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Following up on Episode 49: “This Is 50”, I provide listeners with an update on my commitment to “trying all the things” and to “filling up my joy bucket” to help smooth the transition to empty nester that is coming soon. 

I share the story of how I re-discovered my love of writing (which I discussed in last week's podcast with author Ann Dowsett Johnston, who is also my writing coach), and I read a piece (*gulp, this was the scariest thing I've done in a while!) that I hope will resonate with many of the busy women who listen to this podcast, about what we miss out on when we rush through life with the goal of always achieving, and don’t slow down enough to get present for the ordinary, in-between days (where all the joy lives.)

Does your life look great on paper, but it still feels like something’s missing? Grab your free Blueprint for Change Workbook here: ...

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Sarah and I discuss the key things women need to know to advocate effectively for themselves and navigate our complex health care system in midlife, particularly with respect to their perimenopause and menopausal symptoms. Sarah explains why women often require a team of caregivers instead of one doctor, your rights as a patient, the difference between conventional pharmaceutical BHRT and compounded hormones, and what to do if you’re questioning the advice you’ve been given. I share my experience building my own team and navigating the health care system since dropping into full menopause very suddenly in 2020. There are so many great tips in this episode – don’t skip this one!

Grab Wendy and Sarah’s free peri/menopause checklist, here: www.wendymccallum.com/perichecklist

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Inspired by a song called “I’ve Got No More Fuc#$ to Give” that I stumbled across on YouTube,  Sarah and I share how our feeling of having “no more fuc#$ to give” has shown up in our personal and work lives, and how common a headspace this seems to be for all women in midlife.

We discuss why this is happening, from a social, emotional, and hormonal perspective, and what to do about it if you’re feeling guilty about caring less. We also consider whether this midlife phenomenon isn’t really more a “shifting of fuc#$” as opposed to “having less fuc#$”, and how that shifting might benefit you as well as the other people in your life, including your children. Are you the adult you want your kids to become?

Join Sarah and me for a spirited, fun conversation with an important undercurrent: it’s totally OK to start focussing on you again as you move into your...

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On my 50^th birthday, I reflect on my life to date, my fears about hitting 50, and the surprising (and refreshing!) reality that came with the actual day. I share my goals for this decade including my commitment to having “fun for fun’s sake” and “filling up my joy bucket” to help me in the transition to empty nester that is coming soon.

“This is 50” will be a regular installment of the podcast going forward – sometimes featuring a 50-something guest with a story to share around her 50s to date, sometimes an update on my 50^th year, and sometimes a conversation with the always-popular Bite-Sized Balance co-host, Dr. Sarah Baillie.

Free resources here: www.wendymccallum.com/learnwithwendy

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Sarah and I reflect on the first Women Talking Frankly coaching program that we ran in the early summer, including a discussion of our favourite parts and the lessons we learned from the incredible group of women in this first iteration of the missing conversation around women’s burnout, hormones, and midlife.

We talk about new bits of the missing conversation that bear exploring in future episodes, including the complicated nature of women’s libido in midlife, the gifts of pelvic floor therapy, the importance of boundaries when it comes to creating a life you don’t want to escape from, and weight management during perimenopause and menopause.

Grab our free perimenopause/menopause checklist, here: www.wendymccallum.com/perichecklist

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Bite-Sized Balance is back!

In the Season 2 opener, Sarah and I reminisce about how we spent our summer, including our shared “dirty little secret” and our deepening friendship.

We update listeners on our personal hormonal journeys and experiences with hormone replacement therapy and Sarah explains the unexpected possible impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on her cycle.

We discuss the piecemeal nature of care for women in midlife in Canada and the role the patriarchy’s approach to women’s health plays in that.

Grab our new perimenopause/menopause checklist, here: www.wendymccallum.com/perichecklist

Watch the podcast, above, or listen below.

Sarah and I share a very exciting announcement (Women Talking Frankly: The Missing Conversation About Hormones, Burnout, and Midlife is officially open for registration!) and answer a couple of great questions from Bite-Sized Balance listeners around how to close the stress cycle when you get home from work (and it feels like you’re just starting your second job!) and practical steps women can take NOW to improve their sleep during midlife. This episode is jam-packed with useful information on topics we simply don’t talk about enough as women!

WTF Program Info: https://www.wendymccallum.com/wtf

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Dr. Sarah Baillie’s back to answer some fantastic questions from Bite-Sized Balance listeners around how to manage hormonal shifts and some of the common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause better, including increased joint pain, breakthrough bleeding between periods, vaginal dryness and discomfort (“GSM”), and low mood and mood swings.

This episode is jam-packed with useful information on topics we simply don’t talk about enough as women!

FOR MORE INFO AND WAITLIST for the New Group Program WTF (Women Talking Frankly): The Missing Conversation About Hormones, Burnout & Midlife, go to www.wendymccallum.com/list

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Dr. Sarah Baillie’s back to celebrate her “Menoversary” with me and we’re dishing – no holds barred - about our own personal experiences in perimenopause and now “official” menopause. It’s an honest and fun conversation, but there’s also a lot of learning to be had in this episode. Sarah and I discuss many of the tough parts of menopause that we don’t talk about enough – but also the really special gifts & wisdom that come with this midlife hormonal transition. Basically, we share all the stuff that’s happened that we wish someone had prepared us for. Also, I sing. You won’t want to miss this one.