I know it’s all over social media these days, but wow—this perimenopause roller coaster is something else. One minute I’m cruising through the day feeling fine, and the next, bam, total emotional breakdown.
Recently, my husband and I took the trip of a lifetime: London, Scotland, and a few days in Amsterdam. Just the two of us. We’ve never traveled like that before. When I met my husband, my oldest son was four months old. By the time we moved in together, my son was 18 months old. So, twenty years into our journey together, this trip felt like a huge milestone—a chance to connect and explore, just the two of us. I was beyond excited.
But, cue the hormones. Delayed flight? Bad mood. Stinky metro? Bad mood. Hotel with no bathroom door? My younger self would’ve found that hilarious. My 44-year-old self? Bad mood. I used to love adventure.
And then there were the moments that made no logical sense—tears at a sunset, laughter one minute, irritation the next. Still, there was magic tucked inside the chaos. We had the most beautiful Alice in Wonderland-inspired afternoon tea at a tiny spot in London—china cups, clotted cream, and sandwiches that looked like art. For a couple of hours, I forgot about my mood swings and just felt…present.
Moments like that tea reminded me that I can still push through, even when my mind and body feel like they’re at war. At other times, I snapped or became defensive for no clear reason.
But here’s the thing—I am resilient (and so are you 😉). This trip was a good reminder that resilience doesn’t mean avoiding the low moments; it means remembering I can find my way back. Even when I feel like I’m unraveling, I can stop, take a breath, and remind myself that the chaos—real or not—will pass. And I can remember that my husband, the love of my life, is also someone I really like.
During this phase of life, it’s especially important for me to remember that we all get off-center sometimes. (Lately, it can feel like a daily occurrence.) But those moments don’t define us—they just remind us that we’re human.
And honestly, even in the swirl of hormones, mood swings, and mysterious symptoms, I still got to meet pugs at a rescue, pet a Highland cow, and travel with a husband who somehow stayed patient through it all.
Perimenopause may keep me guessing, but it’s also reminding me that joy still sneaks in—and love can too—one laugh, one breath, one pug, and even one hot flash at a time.
What is something that was an unexpectedly hard thing you have gotten through recently?
Kristie and the Dovetail Team
P.S. Learn how Breathing Mindfully and Nurturing Myself can help calm Protective Patterns when we slip into defending or attacking—and join our community to connect on a similar journey.