Resilience Is a Habit Stack
What a week in Nashville reminded me about holding it all—and the surprising role hormones play.
One thing I want for every woman who works with me—or with our team at Aurelia—is greater capacity.
Capacity to meet life’s demands. To move through seasons of stress with more ease. To hold both joy and challenge without breaking. The key to that kind of resilience is multifaceted. But one piece is non-negotiable: healthy hormones.
I’ve been in Nashville this week with my family for spring break. Four kids under 13, around me 24/7. Let’s just say...resilience has been top of mind.
Yesterday, I was nap-trapped with our four-year-old, and I found myself thinking about all the other mothers out there who—like me—had a baby near 40 and are now parenting at full speed while navigating midlife.
It’s a lot.
Don’t get me wrong—I love this chapter. I loved giving birth at 39. I bring more wisdom and confidence to this round of motherhood. But I also feel a pull toward independence. Toward my wise-woman era.
I’m better at giving teenage advice than chasing a preschooler barefoot through a park.
This is the “both/and” season. And to stay steady in it, I have to build and protect my resilience.
➡️ Here’s the part most women don’t realize: Resilience isn’t just about grit, mindset, or even self-care. It’s biological. Hormonal. And if you’re not supporting your system at that level, no amount of journaling or green smoothies will fix the crash.
In this piece, I’m sharing my exact “resilience stack”—the five habits that keep me grounded, energized, and able to hold the beauty and the chaos.
If you’ve felt it too—the overstimulation, the exhaustion, the endless mental load—you’re not alone.
You know you need rest and a nutrient-dense meal, but when you do get still, your body can’t settle. Your mind keeps spinning.
Here’s the truth: the expectations of life don’t pause. And neither does hormone decline.
Estradiol, a key form of estrogen, is critical for stress resilience. And in a healthy luteal phase, progesterone should ease us into calm.
But in perimenopause, progesterone runs low. And for many women, anxiety and unease spike in those 7–10 days before a period.
One of my own gauges for resilience is this: when a kid drops a glass or flies a drone by my head—how long does it take me to recover?
When my hormones are off, I stay dysregulated. Irritated. On edge.
When they’re well-supported—everything shifts.
Yes, hormone therapy is a huge part of my personal toolkit. But it’s just one piece of a larger web of habits that support how I feel, how I function, and how much life I get to actually enjoy.
My Non-Negotiable Habit Stack for Resilience & Longevity:
1. Hormones in rhythm
I use transdermal estrogen dosed by cycle day, oral compounded progesterone from days 15–28, and transdermal testosterone. It’s customized. And it works.
2. Sleep
7–9 hours (more in my luteal phase). Cold room. Blackout curtains. A Chilipad to support deep sleep and regulate temperature.
3. Practical nutrition
I aim for protein and fiber targets and keep meals simple and effective. It’s not always elegant—but it gets the job done so I can get my job done.
4. Full permission to enjoy life
Time and freedom are limited right now. So when I get space, I savor it. I travel. I buy the shoes. I say yes to dinner with friends who fill my cup. That joy? It’s medicine.
5. Movement that supports my nervous system
Outdoor walks are everything. I lift weights 3x/week and practice daily yoga for my low back. No aggressive cardio. No overtraining. If my heart rate spikes, I pause, breathe, reset. This is nervous system support—not stress.
Yes, I take supplements. But these five practices? They matter more.
Why We Do It This Way at Aurelia
This is why Aurelia was never going to be a fee-for-service clinic. Because hormones alone don’t change your life.
Coaching does. Care does. Consistency does.
Resilience isn’t just a feeling—it’s a foundation. It determines how much of life we get to fully live.
If you’re feeling your resilience wane, you’re not broken. You’re just ready for better support. I urge you to book a call with my team. We’ll help you build your own resilience stack—so you can hold more, with more ease.