Menopause can be rough on even the strongest of women. For years, many of us look forward to the day when night sweats, hot flashes, mood swings, and other menopause symptoms will be long gone. If you’ve finally hit the point where menopause is over, congratulations! While this is something to celebrate, it can also be an unsettling feeling. In fact, many women report feeling lost after they’ve completed the menopausal transition.
While it’s perfectly normal to be unsure of yourself after menopause, the good news is that with menopause symptoms like mood swings and hot flashes behind you, the future ahead could be easier than you suspect. For a few tips and tricks on how to feel like yourself again and plan for a fabulous post-menopause future, read on.
1. Use apps and online support.
While it may feel like you’re alone, you’re not. The reality is that women go through menopause all over the world. Most women experience menopause symptoms and post-menopause symptoms to at least some degree, and many find it helpful to connect to others as they navigate the post-menopausal territory.
If you’re just coming out of menopause and are starting to wonder about what’s next, a great place to connect to other women in your shared life stage is through MenoLabs. Aimed at helping women live their best lives through menopause education and community, this important resource is one that will remind you that you aren’t alone. Here, you can get information on beauty tips like how to hide fine wrinkles or meet other women struggling with similar issues as you. From information on supplements like probiotics and healthy weight loss to the latest research in vitamins for bone loss, connecting with other post-menopausal women through this or a similar online tool could be invaluable to you moving forward.
2. Give yourself a makeover.
A great way to reconnect to yourself from before the menopause change is to reconsider your wardrobe. If you’re like most people, you enjoy going through your clothes from time to time and making changes. After menopause, it’s a great idea to do a closet overhaul and splurge on yourself. Instead of saying no to a fantastic jeans sale, now is a great time to give yourself a little self-care with some new denim and a few fun tees.
You’ve just been through a huge life transition. Many women like you suffer from confidence after weight gain and other lingering symptoms. Giving yourself a makeover with a same-age friend could be a great way to feel better about the future.
3. Find new friends in the same stage of life.
When making friends, make a conscious effort to connect to other women in your same stage of life. For many women, raising children and working meant automatic friends through the workplace or parent meetings. Now, as you enter the age of retirement, making friends could be more challenging. However, in seeking friends your age, you’ll have not only more in common but the ability to base your friendship around the freedoms that the golden years bring. The truth is that after menopause, you’ll be in a place where you have more freedom than younger women. Finding others your age will open up possibilities like shared vacations, laughs, and common interests.
4. Pick up an old hobby.
Part of getting in touch with your old self could be as simple as becoming reacquainted with a forgotten hobby. If you once enjoyed painting, making music, jogging, or something else, consider dusting those paintbrushes or that guitar off. Reconnecting with someone you once loved could be a great way to start over in your post-menopause life.
At the end of the day, being far away from those menopause symptoms is something to celebrate. In taking a little time for yourself to reflect on your next chapter and engaging in acts of self-care, you’ll soon find out that it’s easy to feel like the best version of yourself again. Congratulations to you on surviving menopause. Remember: You can do anything!
