Is it just me or are there other ladies out there who feel like their periods think they are the chief operating officer of their body's mood, movement and meaning in life? Well, not sure if I'm talking to crickets here or not, but I'll go on! At least twice a month, I feel a significant shift in my mood and emotions. Honestly, this has been happening every month since the summer before sixth grade. Yet somehow, at 27 years old, I am still stunned by it every month. One week I'm feeling content, satisfied and joyous about my accomplishments, my relationships, my body, my abilities, my happiness, my faith, my work, my confidence, and the next, my mind races in a whirlwind of reality and fantasy, not exactly knowing what is fact or fiction. And thus, I've come to the conclusion that my period is a diva. She makes herself known two weeks before her arrival and again sends blatant reminders a couple of days before. She is that crazy part of me that I love and hate.

While I have always known myself to be an emotional person by nature, I still find it hard at times to fully accept that part of me. Sometimes I think my highly sensitive emotions are beneficial, in that, I can empathize more easily with others and I see the world with a nurturing, gentle eye. Yet other times I feel overwhelmed with how suddenly my emotions switch. And therefore, I tumble into a war against myself trying to rebel against these emotions, while another part of me tries to lean into them. It's a tough battle to fight when you're on both sides, which is what has led to me research ways to find balance and joy in my life, even with my period!

Today's JOY Life episode breaks down my research so far into the areas of Mental Wellness, Physical Wellness and Social Wellness. I'm definitely not an expert in any of these areas myself, but I am a female who gets her period every month, with terrible cramps, bloating, sadness, anxiety and moodiness (just ask my mom or boyfriend, who unfortunately get the brunt of it).

Resources/ References....

Gretchin Rubin (author of Better than Before and The Happiness Project): look at her four tendencies

Jess Lively (host of The Lively Show Podcast)

Alisa Vitti (creator of The Woman Code)

JOY Life Podcast is a place for people to come to enhance their lives by creating more joy, peace, and purpose. The intention of JOY Life Podcast is to Joyfully Optimize Your Life. Get it?! As you may know, Joy can be defined as a great feeling of pleasure and happiness. My intent, as your host, is to bring Joy to your life with each and every episode. People may find Joy in many different parts of their lives, which is why I strive to bring you information, advice, and stories from various facets of life from many different perspectives.

A special thanks to Cassie Olivos for creating the beautiful JOY Life Podcast logo. Also, I want to give a shoutout to the composers of the show music. (Intro: "The Only Girl" by Silent Partner; Outro: "Bubblegum Ballgame" by JR Tundra)And of course, thank you to Adam Jasie for his wonderful editing skills that he shares with us!

www.JOYLifePodcast.com

Follow JOY Life Podcast on Instagram @JOYLifePodcast.