MenoShine WOW: Leana
Welcome to this week’s MenoShine WOW - introducing our Woman of the Week. Since I started the WOW series, back in May, I’ve introduced you to some of my closest friends in the world who I’ve know for over 35 years. Then, I highlighted my lovely mum, celebrating her 80th birthday. These women, I’ve know for decades.
This week’s WOW, Leana, and I, have only known each other for just over a year, but she is one of those sacred souls who I feel like I’ve known for a lifetime.
Meet my beautiful friend, Leana Conway.
I first met Leana at a meeting where I was sharing about the process of self-publishing books. She sat at the other end of a long table from me and when I said I was originally from England, I saw her beaming from ear to ear, and her sparkly, kind eyes said everything I needed to know. We went around the table introducing ourselves, and when it was Leana’s turn, she said “Oh, Jo! YOU get to be my replacement British friend!” and went on to explain that she was from Canada, loved everything English, and that her dear friend, and fellow Brit, had recently moved away, and so I would fit perfectly into her spot!
I knew we’d be instant friends from that moment on.
The second time I met Leana was at a coffee shop. We’d arranged to meet to discuss her writing goals. Leana had been a writer for a local print magazine, sharing inspirational stories of various people in the community. A job that she loved until, unfortunately, the magazine abruptly shut down.
As she waltzed into the coffee shop, I noticed she had a cast on her wrist. “Don’t even ask…” she said, as I looked down at her hand, “…you won’t believe how I did this!” She went on to tell me the hilarious story of how in filming a segment for her new blog (Sashaying Through Life) she tripped and fell “with the grace of a camel on roller skates,” only to find the next day that she’d broken her wrist and would require surgery and pins to fix it!
All of that would be a lot for anyone. But for Leana, it was worse. She is a full-time caregiver to her lovely husband, Dennis, who has multiple sclerosis and is a quadriplegic. But instead of being down in the dumps and worried about her wrist, there she was, sitting with me in a coffee shop, full of joy and laughter, and wanting to know all about MY story and MY goals. I soon found out that Leana is a force to be reckoned with, and brings a whirlwind of sparkles, love, and sage advice wherever she goes. We chatted for over an hour that day and, as cliché as it sounds, I felt like I’d known her my entire life.
Fast forward a year and although we don’t see each other very often, Leana has become a very close friend. We share some commonalities in our lives: both of us married very young, we have both made some mortifying mistakes that we now love to laugh about, and we both have been through quite a rollercoaster ride in many ways.
Two things I admire the most about Leana and her husband, Dennis, are (1) their unwavering faith, and (2) their unshakeable zest for life. Again, it sounds cliché, but together they have the strength, courage, and cheerful creativity to make top-shelf lemonade out of the most withered and moldy lemons life could offer.
To be in their presence is to be inspired beyond words. They live the most difficult, incomprehensible life, and yet somehow, THEY have this unique ability to make YOU feel like the most important person in the room. They love connecting with people and, to this day, live their lives rooted in service and faith.
I don’t want to paint an unrealistic, glorious picture of a couple fighting the unimaginable, day in and day out, with smiles on their faces and sparkles in their eyes. That’s obviously not their reality. I can only imagine how tough the tough days are, and, quite honestly, how tough the ‘slightly less tough’ days are. But what I hope I can express is from what I’ve witnessed and that is the fact that, together, Leana and Dennis, despite everything they face, emit a love and joy for life that is palpable. And, in turn, they touch the hearts of everyone around them.
I’m sure Leana will roll her eyes reading this, but I’d encourage you to spend a rainy afternoon reading posts from her first blog, Frolicking to Fifty. You’ll be entertained with hilarious and uplifting stories, you’ll read about their love story, and you’ll also hear the raw honesty about some of the darker moments they’ve faced together.
In writing this blog, I asked Leana if it was OK to share her as my WOW and to highlight her story. Her only request was this: “don’t make me sound angelic. I am not. The only “good” thing I have done was to take a big leap and marry the man I deeply love but who has a frightening, progressively disabling disease.”
So here’s my open note response to that concern:
Dear Leana. I get it. I totally get it. In the relatively brief time I’ve known you, we’ve shared stories of our pasts and things that have happened. We’ve shared our ‘human-ness” and mistakes we’ve made along the way. I know that you are by no means perfect or angelic, and neither am I. None of us are. We all have bad days, dark seasons, and moments that we wish we could take back. What I choose to focus on is you, Leana. The woman I see show up again and again. Not just as a caregiver, but as a wife, deeply in love with her husband, as a mom, a grandma, a friend, a writer, a woman with a heart for hearing and sharing stories of kindness and courage. You, my friend, might not be an angel, but you ARE an absolute gem. x
I could go on and on, but I can literally hear her shouting “THAT’S ENOUGH!” and muttering under her breath, “why did I ever agree to this?! She’s lost her bloody mind!” The fact is, Leana doesn’t really like the spotlight on her. She loves to share stories of others. Her most recent endeavor is to share stories of kindness and courage in her blog Sashaying Through Life.
One of my favorite pieces from Leana’s first blog is about her own rebranding and her approach to life as she’s moved through her fifties.
“My message has always been, find your center (for me that’s my faith), trust your intuition, and then go boldly into your calling. It will all be well.” L.C.
MenoShine is not about ‘women being in their menopause years.’ It’s about women in midlife and beyond finding ways to reinvent themselves, love themselves, shine their lights brighter, take risks, step out of their comfort zones and take life by the horns. It’s about tearing up the script, writing our own rules, and making it our mission to shine.
That is what I see Leana doing and her rebranding article sums it up perfectly (plus, you’ll get to see the video of her ‘sashaying through life’ resulting in a broken wrist). I’d love you to read The Giddylicious Joy of Rebranding and get to know my gorgeous friend.
Leana, thank you for shining your light at full beam and showing me how to move through the ups and downs of life with humility, grace and courage. I am so honored to be your replacement British friend for as long as you’ll have me. x
Leana has been such a huge supporter as I’ve launched MenoShine, encouraging me every step of the way. I’ll leave you with a few words from her:
“The reason I was looking forward to this group, among others, is that, like so many other women, I am navigating menopause at the same time as I am in a season of caregiving for my husband. Others are taking care of elderly parents, challenging teens and other things. It’s like nature is playing one last trick, we need each other!”
If you’ve enjoyed this article and you know someone who you’d like to recognize as a MenoShine WOW, please reach out! I’d love to hear from you and share stories of women who are boldly stepping into their MenoShine Era! And if that someone happens to be YOU, please share! There is absolutely nothing wrong in nominating yourself for a MenoShine WOW. I’d love to cheer you on and highlight your story.
Next week, we’re taking a break, and will be back with a wonderful MenoShine WOW on August 17th.
Until next time, sending sass and sparkles from MenoSHINE, because no one should have to PAUSE.
MenoShine WOW: It’s over to YOU!
