In a world that is constantly asking us to be “better” than we are, it is a courageous act to accept ourselves. But there comes a point in our lives when feeling whole and complete within ourselves becomes more important than fitting in or being who other people expect us to be. We get to a place where we finally get, with every fiber of our being, that self-acceptance, rather than trying to “fix” ourselves, is the path to wholeness.

A loaded, layered and multidimensional question that can mean something different to each one of us. If you are not 100% sure what that means to you, we are in the same boat, because I am still in the process of trying to define what that means in my life and the role it plays in my overall well being. What I have come to understand though, is that sexual wellness to me isn’t just about the sex I am having or simply about pleasure. For me, it has to do with how I see myself as a human being, my ability to embrace and be empowered in enjoying my sexuality, accepting my body, the skin I live in, and the sense of truly owning my sexual actions. 

Most women (and sometimes men) dread that time of the month. I get it. We’ve been programmed every day since we were young to freak out about our periods, pretend they don’t exist and put on a happy face while experiencing symptoms like cramps, bloating and acne. It’s rare that anyone has anything nice to say when “Aunt Flo” comes to visit. But what if we reframed the conversation and embraced the beauty of our cycles?

Here are 5 reasons why I LOVE my period.