Navigating Midlife Challenges: Nutrition Insights and Self-Care Tips for Women Facing Menopause

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the changes that come with menopause, from emotional shifts to body image struggles? You’re not alone! Join host Heather Carey in this enlightening episode of Real Food Stories as she sits down with Elizabeth Kush, a licensed clinical professional counselor and life coach, to delve into the unique challenges faced by women in midlife. Together, they explore the multifaceted experience of menopause, shedding light on the emotional and physical transformations that accompany this pivotal stage of life.

During this heartfelt conversation, Elizabeth shares invaluable insights into the importance of self-compassion and acceptance as women navigate the complexities of menopause. They discuss how factors such as empty nesting, aging parents, and career transitions can amplify feelings of overwhelm, making it essential for women to embrace their aging process with kindness and understanding. The episode highlights the common struggles that many women face during menopause, including body image issues and feelings of loss, and encourages listeners to foster a compassionate inner dialogue.

As a culinary nutritionist, Heather emphasizes the role of nutrition in supporting women’s health during menopause. With practical tips on healthy eating, mindful eating practices, and the significance of setting healthy boundaries, this episode serves as a guide for women looking to nourish their bodies and empower themselves through this transformative phase. Discover how to cultivate a healthy lifestyle that embraces the seven pillars of abundance, and learn how to overcome weight loss myths and food confusion that often accompany midlife changes.

Elizabeth and Heather also touch on the importance of prioritizing self-care and the power of community in fostering emotional resilience. This episode is not just about surviving menopause; it’s about thriving and embracing the joy of midlife. Tune in for a wealth of nutrition advice, personal food journeys, and empowering discussions on women’s health and wellness that will inspire you to take charge of your menopause journey.

Whether you’re seeking practical cooking techniques, Mediterranean diet insights, or simply a space to feel understood and supported, this episode of Real Food Stories is here to uplift and empower you. Remember, change is possible at any age, and with the right tools and mindset, you can navigate menopause with grace and confidence. Join us in celebrating the beauty of midlife and discovering how to nourish your body and soul!

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Transcript:

Speaker #0
Well, hello, everybody, and welcome back. And if you are just tuning in with me for the very first time, it’s so nice to meet you. And I’m really glad you’re here with me today. I am your host, Heather Carey, nutritionist, chef, mom, and a woman who has been around the block with food. I want to open up about real food in relation to health, weight, and our bodies so you can make peace with what you eat. Hi, everybody, and welcome back to the Real Food Stories podcast. I’ve had something on my mind lately, and not a little bit, but a lot, and that is navigating life as a woman in midlife and menopause. We have so much on our plate during this time of our lives with empty nesting, aging parents, our careers, our health, our hormones, just to name a few, and life can feel hard, to say the least, which is why I am so glad to have Connected with my guest today, Elizabeth Kush. Elizabeth is a licensed clinical professional counselor and a woman’s life coach. As a coach, Biz, as she likes to be called, helps midlife women who feel overwhelmed and unfulfilled embrace and embody their inner wise woman so that they can fully enjoy the beautiful life they’ve created. Biz is also the host of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast. Okay, Biz, let’s just jump right in. And thank you for coming on the show today because I’m excited to talk to you.

Speaker #1
Thanks for having me, Heather.

Speaker #0
Sure. Why does midlife, especially for women, feel so hard sometimes? Are we a special population or is this all about midlife or does everyone kind of go through just feeling hard and, you know, life is hard?

Speaker #1
Well, I feel like for me anyway, growing up, you always heard about men going through this midlife crisis and getting like a young girlfriend or a new car or something like that. But I think there’s some awareness now that women go through something similar when they hit midlife. So I think it’s probably a pretty common experience. But I think the added piece to that for women, one is menopause or perimenopause, right? that our bodies are physically, I was going to say disrupting, but they’re changing. They are, you know, the hormones are swirling, we’re feeling differently. There’s a lot going on. And then you add to that, like, if you were a mother, potentially, your kids are moving on to something new. you And maybe if you hadn’t worked, you’re considering going back to work because now you have this time or you’re looking towards retirement. Like, OK, so what does that mean? Like, I’m going to be now in this space where I don’t work anymore or, you know, what am I going to do with myself then? So it’s really sort of I think for many people, midlife is a time where we’re reevaluating. where we were, where we are now, and where we want to be.

