Dear Everyone I Work, Live, and Laugh With:
I’m writing this as both a love letter and a field report from the front lines of perimenopause, that mysterious stage between “feeling like myself” and “googling hormone levels at 3 a.m. while eating saltines.”
If you think this is just about the occasional hot flash, think again. I’m a woman in midlife — leading teams, running a business, managing people and projects — while quietly maneuvering through fluctuating hormones that sometimes make my brain feel wrapped in fog and my joints feel like I ran a marathon I don’t remember signing up for.
To My Colleagues and Team
You’ve seen me pause mid-sentence lately, eyes squinting, like I’m buffering. That’s not indecision — that’s brain fog. I used to recall names, data, and strategy points like a human CRM system, but now they sometimes float just out of reach. Give me a beat; they’ll return.
Also, if I opt out of the afternoon cold brew or decline a celebratory glass of wine, it’s not antisocial. My body’s chemistry has rewritten its own rulebook. Caffeine makes me jittery, alcohol messes with sleep, and sugar feels like betrayal. The good news? I’m learning how to optimize myself again, balancing hormones and habits with the same focus I bring to quarterly revenue goals.
A little grace goes a long way. I promise I’m still the fierce, creative, innovative leader I’ve always been — I just might need an extra sticky note or ten.
To My Family and Friends
You’ve probably noticed changes beyond mood swings. My body redistributes weight like a political committee — and no, I didn’t vote for the midsection takeover. My once-boundless energy has new limits, and some mornings my joints squeak louder than the floorboards. But behind that fatigue and occasional irritability lives a woman doing deep, uncomfortable work — learning to respect her limits and speak her truths.
When I advocate for myself — whether that means taking supplements, adjusting my diet, committing to yoga instead of running, or booking time with a therapist — I’m not falling apart. I’m rebuilding stronger. And I refuse to apologize for that.
To My Fellow Women in the Trenches
If you’re leading teams, raising kids, supporting parents, launching startups, and holding it all together while your hormones are throwing a flash mob — I see you. It’s time we stop whispering about this.
Perimenopause can bring anxiety, low libido, depression, fatigue, and strange new sensitivities to food or environment. Yet we soldier on, often in silence, afraid of seeming weak or “past our prime.” Here’s the truth: we are not winding down — we are redefining power. This stage isn’t an ending; it’s a recalibration.
So let’s normalize this conversation in boardrooms, at conferences, and in HR policies. Let’s develop leadership cultures that understand that hormonal transitions don’t reduce capacity — they refine resilience.
To My Future Self
You did it. You weathered the chaos, adjusted your sails, and relearned your body and mind. You kept showing up with humor, compassion, and courage — even when it felt like your own hormones were a hostile takeover. You didn’t disappear; you evolved.
And I hope you’re still writing these letters… because someone else will need them, too.
