Yesterday was amazing. I couldn't stop smiling, the weather was sunny and work was just dandy. But today has come, and well, I can't get out of bed. I can't and I don't know why. I have this breaking feeling inside of me like the love of my life just left me or someone died. I have this hurt that won't go away and I don't know why. Now I'm getting frustrated because I don't need to be sad, but I am. I'm on the verge of tears and I don't know why.

But that's not even the worst part. I finally get out of bed and force away the sadness. I head to work battling the hurricane of emotion beating against my skull. What's wrong with me? I think to myself. I'm at work and I work with the most amazing kids in the world, but today Emma is pressing every single nerve in my head, making me so angry. I easily show how irritated I am with her. I call my mom to tell her what a nightmare this girl is being, but everything my mom says makes me want to scream and yell. I'm irate, so I scream at her and I hang up on her. I hang up on my mom, the woman who has given me everything.

I leave work steaming with pure anger. The drive home is filled with yells and profanities and certain fingers flying up in the air at drivers who really don't deserve it. I have completely lost myself and I can't shake it. I'm stuck. This anger, these emotions, it's eating me alive, and I can't stop. I pull over to the side of the road and scream at myself, I hate myself. I hate myself so much right now. Why am I like this? Why am I so angry? Why am I so sad? Surprisingly, I know why this happening, but it doesn't matter. I'm drowning and I don't know how to pull myself out.

I get like this maybe once a month. Unless I'm constantly working out and taking the right vitamins, this is usually how a week of my month goes. I am suffering from premenstrual syndrome. And yes, usually when I say this I can already see boys slowly shutting their computers and avoiding this extremely awkward conversation. But it's not awkward. This is just what happens to a lot of girls and it's very painful, and embarrassing.

But people talk about PMS as if it's a code word for "this girl is unstable, stay away for 5-7 days." I just think PMS proves how strong women are. I don't believe it makes us crazy or unstable. I think it's just another example of women being tested and putting their emotions and limits to the test.

You are NOT weak if you suffer from this! In fact, you are strong because you can spend a week feeling purely miserable but you still come out alive -- you still come out okay. And you learn new ways to cope with these feelings and to cope with the pain, the bloating, the aches and cramps -- everything. Yes, maybe once a month I am tense or sad, but I'm just being pushed as a woman to learn to work with my body. To figure out who I am, so for girls who suffer from this, know you're not alone and know that you are strong.

Girls are tough and we need to remember that in our weakest moments.