I recently caught up with a dear friend who opened up about something deeply personal.
For years, she’d been quietly battling changes in her mood, increased anxiety, and a constant sense of unease. She described it as feeling “off” in her own skin — a feeling that had crept in slowly, but had become much more noticeable and intense over the past two years.
Like many women, she’d brushed it aside at first, telling herself that in her early 40s she was too young for it to be menopause, and it was just stress or life being busy. But deep down, she knew something was shifting. After a few light-hearted but honest conversations with close friends, some as young as their late 30s — she decided to take the brave step of booking an appointment to discuss the possibility of perimenopause.
Here’s what I loved about her approach: because she was nervous about how to explain everything, she wrote down a detailed list of her symptoms before going in. That list became her voice when her own felt shaky.
Her doctor listened, understood, and prescribed HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy). Almost immediately, she began to feel different — lighter, calmer, more patient, and more like her old self… but with the added wisdom, self-awareness, and groundedness that comes with life experience. She described it as life-changing.
“I feel like myself again — but better. I have more patience, more calm, more understanding. I’m not just back to who I used to be… I’m stronger now.”
When she showed me her list, she asked if I thought it might be useful for my clients, too. Absolutely! We realised that so many women hesitate to seek help — either because they’re not sure what’s happening to them, or because they feel nervous about bringing it up. That’s why we’ve created a Perimenopause Symptom Checklist you can download, print, and take to your doctor.
If you’ve been feeling “not quite yourself,” and especially if your symptoms have been slowly intensifying, you’re not alone — and you don’t need to suffer in silence. The right support, whether through lifestyle changes, nutrition, coaching, or medical intervention, can be truly transformative.
You deserve to feel at home in your own body again. If my friend’s story resonates with you, maybe it’s time to take that first brave step, too.
