Menopause Taught Me to Slow Down – Reiki Showed Me How

As an ex-military linguist and subsequently an accountant working in the very male electrical and recycling industries, I’ve spent most of my life on fast forward.

I was constantly striving to do more, achieve more, keep going…that never ending cycle of a woman trying to fit into a male environment.

The result?

Burnout.

I’ve never officially been told this, but looking back I can see it as clearly now as the back of my hand.

And I know this because of the journey I’ve been on through menopause.

It’s been really really hard for me to fully embrace slowing down because I’ve been so use to living on constant alert…always thinking about the things I have to do, the work that’s waiting for me, and always looking forward to the future (something I think a lot of us do…maybe you can relate?)

Now there’s no denying that slowing down is a natural part of the ageing process, but when you’re constantly on the go, there’s a tendency to ignore this and push on through.

But here’s the thing…you might not be able to do this in menopause.

Because apart from the physical transition that menopause takes women through, which in itself can stop you in your tracks and cause chaos in your life, it can also be nature’s way of showing you another way to live…

…she’s an invitation to slow down.

But no one tells you this.

I happened upon it by chance.

I sought solutions to the physical symptoms I experienced like brain fog and fatigue, only HRT didn’t fully help me.

Sure, it helped lift the brain fog slightly, but the HRT journey in itself was like being in the eye of the storm at times…a car crash after a vision impairment whilst driving due to the HRT…post menopausal bleeding resulting in a referral for possible cancer due to the HRT, anxiety, nose bleeds and dizziness…all due to trying to get my HRT dose right.

And that’s really where any support by the NHS (in the UK) ends in my experience.

So then I had to look for other solutions…things to help me lessen the impact menopause was having on me.

I kinda fell across it when I was on my knees in menopause…I suddenly saw a softer slower way of living and I wanted that.

But it’s not that easy to switch off and just slow down and go gently.  Not when your body is use to constantly doing.

It takes time.

It takes patience.

It takes a conscious choice, again and again, to step away from the noise and allow yourself to receive rather than give.

And what works for one person may not work for another…a bit like HRT 😉

So you want to know what worked for me?  What helped me to slow down?

Reiki ✨

Not having it…but becoming qualified in it.

In fact I was so drawn to it that I completed my level 1 before I’d even experienced it myself.

I felt a pull towards the space you enter with Reiki…the quietness that prevails during those moments you’re connecting with spirit…the ability to channel healing where it’s needed.

Something that can’t be rushed…something that forces you to slow down to be fully immersed in it.

Yes, this is what’s helped me to slow down and calm my nervous system…it’s helped to heal me.

Because slowing down is NOT a switch that can just be turned on and off.

It’s a process…a learning…an unfolding of the truth of who you are.

Am I totally accepting of this new way of living in my post menopause era?  No, absolutely not…because I’m human…and it’s a journey that we travel, not a destination.

What it has shown me is that society is geared up to reward the doing, the achieving, the constant surge forward in pursuit of yet another goal.  And to turn your back on this is not so easy, because it’s ingrained in our psyche from a young age.

But all you need to know is there is another way.

There’s a slower way to live.

There’s a slower way to be.

There’s a slower way FULL STOP!

And it’s ok to slow down.  It’s not lazy.  I repeat…it’s not lazy.  We need rest to be the best version of ourselves because you can’t pour from an empty cup.

Hey, so Reiki is my thing, but it could be anything that works for you (by the way I do all of these and they’re incredible at helping you to slow down)…meditation, breathwork practices, yoga, oracle cards…anything that helps you live in the present moment.

Because that really is all we have.

The past is gone.

The future is yet to come.

And for me Reiki helps me live in the present with my mind.  It’s like I can let my thoughts come and go and just be the channel for whatever healing clients need.

If you’d told me 2 years ago I’d be completing my Reiki Master certification this month, I’d have laughed.

If I’d have seen myself using the energy I feel in my hands to pull oracle cards, I’d have laughed.

If I’d thought I’d be talking to my spirit guides regularly, I’d have laughed.

I’d have laughed because the woman who does these kind of things is not the woman who tries to fit into a society that rewards the hustle, the logic, the constant output.

She’s the woman who now chooses presence over productivity with a deeper truth, and a softer rhythm.

And the beautiful thing about the Reiki I deliver is…you don’t have to be in the same room as me to experience its benefits because distant Reiki works beyond time and space – it’s energy, after all.

So whether you’re navigating the fog of menopause, feeling overwhelmed, or simply craving a little peace, distant Reiki offers a sacred pause.

A moment just for you.

And in that stillness, your body remembers how to soften.

Your mind unclenches.

Your spirit exhales.

I’ve created a gentle ritual around each session with intention, connection, and care woven into it all.

If you feel the pull toward rest, toward healing, toward slowing down, I’d be honoured to hold space for you…https://reviveintuitive.kit.com/distant-reiki

With love 💫

Caroline x

#menopause #coach #accountant #reiki #slowingdown