Ep. 80 Overcoming Menstrual Inequity with Celeste Mergens

[00:00:06] I'm Michele Simms and this is The Beauty in the Mess, a community where people who crave a shift in mindset, personal growth, and connection to like-minded people come together to start rewriting their stories.

[00:00:17] Through engaging, honest, and insightful conversations, the show will help you embrace the mess to recognize the meanings and the lessons it holds and discover its hidden treasures to help you start making a mindset shift.

[00:00:30] Let's listen, learn, and reclaim who we were meant to be.

[00:00:33] Hi friend, welcome to The Beauty in the Mess.

[00:00:37] Today I have a truly remarkable guest on the show, Celeste Mergens.

[00:00:41] Celeste is a renowned author, thought leader, and a speaker who has transformed lives on a global scale.

[00:00:47] From battling poverty in her youth to becoming a specialist in women's health and equity, building teams, and bridging cultural divides, Celeste's journey is one of resilience, innovation, and compassion.

[00:01:00] In this episode, Celeste shares her personal story, the mission behind her organization, Days for Girls, and how she's championing menstrual equity across the world.

[00:01:11] She also provides insights on dealing with trauma, finding purpose, and the power of community in driving meaningful change.

[00:01:18] She's been featured in Oprah's O Magazine and Forbes, and been named Conscious Company, Global Impact Entrepreneur Top 10 Women, and Women's Economic Forum's Woman of the Decade, to name a few.

[00:01:32] Her number one best-selling new book, The Power of Days, A Story of Resilience, Dignity, and the Fight for Women's Equity, shares proof that we can all make a difference.

[00:01:41] So join me as we learn how to make a difference one step at a time.

[00:01:46] Hi, I'm Michelle Sims, your host.

[00:01:48] I'm just a regular person who, along with my family, have had our share of messes that we too have had to overcome.

[00:01:54] Along the way, I got curious as to how others get through their messes and even triumph over them.

[00:02:00] Maybe there's a better way, a faster way.

[00:02:03] Maybe we can accelerate our journeys by learning from someone else.

[00:02:06] That started my pursuit.

[00:02:08] I think we can all learn from each other through the sharing of our experiences, lessons, and knowledge.

[00:02:13] So join me for episode 80 of The Beauty and the Mess called Overcoming Menstrual Inequity with Celeste Mergens.

[00:02:21] So without further ado, let's dive right into today's conversation.

[00:02:26] Hi, Celeste.

[00:02:27] Welcome to The Beauty and the Mess.

[00:02:28] It's very nice to have you with me today.

[00:02:31] Such a delight to be with you.

[00:02:33] Oh, thank you.

[00:02:34] Now, I know you're a spectacular author, a thought leader, a speaker, among many, many other things.

[00:02:41] But before we kind of dig into all that today, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind sharing some of your journey.

[00:02:48] What's gotten you to this point in life?

[00:02:50] Wow, that's a really big question.

[00:02:53] How much did you want to share?

[00:02:56] Wow.

[00:02:57] Well, here's what I know for sure.

[00:02:59] Okay.

[00:03:00] That's so often the hardest times we've ever had.

[00:03:05] If we wait long enough, live long enough, turn out to be a really big gift in disguise.

[00:03:10] And that really difficult challenges are truly opportunities in disguise.

[00:03:16] And I've gotten to learn that both personally and on a global scale, truly.

[00:03:21] And when I was young, I had opportunity to experience what it's like to be part of a family that battles poverty and struggles with that.

[00:03:34] And I got to see for myself how people can treat you like you're secondary or like you don't know what's happening in your life.

[00:03:45] And that really taught me as I went forward to do global work to really be aware and open and recognize that any work that I did should be about a cooperative opportunity about them and how they saw the need and how we could partner together to move it forward.

[00:04:05] Now, I'm not saying I did that perfectly.

[00:04:07] If you read my book, The Power of Days, you know I did not.

[00:04:11] I had to learn it all along the way.

[00:04:14] But my work has led me to be able to help with sustainable solutions and a surprising key to reversing cycles of poverty and violence against women and health issues in communities, menstrual equity.

[00:04:31] I became a global expert in menstruation and reproductive health.

[00:04:38] Two things that I never thought would happen.

[00:04:40] I thought maybe scientist, engineer, artist, never those two things.

[00:04:45] It turns out they're so important to wellness in communities and there has been so much stigma.

[00:04:52] It's incredible to watch how small things we don't want to talk about can be huge levers for tremendous change.

[00:05:01] Yeah, and I can be very honest that I never and I think a lot of people don't realize that in third world countries, women and girls don't have access to the sanitary things that we have access to.

[00:05:16] And because I don't know other people's experience, I know my experience growing up.

[00:05:21] And even now, it's just something I don't talk about normally.

[00:05:24] It's just something you take care of and you move on.

[00:05:27] And so reading your story was the first time that I ever realized, wow, how fortunate we are, number one, and what kind of need there is out there.

[00:05:38] And what was surprising to me because I have the same experience.

[00:05:42] I just didn't think to ask because it's at the grocery store.

[00:05:46] It's in your bathroom.

[00:05:48] You have what you need.

[00:05:48] However, when you have to choose between food and hygiene or shelter and hygiene or fuel in your gas tank to get to the next job interview and pads, you're going to choose food, shelter.

[00:06:04] And even though this is a basic biological need, it can often be relegated to secondary.

[00:06:12] And it has a really big impact for the confidence, opportunity, and wellness of people with periods.

[00:06:18] And here's the shocking thing, perhaps.

[00:06:22] It's not somewhere else.

[00:06:23] It's right where we are.

[00:06:24] Anywhere in the world, you have to make that decision for how to use resources.

[00:06:30] It's an issue.

[00:06:31] What do people without homes do in your community?

[00:06:34] What does a foster girl do who has to talk to a new foster parent about, I need pads, and she's already overcoming trauma?

[00:06:43] This is something we can take on in our schools, in our communities, in our homes, and in our workplaces.

[00:06:50] And what a great opportunity to move the lever with such a small intervention.

[00:06:55] Yeah, absolutely, because you hit it right on the target, too.

[00:06:58] We don't think of those everyday needs that people without homes have.

[00:07:03] I mean, even around us or everywhere in the country, if you don't see it, it's somewhere in the country.

[00:07:11] It's everywhere in the country.

[00:07:12] But it is a huge need.

[00:07:14] And the girls that you started with, from what I read, they had to stay on a cardboard, like a cardboard mat all day, right?

[00:07:23] For days.

[00:07:23] Yes, the first place that I ever learned about this at was an orphanage.

[00:07:29] When I asked, well, what are they doing?

[00:07:31] They said they're sitting on pieces of cardboard for days.

[00:07:34] No way to leave the classroom.

[00:07:36] No way to take care of their needs.

