A MODEL FOR SUCCESSFUL AGING AND THE TRANSITION TO THE BEST NEXT CHPTR.
“We need to talk about menopause,” says Marjonneke Grech during our conversation on NEXT CHPTR Chats. “It’s just too big to be ignored.”
That was part of Marjonneke’s opening line in this week’s podcast. Marjonneke, like me, has had at least part of our lives defined by the changes in our bodies due to menopause.
“It’s all encompassing. Even my marriage was threatened. Sex wasn’t fun, everything was too dry and painful. I was easily annoyed. I finally sought out a doctor here in Mexico to ask about help. After a thorough examination and multiple tests, she recommended Hormone Therapy (HT) for me. It may not be for everybody, but after just 4 days on the program I woke up one morning, looking at my husband and thinking… awe honey it’s not you, it’s me.”
“My ship righted. Not everything was resolved in a couple of days with HT, but most importantly my brain seemed to level itself out.”
Marjonneke Grech is a retired television producer who, with her husband Frank, had decided to try remote working before it was "a thing". Towards the end of their careers, with children grown and away from home, they decided to try working from warmer climes for 6 months at a time. The only proviso on their choice of location was that it had to be within 2 hours of a major international airport in case they had to come home for work or family.
LIFE IS NOT ALWAYS SCRIPTED.
“Life is not always scripted, and this was a prime example,” says Marjonneke. “We spend half the year in Canada, and the other half in Mexico. Initially when we went to Mexico, we had moved around trying out various locations, seeing if one resonated better than another. We didn’t have any intensions of buying when we were presented with this lovely opportunity. Another Canadian couple had designed and built a tropical paradise – a multi building compound all connected by pools and gardens.” They had found their sanctuary in Mexico, in-land from Tulum, Mexico, in a village called Valladolid.
RETIREMENT HAS GIVEN ME A BIGGER WORLD.
“I had spent much of my life moving around the world. It started with my first marriage. We went to Spain for our honeymoon and wound up staying. It’s where my sons were born. And where I learned to speak Spanish. After ten years in Spain, I returned to Canada to go back to school to work in television. I spent my 20-year career as a TV producer starting in my hometown of Hamilton at CHCH-TV. I went on to own my own TV production company and finished my career off producing programs for World Vision traveling around the word.”
I'M STILL PRODUCING. CHECK OUT FRENCH KISS IN THE GARDEN
“Maybe that wanderlust helped us with our decision, but we couldn’t refuse the opportunity. We live in a beautiful tropical garden in the Yucatan. We enjoy the local culture - especially having garden dinners with friends & eating out. And we are AirBnB Super Hosts. Click to check us out . ”
“I’ve rediscovered painting. I can relax and focus with the stresses of life gone and my estrogen back, my new happy hormone that keeps my brain clear and calm.”
REDISCOVERY OF PAINTING AND ART HAS ADDED TO MY SENSE OF JOY.
“After 20 years of marriage across a couple of continents, I divorced. I started dating again at 46 and remarried at 50. Now 17 delightful years later, with a blended family, I’m retired and happy to slow things down. I want to evolve as an artist and continue to host events in our Mexican garden, maybe even art focused ones. El Jardin is a private tropical oasis. Inspired by renowned Mexican architect Luis Barragán’s architecture and philosophy of garden living, El Jardin is a special place to rest or stir your senses.”
“The decision to move was a mutual one. My husband and I have done a fair bit of traveling which has been fantastic. I enjoy my children and grandchildren. I’ve rediscovered the rich relationship with my long-time girlfriends and even collected a few more!”
Find out more on this week’s podcast https://sites.libsyn.com/477528/marjonneke-grech-im-living-my-best-life-ever.
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