Menopause Rise and Thrive | Helping Women Navigate Midlife and Menopause

Have you ever said yes to something big—and then found yourself lying awake at night wondering what you’ve gotten yourself into?
That’s exactly where I am right now. I’m getting ready to head to Italy to lead two back-to-back retreats in Tuscany, and even though I’ve hosted international retreats before, I’m nervous. Really nervous.
But I’m realizing that nervousness doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve made the wrong decision. Sometimes, it shows up because we’re doing something that matters deeply to us. And sometimes, it’s a sign that we’ve reached the edge of our comfort zone and are stepping into growth.
In this episode, I’m sharing what this season is bringing up for me—from the responsibility of holding space for 23 women in Italy to navigating the unexpected loss of my dad and the complicated grief that has followed. We’re talking about what happens when nervousness, grief, excitement, and growth all exist at the same time—and why you don’t have to wait until you feel completely calm or confident to keep moving forward.
Because wobbly doesn’t mean wrong. Sometimes, it simply means you’re standing somewhere new.
In this episode:
[0:59] Why I’m nervous about leading two back-to-back retreats in Tuscany—even after years of doing big, uncomfortable things
[2:29] The real reasons this experience feels bigger: 23 women, two retreats, and the responsibility of holding it all
[4:51] Why the things that matter most to us can make us the most nervous
[5:49] How the unexpected loss of my dad has changed the way I’m experiencing this season of growth
[7:43] Why grief, excitement, and nervousness can exist at the same time—and why being capable doesn’t mean always feeling calm
[9:38] Nervousness isn’t always a red flag: how to recognize when you’re simply reaching the edge of your comfort zone
[10:28] The practices helping me stay grounded through grief and uncertainty—and why you don’t have to wait for nervousness to pass before moving forward
[12:08] Why big life shifts can feel wobbly, especially in midlife, and what that discomfort may be telling you
[13:20] Four journaling questions to uncover what’s underneath your nervousness and whether it’s asking you to stop or grow
[15:19] Why you can bring nervousness with you without letting it call the shots—and how this connects to intentionally designing your next chapter
Journal Prompts:
If you’re standing at the edge of something that feels a little scary right now, take five or ten minutes with these questions:
Where in your life are you feeling nervous right now—not worried, but nervous?
What is that nervousness actually about? What’s underneath it?
Is this nervousness telling you to stop, or is it telling you that you’re growing?
What would it look like to bring the nervousness with you instead of waiting for it to go away before you begin?
You don’t have to make the nervousness disappear. You can pack it in your suitcase and bring it along. It just doesn’t get to drive.
Connect with me, Sara Poldmae:
Website: https://risingwomanproject.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarapoldmae
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to share it with someone who needs to hear it. Don't forget to follow, rate, and leave a review—it helps more women find this space so we can all rise and thrive together.

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!

Have you ever stopped to think about how much of your life you’re keeping up with simply because stopping feels harder than continuing?
Maybe it’s drinking the glass of wine you don’t really want because explaining why you’re not drinking feels exhausting. Maybe it’s showing up for the holiday, maintaining the friendship, managing someone else’s family relationships, or taking responsibility for everyone’s feelings because you’ve gotten used to being the one who keeps the peace.
In this episode, I’m talking about the quieter kind of exhaustion that can show up in midlife—the accumulated cost of obligations, expectations, emotional labor, and roles we may not even realize we’ve taken on. Perimenopause and menopause already ask us to navigate so much change, and maybe this season is also an opportunity to start questioning what we’re still carrying and why.
What if the goal isn’t to keep up anymore? What if it’s to catch up with yourself? 
In this episode:
[0:54] The patient conversation that sparked this episode—and the “social tax” of saying no
[2:24] Why we keep doing things we don’t want to do because stopping feels harder
[3:59] The hidden exhaustion of maintaining obligations, relationships, and expectations
[5:16] Why women so often take responsibility for managing other people’s emotions
[6:39] Giving yourself permission to choose what matters most—even if it means canceling plans
[9:09] The question underneath it all: Who are you actually doing this for?
[9:59] How midlife can help us recognize emotional labor that was never ours to carry
[11:28] The connection between stress, exhaustion, and physical symptoms in midlife
[13:52] Your permission slip to let go of friendships, obligations, and family dynamics that no longer serve you
[15:24] One simple practice for noticing what you’re doing from obligation instead of desire
Connect with me, Sara Poldmae:
Website: https://risingwomanproject.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarapoldmae
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to share it with someone who needs to hear it. Don't forget to follow, rate, and leave a review—it helps more women find this space so we can all rise and thrive together.

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!

