Menopause

Anxiety set in.

A lack of understanding as to the cause.

More anxiety because of wondering why this is happening.

A realization it is due to a new environment not conducive to peace and calm for my personality or many personalities.

Anxiety worsens.

Hot flashes begin.

More anxiety due to understanding what hot flashes indicate.

A season of less than favorable weather results in physical pain.

The summer season and related activities help.

Thankful for some reprieve.

More anxiety and hot flashes with inability to sleep entering in.  The STORM is brewing.

Realize a move from the environment isn’t in the cards, so proceed to change the existing environment.

For the most part, completion of changing existing environment as much as possible has occurred.

The return of the summer season along with the hiring of an intern help.

Thankful for some reprieve again.

Fall brings a new stressful professional situation.

Prior stressful environmental factors remain and seem to exacerbate.

A significant decline in mental, emotional, and physical health and well-being.

Talk with a post-menopausal friend and listening to good friend, Melissa Joy Dobbins’s, Sound Bites® podcast on menopause help with understanding of mental, emotional, and physical symptoms.

Which came first…the chicken or the egg…stressful environmental and situational factors or pre-menopausal hormonal symptoms?

A vicious cycle.  One exacerbates the other.

Typically just a part of life and not a “storm” topic, but when it occurs at a much earlier than average age while still trying to conceive and while trying to transition the family ranch, not only a “storm” topic, but part of THE PERFECT STORM.

*To anyone having not yet gone through menopause…listen to the podcast…plan early for it…for health purposes even if done attempting conception.