Speaker #0
Yeah, without a doubt. I mean, I feel like this time of my life, like no joke, I mean, I am re-evaluating my entire life, my career, the direction I’m taking my career in, just how I see myself physically. I mean, sometimes I feel like I’ve almost been like split into people like my life before. before, I mean, let’s call it menopause, my life before menopause, and the me I am right now, because they just almost feel like, like that feels like a, like my old life, like feels like something from like the way distant. Yeah, and now I’m like sort of out in like the like navigating on my own. No one really prepares you for this, this time of your life. And there’s just so much change going on. You know, with our bodies and aging parents and, you know.

Speaker #1
Yes, yes, yes. So it’s not bad. Yeah,

Speaker #0
big changes. So it can feel really hard sometimes and overwhelming.

Speaker #1
Yeah, yeah. I know for sure. I’m thinking, you know, I hit perimenopause or no, full menopause when I was like 47. you you know, that was a long time ago. I’m 64 now, but I remember just feeling just so almost lost in a way. It’s like, well, one, what now? But also just physically, I didn’t feel like myself anymore. Like I felt like I had brain fog. I was forgetting things. I remember a conversation with my older sister and like, I was like, I’m wondering if I have like early onset. Alzheimer’s that I am just, I feel so unlike myself. And she laughed. She’s like, it’s menopause. Like, don’t worry, you’re fine. And she was right. But yeah, it definitely can feel like a very disrupting time. But I also, looking back, it also prompted me to make a lot of changes in my life, which ended up being incredibly positive.

Speaker #0
Yeah. So let’s talk about change like that, because I feel like, you know, you could certainly, you know, I’m going to be totally honest. Like there’s a part of me that is just like resisting, like aging. Like I just want like I don’t want to get older because I don’t feel older. Like, you know, but but I there’s probably something to embracing and and flowing with it. Because there’s nothing we could do. We’re all getting older anyway. But there’s, you know, so just that, you know, like sort of flow feeling and then maybe being excited about the possibilities. Sometimes all I see is like the dark and stormy or like, you know, there’s problems ahead. But there’s definitely a lot of possibilities and good things coming. Right. So, you know, when you see clients. When they come to you as like, you know, they’re women in midlife. Tell me a few things. Does this sound familiar to you, what I’m talking about? Or, you know, are there common themes and patterns that you see with the people that you coach?

Speaker #1
Absolutely.

Speaker #0
So let’s talk about like just common things. So I think we all don’t feel so alone in our struggles.

Speaker #1
Sure. Well, one, the, you know, the, the, the realization of our bodies aging, right? Are the wrinkles, the saggy skin, like that physical component, but also just feeling older, even if emotionally I feel young, you know, I noticed some of the physical and I think my clients are noticing those things too. And I, you know, I don’t always embrace that I’m aging, but I’m learning to accept. And I guess that is my hope to help my clients get to that place too, that an acceptance of, yes, sometimes it feels really hard. And how can I approach this from a more compassionate mindset? Like, how can I give myself some grace when it does feel hard, but also get excited about the potential for what is next? You know, I think. For some women, it’s grandchildren, you know, this new generation that comes into their lives. I have not had that experience, but I see how fulfilling that can be at this part of, you know, this time in their lives and in our life. But for me personally, it was like, well, now I have this opportunity to do other things, you know. well, fortunate, you know, I’m feel fortunate in that, you know, I’m at a place where I can travel or I can, you know, take time off and do things that, you know, do things that I want to do. But for clients, like, I think it’s really just helping them better understand sort of those internal messages that we’re giving ourselves like this, you know, hating our bodies or shaming ourselves around where we are right now versus… can I offer some, myself, some compassion for one, if this feels really hard, but two, just knowing that there are others out there that are going through the same thing. I think that this is a common experience that I think that can be really helpful too. But it’s like, yeah, looking for values. Like what is it that you want with this part of your life now? You know?