[00:07:39] And that's what I knew.

[00:07:40] We had to do something for this.

[00:07:41] I also knew that if we sent funds the next month and they needed food, they would use funds for pads for food, and they should.

[00:07:49] So how do you give them a solution that could count on month after month?

[00:07:53] So Days for Girls programs do offer single-use interventions.

[00:07:57] Our single-use interventions.

[00:08:00] But we also focus on sustainable solutions, washable pads and cups that they can count on month after month and year after year.

[00:08:09] Yeah, I think it's amazing what you're doing.

[00:08:12] And like I said, I don't think a lot of people even realize the amount of need that there is on just the simple things.

[00:08:21] Just daily hygiene.

[00:08:23] I wanted to ask you too, like, how do you, I don't know how you'll feel about this question, but how do you deal with such substantial need without getting consumed by it?

[00:08:37] If that makes sense.

[00:08:38] Because just in my everyday life, which as an average person, I see a lot of need.

[00:08:45] I come across a lot of need.

[00:08:47] And it's overwhelming at times.

[00:08:50] And so you're seeing it on the global perspective.

[00:08:53] How do you not get consumed by it?

[00:08:57] In a way, I would say I have been, but in a positive way.

[00:09:01] Okay.

[00:09:01] Like that determination, right?

[00:09:04] And I think I completely understand what you're saying.

[00:09:07] When you see hard things, and I certainly have, and you see the big need, how do you keep at it and not be taken down by it?

[00:09:16] And my answer to that would be that you see it as step by step.

[00:09:21] You almost reverse engineer.

[00:09:23] If this is what we want to accomplish, every girl everywhere, period.

[00:09:28] People in every community having what they need, period.

[00:09:31] Right.

[00:09:31] And then no more stigma.

[00:09:33] Then you consider, okay, if it's already done, who did we talk to?

[00:09:37] Who came together?

[00:09:38] What occurred that this would happen?

[00:09:41] And then start taking the next best step to get there.

[00:09:44] It hasn't been this huge leap forward.

[00:09:47] It was a consistent invitation to people, places, dignitaries to come.

[00:09:54] Let's do this together.

[00:09:55] And not worried about those who weren't interested because then your energy is being spent on that.

[00:10:01] Instead, it's a really good thing.

[00:10:03] We all care about different things.

[00:10:05] So you're just looking for those that care about ending menstrual inequity and period poverty.

[00:10:11] And you keep saying, how can we partner to get this piece reached and invite the local communities themselves?

[00:10:17] Because people support what they create.

[00:10:21] So for me, I think it's recognizing we can't do everything, but we can do one thing and the next thing and the next thing.

[00:10:31] And recognize that that's enough.

[00:10:33] Because any more than that is asking us to run more than we're able.

[00:10:38] And that just strains you.

[00:10:39] So if instead, you don't think that you have to be the solution, but rather invite others to use the power of we.

[00:10:48] Together, we can change this.

[00:10:51] Right.

[00:10:52] And I aim into that.

[00:10:53] Now, I know your childhood was not what we would term normal whatsoever.

[00:10:58] But from the point that you got married and started having kids, I'm assuming that you led like a normal life, as we would term normal, I guess.

[00:11:10] So how does the average person start making a difference?

[00:11:14] What if you don't know dignitaries?

[00:11:16] Do you just start reaching out to anyone and then you find the ones who adhere to your cause?

[00:11:22] Or how do you go about it?

[00:11:24] Yeah, great question.

[00:11:25] I think the first thing is to understand what it is you want to create.

[00:11:29] In other words, if you can't express it and it just sounds like I don't know what you're exactly asking me to do.

[00:11:36] Right.

[00:11:36] Then people just get confused and say next.

[00:11:39] Right.

[00:11:39] But if you can be really clear.

[00:11:41] So for Days for Girls, we were like, we want to help people have what they need for their periods and communities to shatter the stigma and shame.

[00:11:48] Right.

[00:11:49] Right.

[00:11:49] We want the education and supplies.

[00:11:51] And we're going to do one person at a time times millions.

[00:11:55] And so far, as you know, it's been over 3.2 million in 145 countries.

[00:12:00] And that wasn't me.

[00:12:01] That was the power of invitations and connections.

[00:12:03] And I started at our dining room table and then others and then our basement for a while.

[00:12:10] We called it the She Castle because it was a man cave and we took over part of it and made it the She Castle.

[00:12:18] And then it became our barn, which was converted into a little workshop slash office.

[00:12:23] And we just kept inviting people.

[00:12:25] And it grew and it grew from those first 500 girls to more people saying we want to do it too.

[00:12:32] So I would say two things.

[00:12:34] One, know what you want to create and be really clear about what way you want to do it that is unique.

[00:12:42] Today, I'm happy to say there are a lot of people working for menstrual equity, governments and agencies and individuals all over.

[00:12:49] That wasn't true in Days for Girls started.

[00:12:51] So I'm happy to say that it's all over.

[00:12:54] And you have to know what your piece is, what the piece you want to move is, who the people you want to reach are.

[00:12:59] And then just invite people and see if they're interested in doing it with you.

[00:13:05] And here's a big piece that I've discovered.

[00:13:09] Instead of telling people what to do, and although we had instructions, we helped them be part of creating it.

[00:13:16] Here's what we know.

[00:13:17] Please share what you learn as you do this role.

[00:13:20] And let's connect back in and let's build this together.

[00:13:23] When you allow people to hold their part and trust them and allow them to be part of the feedback circle, people support what they create.

[00:13:33] People want to come all in.

[00:13:35] But if you're just telling them what to do and giving them their marching orders and giving them pieces that aren't meaningful, then they'll find something else.

[00:13:45] Because people want to know they have purpose that is significant.

[00:13:49] It kind of gives them a little piece of ownership in it too, right?

[00:13:53] Absolutely.

[00:13:54] Yeah.

[00:13:55] It's amazing what you've accomplished.

[00:13:57] It absolutely is.

[00:13:58] Oh, thank you.

[00:14:00] Together.

[00:14:01] So I also wanted to ask, as I was reading about you, that you were talking about how trauma is actually stored in the body, right?

[00:14:10] Mm-hmm.

[00:14:10] It is.

[00:14:11] In the DNA.

[00:14:12] So how do we rid ourselves of trauma?

[00:14:17] I mean, outside of like professional help with a therapist, is there a way to kind of like release it?

[00:14:25] Because the impression I got is if it's stored in your DNA, then you can, it seems like you could pass it along in some way, at least in your actions, if not in your DNA itself.

[00:14:37] Absolutely.

[00:14:37] Absolutely.

[00:14:38] It's called epigenetics.

[00:14:40] And we know that it's the case today.

[00:14:42] And I found out, first started studying it because I recalled a traumatic incident that had happened to me when I was really little.

