Month: February 2025

We didn’t know he could sing!

We were blown away!

How much did she leave?

A moment will arrive in all our lives when material items we cherish and everything that physically represents what we have accomplished will be given away.

From financial assets to your clothes, everything you have ever worked for and everything you have poured your heart and soul into will eventually be gone.

Aside from what you choose to give to charities, the majority of your cherished items will likely go to your heirs.

This can be an overwhelming and emotionally draining process.

So, when and where is the best place to get started? And how can you make this an enriching and valuable process for you and your heirs?

The answer is: Storytelling!

This article and accompanying video are the first of a new four-part series titled, “Planning Your Legacy & Guiding Your Heirs.” To begin, we will look at how to prepare yourself and your heirs to understand the intrinsic value of what you’re bequeathing.

Everything Has a Story

Your life is not just lived. It is told, experienced, and shared through stories. Therefore, every item in your home has a story to tell. You are the one to tell it.

For what good is giving away an item of emotional value if you don’t also give away the story that makes it so meaningful to you?

For example, there is a story behind when and how you came into possession of an item.

The story involves the occasion on which you received it, who gave the item to you, all of which contain emotions, experiences, and the meaning behind the item itself. They all make up important pieces of your life story.

But not everyone gauges the value of things the same as you.

What you choose to give away in your will, and whom you choose to give it away to, requires careful planning. You don’t want to give away something from your life you view as priceless, but an heir perceives as a worthless object.

How do you accurately convey not only the story behind an item in your will but do so in a unique and meaningful way that your heirs will treasure?

Inventory Your Items

Knowing the story of everything you will give away is not necessary, because some things you will anonymously donate to charity.

This is about getting reacquainted with the story behind the most cherished items you choose to include in your will. That is why the best time to do this is when you begin inventorying your items.

This includes the physical, tangible items in your home as much as it does your money, financial assets, intellectual property, and even digital assets that make up your social media presence.

However, inventorying your items goes beyond just making a list of what you have and who will receive it. This is where you can tell the story behind the things you are itemizing.

Record Your Story

With the level of technology at your fingertips nowadays, you are an amateur photographer and filmmaker rolled into one. With your phone or tablet, you can make beautifully meaningful videos of your most cherished items.

The key to unlocking the value of what you will be giving away in your will is your personal story with each item. At the heart of your story is why you have cared for this item, what it means to you, and why you are choosing a specific person to give it to.

Here are seven prompts to help you start this process:

1. What emotions do you feel when you look at this item?
2. Is it something you bought on a trip?
3. Does it remind you of someone you love?
4. Is the item something you received as an inheritance?
5. Is this something only you can see value in? If so, why?
6. Who else do you know would value the item as you do?
7. What is the emotional connection between this item and your heir?

This Is Deeply Personal

Putting together a video of a cherished item for your will is akin to a time capsule. It’s a unique experience that captures deeply personal emotions only you can convey. This is every bit as valuable as the item you’re bequeathing.

What you are passing on is not necessarily the item itself, as much as the story of what that item represents. Therefore, the act of recording this and sharing the emotional connection behind an object in your will is as personal as anything you do.

Due to the personal nature of this project, telling the story and recording yourself can be challenging at first. Allow yourself the safe space to mess up, to get emotional, and let your true feelings flow.

Yes, this can be difficult at first. But it is incredibly important and valuable to you and your heirs, making this an essential part of passing on your legacy.

I invite you to join me in the video where I will share additional insights along with journal prompts to help you integrate what you’re learning.

Let’s Reflect:

Have you done your will yet? What special items are you leaving to your heirs? Have you told the stories of those items? What storytelling medium did you use?

February is a month that celebrates love, but there’s one heart we often forget to cherish – our own. As we mark American Heart Month, it’s sobering to note that heart disease claims the life of 1 in 5 women each year. Yet this critical health issue often remains overlooked, especially for postmenopausal women.

Why Heart Health Matters More After Menopause

Many women still believe heart disease is primarily a “man’s disease,” yet the truth is it’s the leading cause of death for women. The risks increase significantly after menopause when estrogen’s protective effects decline, making it crucial for women to take proactive steps in maintaining cardiovascular health.

Menopause isn’t just about hot flashes and mood swings – it has profound effects on the cardiovascular system. Estrogen helps keep blood vessels flexible and supports healthy cholesterol levels. When it declines, several risk factors accelerate:

• Increased LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and decreased HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
• Higher blood pressure due to stiffening arteries.
• Weight gain, especially belly fat, which is linked to metabolic syndrome.
• Greater risk of inflammation, which contributes to arterial plaque buildup.

These menopause-related changes create a perfect storm for heart disease, yet many women remain unaware of their increased risk.

This lack of awareness becomes even more dangerous because heart disease in women is often overlooked or dismissed. Heart disease also may present differently in women than in men. This difference in presentation, combined with the persistent misconception of heart disease as a “man’s disease,” can lead to misdiagnoses and delays in critical treatment.

Assessing Your Cardiovascular Health: More Than Just Cholesterol

It’s time to move beyond the outdated idea that a “good” (HDL) cholesterol number means you’re in the clear. Consider asking your doctor about these key tests:

Advanced Lipid Testing

Advanced lipid testing provides a more detailed analysis of cholesterol and fat particles in the blood compared to standard lipid tests. It can help assess cardiovascular risk by measuring factors like apolipoprotein B and LDL particle number, which may not be fully captured by traditional tests. Measuring particle size and density provides a deeper look at cholesterol risks. Small, dense LDL particles are more likely to contribute to plaque buildup than large, fluffy LDL particles.

