Happy Valentine’s Day! Today is the day to celebrate relationships. Romantic relationships are all the buzz, but what about the relationship you have with yourself? PMDD can break down all types of relationships, and we often talk about the struggles we may have with our partners, but really the one it affects the most is the relationship we have with ourselves. Let’s celebrate that relationship too.
I recently have been working on a research project about romantic relationships and their effect on PMDD. Seeing all the responses, I’ve found that the most successful relationships are the ones built on respect, patience, communication, and self-awareness. However, you cannot have a successful relationship without having a good relationship with yourself. You must practice loving yourself and nourish this relationship as well. Without this relationship, your relationships with others will not succeed.
Us girls with PMDD have the most conflicting relationship with ourselves. Every day is a fight against ourselves, but we conquer it every day we keep on going. Look at how far you have come, truly appreciate the strength you possess. We all have been through so much. I want you all to go back to all the pain and suffering but look at your PMDD journey in a different light this time. Look at that warrior fighting the demons within herself. You all have been given the demon of PMDD, because you were meant to fight it. If you were not strong enough to handle it, why would you have this condition? Compare yourself to the person at the beginning of your PMDD journey. You have grown so much. Look at everything you can handle now.
PMDD has shown us really how beautiful we are. We have grown in our relationship with ourselves. This condition has forced us to take a long hard look at ourselves and commit to working on the relationship with ourselves every day. It is a true commitment to love yourself, even through all the pain. I thank myself for bringing me this far and for taking care of me. Every time you say no to something that isn’t in your best interest, push yourself to get out of bed (or allow yourself to stay in if that’s what you need) and create goals for yourself, you are building the relationship you have with yourself. Take time to appreciate how beautiful you are. It takes a lot of courage to say “yes” to yourself and say “no” to the world.
We are so caught up in life and with all the demands from everyone that we often put ourselves at the bottom of our to-do list. We must keep in touch with friends, but not with ourselves? We must show our partner that we care, but not show ourselves that we care? The most important relationship is the one with ourselves. Without it, we wouldn’t have all the other relationships or any of this for that matter. I challenge you all to create a list of 20 things you love (or like, or can tolerate, if love isn’t in your cards today) about yourself and to take a minute to appreciate yourself every day. Love your inner warrior.
About the Warrior
Ms. Menses is a university student who is passionate about menstruation and women’s rights. She has done a TED Talk about menstruation and is currently working on researching the effects of menstruation on girl’s education. She loves to talk about and teach classes about menstruation. She is planning on getting a Master’s in Public Health with a focus on Women’s Reproductive Health issues. She hopes to help make menstruation something people can talk about openly so that girls do not have to suffer.
