Menopause and trains of thought!

Online shopping: thrills and disappointments.

I was going to talk about post-menopause but have been distracted by AI.

I use Ai quite a lot and really appreciate what it can do. I find that I rarely google anymore because AI can gather the information and discount the irrelevant pieces of information and then present it to me in a language I understand - and conversationally too!

I also know we should be cautious about AI because of the environmental drain, especially with suggestions Lincolnshire will be housing AI industry and an increase in energy production locally so it is set to change our landscape. We also are being warned that it is impacting the workforce with around a third of graduate entry level jobs disappearing because of AI performing these tasks.

AI and clothing.

But it’s the images I have been distracted by. There is so much I love about the images it can produce and which we all see on social media, and bizarrely I don’t mind the AI women modelling the clothes which companies are trying to sell us, and the reason I don’t mind is because I realise that I will never look as good as those women because no woman will - assuming we are taking that as an ideal. And this takes away some of the pressure I place on myself.

Having said this, and I digress once more, I was watching 1980s pop videos the other day while I was waiting for the washing machine to finish so I could peg out before I left the house for the day. The 80s were largely pre- routine body enhancement, and it was interesting to see how women who had small waists and hips tended to have small busts too – funny that! This isn't a criticism - purely an observation because I don't know about you but I felt inadequate and not quite enough even then so there is no winning it seems. And AI isn't any worse for my self-esteem.

Actually, it is putting me off buying clothes online – what is the point if the model is AI and the fit of the clothing is AI modified too? I would rather go into the shops and try them on – I wonder if anyone else is thinking this too? And I can’t believe I am saying this because I have always hated shop changing rooms but I think I hate the waiting, the inevitable disappointment, and then the returning of the clothes only to be back at square one, more. Could the tide be turning? Possibly not for everyone but it is for me.

Post-menopause personality changes.

Back to post-menopause. There is quite a lot of conversation about the physical changes we experience in our bodies; the joint and muscle pain, the thinning, dry hair, the dry and itchy skin, eyesight changes, stress, body heat, panic attacks, sleep difficulties, brain fog, weight gain, increase in needing to urinate, dry, itchy vulva and anus, loss of libido, headaches, anger, anxiety, low mood, and lightening of the colour of the nipples and areola further reminding you of your lowering oestrogen levels. Does that about cover everything, do you think?

For me I have been greatly surprised by a more subtle change, and that is my lack of motivation and reduction in ambition. I don’t want to chase promotion anymore; competition would have driven me to distraction once upon a time, but not anymore. I have little motivation for home improvements or even travelling – unless it is one of the major bucket list holidays I cannot be bothered to go to Manchester airport. I cannot wait for Doncaster Airport to reopen because I am tired of East Midlands Airport which was my go-to airport for most of my adult life due to living down there, but the 90 minutes journey

home is a drag.

Is anyone else having this change? Does it stay for long or is it also in fluctuation like a lot of the other changes? I feel too young for this to be the new me. I don’t want it to be the new me – I have so much more to do and to give.

What do we think – is it just another effect of overwhelm because of all the roles we have and how little time we have for ourselves? I hope so. I truly do. Because it could be that my motivation, energy, inspiration and ambition may return.

Oh yes, loss of trains of thought - how could I forget that one!?