C-reactive Protein (CRP)

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a substance the liver produces in response to inflammation. A high level of CRP in the blood can be a marker of inflammation. A wide variety of conditions can cause it, from an infection to cancer. High CRP levels can also indicate that there’s inflammation in the arteries of the heart, which can mean a higher risk of heart attack.

Coronary Calcium Scan

A coronary calcium scan is a noninvasive CT scan that detects calcium deposits in the coronary arteries, which can indicate the presence of coronary artery disease and help assess the risk of heart attacks. This test detects plaque buildup in arteries even if cholesterol levels appear normal.

Blood Pressure & Blood Sugar Levels

Hypertension and insulin resistance significantly increase cardiovascular risks. Invest in a blood pressure monitor and take your blood pressure regularly. The measure you get in your doctor’s office often isn’t accurate. Also get your A1C and fasting blood sugar tested annually. If they’re elevated, take steps to improve those numbers.

Proactive Steps to Protect and Strengthen Your Heart

1. Rethink Exercise: A Three-Pronged Approach

Heart health requires a balanced approach to physical activity:

Zone 2 Cardio

This is low-to-moderate intensity exercise that improves endurance and metabolic health. On a scale of 1-10, aim for an exertion level of 4-6 – challenging but sustainable enough to hold a conversation. Aim for 150 minutes of Zone 2 cardio each week.

Strength Training

Strength training is essential for postmenopausal women. Two sessions weekly focusing on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and push-ups can counteract muscle loss and reduce arterial stiffness.

Daily Movement

Break up sitting time, as sedentary behavior is an independent risk factor for heart disease. Set reminders on your phone or computer to move for at least 5 minutes every hour.

2. Sleep and Stress: The Silent Heart Health Killers

Women who experience chronic stress or poor sleep have up to a 40% higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Postmenopausal women often experience sleep disturbances.

• Prioritize 7-9 hours of quality sleep by maintaining a regular sleep routine.
• Reduce stress through mindfulness, social connection, and even humor – laughter literally improves blood vessel function!
• If you snore because you breathe through your mouth when sleeping, that can result in poor sleep. If you wake up every morning with a parched mouth, you may want to try one of my favorite approaches – mouth taping. It’s not for everyone, but if you’d like to learn more about it, read this post.

3. Rethink Low-Fat Diets: Embrace Healthy Fats

Many women grew up fearing fat, but science now shows that healthy fats support heart health by reducing inflammation and improving cholesterol profiles. Incorporate:

• Avocados, nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish for heart-healthy omega-3s.
• More fiber from whole grains, beans, and vegetables to improve gut and metabolic health.

4. Know Your Numbers and Advocate for Yourself

Women’s symptoms and risk factors have been historically overlooked in research and medical care. Be your own advocate:

• Know your blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels. Educate yourself on what those numbers indicate.
• Ask your doctor about advanced heart health screenings.
• Don’t ignore symptoms or dismiss them as a “normal part of aging” or because they’re “atypical.” If you feel like something is wrong, pursue it – don’t allow your doctor or anyone else dismiss your concerns.
• Go to your doctor armed with information and write down your questions and concerns in advance so you don’t forget them. Ask questions and get explanations. If you have a difficult time asserting yourself with your doctor, take a close friend or family member to make sure you get the answers you deserve.

My Own Wake-Up Call: Living with Atrial Fibrillation (AFib)

Despite doing everything “right” – exercising regularly, eating a heart-healthy diet, managing stress – I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AFib). When I developed this condition, it was a wake-up call: a reminder that even when we take care of ourselves, intervening factors beyond our immediate control can play a role in heart health.

My journey has increased my awareness of the importance of heart health in postmenopausal women. This is why I’m especially passionate about encouraging my coaching clients to be proactive about their heart health after menopause.

Don’t dismiss irregular heartbeats or other cardiac symptoms – and don’t let your doctor dismiss them – as just a “normal part of aging.” Our hearts deserve the same attention we give to other aspects of our health, and early intervention can make all the difference.

According to the American Heart Association, more than 12 million people in the U.S. are expected to develop atrial fibrillation by 2030, with age being a significant factor for both women and men. For postmenopausal women specifically, research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that an estimated 1 in 4 women may develop AFib in their lifetime, with stressful life events and insomnia being major contributing factors.

In addition to increasing the risk of blood clots and stroke, AFib can also lead to heart failure or other cardiovascular complications.

If you’d like to read more about my personal journey with Afib, I wrote about it in my Wellgevity Warrior blog and you can read it here.

Your Heart, Your Future

Your heart works tirelessly for you – it’s time to work for it. Start with these actionable steps:

• Schedule a comprehensive heart health assessment with your doctor.
• Track your daily movement and sleep patterns.
• Make one heart-healthy dietary change this week.

Let’s support each other on this journey – because when women share their stories, we lift each other up and help others recognize they’re not alone.

Join the Conversation:

What was your biggest “aha moment” about heart health after menopause? Was there something that surprised you? Has a doctor ever dismissed your heart health concerns? How did you advocate for yourself? Who is the woman in your life that needs to read this article? Tag her and tell us why you care about her heart health.