Why Having a Period Ritual Is the Ultimate Form of Self-Care

Chloe Castleberry
·3 min read

I can completely understand why people dread their periods. I mean, bleeding for a week straight definitely doesn’t sound fun. It’s a necessary evil that can, unfortunately, bring more evil in the form of back pain, cramps, acne flare-ups, irritability, etc. And it can be even worse for people who suffer from reproductive disorders such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Necole Kane, founder of My Happy Flo, a wellness company that provides plant-based period relief products knows the feeling all too well. “I had really bad periods,” she says. “And not only were they bad, but they would come when they wanted to. They were never consistent and it was a hindrance in my daily life.”

She adds, “I did not have a great relationship with my body because of my period pain. So, when I first launched My Happy Flo, I was trying to run with the idea of us wanting women to love their periods. Eventually, I learned to love mine once I realized what foods and supplements worked.” And a large part of her journey to accepting her period was incorporating a period ritual whenever it started. “I make it a spiritual practice and I know people are like ‘she’s probably crazy,’ but I am not the type that feeds her house plants period blood. It’s an opportunity for me to go within.” If you’re curious about what exactly a period ritual entails, read below for some of the things Necole likes to do to see the period mood.

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Journal

Necole says she’s the most gentle to herself during her period week. And it makes total sense to cut yourself some slack during this time. To help her relax and reflect, Necole likes to journal, which has many benefits ranging from boosting self-confidence to inspiring creativity.

Meditate

Another practice that can help facilitate calm and restoration is mediation. This is particularly beneficial when you’re feeling stressed, which let’s face it, tends to happen when we’re on our periods. And it is simple to do. To meditate, focus on something such as a sound, visualization, or breath to increase awareness of the present moment. The CDC notes it helps reduce stress, promote relaxation, and enhance personal and spiritual growth.

Treat yourself

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Necole is a big proponent of treating yourself during your time of the month. For her, this looks like eating dark chocolate (dark chocolate has magnesium in it which is actually good for you), putting on comfy clothes, and sitting on a couch watching Netflix. “I’m the most gentle to myself during my period week,” she says.

Get dressed down

No one is trying to wear the finest white clothes (or underwear) during the week of their period. So, instead of worrying about outfits, use your period as a time to rock something comfortable. There’s no rule that says you can’t be comfortable and fashionable at the same time.

Practice affirmations

Even when you aren’t on your period, affirmations are a good practice to incorporate into your daily routine. This can look like waking up and starting the day with a single affirmation or writing them down on walls or mirrors (which Necole likes to do). Insight Timer even has menstrual affirmations you can try if this is something you’d like to incorporate into your period ritual.

No matter what or how you decide to carry out your period ritual, remember to take that time to be gentle to yourself and educate yourself on menstrual health – you never know what you may discover.

For more information on My Happy Flo, visit the website here.

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