When Your Nervous System Is Maxed Out: Menopause, Creativity & Letting Others Be Happy

Some weeks the nervous system runs hot. In this Sunday Shortie of RTDB, I'm talking about windows of tolerance — the space where you can actually feel and function before you tip into overwhelm or shutdown — and what it looks like when menopause keeps shrinking that window without warning.I also get honest about something quieter: the pull to dim someone else's joy when you're depleted. Not out of meanness — out of exhaustion. And what it takes to let other people be happy without making it mean something about you.Then there's Yesteryear. I always thought I was writing the character's postpartum depression. Turns out the page was holding a mirror up to my own state of mind in menopause. The writing knew before I did.In this episode of RTDB:What a "window of tolerance" is, in plain languageWhy menopause narrows that window — and how to notice the edges soonerThe difference between protecting your peace and stealing someone else'sHow my own writing surfaced what I wasn't saying out loudA gentler way to move through a depleted weekKey takeaways:Your window of tolerance isn't fixed — hormones, sleep, and stress move the wallsFeeling depleted doesn't make you a bad person; it makes you humanSomeone else's joy is not a withdrawal from your accountThe creative work you make often reflects you before you're ready to lookYou don't have to fix the whole feeling — you can just name where you areWhat is a window of tolerance? The range where your nervous system can handle stress and emotion without tipping into overwhelm (hyperarousal) or shutdown (hypoarousal).How does menopause affect emotional regulation? Hormonal shifts can narrow that window, making it easier to feel flooded or flat with less provocation than before.What does "stealing someone's joy" mean? Diminishing another person's happiness — often unconsciously, when you're depleted — instead of letting their good moment exist on its own.Learn more about The Thrive Collective at thrivewithchristy.com