[00:14:50] And I was recalling this in my 30s.

[00:14:54] And all of a sudden, while we're recalling, I had little bruise marks across my arm and chest and my upper lip was swollen as if it had just happened.

[00:15:02] And I was not hitting myself.

[00:15:04] I was not like, how did this happen?

[00:15:06] Right.

[00:15:06] And it was then that I learned about it.

[00:15:09] And the way that I have learned to start releasing it is one, breathe, right?

[00:15:16] And recognize it.

[00:15:17] Be willing to feel it.

[00:15:19] Be willing to just, if you have thoughts that go through your head, for instance, it's a, your, something happens around you and you suddenly feel sad.

[00:15:29] Or something triggers you.

[00:15:31] So you're suddenly very angry.

[00:15:34] Take a breath and ask yourself, where did that come from?

[00:15:37] And kind of backtrack to what happened when you were just perfectly fine and now you're upset.

[00:15:42] What happened in the middle?

[00:15:44] Recognize that incident.

[00:15:46] Go and get curious about it.

[00:15:48] Hmm.

[00:15:48] That's interesting.

[00:15:50] I can see why that would make me upset.

[00:15:52] And I actually think that might have triggered something from the past.

[00:15:56] And just allow yourself to rewrite it.

[00:15:59] So in other words, if the feeling is nobody trusts me, they think I'm stupid.

[00:16:05] Something happened around you.

[00:16:07] And that goes through your head, that tape.

[00:16:09] Then you can say, hmm, actually, I hear that.

[00:16:14] I think I even know where that comes from.

[00:16:16] And here's the truth.

[00:16:18] I am a really caring person and I show up and a lot of people love me.

[00:16:24] Not everybody has to love me.

[00:16:25] And actually, I feel like I am understood and I can be more understood.

[00:16:31] I'm okay.

[00:16:32] I'm safe.

[00:16:33] I'm loved.

[00:16:34] I'm right here, right now.

[00:16:37] Hmm.

[00:16:38] And by doing that, you start unlocking those automatic responses that have been there.

[00:16:44] You start allowing yourself to take back the energy that kind of gets hijacked.

[00:16:49] Here's the interesting thing about how our brain and those traumatic moments work in us.

[00:16:55] We actually have that first responder in our brain called the amygdala.

[00:17:00] I actually call it the lizard brain because it's a part of our brain that's just trying

[00:17:05] to keep us safe.

[00:17:06] So if something happens that triggers us or is frightening to us, our first response is

[00:17:12] a negative bias.

[00:17:13] Like it's going to hurt me.

[00:17:15] I'm out.

[00:17:16] And the lizard would take you under a rock to hide.

[00:17:18] So you can't experience much, right?

[00:17:20] Right.

[00:17:21] We can actually allow ourselves to go.

[00:17:24] I see you.

[00:17:25] I see you fear.

[00:17:26] I feel that I'm really feeling that.

[00:17:29] And I actually am pretty safe right now.

[00:17:32] I'm thankful that I'm aware, but fear you're going to have to sit in the passenger seat and

[00:17:38] buckle up because I'm driving the steering wheel.

[00:17:40] Don't even touch the radio.

[00:17:42] I have a friend, Jen Gottlieb, that likes to say this.

[00:17:45] Don't touch the radio.

[00:17:46] I'm in control of that too.

[00:17:48] I'm here to keep me safe.

[00:17:50] And I'm driving forward.

[00:17:52] That by recognizing that fear is a responder and reassessing how we're going to respond to

[00:17:59] it, we can start changing the automatic response to trauma that can really hijack you and leave

[00:18:06] you feeling, I used to call it a sideways smackdown.

[00:18:10] You'd be going along and all of a sudden whack, you're upset and wondering what they meant by that.

[00:18:16] And it can often be that you're having one of these triggered moments.

[00:18:21] So did you mean by getting your energy back, but because of how draining it is to sit and worry about

[00:18:29] everything that that person, you know, what they're thinking, what they meant by it, what

[00:18:33] it just weird you down?

[00:18:35] Absolutely.

[00:18:36] So let me give you an example.

[00:18:38] Let's say you are in the grocery store and a really good friend goes by and you see them

[00:18:44] with their cart and they look right at you, you wave to them and they just look the other way

[00:18:48] and keep going.

[00:18:50] My response might be, oh man, she's mad at me.

[00:18:54] I knew it.

[00:18:55] I knew I should have invited her to that dinner.

[00:18:57] I was just, I just had her over.

[00:18:59] That's why I, oh, she's mad at me.

[00:19:01] And your head starts doing these little narratives.

[00:19:05] Do you find that to be true?

[00:19:06] Yeah, I've done that before.

[00:19:09] This whole thing.

[00:19:11] Exactly.

[00:19:12] And then, but equally as possible that she actually was just focused on what she's going

[00:19:18] to get for dinner and didn't even really see you.

[00:19:22] But our brain goes straight to all the reasons we're in deep trouble here.

[00:19:27] In an actuality, if we can just take a breath and go, well, she doesn't usually act that way.

[00:19:34] I hope she's okay.

[00:19:35] And I'll be sure to check in with her soon.

[00:19:37] And even if she is mad at you, you didn't use your energy going down the rabbit hole of all the second guessing.

[00:19:46] And you can use it instead to mend anything.

[00:19:50] And likely nothing is wrong.

[00:19:53] I was at a book or at an event actually about almost a year ago now.

[00:19:59] And someone came up to me and said, Celeste, I've been reading your book.

[00:20:04] And I said, really?

[00:20:06] Thank you so much.

[00:20:08] I really appreciate that.

[00:20:09] And then she said, uh-huh.

[00:20:10] And she smiled at me, but she didn't say a word.

[00:20:12] Uh-huh.

[00:20:13] So you know how when someone doesn't say anything, you know, that whole thing, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

[00:20:21] Right.

[00:20:22] My mind starts going, oh, great.

[00:20:24] She didn't like it.

[00:20:25] And it was pretty soon after the book had come out.

[00:20:27] So not even that long.

[00:20:28] It's only been out six months.

[00:20:30] So six months.

[00:20:30] I'm thinking, how many other people are going to feel this way?

[00:20:33] This is terrible.

[00:20:34] She, wait, I'm really surprised.

[00:20:35] And then I stopped myself and went, okay, first of all, I'm just glad she got this.

[00:20:40] Yes, I'm thankful she got the book.

[00:20:43] And what do I know?

[00:20:44] I know that she has the right to think of anything she wants.

[00:20:48] Everyone does.

[00:20:49] No one has to like the book.

[00:20:50] Everybody likes different things.

[00:20:52] And three, I don't know what she really thought.

[00:20:55] So I'm not going to let my brain go down the rabbit hole and sink me in.

[00:21:00] I'm going to just keep enjoying and stay with I'm grateful she got the book and I sure like her.

[00:21:05] And then I let it go.

[00:21:06] And a couple of times during this next part of the conference, my head would start going back there.

[00:21:11] And I go, no, no, no.

[00:21:12] Just grateful.

[00:21:14] About two hours later, she comes up with another woman and said, hey, Anne, this is Celeste, the woman I was telling you about.

[00:21:22] But I like her book so much.

[00:21:24] This is her.

[00:21:25] I would have spent those hours going, oh, no, nobody likes my book.

[00:21:30] Instead of enjoying what I was learning and the experience.

[00:21:35] Yeah.

[00:21:35] And to your point, how many times are we on the other side of the fence where you walk away from an interaction and you're like, oh, man, I should have said this or why didn't I say that?

[00:21:44] But your mind was distracted on something else.

[00:21:48] And you know what I'm saying?

[00:21:49] Truly.

[00:21:50] Yeah.

[00:21:51] Absolutely.

[00:21:52] And here's what.

[00:21:53] Can I share a technique that I've developed about this?

[00:21:56] Absolutely.

[00:21:56] Okay, I call it mind the gap.

[00:21:59] And it is really just the truth that in that moment between something that happens to us and our response is just a heartbeat.

[00:22:07] Right?

[00:22:07] And often that heartbeat of response, what we should feel about it, think about it, do about it, is the first responder.

[00:22:14] So negative bias throughout our whole life.

[00:22:16] We've been assuming the worst because that's how we're programmed to keep us safe.

[00:22:20] Like, guaranteed, a lot of decisions in our lives are made by negative bias.

[00:22:27] So let's say, well, let me share you an example.

[00:22:31] I was in middle school.

[00:22:33] The time that you are so good at being mortified.

[00:22:37] And I just came out of the bathroom.

[00:22:40] And the kids nearby were snickering.

[00:22:43] And I look at them and I'm like, oh, what's funny?

[00:22:47] I'm looking around.

[00:22:48] And then the girl behind me says, your skirt is tucked in your tights.

[00:22:53] I'm like, oh, just, oh, my word.

[00:22:56] Run back into the bathroom.

[00:22:58] Hide there.

[00:22:59] It takes a second to fix it.

[00:23:00] But I'm hiding there until the bell rings.

[00:23:02] And then go out hoping no one will see me.

[00:23:05] And it just, you know, that plays your mind every once in a while when it doesn't feel good in that deep level.

[00:23:10] Level.

[00:23:11] And so going back to that moment, that's a moment that hijacked some of my energy.

[00:23:16] I left some energy there.

[00:23:17] Would you agree?

[00:23:18] Yeah.

[00:23:18] So what I do is I, for that one, I went back and I literally opened my hands as if I'm reopening the moment, kind of like Tai Chi.

[00:23:27] So open the moment again.

[00:23:28] Take a deep breath.

[00:23:30] And I do three things.

[00:23:31] I bring gratitude to the moment.

[00:23:33] I bring curiosity.

[00:23:36] Curiosity first, sorry.

[00:23:37] And then gratitude.

[00:23:39] Gratitude.

[00:23:40] And then use the wisdom from now.

[00:23:43] So here's what I mean.

[00:23:44] So in this case, I thought about the moment and curiosity about what's there.

[00:23:50] So I remember the more details.

[00:23:52] I remember the pink tile in the bathroom, going in the girl's bathroom.

[00:23:57] I remember the lockers behind the two guys right here.

[00:23:59] The square lydolium floors.

[00:24:01] The girl behind me.

[00:24:03] And then gratitude.

[00:24:05] Gratitude.

[00:24:06] Well, I'm really grateful she told me.

[00:24:08] I could have been walking around like that all day.

[00:24:11] And then wisdom.

[00:24:14] Now I know that the best thing you could possibly do is like flip it out, pat my bum and go, wow, that really is embarrassing.

[00:24:23] That is funny.

[00:24:24] I am so glad you told me.

[00:24:26] I could have walked around like that all day.

[00:24:28] Wow.

[00:24:29] Isn't that funny?

[00:24:30] Hey, see you guys later.

[00:24:31] And walked off.

[00:24:32] They would be like, wow.

[00:24:36] I wish I had that confidence.

[00:24:37] And it would be a no issue.

[00:24:39] A complete non-issue.

[00:24:41] And even if they did bring it up, you could go, I know.

[00:24:43] Isn't that funny?

[00:24:44] How embarrassing.

[00:24:45] And then there's no zing to it.

[00:24:48] So you can go, look how much I've grown.

[00:24:51] I know that now.

[00:24:52] I didn't know that then or I would have done it differently.

[00:24:55] And that was embarrassing.

[00:24:56] And that was funny.

[00:24:58] And I am grateful.

[00:24:59] And then close it back down.

[00:25:01] You just took back your energy, celebrated your wisdom, turned a negative into a positive.

[00:25:08] We can do that with every experience of our life.

[00:25:13] Wow.

[00:25:13] That's pretty amazing.

[00:25:14] I love that technique.

[00:25:16] I'm just thinking that a lot of times when something like that happens, your brain kind of goes into a panic mode.

[00:25:22] And you don't really think about anything but escaping, like you said.

[00:25:27] So it's like to be able to slow yourself down and think about it logically would be a great tool in your tool belt, I think.

[00:26:04] I agree with you.

[00:26:05] I agree with you.

[00:26:14] I agree with you.

[00:26:16] I agree with you.

[00:26:30] I agree with you.

[00:26:37] It's to blame ourselves.

[00:26:39] Because if you blame yourself, then you could do something about it in the future.

[00:26:44] But the truth is blaming ourselves in a situation where we had no control.

[00:26:50] Blaming ourselves at all is one thing to take responsibility.

[00:26:54] Responsibility.

[00:26:55] We should do that.

[00:26:56] Take something and say, what could I have done different?

[00:26:58] What can I learn?

[00:27:00] How could I do this better in the future?

[00:27:02] What can I celebrate about it?

[00:27:04] That's responsibility.

[00:27:06] Right.

[00:27:06] It's another to take shame and blame.

[00:27:09] And there's a difference, but we get these two confused.

[00:27:12] And one is empowering and lifting and knowledge building and strength building.

[00:27:18] And the other is a crusher that leaves you with smack downs that happen all of a sudden

[00:27:23] because someone walked by and said something that reminds you of a time when someone said

[00:27:27] something.

[00:27:28] And this is what I mean by you can take your energy back and you can switch from shame and

[00:27:35] blame and crushing yourself to response ability.

[00:27:41] Right.

[00:27:42] Yeah, definitely.

[00:27:43] And I think when you're a child, there's adults in your life, obviously, that sometimes

[00:27:48] add to that whole scenario and say things that they should never say.

[00:27:53] And then you repeat it back to yourself as if it originated with you when really it's not

[00:27:58] even your words.

[00:27:59] It came from someone else.

[00:28:00] But we never stopped to question that looping negative voice.

[00:28:05] A lot of times, it's when you finally get aware of it and you're like, hey, where did

[00:28:09] that come from?

[00:28:10] Why am I saying this to myself?

[00:28:12] So, yeah, that's exactly it.

[00:28:15] And that voice has a lot of power over you.

[00:28:18] Oh, I mean.

[00:28:19] Because when you heard it, it was the voice of the most power in your life.

[00:28:24] Right.

[00:28:24] Right.

[00:28:25] So we give it a lot of authority in our mind.

[00:28:29] And until you go, where did that come from?

[00:28:32] We can't assess it and decide how we want to react with it in the future.

[00:28:37] So this is why paying attention to, wait a minute, what was that thought I just had?

[00:28:43] I don't feel very confident right now.

[00:28:45] What just happened?

[00:28:46] Let's back up.

[00:28:47] And just taking a moment is actually, you know how people say, don't dwell on it.

[00:28:53] It's in the past.

[00:28:54] Right.

[00:28:54] And then it's like, don't think about it.

[00:28:56] You're fine.

[00:28:57] Happy thoughts.

[00:28:57] Happy thoughts.

[00:28:58] Just be positive.

[00:29:00] Boy, I tell you, I believe in being positive.

[00:29:02] I really do.

[00:29:04] And that actually can be harmful to you.

[00:29:08] It's in the same way.

[00:29:10] Don't be toxic positivity.

[00:29:13] No matter what, I'm going to be positive.

[00:29:15] I will not talk face or allow myself to dwell on what's happened in the past.

[00:29:22] But rather, I do see positive in things.

[00:29:25] And I find ways to learn from and grow from them.

[00:29:27] And I see and feel what happened.

[00:29:29] And I'm finding my way through it.

[00:29:31] And I'm feeling it.

[00:29:33] I had an experience once about dreams that I think applied with this conversation.

[00:29:38] Can I share it with you?

[00:29:39] Absolutely.

[00:29:40] Yeah.

[00:29:40] So I used to have a dream that I would have over and over again.

[00:29:46] That was vampire.

[00:29:48] A vampire was running after me.

[00:29:50] And my feet wouldn't, like my legs kept running, but it was gaining.

[00:29:55] I wasn't getting much traction.

[00:29:57] And a zombie was coming too.

[00:29:59] And they were coming.

[00:30:01] And right before I was attacked, my heart would be thumping.

[00:30:04] I'd be, right?

[00:30:05] And you turn on the light or you stay attentive in the blankets and try to think happy thoughts.

[00:30:13] And I would have it over and over.

[00:30:14] And then one day, I'm not even sure where I got the idea.

[00:30:19] But then one day, I decided to hold the feeling.

[00:30:24] Like keep that, you know, thumping heart feeling.

[00:30:28] Oh, wow.

[00:30:28] And to take control of the dream and change it right there.

[00:30:33] No lights flicked on.

[00:30:34] No, I'm just going to replay this dream.

[00:30:38] And so with the thumping heart and that I close my eyes, get my eyes closed and I changed it.

[00:30:43] And this time, vampires coming in and I turn around and I go, cut.

[00:30:49] Okay, good job, vampires.

[00:30:50] A little too much blood there.

[00:30:52] I think it's a little unrealistic.

[00:30:53] Let's take it back to the top.

[00:30:55] Come in a little later, zombies.

[00:30:57] And then ready, action.

[00:31:02] I love that.

[00:31:04] I never had the dream again.

[00:31:08] Wow.

[00:31:09] That is powerful.

[00:31:11] And I've had friends that have done likewise.

[00:31:13] So here's the truth.

[00:31:15] If we think we just can turn on the lights and just be positive.

[00:31:19] Positive is so important.

[00:31:20] Please don't misunderstand.

[00:31:21] Understand.

[00:31:22] It's just that if we think we can just scoop over it and leap over it and it doesn't matter.

[00:31:29] Are we not taking responsibility?

[00:31:32] Isn't it better to go, I see you, fear.

[00:31:35] I know you're going to be alone for the right.

[00:31:37] I see you feeling that I don't know where you came from.

[00:31:41] And here's what I know about this.

[00:31:43] And allow yourself to feel and shift it.

[00:31:48] To decide what it means to you.

[00:31:50] Otherwise, so many key experiences in our lives really were hijacked by a first responder that's well-intended and important, but will default to the negative.

[00:32:03] Yeah, that's a beautiful way to put it.

[00:32:05] I mean, it really is.

[00:32:07] So do you feel like when we don't work to release this trauma that it, because I kind of feel like it's going to, at some point, it's going to cause physical illness if we don't work to let it go.

[00:32:21] You are so right.

[00:32:22] Right. And even if you know that, it can, right?

[00:32:26] Yeah, absolutely.

[00:32:28] Yeah, it is.

[00:32:29] Absolutely, it does.

[00:32:31] And if you think about it, it makes so much sense.

[00:32:33] If you are on high alert all the time, if part of you being pushed down and not dealt with is on complete high alert, are you using up your adrenals?

[00:32:45] Are you driving your system at, it's like driving down the road in first gear going 150 miles per hour, right?

[00:32:54] You're forcing yourself to overcome it instead of just pulling over and shifting gears, right?

[00:33:00] Right.

[00:33:01] So getting and shifting gears.

[00:33:03] So it wears our body.

[00:33:06] And often in my experience, when your body starts breaking down, there's messages for us.

[00:33:12] There's opportunities for wellness.

[00:33:14] I'm not saying we caused it.

[00:33:16] Our bodies and minds and spirits are amazing.

[00:33:19] And it's so complicated.

[00:33:20] But there is actual data we all know and can find that stress and stressors can cause disease.

[00:33:29] And does that not imply that we can help reverse it?

[00:33:34] And I found that to be true.

[00:33:37] We really do have amazing bodies.

[00:33:39] And it really is part of our experience here on earth to figure this all out and grow and learn from it and not be afraid and run from it, but say, wow.

[00:33:50] Okay.

[00:33:51] Okay, niece.

[00:33:52] I hear you.

[00:33:52] This is like serious.

[00:33:53] I'm stopping.

[00:33:55] And I'm going to take care of you.

[00:33:58] That is all part of our learning here.

[00:34:01] And if we can take responsibility and stop running from the fear, but say, fear, I see you.

[00:34:09] You have good reasons to feel the way you do.

[00:34:12] Let's see what we can do with it.

[00:34:14] That is a powerful choice.

[00:34:16] That is a powerful choice.

[00:34:19] Pretty amazing, really.

[00:34:20] So I want to spend more time on the days for girls.

[00:34:25] I know I kind of sidetracked us on the trauma, but I think it's, you know, obviously you come across a lot of people who deal with trauma all the time.

[00:34:33] And I don't know how much you get to actually work with them or do you work with them one on one?

[00:34:40] I do get to do that with a lot of people and I find it delightful.

[00:34:45] Oh, do you?

[00:34:45] Who would have known I'd become an expert in just that dealing with trauma?

[00:34:50] I'm so grateful.

[00:34:51] And that's what I'm talking about.

[00:34:52] Sometimes the hardest things we go through end up being a real gift in our life.

[00:34:57] And yes, so it has been part of the journey in all aspects of my life.

[00:35:03] So, I mean, that also makes me think of another question.

[00:35:06] Like, how do we find that purpose?

[00:35:09] You know, we all have this drive within us.

[00:35:11] I think a lot of us do that we want to help people.

[00:35:14] But you always hear the buzzwords of find your purpose in life.

[00:35:19] And once you know your purpose, it's gold from there on.

[00:35:22] But what if you don't know what your purpose is or you don't feel like you know what your purpose is?

[00:35:27] Oh, that's so okay.

[00:35:30] Here's what I know.

[00:35:31] I can't answer for everyone, but here's what I know.

[00:35:34] It usually comes in the most surprising packages.

[00:35:38] So, saying a no to something so you have room for yes is a really important thing.

[00:35:45] And paying attention and saying yes when things show up that feel right.

[00:35:51] It may not be the key to your purpose.

[00:35:54] It may be the door or the window to your purpose.

[00:35:57] And I've had so many examples.

[00:35:59] For instance, I was doing a writer's conference, like writing with a pen.

[00:36:05] And I loved it.

[00:36:08] Every day I woke up thinking, I must be one of the luckiest people in the world.

[00:36:11] I get to have my family and do this.

[00:36:13] And oh, it's so amazing.

[00:36:15] And then it was really clear it's time to stop.

[00:36:17] And I was just frustrated.

[00:36:19] I want to stop.

[00:36:20] But if it hadn't stopped and I hadn't shifted gears and had that awkward middle, I would not have been available for the opportunity to go to Kenya, which led to the development of the global work of Days for Girls.

[00:36:33] That's where I learned about it.

[00:36:34] And I have found that to be true again and again.

[00:36:37] Just this weekend, I was giving a keynote.

[00:36:40] And one of the addresses before mine was so interesting.

[00:36:45] His name is Wands.

[00:36:47] He's a Grammy Award winning artist.

[00:36:50] And he was telling this story about how he was six years old and first performed for others.

[00:36:57] And he loved it so much.

[00:36:59] He thought, I'm doing this with the rest of my life.

[00:37:01] I'm going to be this.

[00:37:03] That's what I'm going to do.

[00:37:04] But as his life went on, he sang every single day, being prepared and ready and doing the thing he so cared about.

[00:37:13] But he was in his 40s and still nothing had happened in a big way for him.

[00:37:17] And he thought he really got depressed.

[00:37:20] He was like, it's not going to happen for me.

[00:37:23] And then clear in his 60s or 50s, he had a moment when he was invited late at night to go to the recording studio.

[00:37:31] And he, one, answered the phone.

[00:37:34] And two, said, yes, I'll come in and do a gig.

[00:37:38] Absolutely.

[00:37:39] And then when he got there, there were two men he didn't know.

[00:37:42] And they invited him to sing part of a song they were about to record about a thrift store.

[00:37:48] And they asked him what he thought and told him the tune.

[00:37:52] And out of his mouth popped this.

[00:37:55] Yes, I'm going to pop some tags.

[00:37:57] I got 20 bucks in my pocket.

[00:38:00] And you may recognize that unbeknownst to him, it was Macklemore he was in the room with.

[00:38:06] Wow.

[00:38:06] And that the recording they did that night, he got his small compensation.

[00:38:12] But he had no idea that what was ahead was a mega hit that was a Grammy Award winner.

[00:38:19] And then he was invited to be on the road with Macklemore for over a year.

[00:38:23] Oh, wow.

[00:38:24] Two years earlier, he'd written this song about how you got to just hold your dream.

[00:38:28] And it was two more years before this moment happened.

[00:38:32] And I don't know about you, but that was so inspiring to me because that's been my experience too.

[00:38:39] I focused on my family and raised my family.

[00:38:42] And I thought I'd made my decision.

[00:38:44] And there would be no opportunities to fullness of my intellect and capacity,

[00:38:50] except for in the challenging, rewarding role of mother.

[00:38:54] And that's awesome.

[00:38:55] But I thought I'd made my one and done.

[00:38:57] And I had no idea ahead would be getting to be purposeful and being a global CEO and all the adventures of three passports full of experience of how we're so much more connected than we are different.

[00:39:12] And I had no idea that was coming.

[00:39:14] I was 47 when Days for Girls began.

[00:39:18] Wow.

[00:39:18] So you don't have to be in your 40s or 50s for things to start.

[00:39:23] My point is there are seasons.

[00:39:26] And just keep saying yes.

[00:39:28] And find ways when something is not fitting for you, doesn't feel right to you, is really clunky for you.

[00:39:36] Listen, maybe there's a shift that needs to happen that will open you up for a really important yes that's in your heart.

[00:39:45] And do what one's did.

[00:39:47] Do your thing every day.

[00:39:49] So when that opportunity happens, you're the one that can say yes.

[00:39:54] Yeah, I love that.

[00:39:55] I have to ask you, though, since you're all around the globe and you're experiencing all these things,

[00:40:01] and do you journal or do you write about these experiences since you're a writer also?

[00:40:07] Are you keeping track of all of this in a way?

[00:40:10] Yeah, I do.

[00:40:11] Not a lot.

[00:40:12] Here's the truth.

[00:40:13] I don't write on and on because if I do, then I go into perfection mode, right?

[00:40:17] It's more like little jotted notes.

[00:40:20] So when I wrote the book about Days for Girls, it took me four years.

[00:40:24] I wrote it while I was on the road and between engagements and things that I was doing in my day-to-day work and family.

[00:40:30] And not only that, but I didn't want to put myself in the book.

[00:40:33] I wanted it to just be about the girls.

[00:40:35] And it became clear that it needed to have my experience there as well.

[00:40:40] And that was really hard for me to do.

[00:40:43] But I do believe in saying yes.

[00:40:45] So yes and no.

[00:40:47] I think I get a C plus for journaling.

[00:40:50] I mean, if you looked at my journal, you'd be like, what does this encryption mean?

[00:40:56] I bet you'd get an A plus, actually.

[00:40:59] But do you think that ultimately that that was part of your journey and why you had to include yourself in the book?

[00:41:05] Because maybe the girls helped you heal a part of yourself by helping them?

[00:41:10] Yes.

