Can we just take a minute or two to talk about overwhelm? Life can just feel too much sometimes and I think women from their 40s onwards are feeling it more than ever - this can be all about hormones and that shift that happens when we begin perimenopause, it can be about being a mum, juggling work and add in worry and caring for parents and it’s alot!
The weight of life can overwhelm us and the hormonal changes/symptoms of the perimenopause can cause even the most organised and together of women to suddenly feel incapable of doing their job, unsure how to parent and like they are drowning in responsibility.
It’s a time when we are often at our busiest but when we need to rest and pause more than ever before. The expectations on some women at this time are incredible.
But what to do about it because the caring has to continue, as does the parenting and so does having an income. There are no easy answers and quick fixes here but I do think it’s important to at least acknowledge the challenges, to talk about where you might be struggling, to give you some kind of foundation for working out where realistic solutions might be.
I’m a big believer in facing up to challenges, rather than ignoring them and just keeping on going mainly because experience has taught me that brain and body can probably only cope with so much before we crash. It may be possible for conversations to be had at work and it may be possible for someone else to pick up the slack with any caring roles.
So do be honest with yourself, it really makes a difference, talk to someone about life as parent when you are juggling a lot and see if you can figure out a way to ease the overwhelm, to clear your head a little and to feel like you are less alone.
It’s also worth using the relax & breathe resources to manage any stress - just head to Breathing Space for some free resources.