Grief, Menopause and the Future You Didn’t Get | Season 1 | Episode 8

Melissa opens up about losing her husband Michael suddenly at 47, and what it's like to grieve a whole imagined future while also navigating perimenopause, financial uncertainty, and a complete identity reset. The conversation moves between raw and funny the way real life actually does, touching on anger, changing friendships, and what it means to stop pretending you're fine. Lisa brings in some research on estrogen and the brain that reframes a lot of what these women have been feeling. This episode feels like sitting in a kitchen with three friends who are not going to let you feel crazy or alone.---Chapters:00:00 - Welcome and what we're getting into today01:04 - Flash and Tell: Melissa's mom's care package (and the beads)03:25 - Flash and Tell: Suzanne's face, gravity, and group chat honesty04:33 - Flash and Tell: Lisa's night out and the ladies who got kicked out07:19 - Deep dive begins: grief, perimenopause, and the future you didn't get08:06 - Melissa shares her story: losing Michael13:02 - Processing the loss and figuring out what was grief vs. perimenopause15:04 - Saying his name: birthday traditions and keeping people alive17:12 - Changing from the inside out and the people who can't keep up19:33 - Lisa on leaving her career and the friendships that didn't survive it21:24 - Being angry is allowed, and what comes after25:24 - Lisa on the science: estrogen, the hippocampus, and grief stored in your body29:11 - Hot takes and closing: lean into your people