In this article I'd like talk raise what I think is a very important issue that is often ignored by many when it comes to the end of the period and the beginning of the menopause.
Now What…? The Menopause??
As women, we mature and enter a new stage in our lives, the menopause in this case. This new stage can easily be perceived as a 'continuation of a problem from the previous state' (our period cycles), rather than the beginning of a new 'normal' state.
To give you an example: menopause is a physical condition experienced by women at specific ages, where as puberty is a process we all go through to reach maturity. But, where as puberty is seen as the beginning of a 'normal' state, menopause is often perceived as 'the beginning of YET another problem'.
And this is an issue. Why? Because we are 'forced' to go through this change not as a biological necessity but as a consequence of something 'problematic' that has now happened to us.
This leaves us women in a conundrum. We are told that this is a 'normal' thing to happen to us, yet we are often made to perceive it as the beginning of something negative that enters our lives which can leave us in a negative of self and we can easily enter into a perpetual state of negativity about this period in our lives.
And then, what are we left with? A huge blockage preventing us from moving forward towards positivity and all of the wonderful opportunities this new 'stage' has to offer.
It Was Never a Problem
Our menopauses, our periods, our cycles and our different stages as women are NEVER a problem. They are simply part of both our biological and our emotional evolution as women.
And it is very important to remember that in order for all of this to work, we need to be open and accepting of the changes we go through. When we view these changes with a negative attitude, whether they be biological or emotional, we close ourselves off from possibilities that can make us feel happy and fulfilled in our new life.
Menopause (as well as the menstrual cycle) can be celebrated . It can be a positive experience that is reached at different times in our lives and it can be a period that we are proud of as women.
Just like we can celebrate the change from our first period to our second period each month. We shouldn't view these changes as something that we need to 'cope with'. We could view them as events which create opportunities for us to grow and evolve, to become the best versions of ourselves.
How to Enjoy Every Stage of it All
Each stage of our lives has a different meaning and can bring a different experience. So, why does the menopause need to be any different?
If we choose to accept that it is part of our evolution as women, we can go through each period in a positive manner. We can enjoy celebrating the physical changes that take place within us and we can enjoy our increased levels of understanding.
So, how do we do this? How do we teach others to embrace our menopause, and not see it as 'just another problem', but as a positive experience?
This is where the menopause and our understanding of it comes into play. I believe that as women we need to understand the issues surrounding this time in our lives and we need to have our own opinion on what it all means. We should be able to express ourselves about this time (physically and emotionally) without any negative judgement.
For those who persist in perceiving our cycles as 'problems' or as 'issues', we need to challenge them and explain that this is not the case. We can educate our partners, friends, family members, colleagues etc. about what exactly goes on during these times and why they shouldn't be viewed as problematic or negative.
After all we are each on a different journey through these stages of our lives and yet we have to live with others who are likely going though the same changes as us but they may be treating it differently. This is where we can have our own opinions and express them.
This is a Time to Celebrate the Menopause
I want to end this article by saying the menopause isn't the beginning of 'another problem' but the beginning of another phase of your life, full of possibilities. It's not about complying with how others perceive it but being proud of our new 'normal'. It is an opportunity to learn how to take care of our bodies and be in tune with our feelings so that we can continue experiencing life.
After you've read this article please share your thoughts on the menopause and its positive aspects.
