I was sitting at my desk staring at the wall trying to remember what the on earth I was just thinking. It wasn’t the first time. And it wasn’t because I was so tired from juggling clients, my team, deadlines and sports schedules of 3 kids.

My typos had become so bad that I read everything at least four times before hitting send, only to realize that I still missed some after it was already sent. Even worse than the embarrassment, I was secretly terrified that I had early-onset Alzheimer’s.

My "melted mind" aka brain fog, was an ever-present topic amongst my friends who were also dealing with their aging parents (some call us the Sandwich Generation).

After ill advised searches on “Dr. Google” I self-diagnosed that I probably wasn’t losing my mind, at 48 years old, I was in perimenopause. Ugh!!!

My mom, normally a sage, had no experience to impart because she had a hysterectomy at 44. I turned to my friends to crowdsource their symptoms, and wow did they have things to say! Soaking wet at night! Mysterious weight gain! Can’t focus! Tired for no reason! Grumpy, teary, happy, repeat!

As far as solutions go, there was also a lot being listed but no magic cures. They were most commonly presented with hormone pushing (aka hormone therapy or HRT), yam cream experimentation, even custom made bioidenticals.

We all agreed that Menopause, from peri to post, was draining, and knowing that it can last for 4-10 years is a lot to accept. The pandemic made us all acutely aware that not only is our health precious, but we also don't have time to waste on superficiality and things that don't matter. We need to own our journey. 

So, I am declaring that acting as if menopause is negative or shouldn't be talked about is OVER. Women matter, and menopause matters. Life is fragile, so we need to stop wasting years acting as our bodily experiences don't matter. 

Today, there are 75+ million women in the America experiencing menopausal symptoms and 2 billion women worldwide will be menopausal by 2030, so it’s time to stop suffering in silence and take the shame out of the transition - starting with owning Menopause... OUT LOUD!

It’s ridiculous that society acts as if no longer having a menstrual cycle is a shameful thing. As an age obsessed culture, menopause is seen as an indicator that a woman is "no longer youthful or attractive" or worse, no longer biologically useful. And why are women (and actually men too) so very uncomfortable talking about their bodies - especially in public?

When I searched images photos with the term menopause, the majority of the images were of women with their heads down in their hands, on their desks, or generally looking exhausted and miserable.

I believe it’s actually EMPOWERING to no longer worry about getting an ill-timed period!  My personal list of things that have opened up to me range from wearing white pants and pool parties to staying home because I have meaningful things to focus on versus actively avoiding going out because I feel weepy for no reason.

Our brave new world is here, and now it’s time to take a page from the UK where you can find conferences entirely dedicated to the subject of menopause and have tracks like “How to UnF&^%$ck Yourself”. Women need a community to share stories, get support, and have access to expert advice. 

As a mother of 3, wife, successful entrepreneur, author, and business coach for over 20 years, I decided to manage menopause just like I manage everything - like a BOSS. And, with a thoroughly researched strategic plan to take control of my life and help others going through the same thing.

During the first 5 years of my own meno journey, I gained 10 pounds around my middle which is especially unhealthy when estrogen levels are decreasing. I learned from my friend, Dr. LaReesa Ferdinand, that keeping waist size under 35” goes a long way towards supporting overall health and reducing the risk for heart disease.

Through my research, I was determined to discover the easiest way to get the nutrients a body in meno needs, manage belly fat, AND curb my sugar cravings as naturally and quickly as possible. So through my desperate desire (and love of snacks!), “MenoWell (formerly Bossa Bars) Power Food for the Pause” was born.

MenoWell bars are all-natural, gluten-free, plant-based energy bars with powerful ingredients to support female nutrition during menopause to help keep belly fat down and happiness high! And let’s be real - a delicious and healthy bar is way more satisfying than just a handful of supplements - and also perfectly sized for on-the-go.

Our purpose is to "Energize & Empower Menopause" helping women emerge from hiding their menopause journey to living i.e., #menolikeaboss!

Women have come together to support one another since the beginning of time. From knitting circles and church clubs to new mommy groups and networking forums. So why should menopause be any different? Women in midlife need community even more because of the things we are going through - becoming empty nesters, divorce, libido changes, hair loss, weight gain, etc. 

Women need to be in a community with others who are going through similar experiences to know that they are not alone, that this isn't just a medical issue, and they can get through it - maybe even enjoy the journey with the support of other women in the pause. 

And this isn't just my story, it's all of our stories.

So we created a MenoFesta to help all of us not just survive menopause, but actually LOVE our meno journey every step of the way.

So join us because, Meno Sister, it’s a NEW DAY and it's OUR DAY! 

XOXO,

Julie & The MenoWell Team