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Whether you are 20 or 90, I’d like to invite you into an open, honest, and welcoming talk about menopause. Time to drop any stigmas, shame, or embarrassment. It’s time we celebrate this rite of passage.

Why Are We Not Talking?
With change comes wisdom and my hope is that this conversation helps start a shift in how we view this part of life. I don’t think there’s enough open and honest talk going on about it and I think the more we can share with each other, the more we can see this as a natural blessing rather than a curse.

Menopause is mother natures way of telling us to sit back, receive, pause, and center on ourself, so then we can open up fully for what’s to come. Despite the deep seeded fear, menopause isn’t the end of life as we know it. It’s the end of one phase and the opening and transformation of another. 

My hope is that women across generations feel comfortable sharing their stories. I know some of you will be able to relate with mine and some maybe not yet. The only way to break the old beliefs of menopause is to shine a light on our individual experiences. To love and respect each other and to recognize that no two people experience menopause the same. 

My Initiation 
Last winter, I woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat despite it being 40 degrees out. I changed clothes and fell back asleep. It wasn’t until the next day that it hit me what I just experienced…my first night sweat. Whoa. Okay…this stuff is real. Now what?

A couple months passed and I went to my naturopath where she confirmed I was perimenopausal. At 45, I honestly hadn’t considered that part of my life yet (oh how blissfully ignorant I was!). Fun fact: you can start pre and perimenopause as early as your late 30s.

Curiosity Strikes 
Since that night, my body has been entertaining herself in all sorts of new ways. My boobs take on a life of their own throughout my cycle…not every month…just when they feel like it. My skin has decided to go on a moisture strike (and I mean all areas of my skin). New-to-me moods (anxiety, fear, and irritability) have peaked their head in a time or two. My once semi-controllable emotions seem to have a life of their own. 

Body Morphing 
Next up…shall we address weight and food? Everyone’s favorite topics! I don’t weigh myself but once a year. And despite my weight staying fairly constant, my body shape seems to be changing these days. While some areas seem familiar, other areas appear completely foreign to me. If only body morphing was seen as a super power!

Did You Know?
Did you know, as we get further into menopause our metabolism slows (what a cruel gift!). So unless you want to buy a new wardrobe, it’s important to watch what and how much you eat (not to mention staying active!). Once we reach full menopause (one year of no periods), we burn 200-300 less calories a day! If we don’t adjust what we eat, it becomes a recipe for decent weight gain. This can be gradual so it’s important to be aware of this once you hit perimenopause. After learning about this biological bummer, I began tweaking when and how much I ate. Rather than try to change over night, I am slowly adjusting my eating so it doesn’t seem so drastic.

My Call to Action
What a ride…and I’m only in the beginning! This is not something to feel shameful or embarrassed about. It’s a natural part of our lives just like aging (which we will discuss in a future post). 

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not throwing toxic positivity to this transition. I am in the beginning phases so I don’t have enough of my own experiences to speak fully to. But I have heard several difficult stories from women whose transitions were anything but easy. While menopause may be hard, it isn’t hopeless. And we shouldn’t have to go through it alone. There is a freedom to openly talking about it. The more we can talk about it, the more we learn and the less scary it becomes. 

I am early in my journey, and I know some of you might be a little further along or maybe you are well into life post menopause. You all have wisdom to share and now is the time to share it. What wisdom can you impart on younger generations of women? Any chance to share and connect is a step in the right direction. We need the wisdom of the older generations to step forward and change the way this natural process is received.