Speaker #0
I think, yeah, feeling like you’re not alone. you know, especially at this time of our lives when it can feel kind of lonely because We’re not, I know, you know, again, for me, like, I’m not like so bonded, you know, like I made a lot of my friends through my kids, you know, like three, right, those moms, and now we’re all sort of scattered, or we’re all different, you know, doing different things. And, and it can sometimes feel, yeah, lonely, or like you’re alone, like you’re kind of doing this alone. So I think to that, that’s important. And then you said another thing about feeling out of control, like our bodies, you know, like our bodies are changing so much. I know for me with some of my clients that, you know, when you have been dieting or like controlling your body for decades through diets, through whatever, you know, severe, like maybe not so severe. But then you go through menopause and that’s a huge body shift. I mean, right. Even with all the best intentions. I mean, you can how your weight is distributed. It’s, you know, maybe you gain a little more weight in your belly. than And that can feel really, really shocking sometimes, you know, to some women and very, very hard change.

Speaker #1
Absolutely.

Speaker #0
You know, and then I think, you know, then you just mentioned the word compassion. And I think to really double down on trying to have some compassion for yourself and for the changes you’re going through. But that can feel hard when you’ve been so when you’ve been in control and then you feel like you cannot control. like the physical, at least part of your life. Does that make sense? Have you seen that with?

Speaker #1
It totally. Oh, it makes so much sense. Yeah. Well, but two, I just want to say like, it’s the illusion of control, right? I mean, yes, we can diet or, you know, eat in very mindful ways to sort of maintain body weight, but really our body’s going to do what it’s going to do, right? I mean, it’s, and yes. So the shifting, I think, of… where we are physically, you know, as you said, like sometimes you have the belly weighed or, you know, your skin doesn’t look quite as youthful and glowing as it once did. There are people, you know, I know women who work really hard to continue with that control, right, to whether it’s surgical or through hormone replacement, which I think some people need because, you know… And menopause can be very disruptive hormonally, but also, you know, plastic surgery, injections, things like there’s so much out there that you can do to sort of continue with that illusion of control. But our bodies are going to age inside no matter what we’re doing to the outside.

Speaker #0
Yeah. Well, society in general doesn’t like women getting older, right? It’s true. I mean, we do resist it. very huge level. We do.

Speaker #1
We do. Yeah,

Speaker #0
I know,

Speaker #1
which is a challenge, you know, I think for a lot of my clients, yeah, it’s just accepting, you know, even with compassion that maybe their body doesn’t look the way it used to or the way they would like it to today.

Speaker #0
So let’s talk about that definition of compassion, you know, because we’ve now thrown it out there a little bit. Tell me what you think of compassion or what that means to you to have compassion for yourself as a woman going through midlife and a lot of changes.

Speaker #1
Yeah. Well, I think a lot of it is how a big piece of that is how you talk to yourself, right? Like I know I, for many years, I struggled with anxiety. And as I was learning to sort of listen to my own internal dialogue, realized that I was so unkind to myself. Like, if I made a mistake, you know, I ruminated on it for days afterwards, like, oh, I should have never said that or I should never have done that. I can remember as a young woman, you know, beating myself up about my parenting, like, oh, I’m just I could be so much. better if I didn’t just, you know, lose my shit on my kids or lose my, sorry, excuse me, you know, just, you know, just get angry or whatever. So I think so much of the, what we can shift, what we can control is how we talk to ourselves, how we relate to us. That doesn’t necessarily mean we’re giving ourselves a pass for when we do make mistakes. It’s sort of acknowledging Thank you. nobody’s perfect. Everybody makes mistakes. So sort of that common human experience of we all are in this. We all, none of us are perfect. We all struggle from time to time. And yet, can we then… acknowledge how hard that is. Like, it feels really hard. And can I offer myself, you know, a hand on my heart or just a little word of encouragement? Like, yeah, this feels really hard. And I feel how hard that is. But can I be kind to myself in that?

