Menopause: It's no ones fault, but some one will have to pay!

To all the beautiful women in my life that were born before

1970

AND THOSE WHO LOVE THEM

Well, this sucks...I cry because I can't talk to my mom about menopause and then I laugh because I find myself talking to her but getting no answers.  I cry listening to an emotional song then I laugh when it's over because it really has nothing to do with my life...I cry, I laugh, I cry, I laugh...this is the new normal for a 51 year old woman. This is so fun!  Emotional roller coaster, hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, losing ability to see a book, over reactiveness, gaining weight, losing weight, and then...gaining it back and losing it again.  These are a few of my favorite things.

Menopause will in some way, shape or form affect everyone around you. From work, where I sweat as I hold a baby, to home where I can be...well, not so nice...I give my husband so much credit for still loving me and being with me...or at least around me.  He has a choice, he could pick up more trips and spend nights in 5 star hotels or be home with me.  He chooses me and I am not sure why.  I am an irrational hot mess 95% of the day.  And I say 95% because even when we are sleeping (or lack there of) I am keeping him up by turning my phone on to control our thermostat...which by the way is the best menopause hack ever...

The Nest!  Having control of the temperature from your phone gives you the opportunity to make it colder and colder in your house from wherever you are.  Hot in bed, turn the air down, Hot in the kitchen, turn the air down, hot while at Target, turn the air down because knowing that your house will be in an icebox when you get home makes you feel a little bit better and puts a smile on your face :)  

Another hack...Night sweats have been made more comfortable thanks to the GEL PILLOW!  This came to me by accident while shopping at Costco.  We needed new pillows and I thought, "these are comfy!"  Not so much, not for my head anyway.  But OMG!  It is the best body pillow while enjoying the night sweats!  What a fun way to switch things up at night.  My husband on one side of me and my gel pillow on the other side of me!  Don't get me wrong, I still don't sleep, however I get the 1 minute of coolness of the gel pillow until I melt it with my body.  Then, as soon as it passes and I get cold, I get to have my husband put his arm around me...Win Win.

"I forgot! I'm sorry!"  That has become a regular statement out of my mouth.  And because of that, Siri has become one of my new best friends (Alexa being my second new bestie).  I'm not sure how any woman before this technology remembered to do anything!  If I think of something that needs to get done I just tell Siri or Alexa to remind me.  I blame this memory thing on menopause, however my husband has become a little reliant on me remembering to remind him of things..."Brynn, tell siri to remind you to remind me to..."  Whatever, it works...

What happened to the body I worked so hard for?  I gave birth to 3 kids and was still able to pull off a bikini...those days are so over.  Even if my stomach was tan...it would be ugly.  Where did my muscle go?  When I attempt sit ups it hurts, so I quit...My will power has left with my youth as well.  However I have not given up running.  I am definitely not running the way I used to, there is a little more walking involved.  But ladies, do not ever stop!  Not only will it help you to keep stress low and burning calories high, it allows you to think, sing, and laugh at yourself all you want.  It is "ME" time.  Take advantage of that time.  As long as you have headphones in no one can hear you!!
🎝 "Just keep running, just keep running" 🎜~Brynn



I have worn glasses all of my life (well, since I was 3, close enough)...I usually had 2 pairs.  One on my head and one spare.  Here is where I am at right now at 51...A set of contacts, 2 pairs of my regular prescription, 1 pair of my regular prescription with my reading curve added, (for when I want to read without my contacts in), A pair of readers on my head, on my desk, in my purse, in my car, next to my bed, at the cabin x3, 2 pairs of sunglasses no prescription, 1 pair of reader sunglasses and the 3 new ones I just bought...16 pairs of glasses!  Enough said...Menopause sucks!