For the last six weeks, I’ve spent my Sundays writing about my best friends in the world, (aka The Posse - you can binge the WOW posts and you won’t be disappointed - they’re an incredible bunch) and my mum. Honestly, as nice as it’s been to introduce them one by one each week as a MenoShine WOW (woman of the week), it’s also been incredibly cathartic to write.
It’s not that I’ve taken The Posse or my Mum for granted. I often reflect on how lucky I am to have such a supportive mum and an incredible group of friends. But writing about them each individually and showing how I see them through my eyes has inadvertently opened my heart even more.
As I’ve been planning out my MenoShine WOW posts (and watch out because I have SUCH a good line up of phenomenal women to celebrate), I’ve been reflecting on how a core group of ‘besties’ both near and far, have helped me through some of the darkest times of my life. And not only that, the same friends have been there cheering me on when life is full of sunshine and things to celebrate. It takes a certain level of best friend to be there for both the ups and the downs that the rollercoaster of life brings, and THAT is what this week’s MenoShine WOW is all about.
I don’t usually pay much attention to global or international days of celebrating (as I’m writing this today in the US apparently, amongst other national holidays, it’s national bagelfest, coffee milkshake, and tree day?!) But this week, a day popped on the calendar that I felt called to celebrate. International Friendship Day, on July 30th. Instead of celebrating it just for a day, we’re going to celebrate our besties all week here in MenoShine!
Think about it. When was the last time that you wrote to your best friends and told them what it is that you love about them? We don’t have to wait until they’re in a crisis, or have something to celebrate, to let them know just how much they mean to us.
So, this week in MenoShine, instead of announcing one ‘woman of the week’, I’m handing the assignment over to you. Write to your bestie(s) and tell them that they are YOUR MenoShine WOW. Don’t just send a text. Take the time to sit and think about why they mean so much to you, and then write a letter, send a card, or pick up the phone and call them. I promise, it will give you the warmest feeling in both your heart and theirs.
I do recognize that for a myriad of reasons, friendships come and go. If you’re missing your best friend because she passed too soon, my heart goes out to you. If you’ve recently moved and are starting over, looking for friendships, or feeling lonely, then my hope is that you feel welcome here.
My dream is that MenoShine grows to become a place where you make lifelong friends. At the moment, this community is very small (ok, it’s tiny), but the heart and momentum behind it is massive. I have big dreams and plans for what I want MenoShine to be and a huge part of that is being a place where you feel seen and understood, and where lasting friendships are formed and celebrated.
I would absolutely LOVE to hear all about your MenoShine WOWs and celebrate them with you. I’ll leave you in a moment with a few of my favorite photos of The Posse. I’ll be sharing them on socials this week and celebrating International Friendship Day. I’ll also be posting pics of some other incredible women that I am honored to call best friends. I’d love for you to join me and share your favorite photos of you and your best friends. Tag them and me (@menoshine_with_me) and let’s use the hashtag #MenoShineWOW. At the end of the week we can celebrate how many amazing women we’ve tagged who have left imprints on our hearts. How does that sound to you? It makes me smile from ear to ear as I’m sitting here writing about it.
And speaking of smiling from ear to ear …as promised, here are just a few Posse classics! (Reminder, you can go and read about each of these gorgeous peeps in my previous MenoShine WOW posts.)
This was circa 1990..ish (my memory is a bit vague!) From left to right: Melly B, Flooz, Beccy Brownhat, me (Jammy), Janey Angel, and Katyla! We’ve been ‘The Posse’ for over 35 years!
These days, it’s not often that we’re all together, with me in the US and Katy in Spain (and before that, Seoul). The last two pictures are from 2023 when we were all last together as a group.
Here’s us enjoying a lovely dinner out in London.
And then there’s THIS one below which I absolutely ADORE. It captures perfectly the essence of who we are as a group. Janey has clearly just dropped one of her perfectly timed one-liners that’s sent Katy into hysterics, wetting herself with laughter, and Mel? She’s got that silent giggle going that’s about to erupt into a shriek! Suzi’s laughing at them all…but trying to keep us together for a photo, and Beccy and I have no clue what’s just been said!
Oh how I love and miss my gorgeous Posse. They are my MenoShine WOWs now and forever.
So, with that, my lovely friend, it’s over to you. Go and make someone’s week this week by telling them just how much they mean to you. And if you feel up to it, tell us about it here. Let’s start the MenoShine Movement where we love and support each other, and friendships are everything.
Stay tuned for next week. I have a MenoShine WOW story that will warm the cockles of your heart.
Sending sass and sparkles and a whole lot of love x
MenoShine WOW: Jenny
Welcome to a very special week of MenoShine WOW, celebrating our Woman of the Week.
If you've been following along, you'll know that for the past five weeks I’ve introduced you to my best friends in the world, The Posse, six of us who have known each other for over 35 years and are, in essence, the beating heart of this whole MenoShine movement. This week, my Woman of the Week is my mum, Jenny, in celebration of her 80th birthday!
Before I tell you about my lovely mum, there’s something important to address. I was asked recently, ‘If we nominate someone for the MenoShine WOW, do they have to be in their menopause years?’ The answer is no.
MenoShine is for anyone
A little while ago, I wrote something that's become a bit of a manifesto for this whole movement. MenoShine is for anyone, any age and stage of life. Yes, my tagline is ‘MenoShine because no one should have to PAUSE’, but it was never just for women experiencing menopause. It's for the woman in her 30s facing early onset menopause due to illness or surgery. It's for the woman in her 40s frustrated by the complexities of perimenopause. It's for the woman in her 50s navigating her menopausal years. It's for the woman in her 60s coming out of the fog, wondering who she is. It's for the woman in her 70s who wants to shine her light bolder and brighter but needs some inspiration.
And it's for the woman in her 80s, celebrating the chapters behind her and looking forward to the next.
That woman is my mum. And honestly, she might be the most MenoShine person I know.
Where the shine comes from
To understand my mum, you have to understand where she came from, because this family is quite extraordinary but in the most quiet and humble way.
Mum’s father, my grandfather, was Jim Bradley, an artist, sculptor and Head of Art at Sidcot School in Somerset, a role he held for nearly thirty years. He believed art wasn't a throwaway subject but the way children learned to truly see the world, and he built a way of teaching around that belief so groundbreaking the school still credits him for it today. You can read more about his legacy at Sidcot here. I'm endlessly proud of what he built, and prouder still that it didn't stop with him.
In 1966 Jim spent a sabbatical year in Perugia, studying local art colleges. It was there that he fell completely in love with Italy. He bought a small plot of land near the hilltop village of Bettona in Umbria, and built a tiny house on it, Casa Mendip, which became our family's summer haven for many years.
My mum’s mother, my grandmother Helen, was a nurse, and creative in an entirely different way. I remember our summers at Casa Mendip. We'd cut fresh lavender, dry it, rub it through our fingers to strip it from the stalk, and sew it into little bags. Helen made and mended so many clothes for our family over the years. She baked bread, made jam, kept everyone clothed and fed with her own two hands. Like so many of her generation who came through rations and the war years, her creativity was survival as much as it was joy. But it was creativity none the less.
