Strong Like A Woman - What a Journey

When Everything Had To Change

Back in 2019, I retired from my role as a massage therapist. I was in pain 24/7 and something had to change. The knowledge I have now about burnout and exhaustion has helped me realise that this is exactly what I was experiencing at that time. I'd lost my mojo, was increasingly dissatisfied with my role as a massage therapist, I wasn't doing anything for myself to make life enjoyable and I was in too much pain to lift weights. Needless to say, I was in a depressing and difficult funk and I had no idea how to get out.

I was 46 years old and I felt so much older. I hadn't started adding perimenopause changes to my reasons for feeling the way I did, but looking back, it was definitely the beginning of big changes in my body. I was experiencing one of those moments in time when you have a choice. You can either fall into blaming everything outside yourself, or you can step up and take responsibility. I had to face up to the fact that I was drinking too much alcohol, exercising nowhere near enough and I simply wasn't filling my own cup. So I quit massage, we moved cities and I was thrown completely into the unknown. No job, no plans, no idea what would come next.

My physio told me that building strength was the best antidote to arthritis, so I made it my mission to grow strong.

Losing Myself In The Unknown

The move to Sydney was tough. All of a sudden I felt like I'd completely lost my identity. If I'm not a massage therapist and I'm not working with personal training clients, who am I?

I began working with an amazing physiotherapist to relieve my pain. He realised very quickly that movement for me wasn't just exercise, it was a major source of mental health support. Being in pain, unable to train for many months, was severely impacting my mental health.

I'd come to believe this was it for me. That I would be in pain for the rest of my life, unable to lift weights, with a frail, weak body. Writing this makes me realise I was catastrophising, but at the time it felt very real, daunting and depressing.

Choosing myself and taking steps to live a life that feels good to me gave rise to the most empowering years of my life.

Rebuilding From The Ground Up

The journey to rebuild myself began, but it wasn't just my physical strength that needed my attention.

I started learning everything I could about menopause. I'd learned a lot about low progesterone in the past, more in the context of breast cancer prevention and regular ovulation, but not in the context of menopause.

I cut back alcohol consumption to an absolute minimum, placed more emphasis on sleep, walked every day, started listening to supportive books and podcasts and went to the gym 3 times a week.

At the same time I started working as a personal trainer and nutrition coach in a gym in Sydney, lost a few kilos I'd put on and started the very slow journey of building my body back to a place where I felt capable and strong.

By this point I'd received an arthritis, bulging disc and stenosis diagnosis for my neck. My physio told me that building strength was the best antidote to arthritis, so I made it my mission to grow strong.

Strong Like A Woman

So here we are, 7 years later and so much more has happened since 2019.

As women we are told that we are less and less important as we age. As we lose our fertility and our looks, we are told to disappear, to shut up and to give up on ourselves. I don't know about you, but I feel like life is only just getting started.

I know who I am, I know what's important to me, I know what I need and I know how to go out and get it. I am strong physically, mentally and emotionally. I am Strong Like A Woman.

The choices I make now are for me. I'm not here to play anyone else's game. I have lines and wrinkles, saggy bits and less perky bits too, but I am me and Strong Like A Woman reflects this. It's a reminder to keep choosing me. To keep showing up for me. To always trust that I know what I need.

Strong Like A Woman is my truth. Choosing myself and taking steps to live a life that feels good to me gave rise to the most empowering years of my life. I'm not here to convince you. You are Strong Like A Woman too.

Melanie Briony x