I had no idea that long before entering menopause, I’d be in for the ride of my life down the rocky and seemingly endless road called perimenopause. The Peri-Winkle Wellness Blog chronicles my journey through perimenopause and the many other mishaps and misadventures of midlife. What began as me journaling through my sleepless nights ended up as a daily blog—a safe space for me to share my experiences so other women in perimenopause would know they’re not alone, they’re not going crazy, and best of all, they’re in for better days ahead.

I’m currently operating under the alias “Peri Winkler.” Since I already do a reasonably good job of embarrassing my kids and knowing how transparent I wanted to be about some deeply personal topics, I thought I’d go undercover until my kids were okay with me going public. Until then, their names and any non-essential details have also been changed to protect the innocent and keep me from blowing my cover—let’s see how long that lasts!

That being said, and aliases notwithstanding, I can assure you, the struggle is real and the stories are authentic, and I am both honored and humbled to share them. I am also immensely grateful to the courageous women who willingly share parts of their midlife journey, whether anonymously or otherwise, in hopes of inspiring others during what’s often a dark and confusing time in our lives. After all, knowing you’re not alone makes feeling alone a lot less lonely.

Thanks again for stopping by and please be sure to tell a friend about us. Maybe you or someone you know would like to share an inspiring story, too. Email us at hello@peri-winklewellness.com. I’d love to hear from you—and remember, ladies, midlife’s not a crisis, it’s a comeback!

ILLUSTRATION: JOANA MIRANDA