Navigating Perimenopause: My Summer Focus for Wellness and Balance

I have taken a much needed break. I don’t know if it’s because of burnout, overwhelm, or if I was feeling a bit inadequate on this journey in so many ways. It’s likely a combination of all three, but even though I was apprehensive about not posting, I could feel a bit of a load being lifted once the decision was made.

In May, I had a good talk with myself, and a trusted friend, and decided I wanted to shift my focus a bit for the summer. My baby girl was graduating, and doing all the senior things, and it seemed like it was more than I could handle. One thing I’ve noticed in perimenopause is my ability to multitask has been challenged. In the past, I felt like I could work on multiple things at once, but not so much nowadays. So, I continue to learn something all the time during this phase of life, and I’m leaning into listening to my body more.

This summer, my focus was all about achieving wellness and balance during perimenopause so I decided to focus on three things. My mental health, sticking to routines, and family time. My mental health became a focal point for me ever since I experienced what I believe was a depressive state a year and a half ago. At the top of 2025, I knew I wanted to make this a priority for me this year. Consistent walking has been good for me, and I did a new thing this season and planted my first garden with my sister. We chose four items to plant. We do not know what we are doing, and it’s not going well so far, but the experience, laughter, and time together has been good for my mental space. Now, I’m not happy about this garden, and it’s not looking good, but I’m still forging ahead.

Summertime has always changed my routines. The sun helps me wake up earlier, and the lack of school schedule can keep me up late at night. I decided to work hard towards maintaining a consistent sleep routine to help keep my perimenopause symptoms from getting out of whack. The goal is to be in bed by 11 PM, and my routine of taking my magnesium glycinate, and drinking a cup of jujube and Goji berry tea starts about 90 minutes before. Some days are still better than others, but I can see more positive results in maintaining a routine than when I don’t. The goal is consistency in exercise, sleep habits, and anything that helps me in this perimenopause phase.

Last, but not least, is my time with my family. My last child is all finished, and a  major life moment has occurred. I want to soak in all the time and attention they will all give me. This is good for my mental health too, and whether we have adventures planned or we’re hanging out at home, my time with them is crucial. So, while perimenopause isn’t going anywhere just yet, learning how to navigate it in this season is important, and hopefully there are more positive results to come. All in all, I’d say one of the most positive things has been giving myself grace, and realizing it’s ok. My break has been good to me. What things are you doing for yourself this summer?