"It's just that time of month again."
I've come to hate that phrase. That along with, "It's just hormones," and “[You're/I'm] just being emotional."
But I use them. I think them and say them (about myself) more often than I should. And it hurts because it causes me to feel like my emotions are unimportant, unnecessary, and fake. I feel like I’m excusing myself for something I shouldn't have to.
I've seen a couple ads on youtube for Midol's campaign: No Apologies, Period. When I first watched it, I thought, "I don't struggle with this," and it's "not a huge issue". Now though, I'm realizing that just because I haven't explicitly said the words "I'm sorry" in regards to my period, doesn't mean that I haven't eber apologized for my body and its natural functions. And I can see now that it is a problem because it's damaging my mental health, and I'm not the only one. Those phrases I hate? They're all excuses, knee-jerk apologies, and every time I use them I'm devaluing my own emotions.
So I have work to do. And while I know I will struggle breaking free of this mindset, I also know that this is worth working towards, worth fighting [myself] for.
Anyways, thanks for reading this far, and I hope my mini-rant can help you and others as much as it’s helped me. Enjoy your day!