Have you ever felt like there’s something more waiting for you in midlife—but you have no idea what that “more” is supposed to look like?
Menopause can bring so much more than physical changes. It can shift the way we see our careers, relationships, responsibilities, and even the life we want to be living. In Chinese medicine, menopause is often called our “second spring,” and I love the idea that this season can be a time of renewal—but that doesn’t mean the transformation is always comfortable.
In this episode, I’m coming to you completely unscripted (and literally from bed!) to share some of my own experience of moving through that uncomfortable in-between space. I’m talking about my vision for the next five to seven years, why retreats have become part of that plan, and the simple advice that has helped me when I didn’t know exactly what came next: start small and dabble.
In this episode:
[1:53] What if you stopped waiting? Why this next chapter of life can feel so uncertain after the kids leave, hormones shift, and you begin wondering what you actually want the rest of your life to look like
[2:45] Why menopause is called the “second spring” in Chinese medicine—and how looking at this season as a time of renewal can change the way we think about aging and transformation
[3:21] How our culture of constant busyness can keep us from living intentionally, especially when women are already juggling careers, children, aging parents, and the physical and emotional changes of menopause
[4:20] That feeling that there has to be something more: why you don’t need to have your next chapter figured out yet, whether you’re craving a new hobby, considering a career change, or dreaming about a radically different life
[5:13] The five-to-seven-year vision I haven’t really shared before—and why creating more location independence while continuing to do work I love has become an important goal for me
[6:39] How I’m starting to build that life now through travel and retreats, including my upcoming time in Savannah and Tuscany and plans to host more retreats in 2027
[8:56] Why simply working remotely from somewhere warm didn’t feel like enough—and how I realized retreats could give me both the location independence and meaningful connection I was craving
[9:59] The “cocoon” stage of transformation: what some of my darkest and most difficult years taught me about perimenopause, survival mode, financial pressure, and the uncomfortable process of becoming someone new
[12:02] An important reminder about getting support when darkness becomes too much, whether that means talking with your primary care doctor, exploring medication, working with a therapist, trying cognitive behavioral therapy, or finding other professional support
[12:45] How reading The Pivot Year and creating a morning journaling practice helped me become more intentional and start paying attention to what I wanted from my next chapter
[14:59] The advice that stuck with me when I didn’t know what to do next: just dabble—and why trying something as simple as needlepoint, mahjong, volunteering, or another new interest can create momentum
[16:15] Why a new hobby doesn’t have to become a business or a dramatic life change to matter—and how trying something new can bring unexpected energy and connection into your life
[16:55] How my own retreat journey started by attending retreats myself before I ever considered hosting them—and why you don’t need to make the giant leap before you’re ready
[17:46] My invitation to you if you’re feeling stuck, flat, or ready for something different: reach out, tell me what you’re thinking, and start experimenting with what your own “second spring” could become
Connect with me, Sara Poldmae:
Website: https://risingwomanproject.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarapoldmae
Are you in your own “cocoon” right now? Maybe you know you want something different but have absolutely no idea what that looks like yet. Start small. Try something new. Dabble. You don’t have to figure out your entire next chapter today.
And I’d love to hear what you thought about this more spontaneous, completely unscripted episode! Send me a message and let me know.
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to share it with someone who needs to hear it. Don't forget to follow, rate, and leave a review—it helps more women find this space so we can all rise and thrive together.

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!

