Chapter 1: Meet Your Cycle – A Built-In Superpower
📌 LESSON GOAL
BY THE END OF THIS LESSON,
you’ll know what hormones are, meet the key players in your menstrual cycle (like estrogen and progesterone), and understand how they affect your body, mood, and energy every month.
💬 Let’s Break It Down
Hormones are like little messengers your body uses to send signals. 📨
They tell your body when to grow, sleep, eat, cry, get energy, or take a break. And when it comes to your menstrual cycle, hormones are the directors of the whole show.
Let’s meet your main hormone squad:
🟣 Estrogen – Your energy booster and confidence queen. She helps you feel strong, happy, and focused — and gives your skin that glow ✨
🟡 Progesterone – The calming, cozy hormone. She helps your body slow down and rest. Too little can lead to PMS.
🔴 Testosterone – Yep, girls have this too! It gives you drive, strength, and sometimes a burst of sass or bravery.
🟢 FSH & LH – These are the behind-the-scenes hormones that help your ovaries know when to grow and release an egg. They're like the stage managers of your cycle. 🎭
These hormones rise and fall at different times of your cycle — and that’s what causes all the shifts in mood, energy, cravings, focus, and emotions.
So when you feel different from one week to the next?
✨ It’s not random. It’s just your hormones doing their thing!
🧠 Analogy: Hormones Are Like a Weather App 🌦️
Think of your body like a landscape — and your hormones are the changing weather.
Sometimes it's sunny (ovulation), sometimes it's cozy and rainy (menstruation), and sometimes it's breezy with big energy (follicular).
Knowing your hormone “forecast” helps you plan, dress, and take care of yourself better.
🤔 Critical Thinking Questions
Have you ever felt super energetic one week and super sleepy the next?
Which hormone sounds like it would be your favorite? Why?
Why do you think understanding hormones helps us feel more in control?
How might knowing this help you explain how you're feeling to someone else?
✍️ Journal Entry: “Meet My Hormones”
Draw or write about your hormone team — give them nicknames if you want!
What do they do for you? How do you notice them in your body, mood, or energy?
Then finish this sentence:
“My hormones aren’t random — they’re powerful because…”
👩👧 Activity with Family or Friends: Hormone Charades!
What You’ll Need:
Cards or paper
A list of emotions or actions (e.g., energetic, sleepy, confident, moody, focused)
What to Do:
Write down or act out different moods or states.
Others guess which hormone might be responsible.
Take turns and laugh together — hormones don’t have to be scary or embarrassing!
🎯 What This Teaches: Understanding your internal signals helps build emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
🧪 Real-Life Practice: Track a Hormone Clue
This week, notice and jot down how you feel each day:
Are you feeling more confident? Tired? Restless?
Are you craving certain foods or wanting more sleep?
Even if you don’t know which hormone it is yet — just notice the patterns. That’s how hormone awareness starts!
🌟 Bonus: Ask your mom or guardian if they’ve noticed hormone shifts during their own cycle — you’ll probably hear “Oh yeah!” 😉
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