Midlife challenges in January.
Is anyone else ridiculously excited to finally have January behind them?
Every single day felt like a challenge for one reason or another—and then to top it off, January has 31 days. Thirty-one! Like… get over yourself already.
January automatically comes with hardships baked in. It’s the month after a month of overeating, drinking, vacationing, being around family (maybe a little too much), kids at home, nonstop social events… etc, etc, etc. Then suddenly it’s “New Year, New You,” and we’re supposed to drop bad habits and magically install new, shiny, perfect ones. At first that feels exciting… but by the end of the month a lot of us are looking at ourselves like, “Cool. It’s been 31 days and I’ve already broken most of my promises.”
And let’s not forget—it’s one of the coldest months of the year. Here in the Midwest, January went out with a frozen bang.
So once again, I happily say: BYE BYE January and hello to just 28 days of February.
On the first day of this new month, I took a moment to reflect on how 2026 started. As I do when I journal, I began with gratitude. Instead of focusing on the long, cold, depressing days, I wanted to look for the good January brought me. So here goes—my January recap.
My Midlife Challenges in January started with my second month on Hormone Therapy (you can read about my first month [here]), and let me tell you… it started off rocky.
I was notified that my prescription was being filled at Walgreens—then notified that it wasn’t. Then told it was an insurance issue. Then told to call my insurance. Then told it would be fixed. Then told it was delayed. Then told it was ready… but only half of it.
By the time I finally went in, three days late on my progesterone and about to miss my estrogen patch change, the pharmacist insisted it was still an insurance issue. I calmly (okay… not calmly 😅) showed her the messages saying both meds were ready. That’s when she said, “Oh… it’s actually because we were out of stock and the order got canceled.”
At this point, my hormones—or lack thereof—had me feeling absolutely unhinged. I called my insurance again, did the whole song and dance, went back inside, and was told, “Do you want us to call you when it’s ready?”
And I said, “No. I want it now. She,” pointing to the first pharmacist, “told me it’s on the shelf.”
Reader… I felt feral.
They finally gave me the estrogen, I paid, and yes—I apologized for losing my patience. But I couldn’t help thinking the pharmacist was probably like, “Wow. These perimenopausal women are wild.”
This second month on HT has come with more noticeable symptoms than the first. I don’t usually weigh myself, but I can tell I’ve gained a little weight (definitely among the common midlife challenges in January and every other month). Is it the hormones… or the ALL the jingle juice and holiday sweets? TBD. My boobs are bigger, sore, and tender—like they’re trying to get attention.
On the positive side: my sleep is deep. My watch confirms it, and I love seeing that sleep score go up. My GSM symptoms (if you’re not sure what that is, read about it here) have almost completely disappeared. My skin feels less dry, and… let’s just say there’s more moisture where there used to be none. You know what I mean.
Breast tenderness is supposed to be temporary, and I’m hoping the same for the weight. I’ve already cut out alcohol again and WAY back on the sweets. And overall, I feel grateful to be on HT and for the positives I’m already seeing.
Another thing I’m deeply grateful for: I went most of the month without drinking, definitely among the major midlife challenges of January.
This is something I struggle with—saying no at parties, on trips, or to that innocent glass of wine while making dinner. I’ve done dry months before, taking 6 months off over Covid and took four months off last summer, and every single time I feel amazing.
Lately, alcohol hits me harder. It messes with my sleep, ramps up my anxiety, doesn’t help with weight, and leaves me thinking the next morning, “Did I really need that glass of wine?”
Answer: probably not.
So this month, I’m continuing. My goal is not to drink unless there’s a truly worthy occasion. When I think about how good I feel mentally and physically—and how proud I am waking up knowing I chose myself—there really aren’t many occasions that feel worth drinking for anymore.
Midlife Challenges in January turned positive
Now for the fun stuff—two exciting things that January set in motion.
First: this Tuesday I’ll be a guest on the Bloom Bright Podcast with Kelly. And yes… drumroll… we’ll be talking about one of my favorite topics: PERIMENOPAUSE and the whole menopause transition.
I’ll also be sharing about Manifestation and Visualization—two daily practices I use to create the life I want. Which is perfect timing, because I’m also planning to host my Midlife Vision Statement Workshop this month. Stay tuned for both the podcast episode and the workshop date!
Second: I’m beyond excited to be organizing and facilitating a wellness/yoga retreat this April with The Well in Frankfort (where I teach).
Stephanie, Jen, and I will be hosting this retreat in beautiful Arizona—just 15 minutes from the red rocks of Sedona. For 3 days and 2 nights, we’ll do yoga, hike, relax by the pool and hot tub, explore local towns, and enjoy healthy, delicious meals.
Arizona. Sedona. Yoga. Hiking. Connection. Relaxation. Beautiful women.
Honestly? A dream.
If you’re interested in this retreat or future ones, make sure to sign up for the newsletter or message me.
So that’s my January. And now that it’s behind me, I realize I actually accomplished a lot in a month that can be really hard. Maybe it was the extra day. Maybe it was allowing myself to rest when I needed to. Or maybe being stuck inside made me bold, creative, and willing to pursue what lights me up instead of letting fear run the show.
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I will be in Florida for this retreat but I am super interested in any more that you plan on doing. Please let me know!!!!
HI Kim. Thank you for taking the time and reading my new post. I most definitely will be posting about the upcoming dates and since you are subscribed you will be getting that information to your inbox. Enjoy Florida!