Issue No. 6 – Tuesday, July 01, 2025

Subject: Why a lot of us are struggling with motivation right now

Can we talk about something real for a second?

I used to think menopause was this thing that happened at 50 – like boom, one day you're normal, the next day you're hot flashing your way through life, then it’s over.

Turns out, that's not how it works at all.

Perimenopause can start in your late 30s. LATE THIRTIES. And get this, it can last up to 10 years. 10 YEARS! Nobody tells you this. It's like your body starts this whole ongoing renovation project but forgot to give you the memo about when construction begins.

My body started aching. Random aches, everywhere. I thought, "Okay, time to hit the gym." Then I mentioned it to a friend, and she was like, "Oh my God, me too! I thought I was falling apart."

Then another friend chimed in. And another.

Suddenly we're all comparing notes like detectives solving a mystery. The mysterious case of "Why do I feel like garbage?”

You know what else we discovered? We're all struggling with lack of motivation, but most of us are blaming ourselves for it. We think it's just us, so of course our self-esteem also suffers. We think that we're lazy, undisciplined, or falling behind. But once we started talking openly—really talking—we realized this isn't personal failure. It's a collective experience. When you say, “I’m not motivated,” your body might be saying:“I’m working overtime to regulate your mood, sleep, and energy—please rest,” or “I’m rewiring brain chemistry—it’s exhausting.”

So many women over 50 are running on empty, trying to push through hormonal shifts, and mental fatigue.

I stare at my computer screen sometimes wondering why I opened it. I walk to the fridge three times before remembering what I wanted to get.

My hormones are basically that group of friends who used to be reliable but now cancel plans last minute—oh wait, that’s me.

Estrogen shows up when she feels like it. Progesterone decided she needs "space to find herself." And testosterone? She's playing the world's longest game of hide and seek.

Here's what I want you to know:

If you’re feeling unmotivated, foggy, or just… off—you’re not broken, and you’re not failing at life. Your body is literally changing at a cellular level, and yet somehow, you’re expected to keep moving like nothing’s happening. Add to that the everyday stress of family, work, aging parents, financial worries—and it’s no wonder you feel overwhelmed.

You’re going through something major, and it’s okay to have big feelings about it. It doesn’t make you weak—it makes you human.

You’re not alone in this. We’re figuring it out together.

With love (and deep solidarity in the struggle),

Izzie

P.S. Tell me – what's something you used to love doing that feels so hard now?

Grab your journal and answer:

What is my body asking me for right now—and what would it look like to actually honor that request?

Write without judgment.
Maybe it's rest. Maybe it's gentler movement.
Maybe it's hormone support.
Maybe it's permission.

Let your body speak. Then listen.