My Menopausal Muse: Finding Clarity, Calm, and Creativity in the Fog

My menopausal journey began without warning. At 47, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I started experiencing daily dizziness and imbalance. Amid homeschooling, launching a new business, and global upheaval, I chalked it up to stress. An MRI was ordered—no mention of menopause. Looking back, I now recognize those early symptoms as the beginning of perimenopause, a phase I knew nothing about at the time.

Perimenopause caught me off guard. With no frame of reference or language for what I was experiencing, I struggled. It’s almost laughable now—considering how much I’ve since learned, read, and written about menopause and the creative spark it can ignite. Through that period, I instinctively turned to three things to feel grounded: walking outside, breathing deeply, and making things with my hands (and for me, this is anything with yarn).

As I began sharing this message with others, I noticed a powerful link: creativity helped me manage my mental health. Knitting, weaving, and teaching others to create became not only my outlet—but my anchor.

Cognitive changes like “brain fog” are common in menopause. I’ve blanked in meetings, felt anxious, and even hesitant to drive. Over 60% of women experience these cognitive shifts, which stem from declining estrogen affecting memory, focus, and mood. It can feel destabilizing—but there’s a flip side.

Menopause can also be a creative awakening. As estrogen levels decline, the brain undergoes a kind of neurological “renovation,” potentially leading to greater emotional resilience and introspection. Many women report a renewed focus and passion for creative expression in midlife.

To help tap into this creativity, I offer my go-to strategy: The 3 M’s – Movement, Mindfulness, and Making.

• Move: Regular exercise (especially walking and lifting some weights) supports brain health and improves mood and memory while protecting your bones.
• Be Mindful: Breathing techniques like box breathing calm the nervous system and clear mental space.
• Make: Creativity lives in the doing. Whether it’s doodling, gardening, cooking, or crafts—find your version of “yarn” and give it time.

Menopause is not just an ending—it’s a beginning. Through creativity, we can navigate the fog and find meaning, joy, and growth.

What’s your “yarn”? What soothes and centres you? I’d love to hear.

- Carmen xo