I had an ugly-cry meltdown on Sunday.

I was packing for a week away at the beach, in celebration of my second book being completed, when it hit. Trying on bathing suits sent me into a full-blown, I hate my post-menopausal body spiral, followed by an, I hate my mind for being brainwashed by society that judging my own body is even a thought spiral.

And then, from my pile of discarded shorts, tanks, swimsuits, summer dresses, and sandals on the floor of my closet, the phrase, “It no longer fits” came to mind. But not in the way you might be thinking.

It’s not that my swimsuits don’t fit, they fit me fine; it’s more that they no longer fit who I am anymore.

Physically, I haven’t grown taller, shorter, or even gained (much) weight. It’s just that menopause has shifted my shape. I’m still me, but I look different now. Similarly, my life has shifted in the last six years. I’m not the same person I was pre-pandemic, pre-betrayal, or pre-empty-nesting. Of course, my clothes look different. They don’t fit who I am now.

This got me thinking about how many of the things I’m holding onto in my life still fit, but no longer fit me.

What has shifted in your life that’s altered who you are? What might you need to let go of or discard in order to embrace yourself as you are today? If you’re anything like me, you have less of a concrete answer and more of a generalized sense that something needs to change.

Like anything, it’s a process. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter, and if you need support that’s what I’m here for! In addition to one-on-one sessions, I offer three packages, so you can have me on retainer and by your side through your most challenging journey. https://loracheadle.com/affair-recovery-for-women-programs/