Mum has two sisters, both incredibly gifted in their own creative ways with painting, pottery, sculpting, knitting, sewing, the list is endless. One sister, we sadly lost too soon, but her creative spirit and energy live on through her work and her family. The other, amongst many talents, is a wonderful potter, and I have several of her pieces proudly placed in my house today (along with many of my grandfather’s sculptures and prints). Mum's younger brother has one of those incredible minds you don't come across very often, a maths teacher for decades, a lifelong learner, a history buff and geologist who has turned his own garden into a masterclass in self sufficiency, growing his own fruit and veg with the same quiet brilliance he brings to everything else.
That's the bloodline. Creativity was never a hobby in this family. It was the family language.
From the classroom to the headteacher's office
Mum was naturally gifted as an athlete, and combined with her love of teaching, she began her early career as a PE and biology teacher. She took time away from teaching when my brother and I came along, and went back to work once we were school age, this time as an early years teacher.
From there she worked her way up. Deputy head, and then headteacher of a primary school in an area that did not have much at all. She had to get creative just to find ways to educate and lead well with what she had. She took early retirement in her fifties and became an Ofsted inspector for early years. And then, true to form, she decided that wasn't enough. She wanted to do more. She wanted to see the world.
A Decade of Daring Decisions
In her 50s, Mum saw an advert for an adventure trip to Alaska that included kayaking, climbing, walking and white water rafting. She didn't know anyone else going on the trip. Once she arrived she realised that she was actually quite a bit older than everyone else in the group. But she didn’t let that stop her.
She landed in Anchorage and set off with twelve strangers in a minibus with canoes strapped to the roof. Tents pitched at 10pm in daylight. An 11pm canoe trip on a lake. At one point, walking to the loo in the dead of night, she came face to face with a bear up a tree, and calmly talked to it to let it know she meant no harm and just needed a wee.
On the day of white water rafting, Mum asked the trip leader outright whether he thought she was too old for it. He told her she'd know the answer herself, depending on whether she liked the music they played on the bus. In true ‘mum-form’, by the end of the trip she'd introduced the whole group to the sounds of the sixties and seventies, and they loved every minute of it.
When there weren't enough spots for everyone in the white water rafts, Mum volunteered to go with a group of strangers, purely, by her own admission, because she thought the instructor in that raft was ‘quite dishy!’ The following day, she went on to do a full day of solo white water kayaking, tapping into decades-old PE teacher instincts to watch, learn and follow. Somewhere in the middle of all this there was also Denali, North America's tallest peak, where she and the group hiked in the national park on their own, watching for bears and wildlife. The trip also included a stretch of kayaking in the ocean, dog sledding, and a flight in a tiny plane landing on the water!
Not long after the Alaska trip, Mum signed up for a two-week trek across Tanzania's Rift Valley with the Maasai. No safari lodges or luxury accommodations, and again, with a group of people she’d never met. They slept in the wild, guided by the Maasai, heard lions at night, and walked across the valley.
During the trek, in the evenings, Mum made beaded necklaces as gifts for her guides, not realising that in Maasai custom, offering a necklace is essentially a marriage proposal. She'd unknowingly proposed to four of her guides in one trip. The tribe, with great affection, gave her a name that roughly translates to "crazy white woman." They performed a wedding dance for the group that night. To calm the situation down, Mum spent the rest of the trip making everyone necklaces out of ring pulls from beer cans as she’d run out of beads!
(This image is blurred to respect the privacy of the individuals photographed.)
After that came two years with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) in Mongolia of all places, helping shape the kindergarten curriculum with the national education department. She learned to live through brutal cold, got mugged on a bus and somehow carried on, rode horses out into the wilderness, stayed in traditional gers rather than hotels, and became deeply involved with a local orphanage.
(This image is blurred to respect the privacy of the individuals photographed.)
While in Mongolia, Mum travelled to so many places including a train ride to Beijing and then a flight to Vancouver, British Columbia to go climbing with a friend, and then on to visit me in Atlanta. Later she went to Australia, where she took a bus to Alice Springs to see Uluru, and spent a few days with the indigenous community where she learned how to make glue out of grass amongst many things.
(This image is blurred to respect the privacy of the individual photographed.)
Through her travels, Mum never stayed in fancy hotels. She never wanted the postcard version. She wanted to sit on the ground with people, learn how they lived, and come home with new skills and stories to tell of the magnificent places she’d been and people she’d met.
The house full of her life
Walk into Mum's house today and you'll understand her instantly. It's full of relics from her life and travels. Rain sticks, stones, dream catchers, bead curtains, sculptures and artwork from her father and her sisters, and her own creations woven in among them.
The creativity has never stopped and it never will. She's currently sewing a bedspread that is her own interpretation of a stunning sunrise photograph her father took, bringing his eye and her hands together in one piece. She knits, crochets, and used to build incredible structures out of wire or willow, a prize creation is a pair of boxing hares in her garden. She's gone through phases of felt making and wall hangings, jewellery made from beads and crystals, and dream catchers strung with tiny crystals that catch the light exactly the way she does.
Two years ago, as I began thinking about MenoShine, I gave Mum a copy of a workbook I created, made especially for her called The JenoShine Experiment. Mum was facing a hip replacement and was a little hesitant about what the recovery would look like. I wanted to remind her of the incredible spirit she has and how I knew she’d find a creative outlet to get herself through the recovery period. I wanted to remind her of the light I see within. I wanted her to have something tangible to use on both good days and bad, to be able to reflect on what she was feeling and find a spark to hold onto.
She loved The JenoShine Experiment so much that when her 80th birthday came around, she asked for it again, so she could do the whole thing over. That, right there, is Mum. With the same grit and determination I’ve witnessed for years. Now facing an upcoming knee surgery, still courageous, still curious, and still creative. Still willing to sit down and do the work of finding her own shine, at 80.
The grandma who plays to win
Ask my boys about their grandma and you'll get a flood of stories, but here’s what came up when I asked them what they loved most about her for a family video I put together for her birthday.
My two oldest, without even comparing notes, remembered the exact same thing. The only way to ever beat Grandma at chess is to give her a glass of wine first. My youngest remembers coming home from a sleep study appointment to find Mum had made him bread rolls shaped like Ninja Turtles. And my sixteen year old told her that whenever he thinks of the colour purple, he thinks of her. It's her favourite colour, and somewhere along the way it quietly became his too. He told her, “If I had to describe the colour purple, it would be you, Grandma. You're the essence of purple.”
The thread I didn't expect to find
Writing this blog has done something I didn't expect. I've spent years building MenoShine, telling myself I was creating something new. But sitting down to write about Mum, I've realised I'm not building something new at all. I'm continuing something that was already there, long before me.
