Menopause Guide Podcast, with RhondaNP

Answer: Even though you think you’re prepared, you won’t understand until you get there.

Remember when you were pregnant (if you were so fortunate to become pregnant) and it seems like everyone shares some little tidbit or secret family story with you about their experience?

Oh, and those birth horror stories! Some of them may have scared the crap out of you and many weren’t very helpful.  You might have thought, “She’s exaggerating!” only to find out, there was a lot of truth in those stories! Actually “she” probably didn’t go far enough to explain what was about to happen or how it would feel.  Because pregnancy is a unique experience, you truly don’t know until you actually go through it yourself.

Unfortunately, just like pregnancy, the birth experience and the early days of motherhood, almost no woman is prepared for menopause.

You receive the greatest gift of motherhood; a new life, after your pregnancy.  But what do you get in menopause?  I like to concentrate on what you receive: a new perspective, gratitude for this time in your life and an enhanced sense of creativity.

But many women never see “the good stuff” as their unexpected symptoms and often overwhelming list of challenges tend to take center stage.

So many women suffer with a multitude of symptoms that often times you forget that you do have CONTROL of many things.

You can control your

Today’s guest on the Menopause Guide Podcast is a phenomenal woman, Dr. Anna Cabeca.  As two medical professionals who’ve treated thousands of women, we know exactly how to help you with the “nobody told you about menopause” stuff.  Including the fact, that just as your face wrinkles as you age, so do your delicate feminine parts.  This secret is one of the things no one tells you about!  Listen and learn more.

Listen in as two medical experts in menopause talk about their number #1 piece of advice.

We talk with Dr. Anna about her vast experience in supporting women during menopause and specifically about her revolutionary symptom-relieving cream called Julva.

Who can benefit from Julva? 

Anyone who is experiencing:

We also chat about the extensive research and safety of this product.  It is absolutely safe for breast cancer survivors!

Want to give it a try? 

Click the image below for a FREE SAMPLE and you only pay for shipping.  If you like it, you will get emails from Dr. Anna’s team how to purchase a full tube.

Click the image below to WATCH to Podcast Video

Meet Dr. Anna Cabeca

Our special guest frequently lectures nationally and internationally regarding restorative health and women’s health issues.  She is a board certified gynecologist and obstetrician, an expert in Functional Medicine and Women’s Health.

She specializes in hormone replacement therapy and natural alternatives, successful menopause and age management medicine.  She is also a consultant for other physicians in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy and functional medicine principles.

Rate and review the podcast so other women can find these resources when they really need them!

Mindful eating is more than just thinking carefully about what you put inside your body. Eating sustains life, provides comfort and in 460 BC, Hippocrates taught “let food by thy medicine and medicine by they food.”

So, when did we get so offtrack?

Overeating, feeling guilty about what we eat, and being frustrated and confused about the latest diet crazes  complicates something that should be so simple. Top it off with frustration about unanticipated weight gain around the middle during menopause and it’s enough to make you dive head first into a tempting and delicious half gallon of Ben and Jerry’s.

But, STOP!

Before you think all hope is lost, our special guest, Angela Gaffney helps frame the simple steps necessary for mindful eating. The episode is packed with valuable information and a surprisingly refreshing mindset around mindful eating, during the holidays and beyond.

