Self-care Sunday | An update since I got off the pill (and other topics)
"Sunday is the golden clasp that binds together the volume of the week" — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Hello, beautiful people! I hope everyone's doing well. As for me, I'm okay. These past weeks the ups and downs have been rather extreme, but I'm trying harder to regain balance. We don't know how blessed we are to have a well-regulated nervous system until we don't. Although it has not been easy at all, I can say I'm moving forward, and I'm thankful for that.
Fifteen days ago, I started this Self-care Sunday series to keep track of the upcoming changes in my lifestyle, since I decided to get off the hormonal birth-control I had been taking for two years. In that first post of the series, I also talked about my weekly unwinding routine to reset and feel grounded. I intend to improve it and be consistent, with the goal of incorporating more joy into my life. I wish to share that journey with you.
The changes I've noticed
While doing some research, I read that it takes at least 1-3 months for the body to self-regulate the hormone production, after a period of taking exogenous hormones for contraception. The process should restore the normal functioning of the woman's menstrual cycle, with the same characteristics it had before going on birth control. My PMS has always been quite noticeable regarding symptoms, and the cramps are usually painful. So, that won't be changing much; even on the pill that part stayed the same. Therefore, I'll rely on improving my nutrition and cycling certain foods to alleviate the monthly physical ailments related to menstruation.
Now, on the psychological/neurological aspect, I've noticed that my mood swings have been more violent lately, and I really don't like that. It requires much more effort to not lash out at people or feel devastated for the smallest situations. Also, the upside of the mood swings is hard to surf and control, and often the exaggerated elation burns quickly and leaves me exhausted after. I'm not entirely sure yet if this is related to the hormonal disorder preceding self-regulation, but it could be. Hopefully, this phase will end soon, or at least ease a bit. I'd like to feel good and comfortable about being a woman, in every sense.
My plans for this Sunday
Today I woke up in a really good mood. I tend to sleep naked (but with a cozy blanket) and in the mornings my body temperature feels quite comfortable. Most days, I can avoid using my phone first thing after waking up, but I failed this time haha I scrolled for a while, reading cool posts from my Hive feed. Then, when I turned around, it turns out that my partner was awake too and none of us had noticed that the other one was unsleeping! That made us crack a few laughs. I love laughing when I'm still in bed, it sets me up for a great start to the day.
For breakfast, we made panini and coffee. For my partner, ham & cheese and an americano, or guayoyo, as we call it here. For me, cheese & tomato and a latte. Then, my partner went out to buy groceries and I stayed to write. I was planning on painting a bit too, but I might not have enough time today. I'm okay with that, will catch up during the workweek.
Later, we will do some cardio and bodyweight exercises, to not lose the habit. Or should I say, to establish it in the first place haha! Cardio tends to be neglected by most people, and I think it's because they haven't found yet a form of cardio they actually enjoy. My first options would be bike riding outdoors, or swimming, but these are not currently accommodating with my life/the place I live in. The next best thing, and what we do, is jumping rope. A few months ago I bought one from a Rush Athletics affiliate in my country, and I've been loving it. Not so consistently so far, but loving it anyway.
For lunch, we will have fusilli with both bechamel and neapolitan sauce, with cheese of course. Yummm! I call this the pasticcio pasta because it tastes just about the same. Then, we'll pack a few things and go to my partner's best friend's place. We'll have a sushi & movies night! I'm quite happy about it. I had talked to the said buddy about my friendlessness situation and it looks like he wanted to be supportive and spend some quality time with us. My partner hasn't tried sushi before, and I'm not so knowledgeable either, so this will be interesting. I think he might like the tempura kind.
Overall, yes, I'm okay. Getting better, willing to put in the work to be happy and healthy. As I said two weeks ago,
Most Sunday nights I'm caught by the desire for Monday to arrive, can you believe that? In a society where that day is despised, I've discovered the formula to receive the working week with a smile and renovated energy. I'm so thankful for that!
What about you? How are you spending your Sunday? I'd love to read all about it!
Sources of the images:
📷 by freestocks
📷 by Mohamed Nohassi
📷 by Sharon McCutcheon
📷 by Maddi Bazzocco
📷 by Florian Metzner
I'd like to thank you for reading this. I hope my words resonated with you in some way. If they did, or even if they didn't, I'd like to further connect with you, so I invite you to drop a comment and I'll answer it as soon as I can.