My grandfather believed every single person was an artist in their own right, whatever that looked like for them. Painting, sculpture, needlework, bread making, a garden, a classroom, a business, a family. He built his entire life's work around that belief, and it clearly didn't stop with him. It's in Mum's hands as she sews that bedspread. It's in her sisters' pottery and paintings. It's in her brother's garden. It's in the boxing hares made of wire standing in Mum's garden right now. And it's in me, in this movement I'm building, in a way I didn't fully understand until I wrote this.
That belief, that everyone is an artist in their own right, that everyone has a light worth sharing with the world, that's not just a nice sentiment. That is MenoShine.
Mum, you are the epitome of everything I hope this movement becomes. Eighty years in and you are still learning, still making, still saying yes to the next adventure. Thank you for showing me, and my boys, what it looks like to shine at every single age.
Happy 80th birthday. I love you more than words can express. x
The MenoShine Movement
Next week's MenoShine WOW is a little different, and I honestly cannot wait to share it with you. Let's just say, if you loved hearing about The Posse, you're going to love this one. Watch this space.
And I want to hear from you too. Send me an email and tell me about a woman in your life who deserves her moment in the spotlight. Nominate a friend who inspires you. Nominate someone who could use a boost. And absolutely, unashamedly, nominate yourself. There is zero shame in saying "I think I'm a bit of a WOW actually." That kind of self awareness is exactly the MenoShine spirit.
Every MenoShine WOW will be featured in a book next year called The MenoShine Movement. So go on. Send me that email. I want to meet your WOW.
Sending sass and sparkles from MenoSHINE, because no one should have to PAUSE! x
MenoShine WOW: Melanie
Welcome to week 5 of MenoShine WOW, celebrating our Woman of the Week.
This week, I want to introduce you to my gorgeous friend Melanie, fondly known as Mel, Melly, or most often, Melly B, a nickname that's stuck since our teenage years. Over the past four weeks, I've introduced you to my best friends in the world, The Posse, a phenomenal group of women I've had the honour of calling best friends for over 35 years.There are six of us in The Posse altogether, and over the past four weeks I've introduced you to four. You've met Janey, our spark with the innate ability to find silver linings,Suzi, the glue who keeps us together, Beccy, the lighthouse and guide, and Katy, the confident, curious cheerleader. This week, I'm thrilled to introduce you to the one and only Melly B.
As I think about what Mel means to me and to the Posse as a group, I'd say she plays two roles. She's our Dancing Queen. And she's also our Wonder Woman. Let me explain.
Our Athlete
Mel is an athlete through and through. I think the first thing I noticed about her when we met at 16 was that quiet air of confidence she carried when it came to sport. A phenomenal netball player, she grew up loving football too (the real kind) and went on to coach a girls' team for several years. Long before girls' football was fashionable, Mel was already fighting for it. As a teenager, she played on her brother's team, two years above her age group, because her own age group didn't want girls on the pitch. In 2018 she qualified as an FA Coach and went on to coach both of her daughters' teams. When they hung up their boots, she wasn't ready to, and played on a women's team well into her forties.
Netball was always her first love though. She played for the county and, in later years, for a premier team in Bournemouth.
That competitive fire is exactly what I think of when I remember the time my two older sons, Deon and Drew, visited the UK and spent a few days with their honorary aunties, The Posse. A day-long pub lunch, and an afternoon at the beach that turned into a wildly competitive game of beach cricket. Mel dove for a ball that seemed completely out of reach and made an incredible catch. It was the first thing Drew told me about when I spoke to him that day.
That same fire is also what resulted in a back surgery. Mel slipped five discs running a race at her eldest daughter's sports day. That's Melly B for you, competitive to her core, even at a sport’s day!
Our Dancing Queen
Not only an athlete, Mel is an incredible dancer. Music runs through her veins and she simply cannot help but move. At 17 or 18, whenever she was the designated driver, she'd rock up with the biggest grin on her face, singing and dancing along to Fresh Prince's Summertime. I can see her now, "chillin’ in the car they spent all day waxin’," word for word, every single time. And on the dance floor, she'd be in heaven, singing away, dancing with an effortless ease, radiating pure joy. When I think of "Dancing Queen," Mel is always the first to come to mind.
That Laugh
To know Mel is to laugh. But it's not what you'd expect. Mel is soft spoken, pretty quiet by nature, and her laugh is similar. You'll see her shoulders start to go first, shaking silently, her whole body caught up in it while barely a sound comes out. And then, just when you think she's got it under control, out comes this high pitched shriek that catches everyone off guard and has the whole room in stitches. She's naturally hilarious without even trying. Very often she'll say something completely inappropriate at exactly the wrong moment, realise what she's said, and then dissolve into that silent, shaking laughter before the shriek gives her away. Some of my favourite "Mel" videos, sent to the Posse WhatsApp over the years, are the ones where she's trying to tell us a story but she can't get the words out, just the shoulders, then the shriek.
Mark, the Girls, and Arlo
Family is everything to Mel. With her lovely husband Mark, their two beautiful daughters Evie and Freya, and adorable pup Arlo, they could genuinely be on the front of a magazine. Not just because they're a beautiful family, but because they carry an aura of happiness that draws you straight in. Much of Mel's free time is spent on peaceful country walks with Arlo, chronicled in our Posse chat as "Adventures with Arlo," weekend trips away with Mark and Arlo, or family time with her brother, his family, and their parents. Throw in a spa day and a good afternoon tea, and our Melly is blissfully happy.
From the PTA to HLTA
Professionally, Mel is a Higher Level Teaching Assistant. Her journey there is (not surprisingly) impressive. Years ago, when her daughters were small, she started on the PTA and as a parent helper in the classroom. Seven years later that led to a role as a lunchtime supervisor, and eighteen months after that she was officially employed as a Teaching Assistant. In 2023 she sat her exam and qualified as an HLTA. Mel is the kind of teacher kids remember forever. You know the one favourite teacher everyone looks back on? Katy who you met last week is one, and Mel is another.
I've had the pleasure of several Posse trips and holidays with Mel, and I love our quiet chats, lingering behind or walking ahead together. She's a wonderful listener, caring and attentive, and she has this lovely way of literally dancing through the streets or posing with a random statue with a cheeky smile and a glint in her eye.
Our Wonder Woman
One of the things I admire most about Mel is her quiet resilience. At 22 she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that changed everything. For such a dynamic, energetic, fun-loving athlete to suddenly have her world turned upside down by a condition that brought muscle weakness and debilitating fatigue was unfathomable. But Mel refused to let it define her. Over the years I've watched her learn to live alongside the disease without letting it own her story. She didn't give up on sport, in fact she went on to play netball at premier league level, and she still stays active with lower impact movement like swimming, Pilates and yoga. She's learned her body inside out, and given herself permission to rest and recover when she needs to.
She's dealt with some horrible things over the past few years, especially as she's entered her menopausal era (ulcers on your eyeballs, can you imagine?), but she never lets it stop her for long. She's thrown herself into self-care, trusts the advice of her doctors and specialists, and the HRT patch has been an absolute game changer for her. She listens to her body and moves through life with an unspoken strength that fits her archetype perfectly. Wonder Woman.
