Menopause - The Real Deal

Menopause Is Not the End: Starting Again in Midlife with Ildikó Sealey

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What if the masterpiece you're meant to create wasn't in your twenties but in your second act, and it's only just getting started? 

This time Michelle speaks with Ildiko Sealey, creator of the podcast New Business in Later Life and The Routine Club. Ildiko is proof that reinvention doesn't come with a deadline, detailing her journey from art school and social housing to studying textiles and training as an adult educator. Along the way, she began to understand her own neurodivergence. Now, she mentors entrepreneurs to prioritise their health and mindset so they can sustain what they're building. We talk about starting over in midlife, the unexpected side of menopause, identity shifts, confidence crashes, and how to rebuild when life hands you a blank canvas.

Ildiko Discusses

  • How she came to London, worked in social housing for 14 years, and then returned to university at age 38 to pursue textiles, gaining confidence and life experience that shaped her current path.
  • How the severe brain fog was by far the hardest symptom to cope with, making thinking difficult on a minute-by-minute basis for over a year.
  • HRT side effects like breast tenderness, 6 kg of weight gain, and the return of pre-menstrual emotional symptoms which led her to stop, opting instead for Evening Primrose Oil which helps manage emotional imbalance.
  • Her pivot to business coaching, driven by the realisation that her own strength was her morning routine
  • How her podcast was inspired by being asked how it felt to be 50 and realising that if she didn't pursue her dreams now, when would she? 

    • BEST MOMENTS

    "It was literally like with 20 years life experience, it was like going back to being like 18. It was absolutely fabulous."

    "Brain fog. For me, that was by far the hardest thing to cope with... I would literally take a breath to say something, and by the time I finished taking a breath, I would forget what I was going to say."

    "I do fully embrace that my business will only ever be as healthy as I am."

    "You need to be determined to do it. Then you take the action, then you get the result, and that gives you that, 'Wow, I've done it!' and then you go again."

    GUEST LINKS

    Ildiko Sealey - https://www.encorepreneurs.club/

    HOST BIO

    Michelle is a highly respected Physiotherapist and Menopause Wellbeing Practitioner with over two decades of experience in the health and wellness industry. After experiencing seven years of debilitating symptoms herself before realising it was perimenopause, Michelle has since dedicated her career to helping other women navigate this transformative stage of life. Her personal journey fuels her passion for educating and empowering women, as well as training businesses and health professionals through her specialised menopause and wellbeing workshops. 

    A best-selling author and sought-after speaker, Michelle combines deep clinical expertise with relatable, real-world experience. Through her podcast, "Menopause - The Real Deal," she offers evidence-based guidance, authentic conversations, and practical strategies. Listeners trust Michelle for her empathetic understanding and her commitment to helping women thrive, making her a leading voice in the menopause space.


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    My Book: You, me conquering perimenopause & menopause https://amzn.eu/d/hCcbjag

    Website www.panaceapause.co.uk

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    Menopause - The Real DealBy Michelle Rowlinson