In the words of Oprah Winfrey...

So many women I've talked to see menopause as an ending. But I've discovered this is your moment to reinvent yourself after years of focusing on the needs of everyone else. It's your opportunity to get clear about what matters to you and then to pursue that with all of your energy, time and talent.

I think it's so important that women understand that there is life after Perimenopause and Menopause, and that it can be a GREAT life. What do I wish I'd known?

When the symptoms start you must advocate for yourself and get the support you need. In the field of medicine and in wider understanding and acceptance, things continue to improve, and there are some great advocates out there, but don't just accept the worst of perimenopause and menopause as inevitable. Do your research, talk to your GP, lean on your friend network or talk to your boss. You CAN feel better than you currently do.

Review your life. What do you do that you don't need to? When we are struggling with sleep, energy and mental capacity, it's important to be sure that we aren't wasting time and energy on things that are not necessary or important. You might decide to drop a regular commitment or that you no longer want to prioritise work in the same way.

Prioritise your life. You may decide not to drop anything or you may not be able to. If this is the case, it's important to balance the demands put upon us, against what we want and need for ourselves. What do you no longer do that you want to? Can you restart a hobby, or find 10 minutes for a bath or a chapter of your book. Life can't always be about what others want from us, we must nurture ourselves.

And if you have been able drop something from your schedule, restart 2 hobbies, have a long bath or read 3 chapters of your book.

Dare to dream about what the future might hold. Your symptoms can be alleviated and the pressures that we struggle with ease. The quote above talks about the opportunities and possibilities that exist after the turmoil of our 40s and 50s. This is my personal experience and that of many of my friends and colleagues. I am a different woman, and I live a different life. I feel less bound by societal rules and expectations and freer to do what I please. I waste little time nowadays on worrying about what others think and do. You can find peace and happiness.

If I can help you navigate this phase of your life, please get in touch. If not, I hope that the NHS guidance helps or that something I've said resonates.