In Mel's Words
When I was 22, I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. It's an autoimmune condition which affects antibodies that normally fight infection, instead attacking the communication between your brain and your muscle movements, resulting in muscle weakness and fatigue. I've always loved sport and been quite determined, so being told at 22 that I'd never do the things I loved again shocked me, but actually spurred me on to prove the medical profession wrong.
I've had peaks and troughs with the condition throughout my life. Notably, coming out of a stressful, coercive relationship and then meeting my now husband, I found I didn't need any medication at all, playing sport to a good level again and living a genuinely happy life. A few years later, trying to fall pregnant with our now 21 year old, I woke with double vision and knew I'd need to take extra care and medicate again. Those early years, with the love of my husband, family and friends, the advice of my medical team, and my own understanding of how to regulate myself, taught me in some way how to recognise entering menopause too.
Don't get me wrong, it took a good 18 months of crying for no reason, not being able to make a decision, feeling constantly anxious, overheating regularly and headaches I'd never really suffered from before. Dry eye, which led to ulcers on my eyeball, means I now wear glasses, and I often get constant dizziness for days alongside the headaches. But still, with the positivity and love shown by friends going through the same ups and downs, talking, sharing and understanding from our beautiful daughters, a patient husband and a loving family, along with patches and a lot of extra beauty products, life is as good as it's ever been. You also can't beat a good woodland walk, appreciating your surroundings and watching your gorgeous fur baby run and play.
Knowing and understanding my condition has shown me, along with advice from others, that all of this is normal. Annoying, yes, but with strategies, patience, and sometimes giving in, which I've learned over the years is necessary, I'll hopefully glide through this stage of life and come out the other end still glowing, just perhaps without the patches.”
My gorgeous Melly B, thank you for being this week's MenoShine WOW. You've been through so much more than most people would ever know, and you just keep going. Quietly, without any fuss, drawing on an inner strength that inspires me more than you know. That's exactly why you're our Wonder Woman. I love you to the moon and back. x
The MenoShine Movement
And with that, I've now introduced you to five of the six women who make up The Posse. Janey, our spark. Suzi, our glue. Beccy, our lighthouse. Katy, our cheerleader. And now Mel, our Wonder Woman. Six best friends, over 35 years, and I feel like the luckiest woman alive to call them mine.
Next week I'm beyond excited to bring you a very special MenoShine WOW as we celebrate my Mum turning 80. After that, I already have a list of incredible women bursting to be featured, so watch this space.
And I want to hear from you too. Send me an email and tell me about a woman in your life who deserves her moment in the spotlight. Nominate a friend who inspires you. Nominate someone who could use a boost and needs to be shown what the people who love her actually see. And absolutely, unashamedly, nominate yourself. There is zero shame in saying "I think I'm a bit of a WOW actually." That kind of self-awareness is exactly the MenoShine spirit.
Every MenoShine WOW will be featured in a book next year called The MenoShine Movement. So go on. Send me that email. I want to meet your WOW.
Sending sass and sparkles from MenoSHINE, because no one should have to PAUSE! x
MenoShine WOW: Katy
Welcome to week 4 of MenoShine WOW, celebrating our Woman of the Week.
If you've been following along, you'll know that MenoShine WOW began with the most special group of women. The Posse. Six best friends who have known each other for over 35 years and who said yes to helping me launch something I hope will matter to women around the world.
Because that's what MenoShine WOW is really about. Not just my friends, as gorgeous as they are. It's about celebrating real women living real lives. Women who show up for each other, who cheer loudly, who love fiercely through the messy and the magnificent. Women who might not always feel it, but who are absolutely, undeniably shining.
You don't need a Posse of thirty five years to feel that. You just need to know that someone sees you. And that's exactly what I hope MenoShine WOW does, one woman at a time.
We started with Janey, the epitome of MenoShine and our guiding spark who can always find the silver lining. Then came Suzi, the superglue who makes sure nobody ever feels forgotten. Last week was Beccy, our lighthouse and life guide. And this week I am so proud and grateful to introduce you to the fourth member of The Posse.
To be honest, writing this blog has taken a while to pull together. Not because I don't know what to say about Katy. Quite the opposite. It’s because there is so much to say, and I want to do her justice.
Meet my gorgeous friend Katy. Fondly known as Katyla, Katy Soapsuds (her maiden name was Soper) and, thanks to my husband, Katy KuKu, because she is, in the very best possible way, absolutely bonkers. She is the life and soul of every room she walks into. Just so full of joy, cheer and happiness that it spills out of her and lands on everyone nearby.
Katy and I met when we were sixteen. Both of us were the new girls, starting over at a school where everyone else already knew each other. That shared experience bonded us immediately. We were in music classes together, and Katy, I quickly discovered, has the voice of an absolute angel. We sang together all the time - Christmas concerts, choir rehearsals, with the Posse around the piano in my living room, any excuse.
Without knowing it, each Posse member plays a role, and I'd say Katy is the confident, curious cheerleader of our group. She's always the one who will sit with you and interrogate you in the most loving way imaginable. She just wants to know everything about you. All at once. I remember the last time I saw her in person, she sat with my son Drew and peppered him with question after question about his life, his college, his dreams and aspirations. It was hilarious to listen to, and he loved every single minute of it. That's Katy. She makes people feel like the most interesting person in the world, because to her, they genuinely are.
Katyla and the World
Years ago, after graduating from college, Katy headed to the Dominican Republic, where she met her lovely husband Andy. Katy and Andy were both teachers, but they didn’t choose the traditional route and stay in the UK. Instead they opted for a life of international travel, and so they set off together, building a life, a family, and careers across the world: Nigeria, Spain, Nepal, Sakhalin, and most recently, Seoul.
Andy grew into leadership roles along the way, becoming a principal and headteacher at international schools across those postings. Katy stayed rooted in what she loves most. Early years education. As a teacher, a leader, a consultant (leading seminars in Rio and Bangkok to name a few), and at the same time serving as Educational Director at Open Arms Korea in Seoul, and of course her most important role as a wonderful mum to her daughters Peri and Lily.
To be in Katy's classroom is nothing short of magical. She is very much still a child at heart, and believes with everything she has that children learn best when they are allowed to wonder, explore and get genuinely, joyfully messy. One of my favourite Katy stories, shared on our Posse WhatsApp chat to great delight, is the duckling project. Over the years, Katy has raised multiple sets of ducklings and would take us with her on the journey from setting up eggs, and the hatching process, to the first wobbly days as the ducklings emerged and the worry of whether the littlest ones would survive, to the ducklings themselves waddling around the classroom. And then, inevitably, the stories of duck poo and how she’d have to clean it up before the other teachers and children got to school!