1:15 – Meet Angela! – Her goal is to “to inspire people to take care of themselves.”
2:00 – Learn Angela’s devastating health crisis and diagnosis and how she’s changed her life and figured out how to live.
4:00 Angela’s message aligns with Rhonda’s approach of “Food is Medicine” and how it turned her world around as a medical practitioner and what that means for healing.
5:45 Angela’s theory – crowding out of the “sometimes food” (bad) and replace with “supporting food” (good) and holiday eating approach.  Don’t ever go to a party hungry! Learn Angela’s tips and mindset on the way to the party.
8:50 What can we learn from guilt (i.e. when we eat the bad stuff)?  Most of our decisions come from a subconscious mindset and you act.  Pause long enough to ask this question, “What will this provide me?”  Take part of the celebration, do it consciously and don’t turn back.  If you’re going to eat or drink the “sometimes food”, savor it and you consciously choose to do it and it is serving you in some way.  If guilt comes up later, consciously say “Stop It”.  This type of thinking does not serve you in any way.  You own the decision and move on.
12:10 What do we do when we have to eat something that someone prepared for us?  Angela provides some great perspective.
15:00 Holiday stress and eating – Angela’s top tips (“Quality over quantity” in every aspect during the holidays – not just food!)
15:48 External vs. Internal Stress – what we control and what we can’t.  You decide how to participate in these situations.  “My best looks like THIS”.  Release the need to please.
17:08 – Angela’s mindset secret around our holiday “to do” lists: “I have all the time I need.”  How do you choose to participate – engaged and present or frantic?
18:15 (Rhonda) Stress and menopause – how does increased stress affect a woman’s perimenopause/menopause symptoms
20:15 Menopause Benefits – you don’t CARE as much about what people think/say.  It’s a phenomenon that naturally happens.
22:00 Rhonda and Angela’s Top Strategies to “Dump Sugar”
26:15 Angela’s online course and her special offer to Dr. Rhonda’s Community.  The side effects are weight loss, increased energy, reduced pain and you won’t even realize how good you will feel when you complete the course!  It’s adding goodness in to create lifelong change.
30:00 Rhonda’s recommendation for vegetable consumption (1lb a day – helps metabolism of estrogen) and protects you against breast cancer and heart disease.
30:00 Fat and fiber are your best friends to help against the sugar over consumption during the holidays.
31:48 Angela’s final thought –as women we take on the world and were really good at doing it.  Don’t take the back seat.  Above all else, be kind and true to you.  When you live like that, stay true to yourself – you will be able to participate in a new way.

Click the image below to watch the Podcast Video

Angela Gaffney is the catalyst for healthy transformation!  After overcoming a disease she was told would take her life, Angela teaches people simple and effective strategies to achieve health, increase productivity and live stress-free while reaching their personal and professional goals.   Angela’s keynotes and workshops challenge attendees to think differently about their health.  There’s no crash diet, no need for intense willpower, or a restrictive lifestyle.  Angela’s simple strategies solve common health challenges, empower others to take charge of their health and ignite life-long transformation. Angela is the best-selling author of Feel Good, Look Good, For Life and has published two cookbooks: The Daily Essentials Cookbook Collection: Breakfast and The Daily Essentials Cookbook Collection: Lunch.  To hire Angela to speak at your next event, discuss a wellness program for your corporation, or take advantage of complimentary health tools, please visit www.AngelaGaffney.com.

$97 Pricing on Feel Good, Look Good! Master Class with Angela Gaffney

If you’re ready to get to the root of the issues you face, whether it be sugar addiction, needing to lose weight or sleep better, the Feel Good, Look Good Master Class is for you!

Use: “RhondaNP” at check out to grab your $97 pricing.

Did you enjoy the episode? Please leave us an honest rating and review on iTunes at Menopause Guide Podcast. We appreciate the support!

When menopause symptoms are flaring and your to do list seems endless, just stop and think for a minute.  Is some of this holiday stress my own doing?   (Hint: ya, maybe! Remember, you’re in control here.)

What is this season all about anyway?

At times, we may make this time of year way too hectic.  And we don’t even mean to.

Somehow we’re conditioned to overdo it during this time of year.  From Halloween to New Year’s Day, we kind of lose it.

We are too hard on ourselves with our own expectations about how things need to be perfect.  You may have the need to buy just the right presents for everyone on our list.  (Amazon can be your best friend in these cases!) Or worse, you kill yourself in an attempt to make your home picture (or Pinterest) perfect.

I’m challenging you now to re-think your holiday “crazy”.  Continuing to be the perfect (insert your word here) – mom, hostess, parent, boss, neighbor, daughter, etc. is exhausting.

The problem is…you may wear one or more of these hats and now it’s even harder to keep up with what you’ve created. I’m tired just thinking about it.

In this week’s episode, Rhonda and Chris talk about their holiday memories as well as tips to win against holiday stress.  Even making a promise to yourself to try 2 or 3 of these ideas will help your stress levels.  You need to give it a try. Check out our FREE download for more ideas.

When a woman’s hormones transition during menopause, things are out of balance.  This hormone imbalance, may cause menopause symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, depression, anxiety and insomnia to worsen. Increased stress-inducing activities around the holidays (shopping, cleaning, overeating, or in-law overload) increase the production of cortisol.  Cortisol is your “flight or fight” hormone which in normal levels is life preserving. However, when cortisol increases, helped along with the holiday stress cycle, things get out of balance and may result in a layering on effect with increased symptoms and frustration.

