Lost Confidence?

It is a truism that women lose confidence at menopause. Why is that? It has been written, and I concur, that through all the years of being a 'carer', women get so used to putting themselves at the back of the queue that they literally 'get lost'.

I am pleased to note that younger women are successfully encouraging their menfolk to share the care, allowing women to sustain their personality. Long may this continue.

For the rest of us older women and I'm talking 40+ here, you were brought up with the mindset that women did all the caring. Caring for husband/partner, kids, elderly relatives, oh, yes, and you probably have a fulltime job.

The reason most women are not in a mental home by the time they are 50 is probably because they do work outside the home. A part of your personality exists in the workplace. You make your own decisions. Back at home. Who are you? But even working outside the home has its own stresses and strains. The whole period of menopause can be a nightmare. Knowing a bit about your body can help ease the problems.

That question, 'Who are You?' was asked of me quite recently: "I know the businesswoman, I know the wife, I know the mother, but who are you?" I burst into tears.

This is where you have to learn a little introspection. Learning to find out who you were and who you are now and who you would like to be and it ain't easy.

None of us wants to age, do we? But how can you do anything about it? You wouldn't believe how much my own health has changed for the better since taking the time (or rather forced to take the time as I was diagnosed depressed) to look at me, my lifestyle (diet, alcohol, the works) and by making small changes I lost 2stone (28lbs) and feel full of beans and full of confidence.

Women go through a metamorphosis. There is life after menopause. There's even life during menopause if you know how to find it.

Through my own problems, I set up a website to help others. Take a look www.simplyhormones.com. My new motto is Take Courage. Take Action. Take Control.

What do you think about this? I get so many emails from women who have been nearly suicidal or they've been told they need a hysterectomy only to find out from www.simplyhormones.com that actually you have choices there, too.

What choices would you like to see?