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September is Menopause Awareness Month.

Does that make you nervous?

There are plenty of menopause stories around. Most, rather than celebrate the end of a woman’s monthly cycles, demonize menopause with tales of hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, vaginal dryness, thinning hair, sleep disturbances, mood swings and more.

But menopause is not something to fear. There are things to celebrate about it. Here are just a few.

1. No more wondering if we’ll bleed. Before menopause comes perimenopause, a span of time when periods become erratic and bleeding might be heavier and less predictable than normal. Menopause puts an end to all that and an end to deliberating about whether we can or should wear those white pants or lug around a supply of feminine products “just in case.
2. A boost of self-assurance. Remember feeling self-conscious, unsure, less-than or inferior? Without monthly periods, pregnancy risks, mood swings and PMS woes to occupy our minds and moods, women often feel more empowered and capable both in their personal and professional endeavors. A greater sense of confidence accompanies childrearing, marriage, relationships, careers and just … life.
3. An opportunity to reexamine your life. The anthropologist Margaret Mead used the term “menopausal zest” to refer to that time when women experience a rush of both physical and psychological energy and renewed vigor. Menopause allows us the opportunity to take stock of things, along with gaining influence in workplace, family and political worlds. We can better trust our intuition and instinct to guide us, no longer satisfied with the status quo of yesterday. We feel empowered to take more risks.