Need a safe place to ask questions and seek support for your perimenopause/menopause questions? Click the image below to get started.

As if pregnancy and menopause weren’t enough fun for women, there are a special set of challenges that are associated with the pelvic floor.

As women age, gravity, childbirth and the loss of estrogen do a number on our delicate lady parts.

Many of these challenges are hidden, secret and often times not discussed for years, even with our healthcare practitioners.

But, that avoidance needs to STOP.

Our guest in this podcast is Melanie Schlittenhardt, NP and Doctor of Nurse Practice.  Her 15 years of clinical expertise, safe and gentle approach make her the perfect practitioner to share information with you on this topic.

Listen to the podcast or watch the video below.
Click on the image to get started.

1:00 Melanie’s intro and the funny thing her mom told her when she let her know her career choice!
3:42 On average, it takes an individual 7 years to gain the courage to seek help with incontinence.
5:06 (Rhonda) Incontinence is a common problem in perimenopause/menopause.
6:40  What to expect during a practitioner visit?  What type of leaking are we dealing with? The practitioner will determine if it is “stress” (exert and squirt) or “urge” incontinence (overactive bladder).
8:36 Overactive bladder explanation – our storage unit (may lose the entire contents of the bladder).
9:34 Treatment options range from surgery to over the counter to exercise; but none of them are “awesome”.  That’s why we have a entire toolkit of options because everyone is unique.
11:05 Impressa Device – pros and cons
12:20 Overactive bladder strategies – natural and prescription (side effects may limit longevity of use)
13:30 Listen to Melanie’s excellent description of how to do the Keagle exercise.  60% of women  do them incorrectly.
15:15 (Rhonda) Why urinary tract infections may happen more during menopause.
16:22 UTIs – the best treatment is prevention.
17:00 The fear of using estrogen.  Cream, tablet or ring? What’s the reality?
19:00 Lack of cleanliness is NOT a factor in increased UTIs.  In fact – women are OVER cleaning themselves!
21:00 Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP)– Melanie’s “House” explanation nails what is going on!
23:00 What are the options for (POP)?  (Prolapse is subjective – the question is…how much does it bother you or affect your lifestyle?)
26:26 Bowel disorders – this topic is tough to talk about for so many!   We’ve underestimated the scope of this challenge.
28:00 Melanie shares the options – dietary and surgical.   InterStim II Neurostimulator  (pace maker type unit for the bladder). She’s been working with this device for more than 9 years and sees good results.
31:00 What type of healthcare practitioner should you look for?  Consider a multi-pronged approach – do your homework.

32:29 Work to find the right fit for you!  Don’t be afraid to have the conversation and keep at it until you find the alignment with the right practitioner.
33:03 A safe and awesome website: education, providers, tools – NAFC.ORG
35:35 Final thoughts from Rhonda – there is help available, there are options, and you’re not alone.
38:00 Final thoughts from Melanie – “You cannot find peace by avoiding life.” (Michael Cunningham) Melanie’s favorite quote – don’t miss out on life!

Looking for a safe/private place to ask your questions about perimenopause and menopause?
Check out our PRIVATE Facebook group.
Click on the image below to get started.

That’s the question, isn’t it?!

The media does a great job at confusing us sometimes.  For many years, women were told that hormone replacement therapy had some ill effects, especially if there is a family history of breast cancer.

A new study shows that women who took HRT 18 years ago are no more likely to die of anything than women who did not.

Well, that’s great news!

But there will always be confusion about hormone replacement therapy.  It’s complicated and every women is unique.  There is NO one size fits all solution in this situation.

Of course there’s a lot more to consider than just re-introducing your fleeing estrogen back into your body.  I recommend working with a practitioner who has experience with bio-identical hormones. 

There is also another delivery form called hormone replacement pellet therapy.  And there are some definite pros and cons to this method.  And that’s exactly why I was compelled to create a podcast all about it.

It’s true that women produce testosterone.  But the acceptable ranges in women are very low.  The normal range for women is 9-55.  While ranges for men are much higher; 250-790.

At menopause, as estrogen leaves a women’s body, her other hormones shift to compensate for this change. In order to account for this imbalance, hormone replacement therapy is one strategy to consider.

Now, a popular anti-aging strategy administers testosterone to women which can be concerning on many levels. Women aren’t able to tolerate testosterone in high levels. Also, marketing “over- promises” are on overdrive in some of the medi-spas and anti-aging establishments.