Open Arms
In Seoul, on top of her day to day teaching responsibilities, Katy found something that would go on to define eight of the most meaningful years of her life so far. She sometimes mentioned it off hand, but to be very honest, I didn’t fully understand the depth of what she’d accomplished until I recently read a tribute that was written as she left. Open Arms Korea is a volunteer-run organisation that brings English-speaking volunteers together with children in Korean welfare homes, providing educational programmes built around play, joy and possibility.
From reading the tribute, I learnt that Katy didn't just join Open Arms. She transformed it. She built the Early Years programme from nothing, showing up week after week, year after year, carrying her car full of supplies and her heart full of love for children who needed someone to show up for them. As Katy left Seoul, the tribute written about her by Barbara Bai, Open Arms founder, says that Katy "changed Open Arms forever." That the programme she built was "beyond our wildest dreams." And that her departure left "a massive black hole."
That is the impact of Katy Soapsuds. Passionate, determined, relentless love in action.
Family, Faith, and Granny Panny
Katy and Andy’s daughters, Peri and Lily, have grown up with the world as their classroom. Countries, cultures, languages, friendships across continents. It has made them exactly what you'd expect: confident, curious, open-hearted, kind and generous young women with a perspective on life that most people spend a lifetime trying to find. Peri is already at university in the UK, and Lily will be heading there soon too.
To know Katy is to know that her faith has always been at the centre of everything. It's not something she wears loudly. It's just woven into who she is. I remember one Posse camping trip when we were 17 in Molly Mellow Yellow van over the Easter weekend. While the rest of us were still in our sleeping bags, groggy and hungover, Katy got up, pulled on her welly boots and headed off to church - with a spring in her step and song in her heart - quite literally, she was always singing!
Katy’s faith came directly from her mum, Sheila. ‘Granny Panny’ to Katy's girls, and one of the most extraordinary women I've ever had the honour of knowing. Sheila passed away in May 2024, and the church at Wimborne Minster was absolutely packed for her funeral, which tells you everything about the life she led and the love she left behind.
Sheila lived a life of service. Not to be seen, but to be felt. And that is Katy, through and through. The apple did not fall far from the tree. At Sheila's funeral, Lily read a poem that I had written at Katy's request. It is one of the pieces of writing I am most proud of, and I share just a few lines here, because they capture Sheila, and in capturing Sheila, they capture something essential about who Katy is too:
"Lead with your heart, be generous and giving
Share the grace of God's love every day that you're living
Bring light where there's darkness and never forget
Live life to the fullest with not one regret."
A new chapter
As I write this, Katy is in the middle of one of the biggest transitions of her life. After eight incredible years in Seoul, she has said goodbye and moved to Madrid with Andy to start a new chapter. I’ll hand it over to Katy to tell you about this transition ….
In Her Words
“When Jo asked me to write something for Menoshine WOW, I was surprised by how uncomfortable I felt. I'm probably the last person people would expect to say that. I've always been happy to put myself out there, meet new people, and embrace new opportunities. I think it was simply the timing.
I'd just arrived in Madrid after saying goodbye to an incredible eight years in Seoul. At the same time, I was saying farewell to my youngest daughter as she headed to the UK to start university. Suddenly, it hit me—I was officially an empty nester. A new life in Madrid awaits me, and while I'm incredibly excited, it's also brought a whirlwind of emotions. But if life has taught me anything, it's this: "Katy, you've got this."
New beginnings never really get easier; if anything, they become harder because there's so much more to leave behind. Yet with every new chapter comes greater resilience, wisdom, and perspective. I'm comfortable in my own skin and comfortable being me. I'll always be a mum and a wife, but I'm entering a new season of life. What excites me isn't becoming someone different—it's discovering how a new city, new friendships, a new job, and new experiences will shape my next chapter. I'll always be Katy, but I'm curious to see "What Katy does next!"
My gorgeous Katyla, thank you for being this week's MenoShine WOW - especially at a time in your life when nothing feels solid. I know your story will inspire others to lean in when they feel uncertainty and quietly remind themselves ‘I’ve got this!’
You’re one in a million and I’m forever grateful to call you a best friend. x
Next Up in MenoShine
Next week, I'll be introducing you to the final member of The Posse, the wonderful ‘Melly B’, and I genuinely cannot wait to share her with you.
After that, the MenoShine WOW series opens up and I am already bursting with wonderful women I want to celebrate. But I want to hear from you too. Send me an email and tell me about a woman in your life who deserves her moment in the spotlight. Nominate a friend who inspires you. Nominate someone who could do with a boost and needs to be shown what the people who love her actually see. And absolutely, unashamedly, nominate yourself. There is zero shame in saying "I think I'm a bit of a WOW actually." In fact, that kind of self-awareness is exactly the MenoShine spirit (and if you don’t believe me, go and read about Janey who is the epitome of MenoShine!)
Every MenoShine WOW will be featured in a book next year called The MenoShine Movement. So go on. Send me that email. I want to meet your WOW.
Sending sass and sparkles from MenoSHINE, because no one should have to PAUSE! x
MenoShine WOW: Beccy
Welcome to week 3 of MenoShine WOW - celebrating our Woman of the Week.
As I’m writing this blog, my husband, youngest son and I are on our way for a few nights’ holiday in Hilton Head, SC. Ironically, the last time I was here - at this very same hotel, I was with this week’s MenoShine WOW, one of my best friends in the world, Rebecca Brown, fondly known as Beccy Brownhat, Bexster, Brownhat, Spec, Spec-a-boo….the list goes on!
Janey, Suzi, and now…Bexs
I knew that I’d love writing my MenoShine WOW posts each week, but starting with the amazing women within my friend group, The Posse, has done something I didn’t think was remotely possible - it’s made me love and appreciate them even more. Our first MenoShine WOW was Janey Angel, (the SHINE in MenoShine who can always find the silver lining), then last week was Suzi, aka Flooz (the GLUE that keeps us all together and ensures everyone feels seen and heard). This week is Bexs, who I would deem as the GUIDING LIGHT in more ways than one.
Molly Mellow Yellow Van
I’ve known Beccy since I was 17. We initially bonded in a Theatre Studies class and performance of Bugsy Malone. Beccy drove the coolest yellow camper van which quickly became known to the Posse as Molly Mellow Yellow van. We’d live for the weekends and holidays when Bexs would drive Molly on various camping trips. Singing at the top of our lungs to ABBA and the Eurythmics, and laughing until our bellies ached, those trips were life-giving, and Beccy was always at the center. Our guide, our camping guru. Bexs would say ‘let’s go’ and we’d follow!
Let’s Go Europe
A few years later, at 19, Beccy and I spent our summer interrailing around Europe. I remember getting on the ferry heading to France and being silently terrified as we had no real plan of where we were going. No idea whatsoever of where we’d spend our first night. But it’s hard to be terrified when your best friend is Beccy. She has this air of confidence and a love for travel that’s nothing like I’d experienced before. Even at 19, nothing phased her when she traveled. She viewed everything as an opportunity to learn. To this day, if Beccy has a map, a travel brochure, or a guide book, she is in absolute heaven!