Speaker #0
Yeah, I understand that. I mean, when you’re when you’re bent, like, I think a lot of women years beating yourself up, right? Because that’s maybe how you grew up or that, you know, or that’s how you’re supposed to be. The thought of being… kind to yourself, you know, not being hard on yourself is foreign. I mean, I know that I know for myself, I, that was, that was me years ago. I mean, I grew up in like a, the land of like diets, diet culture, big diet culture in my family and just let, and you know, like gaining weight, losing weight, being hard on myself, having reprimand myself. And it wasn’t until I really learned how to cultivate that self-compassion and kindness that I could. finally like lose some weight and lose it and keep it off i mean i for me for my clients for like for i think in the world of weight loss and just body nutrition kindness and compassion is everything it’s the missing link between being on like these punishing diets and just really taking care of yourself you know and because you want to get healthy and you want to like and it’s and it’s like you’re taking care of like a… your inner child, I guess, you know, you can call it that or.

Speaker #1
Yeah. Yeah. Those of you that didn’t get the love and care back then. Yeah.

Speaker #0
Yeah. And so kindness and compassion, I think are just undervalued, underserved habits that women need to cultivate.

Speaker #1
Yeah. I think around, yes, diet culture. I think around mental wellness. I think around, yeah, our appearance. It’s like, Thank you. we’re so used to sort of comparing, but also then criticizing. So, you know, I think a piece of this self-compassion too is that mindful awareness. It’s like, we are becoming more aware of what we’re telling ourselves, how we’re treating ourselves. Like I can remember, I don’t know if you’re familiar with Kristen Neff’s work, but she’s so, yeah, that she’s all, all about self-compassion. I’m sorry. I remember, you know, hearing her saying like, would you, like one of her exercises, the way you talk to yourself, would you ever say that to one, to a friend, but two, to a total stranger, somebody you don’t know, would you ever, ever talk that way to them? And the answer was like, no, why? Of course not. And I was like, oh, right. But it’s okay to do that to myself.

Speaker #0
Exactly. Why is it okay? You would never think about talking. the way you talk to yourself to a good friend, you would never criticize them.

Speaker #1
Like probably, I mean, maybe you would, but you know, I am not a hateful person and, and yeah, it’s just like, wow, how is that? Okay. But yeah.

Speaker #0
So kindness and compassion, I think are the, are key, almost like the number one things that you have to have as well.

Speaker #1
And I, yeah, yeah, yeah. As a, as a self-care tool, almost.

Speaker #0
As a self-care tool, I think that that is, you know, if you want to think of it as like a toolbox of things that you’re carrying around with you.

Speaker #1
Yeah. And I think one of the hardest parts of that is often people, you know, my clients will say, but if I’m nice to myself, then how am I ever going to get better? How am I ever going to do this better? How am I ever going to actually lose weight or, you know, never make a mistake again? And then the reality is like. or not perfect, right? We will make another mistake potentially. And if we can relate to ourselves with kindness, you know, whether it’s around food and eating or around just life, that actually helps us make change when we can offer that care and kindness. And there’s research that shows that.

Speaker #0
Yes, there is research. And I love research. So I love science. I love evidence. And there is research to show that that is like being kind and compassionate to yourself is much more effective than what you just said, you know, like that your clients are like, if I’m not beating myself up, how am I going to how am I going to get myself to change? Which, you know, as you said that out loud, I’m like, that sounds ridiculous. But that is how I used to be with myself. And that is how many, many women are. with themselves, right? I mean, if they’re not hard on themselves, if they’re not like beating themselves up.

Speaker #1
Yeah.

Speaker #0
Yeah. I mean, I just have to be kind to myself and that’s, yes, yes, that is so much more effective. It’s so much, it’s, it, I think it, it’s so much longer lasting than beating yourself up. But how do you get then, so, you know, how do you get your clients to go from like that beating up themselves to really embracing and practicing compassion and self-kindness?

