Menopause and joy aren’t two words that can commonly be found together in a happy little headline.
I’m here to suggest that sometimes they just might go together just fine.
Maybe not as nicely as peanut butter and jelly.
Perhaps not as great as apple pie and vanilla ice cream.
And maybe not right away….
But….
My experience so far with menopause has been FANTASTIC!
Those sister friends out there who are hot sweatin’ it out, please don’t flip out on me. I had a few difficult times at the beginning.
First, there were a few uncontrollable bouts of anger. Like really crazy anger. And of course, my anger was directed at the people I love the most – my husband and kids. It felt like an out-of-body experience. I was watching myself from above, kind of like the Great Gazoo from the cartoon, The Flintstones. Remember him? He was a tiny, green alien that used to float around Fred, Barney and the kids.
With me, I saw myself like I was outside of myself. I watched myself escalating the argument but couldn’t control my anger. It seemed like I was in slow motion too. This happened on two distinct occasions and it didn’t even occur to me that it might be perimenopause until months later. I wish The Great Gazoo would have mentioned it to me…
The other thing I noticed was weight gain. Not a ton of weight, but what seemed like all of a sudden, my tricks and strategies to quickly lose a few pounds no longer worked. Now, two years into menopause, I find myself about 12 lbs heavier. Bummer, but I know that I can work on this.
Where’s the joy?
I thought you might be curious about that.
Well, I have taken a couple of vacations now that I’m in menopause and it is an absolute BREEZE not to have to worry about cramps or the timing of anything. For example, one of these vacations was on a catamaran for a week and that trip would have been quite challenging if I still had my period to contend with.
It’s also quite freeing not to have a monthly cycle on your mind. As women, we have been keenly aware of all of the minutia associated with this feminine cycle for decades. I’m talking about things like bloating, cramps, headaches and sex. And having the right pads and tampons on hand. Completely crossing the whole thing off my list was fantastic!
Birth control was another amazing thing to not have to worry about anymore. I was on the pill for 25 years and then an IUD for four years. I love being free of it all, let alone not having to think about an accidental pregnancy ever again.
Yes, all of this does mean I’m officially in another chapter of my life. And as well all know, you can’t turn back time. But this chapter is feeling good.
It’s an older chapter.
But it’s also a wiser chapter.
Filled with freedom and joy. And a fond farewell to Aunt Flo.
As a midlife transition coach, this is the kind of thing my life coaching practice deals with. Many of us struggle in our midlife chapter. Lots of transitions. Lots of change. Lots of reflection. It all starts with our thoughts. Fortunately, the great news is that with practice, we can become better and better and deciding how we want to feel. I’m here to help you! Download my top 10 tips to regret proof your life, which is a great way to see what coaching with me is all about.