Going back to the Europe trip, our original plan when we got on the ferry was to go to Brussels. About an hour into our trip, we met a couple of backpackers from the States, and before we knew it, our plans had changed and we were heading to a youth hostel in Brugge!
We spent our summer with a “Let’s Go Europe” guidebook that in all reality I probably only opened once or twice, but Beccy spent hours pouring over and finding the most unique and interesting camp sites, youth hostels and places to visit. Probably our best ‘find’ was the infamous “Pink Palace” in Corfu - a backpacker’s dream, where, unbeknownst to us, the ‘check-in’ process involved doing free pour ‘shots’ of Ouzo! Needless to say, we didn’t make it to our room until what felt like hours later!
From hitchhiking on the west coast of France (and being picked up by a very stern French mum who gave us a firm telling off) to being chased out of a basilica in Venice for wearing a tank top and shorts, to having a backpack stolen on an overnight train and sleeping on a park bench in Bordeaux, it was the trip of a lifetime with many life lessons learnt. Maybe one day it’ll be a book in the making!
The Guiding Light
To this day, Beccy is one of those people with a personality so big that when she walks into the room (very often late, I might add) you can’t help but notice. She just has this captivating energy that draws you in. Charismatic, compassionate, curious, with the most sparkly bright blue eyes and a laugh that floats through the air, Beccy has an inner light that is absolutely dazzling.
Within the Posse, Beccy is not only our phenomenal travel guide, she’s very often our life guide. She’s always the one to come with sage advice. Never afraid to bring a different perspective - in fact, I think she often enjoys breaking from the norm and offering an alternative point of view. But it’s always offered with love, and often with a cheeky smile, or glint in her eye, knowing that we’ll get a laugh out of her unique narrative.
The Day the Light Flickered
One of the things I love the most about The Posse is how we show up for each other. If one of us is down, we’re like bees in a hive, each working to help in our own special way. Last year our world was rocked when Beccy was in a terrible car accident (the night before her birthday!!) and nearly lost her life. We were all completely stunned and felt helpless in many ways as our ‘steady guide’ had gone down. With multiple serious injuries, a broken back in several places, a fractured hip, a head injury, a deep wound on her arm, and more, Beccy was in hospital for weeks lying flat on her back in agony. Weeks after she was released from hospital but had to wear a back brace and learn to walk again. It was a long and arduous road to recovery and took a mental toll on our beloved friend who was already dealing with life’s challenges. But watching Beccy’s pure determination to literally get back on her feet was nothing short of awe inspiring.
In less than six months, she was back at work, still struggling with pain and needing physiotherapy and surgery, she carried on. Literally putting one foot in front of the other with more strength and grit than anyone else I know. When many would give up, Beccy forged ahead. She showed up as a partner to her significant other, Ian, a mum to her two gorgeous teenage boys, a driving force at work (side note, Beccy is a freelance marketer with an adept marketing knowledge so if you’re looking for some marketing advice, she’s your woman!) Slowly but surely Beccy found steady ground, and this year in March, almost a year on from the accident, she flew out to see me and we spent a magical week which included two blissful days at the beach in Hilton Head.
We didn’t stop talking the entire time we were together. I feel this way about all of The Posse - I can go years without seeing them in person, but within minutes of meeting up, it’s like we were together yesterday. The week I spent with Beccy was healing on another level. We’ve both been through some heavy life challenges in the past few years. In many ways I think we sometimes feel like shells of ourselves. But we were able to bond even closer over that, and in many ways, I believe we ignited the fire again for each other.
Our Lighthouse
This MenoShine WOW is a love letter from the Posse to our dearest Beccy Brownhat. We see you. We admire you. And we love you dearly. Even on days when you feel your light is barely visible, it’s there, Bexs.
Keep pouring into your cup first - even though that feels uncomfortable as you’ve always been the one to be there for everyone else. Keep going for your morning sea swims, and your beach yoga. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, and when you’re ready, get out a guidebook and plan a Posse trip where we can create new, precious memories and laugh until we can’t breathe. Beccy, you’re our lighthouse and we are blessed to call you a best friend. We love you to the world and back!
The MenoShine Movement
Next week, you’ll meet my amazing friend Katy, and the following week, our final ‘Posse’ WOW will be the wonderful ‘Melly B.’ I have a line up of incredible women after that - how lucky am I that I have SO MANY WOWs in my life!
And this is where I want to hear from you. If you have a friend you’d like to celebrate as the MenoShine WOW, send me an email and tell me all about her. I’m collecting stories and will share them in a book called The MenoShine Movement later next year.
Let’s make this a MenoShine a movement - because no one should have to pause!
MenoShine WOW: Suzi
Welcome to week 2 of MenoShine’s WOW, celebrating our Woman of the Week!
Last week, I introduced you to Janey - one of my best friends in the world and a proud member of an amazing friend group called The Posse. There are six of us in the group and we’ve been best friends for over 35 years. Hand on my heart, I can honestly say that I don’t know where I’d be without The Posse. They are more than friends. They are my soul sisters and are a hugely important part of my life.
Meet Suzi
This week, our MenoShine WOW is Suzi. I don’t know why, but I’m getting emotional as I write this. Tears are already falling as I think about my gorgeous friend and how proud I am to share her with my little MenoShine world. Suzi is one of the kindest, most loving and caring friends you could ever ask for. She has an absolute heart of gold and a beautiful calming energy that allows you to feel seen, heard and held.
When my husband first met Suzi, he gave her the nickname “Smiley.” Over 30 years later, whenever Suzi’s name comes up, his face lights up as he says ‘ahhh….Smiley!” As you can see from the gorgeous pictures, she has the most beautiful smile and it really is the essence of who she is.
Soos-e, Flooz, Wuzi
As you’ll soon learn about The Posse, we all have nicknames for each other. You met Janey A, Jangle, Angel-face last week. And now you’re meeting Soos-e, better known as Flooz, Floozy or Wuzi Shite (her name is Suzi White… we really couldn’t resist with that one!) In our WhatsApp chat, she’s always referred to as Flooz and she always calls me Jammy. My maiden name is Samways which, in school days, quickly turned to Samwich … and with a first name of Joanne, turned to Jam Samwich, or better yet, Jammy.
While people might think nicknames are silly, for The Posse, they are true terms of endearment. One of my favourite things about Flooz is that she always calls me Jammy. I don’t have words to explain why, but for some reason, being called Jammy makes my heart happy. And THAT is what Suzi is so good at. We’re all very close within our group, but over the years I truly believe it’s Flooz who has been the glue to keep us all together.
The Superglue of our Sisterhood
The majority of The Posse live in Dorset, and two of us live abroad. Over the years, there were times where I could feel myself slipping away a bit. I’d feel sad when they all got together and I couldn’t be there. I fell into a bit of ‘woe is me’ as I was so far away. But Flooz would always reach out to me. “You’re quiet, Jammy. Is everything OK?”