Just because testosterone is said to increase energy, libido and muscle mass doesn’t mean that giving a women more than she needs or can handle will work.

In fact, in my clinic, I’ve seen the opposite.  And it’s quite distressing.

The unwanted side effects of too much testosterone can be uncomfortable and frustrating.

Too much testosterone is NOT a good thing.

Let’s look at some of the undesirable side effects of too much testosterone.

It may increase mood swings.  No one needs those!

Another side effect is heightened libido.  But, hang on a minute here before you get too excited.  It can be the kind that makes you feel like a 17 year old boy which may not be the best for your marriage or your partner.  Yes, I said, “boy”.  For some women, too much testosterone causes them to think about sex all the time, kind of like a 17 year old boy.  Hmmm, talk about unintended consquences!

Also, unwanted physical changes like increased facial hair and an engorged clitoris are possible unwanted side effects. In some cases, the engorged area is painful and extrmemely uncomfortable.

My recommendation on testosterone pellet therapy…buyer beware!

:33 Why would a women need Hormone Replacement Therapy?
1:05 Can a women be on HRT in perimenopause?
1:55 Top symptoms to watch for now.
3:00 Estrogen drops rapidly at menopause.
3:37 Testosterone plays a role as well and may cause unwanted symptoms (irritability, insomnia, unwanted facial hair, and loss of hair (like male pattern baldness).
4:28 Women who have had hysterectomies (with uverectomy – ovaries removed), tend to have low testosterone.
5:45 How is HRT delivered to a woman? (How the hormone is being delivered in the body) Rhonda explains oral, bio-identical (cream form), troche (under the tongue).
6:42 Oral estrogen is not advised (per the research); Rhonda explains why.
7:41 Pellet Therapy – what is it and how does it work?
8:23 Why Rhonda prefers pellet therapy for men related to testosterone but not for women.
10:47 Testosterone ranges for men and women and why it’s important to understand the difference.
12:23 Women were not meant to feel like a 17 year old boy!  Testosterone pellets put women’s ranges way out of their normal range which has many adverse effects.
13:03 What physical changes really happen to a women who receives HRT testosterone pellets?
14:36 The correct way to work with your practitioner for HRT pellet therapy.  Caution – the “medi-spa” businesses may not have all of the pieces in place for optimal results!
19:05 Why Rhonda starts with low doses of bio-identical hormones and what she’s learned over 20 years of treating women.
19:48 High doses of testosterone may cause production of “bad” estrogen in some women.
20:57 Rhonda’s final thoughts and advice on HRT Pellet Therapy.

Want a safe place to ask questions and seek support on perimenopause and menopause?
Join our private Facebook Group.
Click the link below to get started.  Ladies only! 🙂

Rhonda practices functional medicine.  To find a practitioner near you (in the United States) click on the button below.

The best exercise in menopause is one you enjoy!

But sometimes, it’s difficult to even think about exercise when menopause symptoms like mood swings, migraines and hot flashes (just to name a few occupy your daily life.

If you’ve never exercised regularly prior to menopause, it is time to get moving.  If you are an over-exerciser (yes, it IS a thing!) rethinking exercise during menopause is an area you need to consider. Opting in for more movement will make the entire perimenopause and menopause experience easier time for you.

But in order to really turn the corner on exercise during perimenopause/menopause you need to understand your “exercise why”.  Then, you can connect the WHY with the HOW to put it all together.

Episode Time Stamps – jump to certain parts of the episode or listen to the whole thing.

2:35  Melanie explains the reason “no pain/no gain” philosophy for women in menopause is all wrong.

5:35 Finding your exercise why – the benefits will trickle down to the rest of your life.

9:00 The “WHY” is connected to the “HOW”

Melanie’s tips:

22:09 Rhonda’s recommendations for breakfast for menopausal women (fat/protein in the morning.) Suggestions inside for breakfast ideas that will help balance your insulin levels in the morning.  Starchy carbs in the evening meal (like sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice) help balance cortisol levels in the evening for better sleep.

26:20 Learn Rhonda and Melanie’s #1 knowledge bomb about weight gain around the middle. (hint – lack of sleep and lack of activity are two of the culprits).

29:37 (vat and scat fat) – subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue – learn how these things shift as we age and how to minimize the negative effect.

31:00 Melanie’s exercise advice – exercises that strengthen bone and muscle (weight lifting, walking, yoga, tai chi).  Don’t be afraid to push a little harder and make the time you have to work out work for you.  Shorter more intense work outs (swim a lap easy, swim a lap hard, etc.)  Helps with boredom!

