Most women are taught to think of perimenopause as hot flashes, night sweats, and irregular periods.

But what if the signs are not always that obvious?

In this episode, I’m talking about the symptoms women don’t always realize could be connected to hormonal changes — the weird, frustrating, confusing symptoms that can creep in slowly and make you feel like your body is becoming unfamiliar.

I also share a personal update about my own experience with burning tongue, severe itching, low estrogen, and what happened after I advocated to add estrogen into my HRT plan.

This episode is not medical advice, and it is not about assuming every symptom is hormonal. It is about learning to pay attention, noticing what is new for you, and understanding that perimenopause can be a whole-body transition — not just a reproductive one.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why hormones are chemical messengers that affect so much more than periods and hot flashes
• How symptoms can creep in slowly before you ever think “perimenopause”
• Burning tongue, itchy skin, sleep changes, anxiety, brain fog, joint pain, libido changes, and more
• Why women often dismiss symptoms until their body gets louder
• The fear of bringing symptoms up and being dismissed
• The emotional side of entering a new chapter and leaving behind the childbearing years
• Why “this is new for me” is an important sentence to start using
• How to stop making your symptoms mean something bad about you

This episode is for the woman who keeps saying, “I don’t feel like myself,” but doesn’t know where to put that feeling.

Your body is not being dramatic.

It may just be trying to get your attention.

For decades, women were taught to fear hormone replacement therapy.

Many of us didn’t know where that fear came from. We just knew the message: hormones are dangerous.

In this episode of Rise Before You’re Ready, I continue my BHRT journey by talking about the fear I carried around hormone therapy, the Women’s Health Initiative study that shaped public opinion, and why so many women have suffered because they were never given the full conversation.

This episode is not about convincing every woman to take hormones. It’s about education, self-advocacy, asking better questions, and understanding that women deserve more than fear when it comes to their health.

I also shares what I learned about estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA, and why understanding what these hormones actually do can help women have better conversations with their practitioners.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• Why so many women are afraid of hormone replacement therapy
• How the 2002 Women’s Health Initiative shaped the conversation around HRT
• Why headlines created fear that lasted for decades
• How women’s symptoms are often brushed aside as stress, aging, or “normal”
• Why perimenopause and menopause education matters
• What estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA can affect in the body
• Why women need to research, ask questions, and advocate for themselves
• The difference between making decisions from fear and making decisions from information
• Why no one knows your body better than you do

Women should not have to suffer in silence because they were never educated about their bodies.

Hormones are not right for everyone, but every woman deserves current information, real conversations, and the ability to make informed decisions about her own health.

Disclaimer

This episode is for educational and personal storytelling purposes only and is not medical advice. Always speak with a qualified healthcare provider about your own symptoms, risks, medical history, and treatment options.

A few months ago, I developed an itch so severe it hurt to wear clothes.

I thought it was a dairy allergy, or a detergent allergy.

Then I thought it was stress.

Then I started wondering if something was seriously wrong with me.

What I never considered was perimenopause.

In this first episode of Season 2, I'm sharing the story that started everything—the symptom that sent me searching for answers, the book that changed the questions I was asking, and the rabbit hole that completely changed how I think about women's health after 40.

This episode isn't about having all the answers.

It's about asking better questions.

If you've ever struggled with symptoms that didn't seem connected, felt like your body was changing, or wondered why the things that used to work no longer do, this conversation is for you. In this episode I'll talk about:

• The mysterious itch that took over my life

• Why I thought I had developed an allergy

• The frustration of having symptoms without answers

• The fitness struggles that led me to Stacy Sims' book Next Level

• The moment I realized some of my symptoms might be connected

• Symptoms such as burning tongue, heart palpitations, itchy skin, sleep issues, and more

• Why women deserve better education about perimenopause and menopause

• The beginning of my hormone health journey

This season is about connecting the dots, reclaiming our health, and learning together in real time.

Because there is still so much life left to live.

And maybe... there's more to the story.

After a short break from the podcast, I'm back—and Season 2 is taking us in a direction I never expected.