Have you ever wondered if the changes you’re noticing in midlife—fatigue, rising cholesterol, changes in blood pressure, or stubborn visceral fat—could be telling you something about your heart?
Heart disease can look very different in women than it does in men, which means symptoms are too often overlooked or dismissed. In this episode, I’m joined by cardiologist Dr. Arash Bereliani to talk about what happens to our cardiovascular health during menopause and what we can do now to protect it.
We’re getting into HRT and heart health, the exercise and nutrition habits that actually matter, supplements, stress and sleep, HRV, and why advocating for yourself could save your life.
In this episode:
[3:11] The biggest myth about women’s heart health—and how decades of research based largely on men still influence the way women are diagnosed and treated
[4:21] Why heart attacks can look so different in women, from nausea and profound fatigue to shortness of breath and jaw pain—and why those symptoms are so easy to dismiss
[6:52] The connection between metabolic health and heart health, and why menopause is a critical time to pay attention to changes in blood sugar, visceral fat, cholesterol, and cardiovascular risk
[10:17] What happens when we lose the cardiovascular protection of estrogen during menopause—and how declining hormones can affect inflammation, cholesterol, and the elasticity of our blood vessels
[13:51] The HRT conversation every midlife woman needs to hear: why timing matters, how oral and transdermal estrogen differ, and what Dr. Bereliani considers when choosing hormone therapy
[17:52] Is HRT cardioprotective? Why Dr. Bereliani doesn’t recommend hormone therapy solely to prevent heart disease—and when he believes the benefits may make sense
[20:10] The four pillars Dr. Bereliani considers essential for cardiovascular health: nutrition, movement, stress reduction, and sleep
[22:28] Why strength training becomes even more important as we age—and the connection between maintaining muscle, insulin sensitivity, metabolic health, bone health, and longevity
[25:38] You don’t have to destroy yourself at the gym to protect your heart: what moderate cardiovascular exercise can look like and why pushing your body too hard may work against you
[27:29] Why the Mediterranean diet continues to stand out for cardiovascular health, plus the importance of fiber, protein, reducing excess carbohydrates, and cutting back on ultra-processed foods
[30:19] The heart-health risk we don’t talk about enough: loneliness and social isolation—and why finding friendship, connection, and community really can be medicine
[32:53] What you need to know before spending money on supplements, including quality and absorption concerns with CoQ10, fish oil, red yeast rice, vitamins, and other commonly used products
[38:23] What your HRV is actually telling you—and why your own trends in exercise, sleep, stress, and recovery matter more than comparing your number to someone else’s
[41:43] Dr. Bereliani’s two take-home messages for women: advocate for yourself when something doesn’t feel right and find a doctor who truly understands preventive cardiovascular care
Links and Resources
Dr. Arash Bereliani, MD, FACC is a board-certified cardiologist and Clinical Associate Professor at UCLA’s Geffen School of Medicine, with 28 years in preventive cardiology. His new book, What About Her Heart? How a Male-Modeled Medical System Is Putting Women's Hearts at Risk, explores how a male-modeled medical system can leave women’s cardiovascular risk misread, especially through perimenopause and beyond.
Website: https://drbereliani.com/
Book: What About Her Heart?: https://www.amazon.com/What-About-Her-Heart-Symptoms-ebook/dp/B0GS42XJ78
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbtheheartdoc/
Connect with me, Sara Poldmae:
Website: https://risingwomanproject.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarapoldmae
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to share it with someone who needs to hear it. Don't forget to follow, rate, and leave a review—it helps more women find this space so we can all rise and thrive together.

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!

Have you ever come home from a vacation feeling like you need another vacation? As women, we’re so often the ones planning the itinerary, making the reservations, packing for everyone, and making sure everyone else is comfortable. Even when we’re technically “away,” we’re still managing.
In this episode, I’m talking about why traveling alone—and retreats in particular—can be such a powerful experience for women in midlife. I’m sharing some of my own retreat experiences, the transformations I’ve witnessed in other women, and why there’s something radical and necessary about letting someone else hold you for once.
And when I say solo travel, I don’t necessarily mean spending a week alone in another country. It’s about traveling for yourself, on your own terms, without being responsible for managing everyone else’s experience. That might mean getting on a plane by yourself, spending a day or weekend at a retreat closer to home, or even traveling with someone you love while giving each other the freedom to have your own experience.
In this episode:
[1:20] The retreat experience that showed me how powerful learning to enjoy your own company can be
[3:39] Why retreats aren’t accessible to everyone—and how day and weekend retreats can offer that same intentional space
[5:04] How women end up managing everyone else’s experience on vacation, and what changes when you only have yourself to take care of
[6:37] “I am not in charge”: the freedom of letting someone else handle the plans, meals, and logistics so you can finally turn your attention inward
[8:13] Why I desperately needed a retreat after a fire at my clinic left me running on fumes—and why I knew a regular vacation wasn’t what I needed
[8:57] The fear of going on retreat alone, why those first moments can feel uncomfortable, and how quickly real connection can happen
[10:06] How taking my daughter on a retreat gave us both space to be ourselves outside of our usual roles
[13:19] Why letting yourself be supported can be especially powerful in midlife—and the questions to ask yourself if you’re curious about going on retreat
One of my favorite mantras from my Costa Rica retreat was simple: I am not in charge.
Someone else had planned the meals. Someone else knew the schedule. Someone else had figured out the logistics. My only job was to show up and receive.
For those of us who spend so much of our lives caring for, organizing, planning, and holding things together for everyone else, that kind of spaciousness can be incredibly powerful. It creates room for reflection, connection, conversations you didn’t know you needed, and the chance to hear yourself again.
Links & Resources:
Restore in Costa Rica with Sara — January 16th–23rd, 2027
https://www.wetravel.com/trips/restore-in-costa-rica-restore-with-sara-5965794857?_wbc#about-this-trip
Connect with me, Sara Poldmae:
• Website: https://risingwomanproject.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarapoldmae
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to share it with someone who needs to hear it. Don't forget to follow, rate, and leave a review—it helps more women find this space so we can all rise and thrive together.

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!