32:40 Rhonda’s final thoughts and words of encouragement.

34:25 Melanie’s closing thoughts and words of wisdom.  (Everything in the middle can look like failure – how you react to setbacks will help you form a growth mindset.)

Listen to the Podcast OR Watch the Video
(Click the image below to watch.)

Melanie Carvell, PT, is a certified Worksite Wellness Consultant and also the author of “Running with the Antelope; Life, Fitness and Grit on the Northern Plains.”

Melanie is an accomplished triathlete who is a six-time All American, representing USA Triathlon on eight World Championship teams and winning a bronze medal in Germany in 1999. She has trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center with the national cycling team, was named North Dakota’s Sportscasters/Sportswriters Athlete of the Year, chosen as the North Dakota Prairie Rose State Games Athlete of the Year, and received the “Picture of Health” award from the State of North Dakota as a top leader in women’s health. Melanie was also chosen as Sanford Health’s “Manager of the Year” in 2016.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

Example of “shrinking the change” Dr. Miriam Voss – from Emery University her research looking at taking one thing (in this case, beverages).

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Other Die – Chip and Dan Health

Looking for a safe and private place to ask questions and seek support?
Click the image below and join our PRIVATE Facebook Group.

Vaginal dryness? Low libido? Yikes!

In addition to the mood swings, hot flashes and weight gain, there’s other symptoms on your list that might be causing you worry these days.  Would you ever imagine that these topics would be anything you would need to consider?  But they are for many women.  And, it’s may embarrassing and hard to talk about.

These issues associated with a women’s nether regions can be one of the biggest concerns during  menopause.  Of course there are others to think about too with this area like vaginal prolapse, urinary incontinence, and inability to orgasm which are topics for another podcast/post.  Stay tuned!

During perimenopause, typically around your mid 40s things begin to transform as estrogen levels decrease.

As your menstrual cycle begins to shift which is a natural progression, your vaginal area goes through some changes.

Due to the change of hormones, as estrogen begins to leave your body, the tissue of your vaginal walls become thinner.  Along with this thinning, intercourse, as you might imagine, may be painful.

This episode is packed with information on this delicate topic.  You can jump to a specific time stamp or listen to the entire episode.

(3:03)   Learn why the statement, “it still works, it’s just dry” makes us mad.  It’s more complicated than that!
(3:50)   Why vaginal tissue is changing.
(4:30)   A high percentage of women have this issue.
(4:50)   Dryness in younger women may occur with birth control use.
(5:58)   Vaginal wrinkles? The reason…a change in hormones.
(6:20)   Surges in libido/sex drive?  Why does this happen?
(7:11)   Does this change happen gradually or all at once?
(8:00)   Holistic strategies are the best approach.
(8:55)   The high risk of divorce and vicious cycle with your sex life.
(10:16) Get real with your partner.
(11:15) Rhonda’s Lifestyle Formula (Adrenal support required!)
(12:30) Natural Strategy – Julva Cream – it’s kind of magic!
(15:26) What is the O’Shot?
(16:00) How does the ThermiVa treatment work? How long does it last?
(19:03) Why is Mighty Maca a good supplement to use for this symptom?
(20:24) Rhonda’s closing thoughts and words of encouragement.

But, don’t worry!  There are MANY natural strategies to help with these bothersome symptoms.  We talk about all of these tips and more in the podcast.

Click the image below to grab your FREE download and learn more.

Looking for a safe and supportive place to ask your perimenopause/menopause questions?
Please join us!
Click the image below to get started.

Practicing gratitude during menopause might not be what you would expect as a natural strategy. But don’t be too quick to discount this idea.  The mental and physical benefits might surprise you. Gratitude: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. But practice gratitude now?  You might say, “I feel so crappy!  Mood swings, night sweats, anxiety, weight gain and more.  I’m supposed to be grateful now?!” Well, yes.  And here’s why.

The benefits of practicing gratitude are nearly endless.  People who regularly practice gratitude by taking time to notice and reflect upon the things they’re thankful for experience a lot of great stuff! For example,

Here’s how Harvard Medical School describes gratitude: “A thankful appreciation for what an individual received, whether tangible or intangible.  With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives…As a result, gratitude also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals – whether to other people, nature or a higher power.“

Episode Breakdown (Jump to a particular section of the podcast if you want!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8964envYh58

Click the image below 

Are feelings of self-doubt, lack of confidence or not knowing your life’s purpose crushing your spirit?

