Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 04/Aug 04:55

Nicole Felix-Mc Leod creates safe space for women over 40

CHERYL METIVIER EVERYTHING Nicole Felix-Mc Leod does is deliberate and flows like second nature, including her desire to create a space where women over 40, dealing with issues which are peculiar to them, could come together and comfortably exchange concerns freely. This desire has led to the creation of the online platform Intentional Living. “The purpose of the platform would be to provide health, wellness and lifestyle information to women over 40.” Felix-Mc Leod recounts how over time she observed that wherever she found herself, whether at meetings, social gatherings, casual encounters – wherever there were women present – they somehow coalesced into huddles. Women around her somehow drift together and effortlessly have these candid conversations about the various challenges they were facing. "I witnessed a release at each of these encounters: the bonding of women, sometimes meeting each other for the first time. And their reluctance to separate after these chance encounters sparked something inside of me." Each encounter reinforced in her mind that this was a vacuum she could potentially fill, and neither her empathetic nature nor her entrepreneurial spirit would allow her to leave this idea alone. [caption id="attachment_1100331" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Intentional Living members meet up for a sip and paint. - [/caption] "It took a while to figure out what form this village would take, but eventually I got it and Intentional Living was born." But why women over 40? “I myself am 59 years old, and just from my friends, family and other women in my circle, I realised that there was a specific need as we experience what I like to describe as ‘midlifing.’” Midlifing is one of the main areas of focus on the Intentional Living online platform. It refers to the myriad of issues which Felix-Mc Leod has discovered plague women over 40. Of course, chief among them is menopause, once a taboo subject. Thankfully, conversations about this subject are becoming more and more normalised. Felix-Mc Leod has found that in addition to menopause, there are a number of recurring topics that are of equal concern. But there has been no dedicated space for women to come together and have meaningful conversations about them. "Over 40 is a stage when many women are experiencing physiological, physical, psychological and emotional changes. "Menopause is not the only change in life. There are divorces, loss of loved ones, women contemplating career changes, considering furthering their education, developing themselves in some way, starting a small business, the role reversals that come with caring for parents; and so much more. "Having a space where these and other matters can be explored without judgment, where midlifing is normalised, has become treasured, needed and demanded." Felix-Mc Leod said that beyond just supporting each other, many women don’t know where to turn to source the right guidance and information to address their concerns. She saw this void as an area that she could tap in to. While not a guru, or professional in any of these areas, she was aware she had the skill and capacity to establish a network and act as liaison and facilitator. [caption id="attachment_1100332" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A cross section of the members of the Intentional Living platform. -[/caption] The challenges associated with the emergency phase of the covid19 pandemic in 2020-2021 forced many people out of their comfort zones, and it was during this period that she became serious about taking up the mantle in a meaningful way. Supported by her children, she created Intentional Living Facebook, Instagram and TikTok accounts. She committed to regularly sharing content to ensure that she maintains her following, and to encourage other women to join in. Before the pandemic she had noticed that a lot of the content she shared around women’s issues on her personal Facebook page gained significant traction. No stranger to the use of online platforms, Felix-Mc Leod is the owner of a business which she has run online for over ten years, so she took advantage of her additional online presence to expand her network. "My days generally begin at 3 am, when I start putting content on my pages, and share information about events and workshops, because this what the platform has evolved into." Because of her commitment to this endeavour, her calendar of events for Intentional Living has already been populated up to 2025. Her decision to use "cross-contenting" paid some dividends, as "friends" from her other pages saw value in the Intentional Living platform and subscribed. Se said as her numbers grew, “I started to hold small events, where I would invite friends and have them invite their friends.” She then gauged what concerns they had and used those as the basis of what topic she would raise and what kind of workshop would be planned. Felix-Mc Leod said one of the better suggestions she received was a request for self-defence training – an idea she had never contemplated. "I immediately dove into my research, and based on what I found, I decided against doing an in-person session. I posted content on the topic, discussing items like overall self-defence and situational awareness, being mindful of the surroundings. These were extremely well received." She said as time progressed, participants became more eager, many enquiring about when the next session would be and what topic would be explored. Felix-Mc Leod has been very forthcoming with her clients and does not hold herself up as a professional coach or counsellor. In fact, she describes herself as “a mid-life educator” and draws heavily from her own life experiences in what she presents. [caption id="attachment_1100329" align="alignnone" width="768"] Nicole Felix-McLeod -[/caption] “A lot of it has to do with where I am in my life right now, where I came from, and where I hope to be.” She said she often highlights the importance of women's securing their own finances, regardless of their family dynamic. Another area she is very passionate about is women having a business "on the side." Once a topic has been decided, she sets about identifying a professional in the field and engages that person as a co-presenter. In the interest of keeping her sessions affordable for her members, she tries to use locations and venues that are accessible and reasonably priced. "Many of these women are of modest means, and I try hard to ensure that no one is excluded." She said the number-one challenge for women over 40 continues to be menopause, and she has already proposed to host another session on it in October, when Menopause Awareness is marked. She said many people have started taking notice of what she does, and some have even sought to partner with her to collaborate and host retreats that will be beneficial to women over 40 who need holistic support in "safe spaces." The next women's event, called Blossoming Brews: A Tea Workshop For Mindful Living, is scheduled for September 21. It promises to be very insightful, educational and fun, she said.   The post Nicole Felix-Mc Leod creates safe space for women over 40 appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.