I stood in front of the mirror, blinking in disbelief. Two zits—angry, red, and completely unexpected—had popped up on my chin. At 52 years old, acne wasn’t supposed to be a thing anymore. I had medications for this. I had a skincare routine. And yet, here they were, taunting me like a cruel joke from the Universe.
Then came the heat. A sudden wave, like I had just opened an oven door, rolled through my body. My torso felt like a furnace, emanating heat even behind my knees. I instinctively reached for something—anything—to fan myself.
Before I could even recover, the fog rolled in. Not a literal fog, but the kind that steals your thoughts mid-sentence, that makes you forget why you opened your laptop, that leaves you scratching your head as to why the box of Shake ‘n Bake is in front of you instead of your tub of collagen.
Menopause had arrived. And it wasn’t subtle.
The 1-2-3 Punch of Menopause
About a month after I stopped taking birth control (on doctor’s orders), menopause symptoms hit me in rapid succession: acne, hot flashes, brain fog. Each one manageable on its own, but together? They packed a punch.
And what hit me the hardest wasn’t just the physical symptoms—it was the way menopause started disrupting my work, my confidence, and my ability to keep up with my own fast-moving life.
I have always moved through the world like my pants are on fire. I fast-walk everywhere, take stairs two at a time, and squeeze through barely open doors. I thrive in speed and efficiency—until I couldn’t. Suddenly, rushing led to mistakes, mystery bruises, and frustrating mental lapses.
‘Here’s just a sample of what’s been happening:
- Mixing up dates – I literally have to stop and double-check what day it is.
- Screwing up times – I create Virtual Networkers’ weekly chapter graphics, and they suffered from my menopause brain. You’d think I could remember that Anna Garrison’s chapter starts at 4pm NY time, not 3pm.
- Forgetting details – Oh, you sent me an email about this already? Whoops.
- Losing my train of thought – Opening Google Docs and immediately forgetting why. Sometimes, it takes a full minute to remember. Other times, I recall hours later.
- Getting physically hurt – In my 20s, the mystery bruises were from all-night dancing. In my 50s? Footboards and doorknobs.
And then, there are the emotions. Every tiny bit of bad news hits harder. Feedback stings in ways it never used to. Some days, I just want to crawl back into bed and stay there.
Why Am I Sharing This?
Because we don’t talk about this enough. Perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause impact our businesses, our confidence, and our capacity. They shift how we function, how we lead, and how we show up in the world. And yet, so many of us suffer in silence, believing we just need to “push through.”
So, here’s what I want to say to you (and to myself):
- Give yourself grace. You’re not imagining things. Your brain, your body, your emotions—everything is adjusting. It’s okay to slow down where you can.
- Talk about it. Let’s normalize these conversations. Our work, our businesses, and our leadership shouldn’t suffer just because society pretends menopause doesn’t exist.
- Take care of yourself—and advocate for yourself. If you’re feeling off, if your symptoms are wreaking havoc, talk to a doctor. Explore solutions. Prioritize your health the way you prioritize everything else. And most importantly, speak up. When my doctor stopped my birth control pills, there was no warning about what was to come—just a list of medications to try. I did the research. I asked the questions. Open your mouth. You’re not bugging your doctor, and if she makes you feel that way, get a new doctor. You deserve care that prioritizes you.
SIDE NOTE: I am not a candidate for hormone therapy due to a strong family risk of breast and uterine cancers—which adds some extra spice to my menopausal journey!
Deep breath. If you’re also challenged by changing hormones, know that we’re in this together. Let’s keep talking about menopause and helping each other over every hurdle—and every hot flash.