It can happen at different times for many women.  You may hold yourself to unattainable standards or worse, believe all of the negative waves that beat down on you from media related to aging.

You’re too old to be doing that, dressing like that, trying that. You’re not thin enough, successful enough, sexy enough, or patient enough.

Enough already!  Trust me, not everyone is as happy as they appear on social media! 😉

During the transition of perimenopause and menopause, (as you approach your mid-40s when your perimenopause symptoms may start to show up (disrupted sleep, irregular menstrual cycles, mood swings, anxiety, hot flashes, etc.) there is more going on than you think.

These years are supercharged with change in everything; emotional, physical and spiritual.  (Seriously, that one is an understatement!) There’s a lot going on and negative talk and self-sabotage may become worse.  Most women aren’t ready or prepared to handle many of the issues associated with this time in our lives.

Well, let’s fix that!

https://youtu.be/x_lQeYPhJvU

Katrina McGhee, will inspire and motivate you no matter where you are in your journey.  She is the founder of Loving on Me, a global empowerment movement that inspires and motivates women to be who they were created to be.

In her new book, “Loving on Me – Lessons learned on the journey from MESS to MESSAGE”, Katrina shares how you can break free from the status quo for good.  Discover how to get more out of life than just going through the motions, and be ignited to live fully, completely and abundantly!  (She even has a free 12 week video learning series included.)

Founder Katrina McGhee recognized the need to redefine herself when, in 2012, an unexpected crisis caused her to abruptly leave her dream job.

As she raced to find out what she should DO, she realized, through God’s grace, that she needed to find out who she should BE.

That led to a radical evolution in thinking – she realized that value and worth are NOT determined by the good things we do.  Our value to this world comes from being the person we are created to be.

That is why she founded Loving on Me, a global movement that encourages women to love themselves more, to own their power to choose and to boldly embrace their divine assignment.

Katrina says, “For when we accept who we were created to be, our whole world explodes with possibility.”

Pretty cool, huh!

In this episode, we are thrilled to interview absolute dynamo and force for good, Katrina McGhee.

Here’s a peek into our conversation with time stamps if you want to jump to a certain part.

(2:15)      Why she started “Loving on Me” – to  teach women how to lead in every aspect in life.

(2:45)      Why Rhonda is recommending Katrina’s new book to some of her patients who need to hear this message!

(3:33)     How Katrina’s message inspires and impacts lives from 20s somethings to people in their 70s because life changes in every season.

(5:00)      Practical tips about actions you can take right now.

(5:45)      The role of grief in menopause.  There are many changes which can also be perceived as a loss.

(7:39)      “Grow” through things vs. “go” through them.

(8:00)      “I Am Enough” concept explained.  As women, from the “womb to the tomb there is a war on our self-worth.” Amen!

(10:10)     Katrina’s tips for women who struggle with the “I Am Enough” concept.(12:32)     Rhonda’s Tip for lifting depression.

(14:09)     Rhonda’s secret to mid-life happiness.

(15:09)     What Katrina’s got going on at Loving on Me that you might be interested in checking out!

(16:44)    Go Get Your More – a FREE 52 week video series to unlock what God has in store for you.

(18:02)    Power in telling our own stories – don’t compare yourself to others; it’s about being who YOU were created to be.

(18:44)    When you pursue your passion; your purpose will be revealed.

(20:14)    Currently writing her second book, Katrina shares why these two books were not what she set out to write.

(20:24)    The power of forgiveness; healing from a health perspective and when it happens during a season of change.

(25:08)    It is a great time to mentor younger women as part of our transition; a knowledge transfer to the next generation.  Secret: The thing that millennials get right.

(26:00)   Finding the positive parts of menopause.

(28:14)   The value in your unique body of experience – share it!

(30:52) Rhonda’s final thoughts/challenge:  You’re never too old to do anything you WANT to do!

Check out this AWESOME video with “badas* female role models about accomplishing big things at any age.

Rhonda’s challenge for you: Loving on me first and then spreading to others.

(A daily challenge for you) Each morning think, “How am I going to make someone’s day today?”

(29:30) Katrina’s final thoughts about loving yourself in this season.

Best tip: You set the tone for your day!  Surround yourself with positive affirmations.  Don’t let others dictate how you will feel.