Zen and the art of menstrual cups
We’ve met many happy menstrual cup converts, but we also talk to a lot of hesitant folks. If you’re one of them, it might be that you’re procrastinating buying an XO Flo, or maybe you already have one but it just hasn’t made it out of the box yet. Whatever the situation, it sounds like your eagerness to be a menstrual cup user is being drowned out by your doubts about becoming a cup user. Don’t worry, this is totally normal. You just need to change your mindset a little! So take a deep breath, clear your mind, and read on…
You’ve done this before
Learning to use a menstrual cup means trying a new thing. I bet you’ve been down that road before! I can think of many things I’ve had to learn “from scratch” that seemed pretty daunting at skill level 0, but over time became second nature. When I first got contacts, I couldn’t just pop ’em in – I had to accept that I’d need to learn how, and that it might be uncomfortable and frustrating at first. No one was making me wear contacts, but my desire to use them fueled my motivation to keep trying and eventually get there! Chances are, no one is making you try a menstrual cup, but you’ve heard a lot of great things and you want to be a cup user. Trust me, you can be!
Redefine success
I get it - you didn’t buy an XO Flo with the intention of having difficulty using it. While some people don’t run into any issues, I have to be honest: you totally might. And that’s okay! If you march into the bathroom with your cup thinking: “This thing better be easy to put in, and it better not leak. If I have to deal with problems then I’m probably not meant to be a cup user anyway,” then you’ve already deemed that anything less than perfection is failure. Not only is that unrealistic, but you’re also putting a lot of pressure and stress on yourself! You don’t deserve that, I can guarantee it. You have nothing to lose – and everything to gain – from being patient with yourself and letting small steps be successes. The first time I got behind the wheel of a car, it would have been unhelpful if I’d decided: “I better be able to confidently get on the highway today and also parallel park, otherwise I’m clearly not cut out for this whole driving thing!” Allow yourself to celebrate each time you accomplish anything that feels like a hurdle, I bet you anything you’ll benefit from the positivity!
There’s no deadline
Part of what will keep you relaxed and patient while learning to use your XO Flo is making sure to keep the situation low-pressure. If you think you might want to switch to a menstrual cup in time for, say, your next camping adventure or long flight, we advise you not to wait til the day before you leave to buy one! Don’t impose a deadline on yourself, whether real or imagined. Giving yourself plenty of time to deal with a learning curve will make it seem way more gentle. Remember, you’re using XO Flo for you, not for anyone else.
Just breathe
When you are stressed and tense, your muscles also tense up, meaning it can feel harder to insert or remove your cup. Try to breathe and relax, or take a break until you feel relaxed again. Even staying calm while trying something new can take practice, but if you’ve followed the tips above, you’re probably a pro at being patient and kind with yourself!
