Oh yeah, I was writing a blog about my experience of perimenopause and the impact that it has on my working world.
I’m (only) 45, far too young to be menopausal my Mum said. She had “no bother” with menopause. It didn’t happen until she hit early 50’s. Oh, ok I thought, mustn’t be that then! No hot flushes, no night sweats, maybe I’ve just lost a bit of confidence. Chin up. Crack on.
See, I’d never heard of perimenopause until I was lucky enough to be invited to a workshop where Kim from Nutritional Fingerprint started talking all about it and the impact that it had had on her. My brain was fizzing, yes, I recognise these feelings…oh my, these other women I’m with can relate too. So, taking Kim’s advice, I focused on sleep factors, exercise, diet, gut bacteria – I am a much healthier human since meeting Kim!!
But still at certain times of the month, I wanted to hide away. I certainly didn’t want to jump on Insta creating pointy finger reels and promoting my ironically named “Work Happy Project” when I didn’t feel that I could work happy for at least one week a month!
I love to journal and so, I started tracking the days of my cycle and just noting down how I was feeling. Wowsers. Day 19!!! What a bitch!
Day 19. I feel lost. I don’t know who I am today. Awful night’s sleep, why do my feet get so bloody hot in the night? I feel totally overwhelmed, majorly lost my shit at Z for asking for more data this morning. I need to crack on with work, but my head is like a cloud, I can’t grasp anything, I need to do so much but I can’t think straight, maybe I’m not cut out for this – how can I help others when I can’t even help myself. I’m going for a run. I feel a bit better now but now my head hurts. FFS.
I saw a pattern. I read about it. I went to a brilliant yoga workshop focusing on menopause and I talked to experts. I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by amazing women in the well-being world who make a living from helping others thrive. I joined the dots and I knew what was happening to me.
Through a wonderful, serendipitous connection, my good friend in Perth, Australia introduced me to a friend, Zoe Hodson. Turns out, I had met Zoe at a menopause charity run that another friend roped me in on. Zoe’s face only bloody popped up on Davina’s Sex, Myths and the Menopause documentary on Channel 4 as an expert being interviewed!
I contacted Zoe. She willingly agreed to do a workshop for me in The Work Happy Club membership and I decided to open it up to as many women as possible.
Davina said something in her documentary that really resonated with me.
“How bad do we need to let it get before we seek help?”.
The next day, I called the doctor. I am now on HRT. It isn’t a magic potion that has totally fixed me, but that, alongside the lifestyle choices I make, means that most of the time, I am back to feeling like me again.
Me: “Mum, have you ever heard of perimenopause?”
Mum: “Oh, I might have heard something on Radio 4, love”
Me: “It explains my hot feet at night, my headaches, my rages and self-doubt, my overwhelm, anxiety and sleepless nights.”
Mum: “Oh, there’s a word for it now is there, that’s funny. I had all those things before I turned 50, I just put it down to you and your brother being naughty teenagers, your Gran driving me nuts and work stressing me out. Oh yes, now I think about it, it was a horrible time.”
Me: “Oh Mum!”
You are so valuable in the world and our work as women is so important.
At our career stage, we are so knowledgeable, experienced, compassionate, and passionate about our values and purpose, we have so much that today’s workplaces desperately need!
Come and join Zoe and I as we talk all things peri/menopause and work. Ask whatever you want to ask, (or email me in advance with any questions).
Gain insight and support so that you can join the dots, make the choices that keep you working, and living happy through this stage of life!
Zoe is the kind of pee your pants funny as she shares her experiences, her knowledge is phenomenal but what I felt and loved is her passion for helping women, delivered with total compassion.
Can’t make the LIVE, join up and we will email you a recording.
Want to read up about it all? These come highly recommended….
Second Spring: the self-care guide to menopause
Insta accounts to follow:
@manchestermenopausehive
@_maisiehill_
@menopause_doctor
@drmenopausecare
@iamrunner
@lucieplattyoga
@nutritionalfingerprint