Your Monthly Meets… Julie Moulder
Every month we ask extraordinary women ten questions about their periods and life, starting with our fabulous founders. This month we hear from Julie, Co-Founder of The Fix, on why no conversation should be off limits, and why she wishes we could see other people’s feelings.
- Share with us your first or worst period story.
Aaaah, you never forget your first… period that is! I was always pretty on track with getting things at the time my friends did. My period was no different so I had pretty good warning it was coming. I was so excited. ‘Til it happened. Swimming at a friend’s house. It was a mix between mortified and trying to work out if I could still go swimming with a bunch of toilet paper shoved into my bathers. Well that obviously wasn’t a good outcome as the toilet paper disintegrated with the wet bathers and turned into a claggy, soggy, chunky mess. I had to get them to call Mum. I spent the entire night crying and dying of embarrassment and upon reflection realise it was my first foray into hormonal mood swings!
- What advice would you give your younger self about living with periods?
No conversation should be off limits!!! TALK ABOUT IT. This is a time where the more you know, the more you can manage it. Today there are so many great options for managing periods and your flow but there’s also The Fix… so don’t suffer! Be open with what you’re feeling, what your body is doing and give yourself permission to feel better!
- Let’s talk about symptoms – the good, the bad and the real ugly and how do you cope?
Oh I had some real ugly ones. The cramps were pretty consistent. But my greatest and most memorable symptom was the moods - absolute brutal, uncontrollable, raging moods…. just ask my family about a holiday to Queensland when I was 15. We’re all still scarred!
As I have got older the pretty constant symptoms have still been the moods and now I have terrible bloating and breakouts… in my 40s! Yes, I take The Fix for them and thankfully I can, because I’d hate to be around these monthly moods if I didn’t!
- So if men got their period and all the symptoms - what would happen to the world?
- What does sisterhood mean to you?
I have a friend and we were born just weeks apart and lived across the road from each other. We were inseparable. She has spent almost all of her adult life living on the other side of the world to me but when we see each other, sometimes after maybe 10 years, nothing has changed and our love and support for each other never wavers. We scream like crazy and burst with joy at seeing each other’s faces. That to me is the pure loving definition of how sisterhood feels. I have so many unbelievably strong, inspiring, kind, generous women in my life, so many of them who have been in my world for decades. Others that feel like they’ve been there the whole time too. Every single one brings something unique to me, every day. They have banded together and picked me up at my absolute lowest when all you need to know is that you are supported, loved and never judged. My sisterhood is powerful, and gee it’s good to be a part of.
- What’s invisible but you wish people could see?
- What’s the best piece of advice you have received?
It’s a short one, but… Walk fast. When I started my first official job, Day 1, my boss said “if you can’t keep up walking around the store, you won’t keep up in life…” I’ll use that for everything.
- Cramp. Mood. Bloat. Breakout. Everything.
I’d say Bloat. People around me might say mood… Let’s just round it up to everything
- Jeans or trackie dacks?
Can I say leggings? Aren’t they the new trackie dacks anyway? Then absolutely them!
- Heels or trainers?