[00:41:11] Yes.

[00:41:12] That and wow, it's been amazing.

[00:41:15] It's just been a miracle.

[00:41:16] All of it.

[00:41:17] You know, over and over again.

[00:41:19] And to me, the journey holds hope.

[00:41:22] Like if we can overcome something people don't even want to talk about, that is one of the biggest taboos in the world.

[00:41:29] And we can do that in step by step actions that everyone could take part in.

[00:41:36] Then what else is hidden in stigma and silence?

[00:41:40] What else could we change?

[00:41:42] It turns out to be one of the keys.

[00:41:44] How did we miss it?

[00:41:45] And what else are we missing?

[00:41:46] And so for me, the steps of how we learned to take the action, how we learned to listen so that it could be relevant and responsive.

[00:41:57] That's a big deal.

[00:41:59] I love that others can read this.

[00:42:02] The letters and notes I'm getting from around the world show that what they're getting is awareness that they are not their circumstances and that we can do anything together.

[00:42:12] Yeah.

[00:42:14] And I love how you set it up so that I think you said anything that could divide people you wanted removed, you know, like religion, politics, anything that's divisive.

[00:42:27] Yeah.

[00:42:28] That's not what Days for Girls is.

[00:42:30] That's right.

[00:42:30] And I love that because that I've, you know, I'm sure that allowed you to get to all of these different countries and all these different cultures.

[00:42:38] And it's pretty amazing everything that you've done.

[00:42:42] It has been.

[00:42:42] But I think the point, honestly, is that I'm willing to say yes and I'm willing to work hard.

[00:42:50] Oh, absolutely.

[00:42:51] And I'm willing to stand beside people.

[00:42:55] And I didn't do all this.

[00:42:57] It was truly the power of people coming together and saying, I can do this and I can do that.

[00:43:03] We'll all do this.

[00:43:04] Here's the truth.

[00:43:05] If we put little squares together and there are no notches, then it won't stay together like a puzzle.

[00:43:13] And we need each other.

[00:43:15] We all have different strengths.

[00:43:17] We all see different things in different ways.

[00:43:20] And it takes both our notches and our strengths, so our weaknesses and our strengths, to allow us to come together and ask questions and see each other and lean into each other's strengths.

[00:43:35] And we often think that our weaknesses are, that's all we see in ourselves.

[00:43:40] It's so easy to overlook your strengths.

[00:43:42] Anyone could do that.

[00:43:43] And it's not true.

[00:43:44] Our strengths are unique to us.

[00:43:46] And the way you see things are unique to you.

[00:43:48] So if we can see that we each have strengths and to lean and say, I'm good at this, you're good at that, let's come together and say, don't see our weaknesses as a bad thing, but rather as an opportunity to welcome someone else who has the strength that builds and completes and links us so that we can do more.

[00:44:10] That viewpoint creates opportunities to not only be the change together, but to also allow everyone to be part of the change.

[00:44:23] And to not do it from a place of, I'll let you do this.

[00:44:27] Okay.

[00:44:28] You can, but rather from a celebration of, wow, look what we can do together.

[00:44:33] I love that.

[00:44:35] And I love how you're inclusive and you invite other people that have a specialty in a different area, because I think a lot of times people just starting out think they have to do everything by themselves.

[00:44:47] And you saw right away that you could take your strengths and build on them if you hold in other people that had different strengths than your own.

[00:44:55] Pretty amazing.

[00:44:57] Absolutely.

[00:44:58] Thank you.

[00:44:58] So is there anything that we haven't touched on that you would want to make sure that our listeners learn about or hear about?

[00:45:06] Sure.

[00:45:07] There's opportunities to volunteers with Days for Girls and support Days for Girls.

[00:45:12] You can just go to the website, daysforgirls.org.

[00:45:15] And the book actually is really finding a lot of good praise.

[00:45:21] And I love that.

[00:45:23] And I mention that only because people tell people to read books all the time and they say, you know, thanks, but I have a stack of 12 books beside my bed.

[00:45:33] No, really, I do.

[00:45:34] I do too.

[00:45:35] I'm looking at mine.

[00:45:41] So why is this book important?

[00:45:43] And I'm getting notes from all over the world that it's helping them see that they can be the change.

[00:45:49] It's helping them heal.

[00:45:51] It's helping them.

[00:45:52] And the only warning I would give is that a lot of people are also saying they couldn't put it down for two days.

[00:45:58] So I believe that.

[00:46:00] There is that.

[00:46:04] It's beautifully written.

[00:46:05] You're a very vivid writer where you pull the reader right in.

[00:46:10] I mean, you feel like you're there because it's very detailed and it's just beautiful.

[00:46:14] So.

[00:46:15] Thank you.

[00:46:16] Thank you.

[00:46:17] That was important to me.

[00:46:19] As I wrote it, I really felt, you know, I really do wish everyone could see the amazing strength and beauty out there and that people could come along with me and see and experience it.

[00:46:34] So I really did try to recall what it was that made that moment special as I shared each step in the journey that's in the book.

[00:46:45] Yeah, it's beautiful.

[00:46:46] Would you mind explaining what Days for Girls means?

[00:46:50] I mean, I read it.

[00:46:51] I know what it means.

[00:46:52] But for the listeners.

[00:46:53] Sure.

[00:46:54] Just so they know what the title of the organization means.

[00:46:58] Days is about the days that they would miss for lack of having what they needed.

[00:47:03] So it's about giving them back days for education and opportunity and engaging in their community and with their family.

[00:47:12] Days of Dignity all over the world.

[00:47:16] People have to make do using socks or mattress stubbing or maybe just wearing a pad too long.

[00:47:23] And so it's no longer comfortable nor effective.

[00:47:27] And losing confidence, not having what they need.

[00:47:30] And in some cases, they're isolated and considered untouchable.

[00:47:35] So this is giving them their days back and not telling them what to do with the days.

[00:47:41] Just saying, here, together, you can make sure everyone in the community has the strength of their days.

[00:47:47] Yes.

[00:47:48] Yeah.

[00:47:48] And they were literally isolated from my understanding, right?

[00:47:52] Yes.

[00:47:52] I mean, they miss school.

[00:47:53] They miss everything that's going on around them.

[00:47:56] Yes.

[00:47:56] And it's varying degrees, right?

[00:47:58] Okay.

[00:47:59] Depending on the person where they are and their circumstances, it's varying degrees of effect on their life.

[00:48:05] But yes, in some places, they're completely isolated and they're expected to stay away from family.

[00:48:11] They're expected to not be by people or put them at risk.

[00:48:16] And being able to give back understanding that actually your body is amazing.

[00:48:20] And without periods, there would be no people.

[00:48:22] So what you're doing right now is actually incredibly important and is a sign of a healthy body.

