Welcome to the very first episode! In this episode, I share a bit about myself, veganism, food photography on Instagram, burnout, my menopause journey and how meditation helped my perimenopausal symptoms. I then discuss the concept of seeing menopause as an opportunity.
My Early Veganism
I have always been interested in health and wellness. In my early 20s, I started learning about veganism. I had cancer when I was 22, and I became really interested in healthy eating, nutrition, and yoga. I loved animals and it didn't make sense to me to eat them. I volunteered for a vegan organization called EarthSave Canada, and back then, hardly anyone was vegan.
Nobody knew what vegan was, and my coworkers actually made fun of me.
Stressful Career and Burnout
I had a career that I hated. It was so stressful and boring, and when you don't like your job, it can be really difficult to get through each day.
So to make myself feel better and just more interested in life, I took courses. I took courses in massage, fitness, rehabilitation. I did a two-year diploma, culinary nutrition, and I just didn't have the confidence to leave my career for over 20 years.
Food photography became my big pleasure in life. It was my creative outlet. If you look at my Instagram page, you can see all my photos, although you do need to scroll back to get to them now.
I just loved presenting the food in an appealing way, and coming up with recipes, and connecting with the followers.
My Menopause Journey
I was dealing with a lot of stress at work, and I started to experience perimenopausal symptoms like insomnia, anxiety, depression, and hot flashes. I completely burnt out on food photography, because I was doing this as a part-time job, in addition to my very stressful full-time job.
There was a lot of time preparing for a shoot, like even things like shopping for all the groceries, and then preparing the food, and then editing the photos for hours. So I stopped doing the photography, because that was basically my entire weekend, and every night after work.
What Helped Me Feel Better During My Menopause Journey
I took a meditation teacher training course, and I took some embodiment courses, and I started feeling better when putting these teachings into practice. I also took a lot of time to just "be".
I started to notice more pleasurable sensations throughout my everyday life. I noticed my senses more. I would appreciate beauty more.
And I started waking up, sometimes with an excited feeling in my stomach. (Not about work. I still did not like my work.)
But I was just excited at just about being alive. I was excited to go for a walk, and meditate, and spend time with friends and family. And I became interested in menopause.
I took a menopause coaching course, followed by a mindset course, and then a nutrition diploma. And I really wanted to put these tools together. The menopause coaching, with the meditation, mindset, and the nutrition.
Menopause is an Opportunity
One thing I've learned during my menopause journey, and would like to share with you, is the concept that menopause is an opportunity.
You may want to make big changes. Start a new career, your dream job, or dream business. Think about your retirement.
You may have kids leaving home. You may be fed up with a dead-end job, and now it's time to focus on yourself. Maybe now is a good time to focus on your body.
Things are changing, and your body needs care. It can be really beautiful when you care for your body. Listen to your body and hear what it has to say and give it what it needs.
Menopause is an opportunity because you have the wisdom. You understand things better now. You see the bigger picture.
You start to see connections that maybe you couldn't see when you're in your 20s and 30s. And menopause is an opportunity to set a goal for the next phase of your life. I'd like to encourage you to think about what is really important to you right now, and get clear on what you want this phase of your life to be like.
Setting a Menopause Goal
Maybe you want to start doing the things on your bucket list, travel somewhere, or start gardening, or get stronger. Your goal might be about improving your cardiovascular fitness so you can chase after your grandchildren. Maybe you didn't have kids, but you have a creative pursuit you're interested in.
Maybe you want to take up painting, writing poetry, or write a book. You could start volunteering for a cause you're passionate about. Maybe you could start your own charity.
If you have putting off making changes to your health, now is the time to get started!
Maybe you're not vegan, but you've always wanted to go vegan. Maybe you want to start eating more unprocessed foods. You might be thinking about your longevity, and how to stay healthy as long as you can. You could be thinking about your brain health (and meditation can really help with that).
So I want you to see menopause as an opportunity for you to live life to the fullest, and really get inspired. Menopause has been treated like a disease in our culture, but it's a normal phase that we go through.
It's a turning point and a new beginning. And you know yourself so well now, you probably don't care what other people think about you anymore, and you can see more clearly what you want in life, and know how to get it. And the choices you make now can affect your health and well-being for the rest of your life.
It's very important to focus on the positive, and what we can experience, and how we can grow, and what your goals and desires are, and what is most important to you.
Like this post and want to read more? Check out this post on Redefining Menopause.
If you'd like to explore this further, check out my one-on-one coaching programs.
Further Menopause Help
My free Vegan Menopause 3-Day Meal Plan is packed with plant protein to help you feel full longer, stabilize your blood sugar, protect your bones, boost your mood, and feel better overall during perimenopause!
In my free guide, Five Action Steps to Elevate Your Vegan Menopause Experience, I share five simple steps you can implement immediately, to feel more calm, more positive, and less affected by menopausal symptoms.
DISCLAIMER: This website's information is general in nature and for informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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