CHANGE AND RENEWAL DURING MENOPAUSE

My artwork revolves with the seasons. Much of my work focuses on the changes of the landscape and the garden throughout the year. I use the seasons as metaphors for life stages and at this stage of perimenopause and menopause we are getting ready to enter the autumn of our lives. 

I love the autumn. After the heat and energy of summer, there is a return to balance. At the end of the summer though I feel frazzled – too many weekends away, too much sun, not enough sleep! It’s a bit like the burn-out of perimenopause.  

The autumn offers up days that balance the night, cooler weather, and a more regular routine. I love to watch the stars again and tracking the waxing and waning moon in a velvety night sky. There are the trees to admire, leaves to collect and a crispening of mornings. Later in the month as the leaves drop, I love to kick through a rusty pile and hear the change of the seasons.   

As I write this, I realise I need to find this autumn energy as I approach menopause. I need to look for the light in the dark and move into a season of simple pleasures. 

A large part of my artwork is Autumn based work. It is a palette I love, and the work evolves from the resources I gathered in the summer months. There’s an authenticity to the work that has evolved from a moment in nature, captured in a sketch, plotted as a design and evolved into a finished landscape. There’s a melancholy attached to having winter around the corner, but I take solace in the celebrations along the way – in Halloween and Bonfire night – celebrations that are around gathering, being in nature, about food and family and friends. And I love getting my boots on and layering up! 

Like my work, my wardrobe is layered. It is full of autumn tones, burnt orange is a favourite colour along with teal. I love colour blocks and a hint of pattern. I’m happy in a hat and scarf as the temperature in the studio drops. Curating a wardrobe that works for the darker days ahead, keeping hold of colour, adding layers of cotton and wool for warmth and comfort – that’s part of my preparations for this season. 

Looking good every day is, for me an impossibility! But I want to feel good and ready for anything. There are plenty of days where my focus is on what I am doing rather than what I look like! I’m a mum, artist and businesswoman so different days call for different hats. Like with my artwork, it took a long time to accept my dress style as my own and to enjoy it. I guess I’d call it hippy-chic meets granny-style

Why do I tell you this? Because at this time of change and renewal, we get to decide who we are, who we want to be. Redefining how we dress, embracing a wardrobe of colour, or curating a style that expresses who you are in your boldness, all helps you step into a new version of you. 

Preparing for winter brings me comfort as I look ahead to the pleasures of a winter fire, a walk on a crisp day. I love a plan that brings me home to a slow-cook stew. In the darkest days of lockdown, I wore a lot of grey and navy and I’m resolving to wear more colour this autumn and winter to keep heart and soul buoyant. My palette is full of squished berry shades, denim, ochre, burnt orange and plum. There’s also the challenge of being brave when we express ourselves – having the courage of our convictions to wear the hat, or dress, or shoes that seemed such a good idea when we bought them. Do you wear the colours of your soul? Or do you dim your light

I always talk about creativity as a holistic pursuit. If you are feeling life block, surprising your soul by feeding the senses can kickstart a sense of wellbeing. Dressing creatively can be a part of this, so if you’ve been feeling detached from yourself, an evening spent layering colour, pattern and textures in your wardrobe can lead to some creative confidence. Thinking about how we style ourselves can help nurture how we create and express ourselves. It may seem fickle but how we feel about ourselves can have a huge impact on how confident we feel. It can help us step into new shoes, ready for the autumn ahead. 

For more creative ideas to calm your mind, re-discover yourself or simply have fun during your pausal journey from Helen Hallows - click on the image below: