One of the Worst Menopause Symptoms for Entrepreneurs Isn’t a Hot Flash, It’s Hiding
When You Feel Like Hiding… This Is Your Sign to Dress Out Loud
Have you ever had one of those moments where you look at your life and quietly wonder… how did I get here?
Not in a dramatic, everything-is-falling-apart kind of way. Just a slow realization that somewhere along the way, you stopped showing up the way you used to. You still love Jesus. You still have ideas. You still feel that little nudge that there’s more for you.
But you’ve gotten… quiet.
A little hidden.
And if you’re really honest, it’s not just that you’ve been hiding from people. You’ve been hiding from your calling too.
I know that place because I’ve lived there. More than once.
And that’s exactly why I created the Dress Out Loud Club, a faith-based transformational experience for midlife entrepreneurs who want to reclaim their beauty, confidence and purpose.
Let me take you back for a minute.
The First “Club” I Ever Knew
When I was a little girl, my mom had what she called “girls club.”
Several times a year she would completely rearrange our living room. Two card tables, metal folding chairs, and bowls of snacks everywhere. Eight women would gather. Her sisters, sisters-in-law, & the next- door neighbor. There was laughing, Yahtzee, Scrabble, and something called “secret sister” gifts that felt very mysterious and important.
My younger brothers and I were told to go hide in our rooms, which of course made it even more intriguing. Sometimes she would bring us snacks (pizza rolls were my favorite), so we could have our own little party while the real party was happening out there.
I didn’t have words for it back then, but I remember feeling like… there is something really special happening in that room.
Women together. Being real. Having fun. Showing up for each other.
That picture never left me.
The Day I Realized I Needed My Own
Years later, I found myself in a hospital bed after having my first baby.
Let me just say this… nothing prepares you for that moment. I don’t care how many books you read. I had never changed a diaper. Never nursed a baby. And my body was doing things that felt completely out of control. I was convinced I might actually float up to the ceiling – with my boobs as big as hot air balloons.
On the outside, it probably looked like I had everything together. There were flowers, visitors, lots of excitement.
On the inside, I was completely overwhelmed.
My roommate was a first-time mom too, and we started talking. About church. About life. About how unprepared we both felt.
And I heard myself say something that would change the entire trajectory of my life…
“I have no idea what I’m doing. Do you want to stay connected so we can figure this out together?”
That was it. That was the beginning.
I invited my best friend. She invited a friend. And before long, there were six of us meeting once a month, every single month.
Snacks, Bible study, crafts, and yes… secret sister gifts, just like my mom.
We did life together for twenty years.
I’m talking about everything. Marriages, babies, more babies, business dreams, heartbreak, loss, and laughter that makes your stomach hurt. We grew up together in that room.
We never missed a month.
People in town even knew about our little group. We used to joke that someone had to move or die to get a spot. It was that kind of bond.
And then one day… in a ‘hot flash’… I ended it.
The Season I Lost Myself
It wasn’t just about stopping the group. It was deeper than that.
I hit a season where everything felt like too much. Menopause. My marriage was shaky. My kids were leaving the house. My hormones were doing their own thing. Anxiety had crept in, and I was trying to manage it in ways that didn’t actually help (menthol cigarettes & chardonnay)!
I slowly disconnected from the very thing that had kept me grounded for so many years.
And then, my mom died unexpectedly, and I did something that even surprised me…
I ran away from home for five days.
I know that sounds extreme, but I want to be honest with you because maybe you’ve had your own version of that. Maybe you didn’t physically leave, but inside you just thought… I need to get out of this. I need to find myself again.
During that time, something shifted.
I went back to what I now call the Queen Esther approach. A season of preparation. A season of getting quiet with God, taking care of myself, and allowing Him to restore what I had let fall apart.
That’s where “getting ready” really began for me.
Not just putting on makeup or getting dressed, but truly coming back to who God created me to be.
Out of that season, I started my lipstick brand, Lipstick Boss Beauty. Not just as a business, but as a way to help women feel like themselves again. To look in the mirror and see beauty, confidence, and possibility.
God restored my health. He restored my marriage. He restored my vision for my life and my work.
I didn’t come out of that season perfect, but I came out of it different.
Stronger. Clearer. A few steps ahead.
And Then… I Felt It Creeping Back In
You would think that once you’ve had a breakthrough like that, you’d never struggle again.
But life has a way of circling back around.