What started as one unexplained symptom has turned into a journey of asking bigger questions about women's health after 40, perimenopause, menopause, hormones, strength, energy, and the things nobody seems to talk about until you're living them.

This season isn't about having all the answers.

It's about learning in real time.

Together, we'll explore:

• Perimenopause and menopause
• Hormones and women's health
• Strength training and muscle after 40
• Sleep, energy, and motivation
• Advocating for yourself in the healthcare system
• The questions women should be asking about their health
• BHRT and my personal journey
• What I've learned—and what I'm still learning

If you've ever felt like your body changed and nobody handed you the manual, this season is for you.

Because there's still so much life left to live.

And maybe... there's more to the story.

💛

Coming Next Week

You Don't Know You're in Perimenopause Until You're in It

The story that started all of this:

• The symptom that sent me searching for answers
• The book that changed the questions I was asking
• The rabbit hole that completely changed how I think about women's health after 40

Connect with Rise Collective:
Facebook: Rise Collective
Private Community: The Rise Room
Instagram: @dawnleblanc_risecollective

#WomenOver40 #Perimenopause #Menopause #WomensHealth #BHRT #HealthyAging #StrengthAfter40 #RiseCollective #RiseBeforeYoureReady #MidlifeWomen #HormoneHealth #ReclaimYourHealth

Falling off doesn’t mean you failed.

It means you’re human.

In the final episode of this 4 part series, we’re talking about the part of growth nobody really prepares you for — the moment when you realize you’ve drifted from the habits, routines, and promises you made to yourself.

Maybe life got heavy.
Maybe you got overwhelmed.
Maybe you stopped showing up for yourself the way you wanted to.

And instead of simply getting back on track, you turned it into proof that you can’t change.

This episode is about changing that pattern.

We’re talking about:

• why falling off is not the same as failing
• the damage caused by all-or-nothing thinking
• how to stop restarting from day one every time life happens
• the importance of having a Plan B
• why returning is more powerful than starting over
• how to rebuild self-trust through small promises
• practical steps to take when you feel off track

The goal isn’t to become a woman who never falls off.

The goal is to become a woman who knows how to come back without abandoning herself.

How many times have you told yourself:

“I’ll start over Monday”?

This episode is about the cycle so many women stay trapped in:
Start. Stop. Restart. Repeat.

And the truth is… starting over can feel productive while actually keeping you stuck.

In part 3 of this 4 part series, we talk about:

• Why constantly restarting destroys self-trust
• The difference between falling off and quitting
• Why women often treat one bad day like total failure
• The hidden comfort in “fresh starts”
• How to stop making setbacks mean something about you
• Practical ways to bounce back faster instead of restarting completely

We also dive into:

• The all-or-nothing mindset
• Why perfectionism fuels inconsistency
• How to build a “bounce back” plan for real life
• The mountain analogy that changes how you look at progress

Because changing your life isn’t about never falling off.

It’s about becoming someone who always comes back.

Follow Rise Collective on Facebook and @dawnleblanc_risecollective on Instagram

Everything in one place, including some free gifts:

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If you’ve ever said “I’ll start Monday”… and didn’t…
If you’ve ever put yourself last without even thinking about it…
If you’ve ever felt like you just can’t stay consistent no matter how hard you try…

This episode is for you.

Because the truth is—this isn’t about motivation.

It’s about trust.

In this episode, we go deeper than surface-level habits and talk about what’s actually happening when you keep breaking promises to yourself—and why it’s so common, especially for women who have spent years putting everyone else first.

In part 2 of this 4 part series, we talk about:

• How self-trust is broken (and why it’s not what you think)
• The hidden pattern of self-abandonment
• Why wives and mothers often put themselves last—automatically
• How “life gets busy” becomes a cycle that keeps you stuck
• The difference between being selfish and finally including yourself
• Practical ways to start rebuilding trust with yourself—without starting over

This episode isn’t about doing more.

It’s about becoming someone who finally does what she says she’s going to do.

One small promise at a time.

Because the goal isn’t perfection.

It’s self-trust.

If you keep starting over… this episode is for you.

