's what you do. And as you start heading into different life phases, it's going to start to feel different and that's completely normal as well. Alyah (33:44.928) Mm-hmm. I just about to say that, Alyah (34:00.286) Yep. Alyah (34:08.575) Yeah, as well because it's your cycle mirrors the cycle of your life. And this is when it gets a bit deep and this is when I think, you know, when you start to do this work and you start to see your cycle as a mirror for your life. And there's a natural, I don't want call it a disconnect, but there's a natural move or shift into the season that reflects your life the most. Holly Lamb (34:13.477) Mm. Holly Lamb (34:38.064) Mm-hmm. Alyah (34:38.118) right, in my personal experience. And I can see now that I've truly left the summer of my life behind, right? I feel that transition. I felt that transition, you know, subtly over the last year, that not, it's reflected in my physical age, right? Hormonally, it's reflected in my sort of personal life and what I prioritize. Holly Lamb (34:46.907) Mm-hmm. Alyah (35:08.221) And it's reflected in the way that I interact with myself as well. Right? And in a nutshell, it's maturity, it's growth, it's self-acceptance, it's having the wisdom somewhat, you know, we're not trying to say that we know everything, but things that you know that you can control and things that you can't control, understanding, surrender versus, now it's time to push. Those things become clearer. It's not like we have all the answers at 39 or 40, but we understand them in a way that perhaps we wouldn't have understood them before. Holly Lamb (35:29.435) Mm-hmm. Alyah (35:38.396) So if you are around this age and you're listening and you're thinking, I don't super resonate with this or the other and I resonate with that, that's also your journey to explore. I mean, it's about taking things that what we talk about, taking the cycle wisdom that you are learning about and showing interest in and then seeing where that applies in your own cycle. It can get very easy to get lost in all this. So Trendy now, we talked about that on the last. Holly Lamb (35:38.512) Yeah. Alyah (36:08.06) podcast that it's super trendy now, at least in the world that I like existing, I don't know if it's for everybody, but like, all this talk about the inter seasons, it's not a cookie cutter fit for everyone. You're gonna have your own lessons and your cycle, just like life, is dynamic. It's constantly moving, changing, shifting with you based on your experiences, based on the perspectives. You might be going through some kind of, you know, personal development that... Holly Lamb (36:13.243) Thank Alyah (36:36.131) suddenly shifts the way that you see things and that's going to be reflected in the way that you speak to yourself and it's definitely going be reflected in your communication and your connection to your cycle. So take everything that what we're saying with this idea that you get to add your own flavor to it too, you know, it's all knowledge for you to build the connection to yourself. Holly Lamb (36:57.869) Yeah. that's like what we're talking about. women used to do this. Women used to do this like hundreds and hundreds of years ago. And we forgotten because of the modern society. So when we talk about it, it's just trying to bring awareness to you so that you can remember what's hidden within you. Because every woman's got this information hidden within them, within their soul. It's just about uncovering what it means for you. Alyah (36:58.426) It's good. Alyah (37:07.162) Thank Alyah (37:16.09) Thank Alyah (37:20.705) Thank Holly Lamb (37:27.247) And it's gonna look completely different for each and every single woman. And like you said, it's gonna change even from starting this work to now and just only a few years how my cycles change and how my relationships change and how I understand myself more by being able to tap into my cycle and use it as a tool. And obviously there's women who are really struggling that may have like things like PCOS and Dibilla. Alyah (37:27.523) Okay. Holly Lamb (37:54.971) hating PMS symptoms, but you have to look at these things as like little breadcrumbs to give you clues to where you need to work on. Because I mean, I was on the pill for a long time and then they put me on HRT first off, which wasn't for me. And it was only when I started to strip like everything, I'm really concentrate on going inwards and understanding my cycle is where the changes started to happen. and the self-development started to happen a lot easier. Because that's basically what we're here to do, to learn more about ourselves so that we can grow and learn more about what, I mean, I don't want to get too deep, like why we're here, what's our purpose? Every person on this planet has a purpose. So your cycle can help you do that. And if you are feeling lost, your cycle can... Alyah (38:27.938) Yeah. Alyah (38:35.148) Thank Alyah (38:40.6) Yeah. Yeah. Holly Lamb (38:51.663) when you back to yourself to help you find that purpose of what it is now. It doesn't have to mean that this is your purpose for life. It's just like, what's your purpose for now? Alyah (38:54.296) Thank Alyah (39:00.544) Now, yeah, I think that's a really beautiful way to kind of wrap up today is this idea of remembrance and remembering because there's been a lot of information throughout the ages that has replaced natural wisdom that comes intuitively and instinctively to women. And cycle awareness is the first step into this idea of consciousness being something that's very interconnected. Holly Lamb (39:16.411) Hmm. Alyah (39:31.147) begins and ends also with each one of us. And as just to touch on your point there, like I was on birth control for years and years and years and came off it in 2018. My life changed because I finally knew who I was because there wasn't synthetic hormones because hormones are the way that hormones are the portal to how you deal with yourself and with others, right? They are the metric. Holly Lamb (39:34.267) Mm-hmm. Holly Lamb (39:41.616) Mm. Alyah (39:58.966) right, they set the tone. Your hormones are out of whack. I mean, anybody that's experienced being teary the day before they get their period knows that that's by your hormones and that can make the whole world either feel great or like shit. So if all you have is a blanket of synthetic ones over your brain, you're not experiencing it as naturally. I also was given an endometriosis diagnosis a few years ago and was offered surgery twice. Holly Lamb (40:10.043) Mm-hmm. Holly Lamb (40:25.093) Mm-hmm. Alyah (40:27.894) and I took a long hard look at my lifestyle and changed many many many things and I went back 10 months later and it had reduced significantly. I went in there with like stage two, stage three endo and went back in and she was like I can kind of see it here, I can kind of see it here but I would say you're like at stage one now and I was like okay I'm happy with that I'm not gonna go under surgery I will just continue to... consciously connect to this part of my body, look at my lifestyle, see that my cycle, my period, especially during my luteal and menstruation is such a GPS for how I've been living my life. And this is the remembrance, right? There's all this beautiful energetic work that we talk about. And there's also the physical manifestations of our cycle that are there to guide us. And this remembrance... Holly Lamb (41:12.154) Hmm. Alyah (41:26.576) is the reason that we do it, you know? They give women this power to remember also for themselves, because each one of us is an expert in herself. Holly Lamb (41:29.909) Mm, yeah. Holly Lamb (41:37.115) Exactly. Perfect. I love that. Just gonna end it there. That's it. Outside. Thank you very much. Alyah (41:38.132) Yeah. Holly Lamb (41:46.171) Yeah, that was lovely. Thank you so much. Our conversations are always fabulous, if I do say so myself. Alyah (41:52.5) Thank you for having me. They are good, aren't they? We just weave gold, I love it. Holly Lamb (41:57.623) Yeah, exactly. Well, that's it for Inner Spring. Join us next time for Inner Summer. Alyah (42:01.481) Thank