Speaker #1
Well, a lot of, particularly with therapy clients, but coaching clients too, is really looking back at the messaging they received when, if they were making mistakes or overeating or not eating healthy food. Like, what were the caregivers to support people in your life? What were the messages that you were given, right? Because often… what we’re telling ourselves is stuff we’ve internalized from others, right? So it’s like having an awareness of kind of repeating the patterns that were set in place back in the day when we were kids. And so being able to meet those, you know, and then, well, and often then I will reflect to them like, well, is that how you’re, you know, if they’re parents, is that how you’re treating your own children? And they’d be like, no, of course not. Why would I, I would never do that. I was like, all right, so how about, what would it be like to then offer what you give your children or what you give your best friend to yourself? And it can be gentle. It can be, if that feels too hard, like if the idea of being kind to myself feels so difficult that it’s almost, you know, it’s almost rejected. Like we can’t even take that in because for some people that is true. It just feels so foreign or so uncomfortable that I’ll say, well, what about, what would a friend say to you right now? You know, can you internalize that? Or how would your, if your dog could talk that, you know, loves you to death unconditionally, how would he respond to your suffering? And can you give yourself that? And it could be, you know, an inanimate object or, you know, it could be a tree, whatever. But being able to really hear what someone else would say to you when you’re struggling and offer that to yourself. And then as that becomes more comfortable, then making it really come from you, from your heart.

Speaker #0
Yeah. Starting from like a foundation of kindness and compassion. And then going, it’s not that. you have to accept like the weight that you’re at or the, I mean, right. We don’t have to like necessarily accept these things, but if we come at it from this kind and compassionate angle and then look to maybe lose weight or get in better shape or whatever the goal is, it’s just a much better experience. I mean, it’s just a much nicer experience.

Speaker #1
Right. Right. Well, and I think, I think too, for some people that they see. self-kindness is like a panacea, right? Oh, everything’s fine. You’re good. And it’s not that, right? It’s like, it feels really hard that I broke my diet or that I’m not at the weight I want to be. And can I be with how hard that is and offer myself compassion around that? Like, this feels really hard that I’m 10 pounds or whatever it is, that I’m heavier than I want to be. But. Can I recognize that I’m not alone in this, that I have the choice of how I talk to myself around how hard it is. Like I could be terrible and tell myself what, you know, how awful I am for not sticking to this diet. Or I could say, gosh, that was really, it’s so hard to stay with this diet. And it feels really hard that I’m not where I want to be.

Speaker #0
Yeah. Losing weight is hard. It is. It’s challenging. It’s challenging when we’re in midlife where, you know, it’s I guess it can get hard, but let’s keep going.

Speaker #1
Yeah. Well, and if, and, and maybe through the self-kindness, there’s a weight that you can find that works that maybe isn’t as severe or drastic, you know, that can be a place that you can find comfort in and be okay with some acceptance around. Like for me, that’s been a challenge in midlife, you know, that, that. Yeah, my body is definitely a different shape. And the weight I was probably 10 years ago, I’ve gained weight. But I recognize to nourish my body in the way I want to, like to feed it so that I get the nutrition I need, but also the enjoyment that I love food. So to get the enjoyment. all right, so I’m going to buy some clothes that fit me comfortably now. And I’m okay with that. But yeah, but that took some time to get there.

Speaker #0
Right. Being okay where you are right now. And then if you lose weight, great. I mean, right. But being right at having the acceptance, I think of where you are right now is really important. What other things do you see for midlife women. that are just hot buttons for you, you know, besides the, you know, having the self-compassion and the bone, you know, I mean, the self-compassion and the kindness. I was thinking about boundaries.

Speaker #1
Oh, yeah.

Speaker #0
Also, yeah, which I know is, you know, a big one for a lot of women, you know, saying yes, when you mean to say no. That’s been something for me, at least, that I have been, has definitely been top of mind for the last couple of years is, you know, no is a complete sentence and being really okay with that. And, you know, what, what do you, do you think that that’s a, that’s a big one for women in midlife?

