Reclaiming Beauty and Confidence After Menopause: You Are More Than Enough
Dear Readers,
This article is dedicated to you.
Today, we’re going to talk about beauty and femininity. Not the femininity that’s been imposed on you since you were old enough to play with dolls, but the one that makes you feel like a warrior. Femininity is a complex word, open to interpretation, to the point that it often loses its meaning. According to Oxford Language, femininity refers to "qualities or attributes regarded as characteristic of women or girls."
But this definition is so vague. The truth is, each of us has our own understanding of femininity because it’s not just a physical state, but a deeply social and cultural concept. It’s about how you feel in your own skin.
Femininity: A Personal Definition
For some, femininity and beauty are deeply personal concepts, shaped by their own beliefs. For others, these ideas come from their culture or family. What’s fascinating is that different beauty standards often contradict each other. Some see makeup as a way to enhance beauty, while others view it as a form of deception. Some appreciate curves, while others reject them.
In the end, the women who truly feel beautiful and confident aren’t the ones who conform to societal beauty standards but those who have defined their own standards of femininity and beauty. After all, it’s called self-confidence for a reason—because it comes from within you. You are the only barrier between yourself and the acceptance of your femininity and beauty.
How to Feel Beautiful on Your Terms
So, how do you embrace this? I’ve always believed that feeling beautiful and feminine starts with taking care of yourself, no matter what that looks like for you. It could mean putting on makeup, cooking a healthy meal, gardening, exercising, or even removing toxic people from your life. Femininity and beauty are yours to define, and what matters most is that you feel good in your body.
Menopause: A Natural Stage of Femininity
Society often tries to make us believe that femininity is tied to the ability to have children and that we lose our “womanhood” the moment menopause enters our lives. This idea is so ingrained in some women that they stop taking care of themselves when they reach this stage. But this could not be further from the truth.
Menopause is not the end of femininity—it is simply a new chapter. Yes, menopause comes with challenges, such as hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, and fatigue. Some women experience joint pain, mood swings, or a decrease in self-esteem. These are real and can be difficult, but menopause is also a natural part of life—just as much as puberty or childbirth.
Embracing the Positives of Menopause
What we often overlook is that menopause also comes with liberation. The end of menstruation is often seen as a relief—no more menstrual pain, bleeding, or the hassle of cycles. The risk of pregnancy is gone, offering freedom to those who no longer want children.
Many women use this phase as an opportunity to focus on their well-being. They adopt healthier habits, take up new hobbies, or reconnect with themselves through practices like exercise or meditation. Menopause can be the beginning of a phase where you feel more confident and comfortable in your own skin, with a deeper understanding of who you are.
Femininity and Menopause: Perfectly Complementary
The real beauty of menopause lies in this newfound freedom. You are no longer bound by society’s expectations of youth or motherhood. Instead, you can embrace the idea that femininity is yours to define, and you can finally let go of the external judgments. The only opinion that matters now is your own. Menopause teaches us that beauty is not about external appearances or fertility, but about how we choose to feel about ourselves.
Perhaps menopause is the time when we are truly free to be who we are, understanding that the only person judging us is ourselves. This is a liberating realization, and it might just be the perfect moment to fully embrace your femininity and beauty.
