Starting Over Was Hard But Menopause Made It Harder

Menopause symptoms didn't just affect my career and my relationships. They affected every part of my life.

I was in the middle of one of the biggest transitions of my life. We had just moved to a new town. I had left my part-time job and began working at the same company as my husband. Unfortunately, that didn't work out, so after only a few months, I found myself wondering what I was going to do next.

I felt like I was falling apart

I cried every day for about two months. My personal life was in complete turmoil, and the stress amplified my menopause symptoms. I wasn't sleeping. My hot flashes were severe. Brain fog made it difficult to think clearly, and I felt overwhelmed by everything happening around me.

I recognized that I needed help and that I couldn't go on living the way that I was. So I made an appointment with my doctor to talk about hormone replacement therapy. I also sought out professional counselling to help me work through everything happening in my personal life. I needed relief. I needed to sleep. I needed to stop crying every day.

So much was going on that I decided to give myself some time to figure everything out. Instead of rushing into another job, I started thinking about what I wanted to do with my life next.

Starting a new business with brain fog

I was a big fan of Instagram at the time, so I thought I would enjoy social media marketing. The next thing I knew, I was taking an online course to become a certified social media marketer.

Little did I realize how difficult it was going to be to learn something new while navigating menopause symptoms. My brain fog and memory loss made it so challenging that I had to adapt and find new ways to get through the course.

At times, I wondered if I could do it. Starting over at 50 was scary enough. Choosing a career in social media marketing felt even more intimidating because I saw it as a field dominated by younger people. I was already questioning myself before menopause symptoms made learning even more difficult.

I would read something and forget it a few minutes later. I would lose my train of thought in the middle of a lesson and find myself rereading the same paragraph because nothing seemed to stick.

But I refused to give up.

Instead, I learned to work differently. I relied on screenshots, reminders, notes, and lists to keep myself organized. My phone became one of my most valuable tools because it helped me remember the things my brain couldn't hold onto at the time.

Putting on a brave face

Despite the challenges, I finished the course and signed two part-time contracts. From the outside, it looked like everything was falling into place. I was building a new business and creating a new future for myself.
But the truth is, inside, I was in complete turmoil.

I had gained nearly forty pounds. My hot flashes and night sweats were relentless, and the insomnia left me exhausted before each day even began. My personal life was under tremendous strain, and the stress amplified every menopause symptom I was experiencing.

Every morning, I put on my brave face and pushed through the day. I smiled, I worked, and I did everything I could to make it look like I was okay.

Behind the smile, I was overwhelmed. I was physically exhausted, emotionally drained, and struggling with depression. Most people had no idea what was happening behind the scenes.

Strength I didn't know I had

When I think back on those years, I can see just how much menopause symptoms were affecting every part of my life. They challenged my confidence, my ability to learn, my relationships, and even the way I saw myself.

Yet despite everything, I kept moving forward. I finished the course. I started my business. I showed up every day, even when I didn't feel like it.

Now, I recognize that I was much stronger than I thought I was at the time. Menopause symptoms made that time of my life incredibly difficult, but they didn't stop me from building something new.

Never underestimate what you're capable of, even when menopause symptoms are at their strongest.