[00:48:28] And so truthfully, being able to shift that narrative from shame to awareness is so powerful.

[00:48:35] And truly, it's not just women who are leaders with Days for Girls, but also men in the community having this conversation.

[00:48:43] Because you can't break one of the world's largest taboos by most prevalent taboos by just half of us being aware.

[00:48:53] It takes all of us.

[00:48:55] And it's really great to see men engaging in this conversation as well.

[00:48:59] And it makes you wonder, because it is a natural thing, why it ever became taboo to begin with.

[00:49:07] You know what I mean?

[00:49:08] It just makes you wonder about the origins of it.

[00:49:11] But I've felt it myself.

[00:49:13] And this is in America.

[00:49:16] You just feel like you're not supposed to talk about it.

[00:49:19] Yeah.

[00:49:20] Do you know what I like to invite people to do?

[00:49:23] Recently, I've been thinking that we should all just take the toilet paper test.

[00:49:28] And here's what I mean by that.

[00:49:30] Imagine being at the grocery store and you put a pack of toilet tissue on the conveyor.

[00:49:35] And then imagine putting a pack of period products on the conveyor.

[00:49:39] And if there's any feeling different between the two of those, then where did that come from?

[00:49:46] And why do you feel embarrassed?

[00:49:48] When did that start?

[00:49:50] And then what if you made a new decision?

[00:49:53] What if you decided, oh, I'm not doing that anymore?

[00:49:56] Because there isn't anything to be ashamed of.

[00:49:59] And I believe if we all take the challenge to just decide that we will be the generation that changes the narrative.

[00:50:09] That we will be the ones that say no more shame about this.

[00:50:14] And we can be just like suffragettes.

[00:50:17] We couldn't be there for the right to vote.

[00:50:19] But we can be there for this one when we make sure that there's no more shame about this basic, important biology.

[00:50:27] Yeah, I love that because I have felt the difference when you put it on the belt.

[00:50:32] And it makes no logical sense.

[00:50:35] But especially if it's a man that's checking you out, you know, checking out your products.

[00:50:40] I don't know why, but it's even more.

[00:50:42] I don't know if shame is the word or what it is, but I feel very uncomfortable.

[00:50:47] And I'm like, yeah, me too.

[00:50:49] Sometimes I've turned around and walked off and thought I'll get it later.

[00:50:55] And that's sad because, like I said, it's a normal bodily function.

[00:50:59] And probably sadder still that it's common.

[00:51:03] I think we all, most of us have felt that.

[00:51:06] I have.

[00:51:06] And I love that we can make a new decision once we're conscious of it.

[00:51:11] Oh, yeah, absolutely.

[00:51:13] So if people are listening and they say, wow, I want to reach out to Celeste or follow her on social media, where is the best place to find you?

[00:51:22] In social media, I'm just Celeste Morgans.

[00:51:25] I also, you can find me at celestemorgans.com.

[00:51:29] It has all the links and even links to the book.

[00:51:32] And you can have the link to Days for Girls there as well.

[00:51:36] I'm happy to hear and respond to people.

[00:51:38] I respond directly.

[00:51:40] Awesome.

[00:51:41] So I have to ask, I know you hear from people who read the book and people who are volunteering, I'm sure.

[00:51:47] But do you actually get to hear from the girls that you're helping?

[00:51:50] Do you get letters from them?

[00:51:51] Oh, yes.

[00:51:53] That's so incredible.

[00:51:55] It is so incredible to hear the stories of their strength and their responses and how much this meant to them.

[00:52:02] And not just them, but their families and their community members.

[00:52:06] Wow.

[00:52:07] I'm so grateful.

[00:52:09] Aren't you so glad that there's something we can do to change this?

[00:52:12] There are a lot of things that are difficult to change in their world.

[00:52:15] And global menstrual equity actually isn't one of them.

[00:52:18] It's just next action, next person.

[00:52:23] Together, we break the stigma and make sure people have what they need.

[00:52:26] This is something we can and are doing in our lifetime.

[00:52:30] And that's amazing to me.

[00:52:32] It is.

[00:52:33] Do you have chapters all over the country or chapters in the right world?

[00:52:38] All over the world.

[00:52:40] Okay.

[00:52:41] But I mean, on your website, can we go find where the closest one to us is?

[00:52:46] Absolutely.

[00:52:48] Okay.

[00:52:48] So there's a little search window and just put in chapters and it will take you to something that shows maps and you can find the nearest chapter.

[00:52:57] That's pretty amazing.

[00:52:59] Well, I love your mission and I love what you're doing.

[00:53:02] And I'm very grateful that you came here to share it with us today.

[00:53:06] It's absolutely beautiful.

[00:53:08] Thank you for inviting me.

[00:53:10] Absolutely.

[00:53:11] Well, thank you very much.

[00:53:13] Take care, Michelle.

[00:53:14] Bye.

[00:53:15] As we wrap up today's episode, I hope Celeste sharing her knowledge, experience and wisdom has helped you in some way.

[00:53:22] I am so grateful to have gotten to meet Celeste.

[00:53:25] She is an absolutely amazing and wonderful human being.

[00:53:30] She really is.

[00:53:31] I feel like in over two and a half years of podcasting, her mission really stands out to me.

[00:53:36] And I say that cautiously because there are so many wonderful missions and so many people trying to do great things.

[00:53:44] But hers stands out because the battle to overcome menstrual inequity is humongous.

[00:53:50] Having sustainable menstrual products is something that many of us take for granted.

[00:53:55] We also take for granted how having those products or not having them can impact your life negatively or positively.

[00:54:03] And this isn't just about having products.

[00:54:06] It is truly about human dignity.

[00:54:09] And this battle isn't just a third world country battle.

[00:54:13] It's right here in the United States also.

[00:54:15] Think of all the women and girls who are without homes or at least permanent homes.

[00:54:19] I also loved how Celeste spoke about not being consumed by these huge levels of need that we see across the globe.

[00:54:28] It's taking one step at a time and helping those you can and looking for partners to help in your mission.

[00:54:34] And those were two huge pieces of advice that I think we can all learn from.

[00:54:39] There is so much in Celeste's story and so much in this episode for everyone, really.

[00:54:45] I hope you enjoyed today's show and I would love to hear from you.

[00:54:49] As always, I hope this episode helps at least one person.

[00:54:53] And with that, I hope you have a blessed week, my friend.

[00:55:00] Thank you for listening to The Beauty and the Mess.

[00:55:02] If you enjoyed what you heard, please share it with a friend.

[00:55:05] And if you haven't already, please subscribe, rate, and review this podcast on your favorite pod player.

[00:55:11] If you have any questions or comments, any topic ideas you would like to hear about,

[00:55:15] or you think you would be a great guest on the show, you can reach me directly at thebeautyandthemess.com.

[00:55:21] Thanks for listening.