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This seems like a pretty good day indeed and also that you've got a path plotted out to get yourself back on track so I'm pretty sure it'll all work out. Ups and downs happen and the downs make the ups feel that much better. 😊
Thanks for sharing part of your weekend in THE WEEKEND community.
Thank you! I agree, now that I've hit rock bottom, the little moments that string together and compose happiness are truly more enjoyable, each on their own. I feel hopeful for the near future and I'm actively making the effort to achieve my goals. I appreciate your words. THE WEEKEND community is an awesome place and I'm grateful to have found the community.
I've been there and back...It's what we do (who we are) in adversity that defines us and from what I can tell you're the pick up, dust off and step forward type of person, like me. That speaks highly of you and indicates to me that your journey will lead to the places you'd like it to.
Life is hard, really hard, as is picking up the pieces...But it's really our only viable choice right?
I see us as a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing, or at least falling away. We need to collect them and re-fit them or adapt the others to fit the missing pieces. Sometimes they don't fit back perfectly though and often we lose a few along the way...But we're all flawed and fallible, imperfect creatures, and that makes us perfectly us...So...If the jigsaw isn't quite together it's ok, you still have value to yourself and others.
You know?
Thank you for such a meaningful comment! Yes, picking up the pieces has always been the only choice, at least for those like us who want to truly live.
I've felt like a jigsaw puzzle, just like you describe, but lately I've tried to see myself as whole, even though I'm imperfect. Makes me feel more at ease and hopeful to not think that there's something missing (even if there is). To think about missing pieces makes the empty spaces hurt more, at least for me. I'd rather recognize that everyone holds in themselves a whole universe to discover, with energy to funnel towards a life goal that gives it meaning. I'm not exactly sure if that makes sense but I did my best to try and explain it.
Thanks again for your words, I felt them very close and understanding, and I'm grateful for that. We do have value, immense value, to ourselves and others.
We're all different and have different thoughts and feelings so what works for one may not for others. Of course, we're whole, I guess the jigsaw thing was to represent that parts of us don't always continue to fit and that we need to change and adapt. What happens in the past sometimes changes us so drastically that the puzzle can't go together the same. That's just me I guess.
Ohhh, I understand better your concept now. It's haunting yet beautiful at the same time. I like it, and I can relate. Definitely not just you, there were key events that shifted the form of my pieces ever so slightly that I had been trying to put them together unsuccessfully for a long time. They didn't fit, and I was desperate. Thought it was permanently damaged, a factory defect. But then I discovered I could adapt them into a new puzzle and decided to put in the work to see it all fit again. Beautiful concept indeed. I'm glad I understand better now what you said.
We're all flawed and fallible, probably a little broken, but we all have it within us to understand that that's just the normal human condition and to find it in ourselves to forgive/accept it. That's when we than find the courage to stand and take another step. Perfection doesn't exist so there's no point reaching for it...I prefer continuous improvement. You know, like you said, a new puzzle. 😊
I love tomato and grilled cheese sandwiches!
What movies did you end up watching?
Abraço!
P.S. I have way more friends on Hive, than I have in real life and they live all over the world. It's amazing what you can build up, on here, over time.
You're absolutely right, I have friends here in Hive, don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that. Gracias por todo, amigo. Tus palabras siempre me alegran el día. ❤️
I just read your post about the power outage and was about to comment, by the way haha
For a start, we will watch "Brokeback Mountain" I'm a bit, since I'm the only one that has seen it and I absolutely love it. Have you watched it?
Abrazooos.
P.S. My grilled cheese sandwiches are THE best. I'll make you some when I visit Portugal :)
No te preocupes. You're welcome :<)
Just wanted to let you know that you're not alone. Also, ( I believe that ) our words become our truth ( if we repeat them often enough ), so I am more careful about what I say or write these days.
I saw Brokeback Mountain, back in the days, in cinema. I don't remember too much of it. I think most guys experience it differently than women ( and I don't want to be sexist here, haha! )
Big hug and I'm already looking forward to your future grilled cheese sandwiches ;<)
There's a lot of truth in this. You're right. I'm not alone. And I'm okay :)
About the movie, yeah, I guess we might experience it differently indeed. I saw a beautiful relationship between two humans, but the love couldn't prosper in a society where they weren't supposed to be together. It's heartbreaking but beautiful at the same time, and I love movies that move me to my core.
How's everything going over there? Abraços!
I... am... tired
but alright, most of the time.
I need to learn to listen to my body a little better but this place is so addictive ;^)
Abraço!
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