Setting Out © lynette sheppard
This latest guest post comes to us from a Menopause Goddess down under: Pamela Lund. Pamela is a Menopause coach – how wonderful that we can be accompanied on the Big M journey by a knowledgable guide. Enjoy her insights.
Approaching Menopause – Help for the Journey
My journey towards menopause was one of confusion, overwhelming tiredness, an emotional roller coaster and a feeling of being invisible. I had anxiety attacks and hot flushes. I had no idea what was happening to me. There was no information available that I could find. I thought I was having a ‘nervous breakdown’. It wasn’t until I saw three women interviewed on TV about what it felt like to turn 50 that I realised I was not alone.
This was 20 years ago and HRT was the latest and greatest invention. I tried it. It did not work for me, causing me massive headaches.
Eventually I found Lesley Kenton’s book “Passage to Power”. I was so excited – I wasn’t going mad! This was a time of real change; of reassessing my life. I set out on a ‘journey to myself’.
By now Gail Sheehy had written her book “New Passages” which I also found very helpful. I had re-read her original one “Passages” and realised that she was much younger than 50 when she had written it because I could not relate to it.
I decided to take some time out and sit in the sun and also found myself a good naturopath and a counsellor. I had no idea how I would survive financially but just trusted the universe and was able to house sit a friend’s house and rent mine out for 12 months.
During this time of introspection I realised that I wanted to help other women understand what was happening to them at this time. It took me two years before I felt able to begin training as a Life Coach and then a Counsellor.
Most women I have worked with over the last 14 years have no idea what is happening to them. It is different for every person but some of the things hundreds of women have said to me is that ‘they feel invisible’; they feel like they are on an ‘emotional roller coaster’; they feel past their ‘use by date’; and they feel angry for no particular reason. Some even feel depressed.
Peri-menopause is a journey; a time of change. Our mothers and grandmothers weren’t wrong when they called it ‘the change’. The time leading up to menopause, our last period, is the other side of puberty. Just as puberty is the journey into our womanhood, peri-menopause is the journey into our ‘second adulthood’, our authentic selves – a time to be who we truly are. However, before we can do that we have to let go of the past disappointments, resentments and pain which stop us moving forward.
As a coach specialising in this area, I work with women who feel overwhelmed and invisible: who feel like their emotions are all over the place and feel exhausted by their physical symptoms. My experience has shown that the more emotional baggage we carry, the worse our physical symptoms are. I help them see this time of change as a great opportunity to develop their self confidence, passion and a new direction in life: to not only feel great about themselves, but to have a renewed zest for life.
Menopause is not an illness that has to be endured. It is a time to discover more about who you are and what you want in your life.
I have a free giveaway on “Dealing with Change” on my website so if any of you ladies would like more information on dealing with change please visit my website and download it: Approachingmenopause.com
I also would appreciate any one who would like to help me out by filling out a questionnaire on my website. It shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes. Just go to Approachingmenopause.com and look for Questionnaire. It is to help with my market research.
This is such a great blog, very inspirational and informative, wish there had been something like this when I was going through it.
Pamela Lund
