#13: How to Experience Happiness and Joy During Menopause & Beyond

This is one of my favorite topics to talk about because I learned about happiness many years ago. As I grew older, I began to understand that happiness and joy are not the same thing.

So how do we define them?

Both happiness and joy are states of mind. Happiness is often connected to what is happening around us. It usually requires action to change a situation. Joy also involves intention, but it is much deeper and more enduring.

Happiness is often:

• Linked to external events such as good news, a compliment, or a pleasant experience
• Short lived and changeable as circumstances shift
• Connected to pleasant emotions and satisfaction when life feels like it is going the way we hoped

Joy, on the other hand, is more internal. It is rooted in values, meaning, connection, and for many, spiritual faith. Joy can exist even in the middle of grief or difficulty. Someone can experience sorrow and still feel moments of deep joy. It is more stable over time because it comes from who you are and what truly matters to you, not just what is happening today.

There have been seasons in my life when I was unhappy. Many years ago, I made a decision that if I found myself unhappy, I would take responsibility and change my situation. That belief shaped my life and is the reason I named my business Happiness In You Coaching and Consulting.

Over the years, I observed many women who seemed deeply unhappy. As I began having conversations with them, I realized that many were not satisfied with their current state in life. This is one of the reasons I began life coaching. I wanted to support women in making meaningful changes. Over time, I also saw the connection between how women cared for their physical, mental, and emotional health and how that affected their happiness and how they showed up in life.

I once worked with a client who shared that she was unhappy with her life. She had experienced a difficult childhood and felt stuck in a routine of waking up, going to work, coming home, eating dinner, and going to bed. That was her daily cycle.

As we explored what once brought her happiness, we created a plan to reintroduce those activities into her life. She began playing tennis again, drawing, working with children, and taking evening walks. During the winter months, she even purchased a treadmill to maintain her walking routine. These changes did not happen overnight, but over time, she began to feel happier and more empowered. She also returned to church, which helped cultivate a deeper sense of joy.

Personally, I experienced a profound understanding of joy during a difficult season after my mother passed away. I went through two to three years of deep grief. While I still miss her deeply, I learned to acknowledge my feelings, honor them, and move forward with gratitude for the memories we shared. Joy did not remove the grief, but it carried me through it.

My faith has been foundational in sustaining my joy. Nehemiah 8:10 says, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” During extremely difficult days, incl

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https://www.happinessinyoucoach.com/menopause-elite-program/

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