Menopause makes us bold, like these garden flowers, who went summer nuts outside my kitchen window.
We speak up.
We voice our opinions.
We make brave choices.
But…
Menopause makes us mellow too.
We know when to remain silent.
We know how to pick our battles.
We often give up the stressful and the time-consuming.
The trick, the real trick, is figuring out when to choose bold and when to choose mellow.
I don’t always know which way to sway.
This summer, when the orange flowers took over, I debated.
Should I trim them back or let them go nuts?
I let them go nuts.
Does that mean I’m bold? To appreciate such brightness. To let my garden run unruly.
Or am I mellow? To not worry that the flowers towered by leaps and bound over everything else in the garden.
No matter.
The flowers are happy, bright orange happy.
And we had a festive summer together.
What about you?
Is the menopausal you
More mellow?
More bold?
Or a happy combination?
Danko Giveaway: Congrats to lucky Ginger Kay, who won the Dansko Giveaway!
Friend For The Ride 
I like this analogy. I think I vacillate between the two. I hope it’s a (mostly) happy combination!
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Ditto on Cindy’s comments. Beautiful fotos Barbara! And great point. Always a balancing act and sometimes it is easy decision and sometimes not. But being mindful of our choices helps.
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Thank you! I am so excited about the Danskos!
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Wonderful look at the crazy combination of menopausal moods. And gorgeous pictures!
I have to say I’m bolder as I get older, ie; say what I think, sometimes to the consternation of The Mister. Although, my mellow moods do tend to wash over me more often these days. It’s like you say; I know now how to pick my battles and when to just shrug.
I think I’m settling into a comfortable combination of ‘older bolder’ and ‘menopause mellow.’
Great post, Barbara!
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Lovely analogy and pretty flowers. I think I am mellow and bold. I set my New Years resolution to think before I speak or try to and not to react especially to people who love a reaction. It is easier than I anticipated!
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