Speaker #1
I do. I think that boundaries are a struggle for women in general. I think we We are raised to be people pleasers and be the caregivers. take care of others before we take care of our own needs. And, you know, society needs that. And we also can do that, you know, do our caregiving and take care of ourselves too. And so that does mean setting boundaries and saying no. I think what is very hard for many women, especially, I am highly sensitive. So especially for highly sensitive women is we’re so concerned about hurting other people’s feelings. We’re so worried about how others will feel if I say no, what will happen to that relationship if I set this boundary. And a lot of the work that I do with clients is like allowing them to see that they’re sort of twisting to accommodate others really harms themselves and the relationship because then the people in their lives come to expect. this sort of selfless energy and you end up feeling depleted, resentful. Yeah, the relationship doesn’t feel reciprocal anymore. And so I do see like helping women find a way to create boundaries that work for them because it’s not the same for everybody, but also recognizing sometimes when we begin this. process of creating healthier boundaries for ourselves, sometimes some relationships do fall away. And that’s really hard. And sometimes it’s necessary.

Speaker #0
What do you think is behind the lack of boundaries or saying yes when you want to say no? I mean, where does that come from something from our past? Is it just we’re just born caretakers? And I mean, I know that I’m sure for a lot of women, they feel very useful or needed or wanted. But it is, yeah, I mean, that’s just the opposite sometimes of self-care. Where do you think that stems from? So women can understand this. I think it’s important to know where the origins of it are, right?

Speaker #1
Yeah. Well, I think there is a big cultural message, at least. for women of our generation. Like there’s a cultural message around sort of selflessness as being the ideal for women. Like you are the giver, you’re the caretaker, you are the selfless person. And I think religion has something to do with that too, right? Being selfless, helpful people and being helpful in a caregiver and, you know, selfless at times can be lovely. but if we’re constantly taking care of other people’s needs to the detriment of our own, we end up, well, oftentimes sick, you know, that it can result in like physical illness because we’re not taking care of our, both our physical and our emotional needs. And so you

Speaker #0
It benefits everybody if we’re setting boundaries, because one, we’re in a better place to take care of the people in our lives that need taking care, you know, because we like to take care of people. Most women, I think, you know, that that tends that may be a genetic component, a component of who we are. But but for a lot of people, like if we’re you know, my mom used to always talk about burning the candle at both ends. Right. Like if we’re. just using up all the energy on everybody else, there’s nothing left for us. And so then we’re not doing whatever caregiving we might want to do coming from a place from our heart, right? It’s coming out of obligation or resentment or even anger.

Speaker #1
Yeah. I mean, you have to be good with yourself first. I mean, physically, mentally, right? Rested, all the self-care things before you can… take care of others.

Speaker #0
Yeah. Right.

Speaker #1
And I think that’s where the boundaries come in. And some women can, I guess, can think that it feels very selfish, but it’s really self-care.

Speaker #0
Yes. Yes. And I think that sort of that idea that taking care of yourself is selfish. Like, I don’t know, there were times in my life where I would get so angry at my husband because it was so easy for him just to be like, well, I’m going to go whatever. play golf or whatever it was, right? I’m going to go hang out with my friends. And I’d be like, how do you just like do that without worrying about what everybody else is thinking? I’m like, wow, what a great place to be, right? Where I can not to hurt other people, but to just say, this is what I need right now. And so, yes. Yeah.

Speaker #1
It feels so foreign.

Speaker #0
It does. It does. And it takes practice. I mean, that’s the other thing is it, you know, to be better at holding your boundaries, it takes practice, putting them in place. And sometimes we’re good at it. And sometimes we’re not. And having compassion with ourselves when we say yes to something we really didn’t want to do. You know, say, whoops, you know,

Speaker #1
yeah,

Speaker #0
not my best moment. But next time I will learn from this and be better.

Speaker #1
Yeah. Yeah. So I think any other keys? I mean, I think we talked about boundaries, self-care, compassion. kindness yeah so we talk about just you know the just changes going on in midlife any other key you know takeaways for women in midlife just to you know i think these are all like good talking points you know or just all like these kind of buzzwords to focus on yeah um what else do you see and anything else that’s we didn’t cover the the

Speaker #0
The one thing I like to share with clients too, or just, you know, to live, it’s like change is possible for us no matter where we are in our life, right? No matter what age, what stage. We have an opportunity to make changes if we choose to. And also, obviously, if we have the resources to do that. Even that change can be internal change, right? It doesn’t have to be physical. Like, I don’t necessarily mean you can move or change careers, but you can shift how you relate to yourself and how you relate to others at any time in your life. Those changes are possible.