She does that with all of us. She’s always checking behind the scenes to make sure we’re all OK. Suzi is the superglue of our sisterhood and I’ll forever be grateful for her kind and caring spirit. Now, don’t get me wrong. While she’s got the most sparkly smile that lights up a room, she is equally as fierce and ferocious if you upset one of her girls! Loyal to a T, if you upset one of The Posse or anyone in her circle, you’ll have a very stern Suzi to deal with! She’s the best kind of friend you could wish for: a total rock in the hardest times to help you feel seen and heard, and the first in line to cheer you on when life is good!
Family First
I love watching the relationship that Suzi has with her beautiful family. Her gorgeous daughter Lauren still calls me Auntie Jammy, which to this day makes me beam from ear to ear. Family time is everything to Flooz - .when she’s with Lauren, her parents, her sister and nieces, they protect and prioritize making precious memories. It’s so heartwarming to see them all together.
Stepping into her Shine!
For over 35 years, although thousands of miles apart, Flooz has been by my side. Watching her step into her MenoShine Era has been so joyful. She’s embracing her hair transition to the most fabulous funky grey and is proudly showing us all how it’s done. With a newfound confidence and love of colour, she’s stepping into her fifties with sass, style and of course, a beaming SMILE.
I’ll leave you with some words from Suzi. My beautiful friend who I am so proud and honored to call a bestie.
In Suzi’s words:
So….my 50’s…what can I say?? Well, new chapter, new hair & a different kind of energy! I’m embracing letting my hair transition from dark brown to a funky grey & loving it. It’s been the perfect excuse to fill my wardrobe with bright & bold colours (a new experience for me!!) Most importantly, I’m being ME. I’m loving living my life to the fullest with music, friends, festivals, travel & laughter. I’ve learnt how important it is to surround myself with a ‘village’ of incredible women, friends & family alike. Women who love fiercely, cheer loudly, hold you up in the tough times, party hard with you in the good times and make your belly ache with laughter. With them by your side, anything is possible.”
Flooz, thank you for being this week’s MenoShine WOW.
I love you to the moon and back x
MenoShine WOW: Janey
Let me take you back to 1989.
I was sixteen years old and my world had just been turned upside down. My parents had divorced and my mum and I had moved to Wimborne, a town in Dorset that I didn't know and didn't ask to be in. I was confused, lonely, and, honestly? I was terrified. I had to start at a new school, make new friends, figure out who I was in a place that didn't know me yet.
It turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me.
Because that's where I met them. A group of girls who would go on to become some of the most important people in my life. We've been friends for over 35 years now. We call ourselves The Posse. We have a WhatsApp group that is, I promise you, nothing short of life-giving. You'll be meeting them over the coming weeks here on the blog, as long as they'll let me share them with the world!
And the very first one I want you to meet? Well. She really couldn't be more perfect. She is the epitome of MenoShine.
Meet Janey. Jane Angel Roberts. And yes, that's her real name. When I met her (before she was married) she was Jane Angel, Janey A, Jangle. An absolute Angel. Perfectly suited to her name!
Who is Janey?
Janey is one of those people who just knows who she is. There's no pretence and no performance. What you see is what you get, and what you get is genuinely wonderful. She's funny in a way that makes you do a double take before you completely lose it. She somehow has a superpower of being able to drop the most perfectly timed one-liner that will have you in stitches. She's warm in a way that makes you feel like the most important person in the room. And she has this effortless confidence that I've admired from the moment I met her at sixteen.
Jane and her family own and run Gulliver's Bookshop in Wimborne, a gorgeous independent bookshop that has every bit as much character and personality as Janey herself. If you're ever in Dorset, make it your mission to drop in and say hello. And if you can’t get to Dorset anytime soon, then definitely give them a follow on Instagram right now (@Gullivers_Bookshop) because Janey's posts are an absolute joy. Books, the shop, the community she loves, all of it shared with her magnetic wit and a genuine passion for championing local. She is a huge advocate for shopping local, for supporting the high street, for investing in the places and the people that make a community worth living in. That spirit runs through everything she does.
Home and heart.
At the centre of Janey's world is her family. Her gorgeous husband Phil, and they really are one of those iconic pairs that you can’t stop looking at! Always stylish in their outfit choices and whenever they travel (which they love to do), they take everyone with them with lovely posts along the way. Weekend getaways, summer holidays somewhere hot and sunny with unique local bars and restaurants, and a good beach nearby. And the hotel video tours that Janey sends to The Posse WhatsApp are an absolute highlight. We wait for them with genuine excitement EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.
Their daughter Beth, Bethany Angel, is a stunning, (also hilarious - it runs in the family!) beautiful soul and amongst many things, is an incredible artist who designs all of Gulliver's window displays. Talent really does run in the family. And then there's Enzo, the grandpup, who features regularly on Janey's Instagram, has a hilarious personality, and is, of course, gorgeous.
A health scare that changed everything.
In July 2015, Jane suffered a significant health scare that led to a serious surgery and recovery. I watched her face something really frightening with more grace and courage than I have words for. And what happened afterwards is so Janey. She was patient with herself. She did the work. She came back stronger and healthier than ever.
She doesn't go on about it. She barely makes a fuss of it at all. But it's part of her story and it matters, because it's one of the reasons she understands in a very real way what it means to slow down, to listen to your body, to take things one day at a time and trust the process.
The one who lifts you up.
Here is the thing about Janey that I love most. When one of us is having a rough day, struggling with the changes in our bodies, frustrated with the meno belly or the wrinkles or just the general what on earth is happening to me of midlife, Janey is the one who brings us back.
She reminds us what these bodies have done. They have carried babies. They have healed from surgeries. They have kept going through all of it. She asks us to love them for that. And somehow, when Janey says it, you actually believe it.
She is an uplifter. A cheerleader. A woman who consistently and quietly makes the people around her feel better about themselves, often without even trying.
Good News Fridays.
Nearly a year ago, Jane had an idea. Good News Fridays. Every Friday, The Posse sends videos. Short, silly, joyful little clips sharing whatever our good news is that week. Big or small, it doesn't matter. We show up, we share, and even on the days when someone doesn't feel like it, the other videos make her smile anyway. We even have a jingle. And if we don’t sing it, Janey will of course tell us off!
I've been inspired by that idea so watch this space for MenoShine's own version with a twist every Friday!
The whole point of MenoShine is about finding your sparkle, tearing up the script, and making it your mission to shine! It’s about feeling your feelings and letting go of the things that are holding you down (but without toxic positivity or spiritual bypassing - we’ll talk more about that soon!) MenoShine is about finding your people and celebrating them every step of the way in their midlife journeys.
I couldn’t think of anyone more fitting than Janey to be my founding MenoShine WOW. She lives life by design, “comfortable, and ready to dance.” You can’t get more MenoShine than that.
Janey, welcome to WOW. I am so proud to know and love you, and to share you with the MenoShine world.
Love always,
Jo
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