What happens when you finally feel 'seen' and 'heard'?
[Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 54 seconds.]
I’m typing this on an early morning from my couch in Seattle. Europe was fantastic. Returning jet lag - not so much. This, too, shall pass. Of course, we’re thinking about our next big trip and where that will take us. Some ideas are percolating.
Clowning around at Wimbledon before the quarterfinals.
The trip was great and it’s hard to pick a highlight. Bucket list kayaking in a fjord? Golfing at midnight in perfect weather? Driving the Atlantic Ocean Road? Seeing 2 high quality matches at Wimbledon with the hubs (with high tea, Pimms and strawberries and cream, obviously!)? So. Many. Great. Hikes.
In Hustadvika, Norway. The Atlantic Ocean lurks on the other side of the breakwall.
[More pics from the trip here and personal blog posts here.]
On the plane ride back, I watched “Cocaine Bear”. Marc was entertained watching me vacillate from hiding under my blanket and laughing hysterically (while not knowing what I was watching). I’m not one for gore in movies, even if it is satire. When I audibly gasped on the plane, I had to laugh at myself because I forgot I was in a public space so to speak.
I also happen to stumble upon a 2-part documentary on how menopause is being treated in the UK. It was really well done and the plan was always to get into more on this topic plus other topics associated with being part of the “sandwich generation”.
One of the takeaways from the show was how women continue to be told to “suck it up” with their symptoms. Also covered was how very little mandated training exists for the medical community on the entire menopause transition, which is true in the US.
But the most important takeaway was what happened when women advocated for themselves to get the treatment they needed. One of the women featured in the documentary talked about fighting for 5 years to get seen by a menopause specialist so she could get the help she needed.
Until that time, she was put on anti-depressants, mood stabilizers, etc. Not only did none of those alleviate her symptoms, but it also impacted other hormones that were perfectly fine.
She was told to lose weight and lower her BMI…. As opposed to doing more constructive activities such as getting stronger due to what happens to bones during the menopause transition, which can start in your late 30s/early 40s.
Furthermore when she started having what she now knows are perimenopausal symptoms at 44, her general practitioner told her she was too young to be going through menopause.
When she finally got her referral, she shed tears of joy. She felt seen. She felt heard. And her symptoms improved dramatically with a regimen prescribed by an expert.
Before I realized it, I was typing notes into my phone. I guess you could say I was now officially working on my vacation.
But not really.
It really strengthened my resolve to continue offering wellness concierge services to people who don’t feel seen or listened to. It doesn’t have to be about menopause.
It could be about meeting you where you are around making lifestyle changes.
You may be struggling to figure out how to make a change that you have wanted to make for a long time.
On top of Reinebringen. 1600 feet of elevation gain in 7/10ths of a mile.
Perhaps you live with someone who has mastered what works for them but their approach doesn’t work for you?
That’s OK!
We’re all different. It’s not an indictment on any relationship if an approach that works for a partner, close family member or friend DOESN’T WORK FOR YOU.
You deserve to have someone who can help you figure out the approach that works for you and your brain.
I can help. Get in touch.