We’ve been taught to rely on motivation to change our lives—
to wait until we feel ready, energized, inspired enough to finally follow through.

But motivation is a feeling.

And feelings change.

That’s why so many women feel stuck in the same cycle:
Starting strong → falling off → starting again.

It’s not because you’re lazy.
It’s not because you don’t want it bad enough.

It’s because you’re relying on something that was never meant to carry you.

In part 1 of this 4 part series, we’re breaking down what actually creates change— and how to build it in a way that lasts.

• Why motivation is unreliable (and why it keeps you stuck)
• The real reason you struggle with consistency
• How breaking your own word destroys self-trust
• Why discipline isn’t punishment—it’s self-respect
• The cycle of “starting over” and how to finally break it

1. Keep small promises to yourself
   Stop trying to change everything overnight. Start small and rebuild trust through follow-through.
2. Remove the negotiation
   Decide once. Stop debating with yourself every day based on how you feel.
3. Lower the bar to build consistency
   Consistency beats intensity. Do less—but do it regularly.
4. Show up especially when you don’t feel like it
   Discipline is built on the hard days, not the easy ones.
5. Shift your identity
   Become someone who follows through—not perfectly, but consistently.

Motivation will get you started sometimes…
but discipline is what carries you through.

And if you’re tired of starting over…

It’s time to stop waiting to feel like it—
and start becoming someone who follows through.

You don’t need more motivation.

You need a decision.

And then you need to follow through.

Don’t wait until you feel ready.

Rise before you’re ready.

There’s a season of life that no one really prepares women for.

It’s not loud.
It’s not dramatic.
It’s subtle.

Your kids start needing you less.
The house gets quieter.
Your role begins to shift.

And instead of feeling free…

you feel a little lost.

In this episode, we’re talking about the in-between season —
the one where life is changing, but you’re not quite sure who you are inside of it yet.

Because this isn’t just about your kids growing up.

It’s about identity.
It’s about purpose.
It’s about learning how to exist in a life that no longer needs you the same way.

We get into:

• Why this season can feel so uncomfortable (even when nothing is wrong)
• The identity shift that happens when you’re no longer needed in the same way
• The quiet grief that comes with outgrowing a version of your life
• How this transition can impact your relationship
• Why feeling “lost” isn’t actually what’s happening
• How to start reconnecting with yourself — without pressure

This episode is for the woman who:

• Feels a little off… but can’t explain why
• Has more time… but doesn’t know what to do with it
• Is proud of her kids… but still feels like she’s losing something
• Is stepping into a new chapter… and doesn’t quite recognize it yet

You’re not lost.

You’re in between versions of yourself.

And this season?

It’s not empty.

It’s where something new begins.

And as always…

Don’t wait until you feel ready.

Rise before you’re ready. 💛

What if nothing is wrong with you?

What if the anxiety, the exhaustion, the disconnection… isn’t who you are—but what you’ve been living in?

In this episode, I share a deeply personal experience of what it felt like to believe my body was failing me—only to realize I was in an environment that was slowly breaking me down.

From hospital visits and constant anxiety to losing joy, energy, and a sense of self… I thought I needed to fix myself.

But the truth was harder—and more freeing than that.

I didn’t need to fix myself.

I needed to look at where I was. I needed to analyze my environment.

This episode will challenge you to stop blaming yourself and start paying attention to what your body, your energy, and your identity are trying to tell you.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How your environment can impact your physical health and nervous system
• The difference between burnout and emotional depletion
• Why women are conditioned to blame themselves first
• How unsafe environments distort your sense of self

• Why you can’t heal in the same environment that’s hurting you

Key Takeaway:

You are not a broken version of yourself.

You may just be trying to survive in a place that was never meant to support you.

Reflection Questions:

• Is it me… or is it where I am?
• How does my body actually feel in my current environment?
• Where does my energy feel drained the most?
• Who have I become in this space?
• What am I blaming on myself that might actually be a response or reaction to my environment?

Closing Reminder:

You don’t force a flower to grow.

You change the environment… and it blooms.

And as always…
Don’t wait until you feel ready.

Rise before you’re ready. 💛