A cycle-centered conversation is a dialogue about cycle awareness, processing and embracing different phases of life (e.g., the transition to motherhood), and identifying conditions that affect your cycle.

Conversations like these can be sobering and very intimate. Here are some tips for your next cycle-centered conversation with your S.O.

Cycle awareness is the secret sauce you can pour on top of any charting or tracking practice.

Your body is like the conductor of an orchestra, and your hormones are the different instrument players. Learn a little more about your personal symphony!

Cultivating a relationship with your inner mother is a practice of both self-devotion and self-compassion.

Your inner mother keeps you accountable.

Your inner mother keeps your inner critic in check by lovingly reminding you that you are human and will make mistakes and have rough patches in life.

Your inner mother helps you pick yourself back up.

Your inner mother guides you, helping you navigate the seasons of womanhood with grace and passion.

Have you ever asked your mom what her periods are (or were) like? What about the other women in your family? How about your friends? Do periods and cycle care make it to the group chat? 📲

Connecting with other women about our cycles is a beautiful way to experience-share, support each other, and create safe, intimate bonds with people we love 💜. More than that, we can learn so much about symptoms that run in our family (and why they do) from how our mothers and caregivers cared for themselves.

I’m gonna say something you may not have heard before… Your mental health and your menstrual health are closely connected to one another. Read on to learn how and what you can do to take care of yourself with this connection in mind. Mental health resources are also listed at the end of this post.

Our guest writer, Micaela Shirley, shares her experience of discovering and managing her PCOS diagnosis. Please also check out the resources she provides at the bottom of the post for further context and help if you are experiencing something similar!

I didn’t know much about “cycles,” or “having PMS-free periods.” I didn’t realize that paying attention to your menstrual health is about more than just planning (or avoiding) pregnancy. Heck, I thought having a period was ALL there was to know. I had to go back to the basics and re-learn (or perhaps learn for the first time) what makes up a menstrual cycle and how menstrual health is tied to our overall health.