Speaker #1
That’s very good, wise words, maybe to add. So, I mean, I think that’s, yeah, I mean, change is possible. We’re not stuck where we are. Even if we might… be in a job that we can’t just leave or a physical location, geographic location. We have the power, right, in us to even just internally make changes.

Speaker #0
Yeah.

Speaker #1
And that’s really important. Biz, thank you very much. I wanted to just share with my audience, how do they get in touch with you if they want to reach out and maybe do some more work with you?

Speaker #0
Perfect. So I am a therapist that’s licensed in Maryland and Delaware. And my website for that is progressioncounseling.com. So you can find me there. But I am also, like I said, a life coach. Coach feels like an awfully strong word, but a guide, a mentor for highly sensitive women. And you can find that at elizabethcush.com. And Cush is spelled with a C. Often AI just turns my last name into K-U-S-H, but it’s not. But yeah, you can find me in both places. I don’t know when this episode will air, but I just began offering sort of a meetup for highly sensitive women at a very moderate price. We’ll meet virtually March 14th, Eastern time, 1215. And that’s open right now for registration if people are interested. And if this goes live after that. I’m going to be offering those more often and you can get on my mailing list and find out more.

Speaker #1
Okay, great. So this is an ongoing meeting.

Speaker #0
Yes. Okay,

Speaker #1
but you’re starting March 14th. Okay, great. Let me just ask you before we end, I know you’ve mentioned highly sensitive people or highly sensitive women. Just give me a sentence about that. How do you define someone who’s highly sensitive?

Speaker #0
Yeah, so being highly sensitive is actually like a genetic trait. It is something we’re born with. And so we, as… a highly sensitive person, you take in sensory information at a sort of a deeper level than the average person. So it could be, you know, so through your five senses, you may smell things more distinctly. Bad odors may impact you more powerfully. Hearing like sound could be, if you’re in a really loud place, that can be overwhelming. Bright lights, lots of colors, lots of people. We. As highly sensitive women, you may find that you get overwhelmed by environmental stimulus more easily than the average person. You may have heard growing up, you’re just too sensitive. You need to get over it. You feel too much. You shouldn’t feel so much. Yeah. So if you can recall hearing those things as a kid, you can go to, I think it’s called, I think the website is hs. person.com. Elaine Aaron is the one who’s done a lot of the research, but there’s like a little self quiz that you can take that highlights the points where, you know, it identifies whether you’re highly sensitive or not. And, you know, it shows up differently for each person, you know, what you’re more sensitive to. But it’s another area where if we can find compassion for our sensitivities. It helps us live in the world. in a much more easeful way.

Speaker #1
Right. Okay. So having acceptance. So, so for example, if my husband is chewing something crunchy and that drives me crazy, I’m just, I mean, I’ve got to make it a joke, but I know, I mean, cause I, some of those things can drive me really crazy and I think I’m highly sensitive to, to things like that. But yeah, no, I understand on the highly sensitive traits. And so that’s… That’s good to understand. I’m glad I asked you that right at the slip that in before we before we ended. So, Biz, thank you so much. This is a great conversation. And I think my audience will have a lot to work with.

Speaker #0
Yeah. And I just want to say, too, I have a podcast as well. It’s the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast. People can find me there and on Instagram at Awaken Your Wise Woman. So there you go.

Speaker #1
I will put all of those links in the show notes so people can get it. Get that all through there. Okay, great. Thanks so much.

Speaker #0
Thanks.

Speaker #1
And as always, if you loved this podcast, please consider gifting me with a five-star review. It is so helpful for me to get the word out on real eating, our real bodies, and real food stories. Thank you so much and have a great week. Bye for now.