Life is the joy we create, the peace we feel, and the health we maintain.

Menopause should not stand in the way of this when a woman knows how to keep living.

Unfortunately, some of us fear reaching the age of menopause, thinking our beauty will fade, our wrinkles will show, our bodies will change, and our health will decline.

The term is originally used to describe reproductive changes in females, when the end of fertility is traditionally indicated by the permanent interruption of menstruation. Menopause may be easily understood as the opposite of the onset of menstruation.

Menopause, as well as the postmenopausal stage, are natural changes—not a disease or a disorder. Let this period of our life be an easy challenge, not a difficult one.

Be strong in the face of the different changes that will occur. Do not be confused, anxious, afraid, or worried that something abnormal is happening to you.

For me, menopause has been the happiest age. I didn’t listen to my fears and anxiety and to what happened with other women. I listened to my doctor and his advice, and I followed the treatment that he gave me, which consisted of soya-based products.

I am not the first woman in the world who goes through this, but I have changed my perspective, and I look at this from a new insight to be able to embrace this new period.

Here’s how I’ve been holding up:

>> First of all, I accept my menopause without complaining, and I like to call it “the age of hope.” I decided not to say that I am going to lose my looks or youth. I renew my mind and myself to be better in all situations.

>> I’m following a diet to stay healthy and fit. Staying in good shape helps us fight diseases, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Movement, as simple as jogging, swimming, or gardening, can help us stay fit and happy.

>> I also make sure to visit the beauty parlor every now and then, get a makeover, and go to the hairdresser for a new haircut and color. I also take good care of my skin and avoid heavy makeup. I now feel that I am younger and prettier.

>> I set new goals that make me feel that I haven’t given up yet. I pursue new hobbies and new interests that I like and that help me block negative thoughts concerning menopause (including the ideas that other women share about suffering from hot flashes and other effects). Each body is different and can feel differently. I spend time reading, and I am picky when it comes to choosing what kind of books to read. I love what brings me peace and joy and adds amusement to my life. I stay away from books that discuss menopause, and I check with my doctor whether to read them or not.

>> Some women complain about their sex drive and libido being affected. We should discuss this with our partner and let them know about the hormonal fluctuation, so that enjoying our sex lives is not impossible. It is marvelous to feel like teenagers when we kiss, hold hands, and touch each other. Rekindle the romance by reading poems, painting, singing, cooking, and even shopping together.

>> Always renew your personal style and choose clothes that will make you look younger.

>> Surround yourself with positive friends who have positive views and energy toward life. Go out together, have picnics, go dancing, laugh, go clubbing.

>> Always pray, surrender, and learn acceptance. I ask God to teach me how to accept his will and live without counting my years and without thinking about sickness and fatal illnesses that may occur with age. The risk is there, but we all have different destinies and different bodies.

Let us not live waiting for life to end.

Live every year waiting for your next one, and be the rose in the spring of your life.

Also, remember that nothing is worth your unhappiness—including age.