The moment everything changes…
July 1st was my menopause day! One full year period-free, which means I’ve officially crossed into postmenopause. You might have seen the fireworks across Canada. 🤣 😂 🤣 😂
I’ve been counting down for this moment for months now, feeling like I was approaching some incredible finish line. But now that I’m here… I have absolutely NO idea what to expect.
I’m in this strange pause, this breath between what was and what’s coming. It’s the “now what?” moment at the intersection of the ending and the beginning.
The narrative we’ve been fed about menopause reads like a medical obituary. Decline. Loss. “Over the hill.” The focus is relentlessly on what we’re losing – our fertility, our hormones, our youth.
And this framing has kept us small and scared, and bracing for some inevitable decline.
But I’m an eternal optimist, so I’ve decided to flip this script. Instead of stepping into decline, I’m stepping into what I believe will be the most powerful phase of my life. I’m choosing to focus not on what I’m losing, but on everything I get back when my biology finally stops running the show.
Reclaiming My Energy – No more cycle tracking. No more period prep. No more pregnancy concerns taking up mental real estate. That bandwidth is now all mine.
Reclaiming My Voice – There’s a confidence that comes with experience combined with zero f*cks left to give. I’m going to speak my truth without apology.
Reclaiming My Choices – I have new clarity about what actually matters versus what I thought should matter. And the “shoulds” are starting to fall away like autumn leaves.
Reclaiming My Future – I’ve got roughly half my life left, and it’s completely mine to design. No biology dictating timelines, no outside expectations. Just me, creating exactly what I want.
Yes, there are health considerations that come with menopause. But instead of fearing them, I’m using them as motivation for the most intentional health choices of my life. Instead of managing decline, I’m investing in strength and vitality for the decades ahead.
I get to approach my health with the wisdom of experience and the urgency of someone who knows what matters. That’s not a consolation prize – that’s a superpower.
I’ve also decided that for me, menopause comes with a collection of permission slips. Permission to:
- Say no without elaborate explanations,
- Prioritize my sleep like my life depends on it (because it kinda does),
- Invest in myself without guilt,
- Design my days around my energy, not other people’s schedules,
- Speak up in doctor appointments, meetings, relationships, and anywhere else my voice matters,
- Change my mind about what success looks like.
This is my conscious design era. Everything from here forward gets to be intentional, purposeful, and unapologetically mine.
And honestly? I can’t wait to get started.
xoxo, Michelle