Kids grow up. Grandbabies come into the picture. Businesses shift. Churches go through changes. Friendships look different in this season.
And before I even realized it, I could feel that familiar pull to hide again.
No real reason to get dressed up.
Less desire to show up online.
Little thoughts like… maybe I’ve done enough. Maybe it’s time to just sit this one out.
I actually told God at one point that I was done. I had this whole picture in my mind of just sitting by the beach, crying into the ocean until Jesus comes back.
It sounded like a good idea, but it wasn’t the truth.
Because underneath that was still a knowing.
There is more.
“Help Her Get Ready”
Years ago, God gave me a simple phrase.
“Help her get ready.”
At the time, I thought it was ONLY about makeup. About image. About helping women look their best.
Now I understand it on a completely different level.
He was talking about YOU.
The woman in midlife who loves Jesus and knows she is called to something more. The one who wants to build something meaningful, who wants to use her gifts, who wants to make an impact… but feels stuck between where she is and where she knows she’s meant to be.
Getting ready is about ALL of it.
Your confidence.
Your identity.
Your presence.
Your business.
Your willingness to be seen again.
Because as long as you’re hiding, the very thing God placed inside of you stays hidden too.
Why the Dress Out Loud Club Exists
I didn’t create this club because I had a perfect plan.
I created it because I knew what it felt like to need one.
I needed a place where I could show up as I was and still be called higher. A place where women understood this season of life and didn’t expect me to pretend I had it all together.
A place where faith, beauty, and business weren’t separate conversations, but part of the same journey.
That’s what the Dress Out Loud Club is.
It’s a space where you can come as you are, but you won’t stay there. Where you can reconnect with who God created you to be and start showing up again, one step at a time.
And yes, I’ll be right there with you. Not miles ahead pretending I’ve arrived, but far enough along to say… I’ve been there, and I know the way out.
If You Feel Like You’re in a Hole Right Now…
I want you to picture this for a second.
You’re in a hole. Maybe it’s made of fear, insecurity, comparison, or just plain exhaustion.
I’m not standing at the top shouting instructions down to you.
I climbed out of that hole. More than once.
And now I’m reaching back with a rope.
That rope is this sisterhood.
It’s not about pressure or performance. It’s about connection, growth, and finally having the kind of support that actually moves you forward.
Let’s Do This Together Sister!
I keep coming back to that little girl watching her mom’s “girls club” from the other room.
She knew there was something powerful about women gathering like that.
And now, all these years later, I can see it so clearly.
We were never meant to do this alone.
Not life. Not faith. Not business.
So if something in you is stirring as you read this, I want you to pay attention to that.
That’s not random. It’s an invitation.
Come join the club.
Let’s get ready together. Let’s show up again.
Let’s build something beautiful in this season of life, with God right at the center of it all.
And yes… every now and then, we might just run away for a few days and come back glowing!
There’s one more thing I want to tell you before you close this page…
Final Thoughts
…I wish my mom was here to see this.
She would understand it immediately. Her spiritual gift was hospitality, and she lived it so naturally. She created space for women to feel welcomed, seen, and cared for. I think about that often as I build this, because that’s exactly what Dress Out Loud is becoming… a place where women belong again.
I even wrote her eulogy and honored that gift in her life. It makes me realize even more that none of us are given gifts by accident. They are meant to be expressed, not hidden.
Mine has always been exhortation… encouraging, coaching, helping women see what they can’t see in themselves yet. And I’m so grateful I finally get to fully live that out.
Because this isn’t just about business or beauty. It’s about women stepping back into their calling and remembering who they are.
If you’ve been feeling that pull inside, like there’s more for you but you’ve been stuck or hiding, I want you to hear me.
You are not too late, and you are not alone.
Let me help you step into your calling. Because your life is not just about getting through this season.
It’s about leaving a lasting impression that outlives you.
And I think God smiles when we finally decide to stop hiding and start shining again!
Let’s do this together… and leave a legacy that lasts far beyond us.
P.S. Your next step? Join the Dress Out Loud Club.
Thank you for visiting my blog where I love blending Beauty & Creativity for Self-Care and Mental Health. Before you go, if you haven’t already, grab the free resource below – it’s your first step to reclaiming your glow. I’ll also stay connected with you through my newsletter, sharing beauty tips, business wisdom, and faith-filled encouragement. Make it a beautiful day! Nancy (Lipstick Boss)